Should there be a Laser Measurements Section?

[Joe Mo]

Hi folks,

Recent discussions in a previous thread have lead to this poll. The question being, Should there be a "Laser Measurements" or "Laser Measurement Equipment" section? I myself have recently purchased an LPM. When researching the subject I scrolled down the forum thinking there would be a section for LPMs and Spectrometers. However there is no section dedicated to this measurement equipment. Due to the importance and increasing affordability of this equipment, I believe the presence of a section dedicated to Power, Wavelength, Divergence measuring and anything related should exist. I also want to broach the topic of people posting advertisements for their specific LPM in this section. I think it would be beneficial to the community if we disabled advertisement in this section. This would keep the section pure and factual, free of outside advertisement and influence.
Overall I think this forum would benefit greatly from the addition of a "Laser Measurements" Section.

Thanks for reading and voting!

Joe

 

[ElektroFreak]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

I vote yes. Metrology is a VERY important part of working with any type of radiation, light and lasers included.

 

[Joe Mo]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

I vote yes. Metrology is a VERY important part of working with any type of radiation, light and lasers included.

agreed.

 

[rhd]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

Damn - I was in total support of this initially, but I had to vote no because of the ambiguity in your poll.

I would support a Laser Measurements section, but not a specific LPMs section.

I wish you had given me the option to vote yes for the former, because I think it's a great idea.

 

[ElektroFreak]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

Yes, but the title contains the function "or" which leaves both options perfectly valid. Voting yes in this poll merely means you support the concept. LPMs are just the most common form of measurement tool for laser hobbyists, hence the direct reference.. The OP even refers simply to a "laser measurement section" in his post, and discusses other types of measurement besides power.

 

[Joe Mo]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

Yes, but the title contains the function "or" which leaves both options perfectly valid. Voting yes in this poll merely means you support the concept. LPMs are just the most common form of measurement tool for laser hobbyists, hence the direct reference.. The OP even refers simply to a "laser measurement section" in his post, and discusses other types of measurement besides power.

True, I know what rhd is saying, I think I can change the poll. I'm at lunch right now. Lets also see what unfolds here in this thread also. We can specify exactly what we want in the posts.

 

[lasersbee]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

Damn - I was in total support of this initially, but I had to vote no because of the ambiguity in your poll.

I would support a Laser Measurements section, but not a specific LPMs section.

I wish you had given me the option to vote yes for the former, because I think it's a great idea.

Come on RHD you know exactly what he meant.... you
had already read the intent on the other thread... To now
buck over sematics seems a bit extreme...IMO

Makes a lot of sense to me. Perhaps it could be slightly broader though, because it would be nice to give spectrometers a home at the same time - especially since they're starting to become available in a price range similar to what you'd pay for a decent LPM.

"LPMs and Spectrometers"
or perhaps just
"Laser Measurement Equipment"

You just needed to ask for clarification on the semantics/meaning
of the 1st post before Voting... that's what the posts under it
are for...

I do aggree that the word LPM or Spectrometer need not
be included in the section title... but the word "Measurement"
should.


Jerry

 

[rhd]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

Yep, I agree - I think you were the one that proposed "Laser Measurements" as a title, and I like that one.

No, I'm not arguing semantics. I have a very different perspective on the "LPM" option versus the "Laser Measurements" option. I think we already have some obsolete and narrow forum titles that are starting to show their age, and I think "LPM" would contribute to the narrow-title problem. (Like having 445nm and Blue as separate categories. Where does a 460nm diode fit in? Etc)

I don't want to toss my support in favour of something that includes both an option I support, and an option I really don't. Think about it: What if I contribute a YES vote, it goes through, and what results is the sub-option that I wasn't in favour of?

Anyway, it's just one vote, and nothing here is determinative, so don't sweat it. I just think that if we're going to collect serious input, we should set it out clearly, and without ambiguity, right from the beginning.

 

[MarioMaster]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

I believe the last time this was brought up, the main reason it was shot down is that it would end up being a pile of advertising for lpm manufacturers and a potential source of drama.

There have been plenty of other lpm and other types of measurement discussion threads in other sections of the forum, but not enough to really justify an entire section to be dedicated for it. That's my opinion on the matter anyway.

 

[Joe Mo]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

I believe the last time this was brought up, the main reason it was shot down is that it would end up being a pile of advertising for LPM manufacturers and a potential source of drama.

There have been plenty of other LPM and other types of measurement discussion threads in other sections of the forum, but not enough to really justify an entire section to be dedicated for it. That's my opinion on the matter anyway.

But think about it. If there WERE a MEASUREMENT section it would get posted in. It would NOT have ANY advertisements in it. We discussed this in the previous thread.

It's also not fair to spectrography or even measuring and posting the divergence of lasers/diodes/modules.

MAYBE 50% of the topics would be LPM related. The rest being measurement questions/readings.

spectro I feel like we OWE ourselves the knowledge this section could provide.

 

[rhd]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

Let's be real about things -

We don't have that many LPM manufacturers in the hobby community right now anyway. Jerry would certainly put up stuff about the LaserBees, but I can see lots of other hobby initiatives finding their homes in that forum too.

We allow advertising LPMs in other areas of the site, so why wouldn't we allow that in an LPM sub-forum? I mean, in that forum the advertising would at least be on-topic

Plus, while not as prevalent, I could see a lot of goo spectrometer content showing up. You could also envision threads about using diffraction gratings to get wavelength readings, or DIY setups for measuring divergence.

I think there's a lot more benefit than there is potential for harm.

 

[lasersbee]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

I believe the last time this was brought up, the main reason it was shot down is that it would end up being a pile of advertising for lpm manufacturers and a potential source of drama.

There have been plenty of other lpm and other types of measurement discussion threads in other sections of the forum, but not enough to really justify an entire section to be dedicated for it. That's my opinion on the matter anyway.

I don't see a problem of advertising LPMs or any other Laser Measuring
device....
The LPMs we sell are in the B/S/T and Pro Shop areas were they
should be.. They have no business being sold in a Laser Measurement
section.

As it is.. the questions and information on the functionality and
usage of LPMs... any LPMs... is scattered across the Forum...
It would be nice to have any future information and questions in an
easy to find central location for all to access...

There is an entire recent section on Flashlights that have less to
do with Lasers than LPMs and Spectrometers...:undecided:


Jerry

 

[Joe Mo]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

I don't see a problem of advertising LPMs or any other Laser Measuring
device....
The LPMs we sell are in the B/S/T and Pro Shop areas were they
should be.. They have no business being sold in a Laser Measurement
section.

As it is.. the questions and information on the functionality and
usage of LPMs... any LPMs... is scattered across the Forum...
It would be nice to have any future information and questions in an
easy to find central location for all to access...

There is an entire recent section on Flashlights that have less to
do with Lasers than LPMs and Spectrometers...:undecided:


Jerry

rhd, I totally love/respect you (no homo) but I have to agree with jerry. Everybody knows what to expect from let's say... jerry! He is obviously with Laserbew. HOWEVER I can TOTALY see your point/agree with you!, for sure. I just think that it would be much better to give this thing a shot, than to NOT give it a try. You know?

If things go crazy we can make a poll to close it, right?

 

[lasersbee]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

rhd, I totally love/respect you (no homo) but I have to agree with jerry. Everybody knows what to expect from let's say... jerry! He is obviously with Laserbew. HOWEVER I can TOTALY see your point/agree with you!, for sure. I just think that it would be much better to give this thing a shot, than to NOT give it a try. You know?

If things go crazy we can make a poll to close it, right?

WTH is Laserbew....:thinking::crackup:

Jerry

 

[Joe Mo]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

Hahhha!! Well what is a laser bee!! Haha


P.s. I'm not changing my spelling out of principle...

 

[rhd]

Re: Should there be an LPM or Laser Measurements Section?

rhd, I totally love/respect you (no homo) but I have to agree with jerry. Everybody knows what to expect from let's say... jerry! He is obviously with Laserbew. HOWEVER I can TOTALY see your point/agree with you!, for sure. I just think that it would be much better to give this thing a shot, than to NOT give it a try. You know?

If things go crazy we can make a poll to close it, right?

Wait, what part of my comment are you disagreeing with? Because I actually agree with Jerry on this one too My only objection (and it's a big one, it's the reason I voted "no") was the ambiguity - the potential to call this an "LPM" section. If that's even on the table, then I'd think it was a poor idea, because the title would never change, and we'd end up with other stuff like spectrometers still stranded out in other non-appropriate sub-forums forever.

But, in terms of a "Laser Measurements Section", I'm all on board.

AND, I also don't see any reason not to allow advertising. In fact, it seems to me that in the LPM section, we SHOULD allow advertising - this is precisely where LPM advertising belongs, so why prohibit it?

I'm sure Jerry would buy an ad, but the forum admins are good about "stickying" non-paying threads as well. If there was something like the Radiant Alpha that popped up for sale again, and didn't have the momentum or financial backing of Jerry's company, I'm pretty sure we'd still see their LPMs stickied at the top of the sub-forum thread list.

So - I'm all for this (as long as THIS is a "Laser Measurements Section"), and I'm even all for removing the advertising restriction. I voted no because of how the OP was worded.