Why so quiet?

[CurtisOliver]

Ugh, now we have to buy cars to R&D. This hobby is getting more expensive!

Especially if these are exclusive to electrics.

 

[RedCowboy]

Naw, just like the laser headlights we will have access to replacement/repair parts and salvage parts, but it's the mass production that will make the components inexpensive once the technology becomes commonplace and widely used.

 

[tr3b or something idk]

Discord happened. Honestly I just come here to search threads.

 

[julianthedragon]

I love lasers and I’m just as addicted to typing “la…” in my url bar and hitting enter as “fa…” or “you…” or “x”.

One problem is forums in general just aren’t as popular a format as they once were. But I wish they were because there is actual useful information on here, even about laser safety if nothing else, that newbies getting into lasers could really benefit from.

Instead what you get is drop shippers on tiktok getting millions of views hyping up 500mw cheap greens without IR filters and pointing them at busy city streets/skies. Who knows how much damage that has caused both literally and to the hobby due to sensible people coming to the conclusion that lasers must all be dangerous/a scam.

I’ve introduced the hobby to many irl friends and it usually takes them some time to go from “what’s the point?” to “let’s destroy stuff with it (I mean fair lol)” to “ooh what other wavelengths do you have?” but I’ve gotten a few there. I genuinely think more people could be interested the way we are if the right kind of outreach existed.

The educational potential is also great. I really want to get into building and the electronics side of things I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to open up so when the time comes I’ll make sure to post here

 

[madmacmo]

I am reposting my previous and still current perspective of what Has Happened to LPF back in Jun 12, 2021,

---------------------
What Happened to LPF

Back when it all began the driver for LPF popularity, that daily drew thousands to the LPF forums, was the over night sensation of “powerful” hand held laser pointers becoming the discussion everywhere on the internet and in the news media.

It was the period where the time was ripe for the phenomenon of powerful multi color handheld laser pointers being made possible by the emerging technology of CD burners and laser projectors coupled with the keen ingenuity of the pioneers of harvesting and repurposing of laser diodes coinciding with the peaking popularity of the Star Wars movies where these early hand held laser pointers were immediately likened to Lightsabers being made available for anyone to own.

Several laser pointer forums sprang up, however it was Avery with his creative marketing insight and forum hosting website building talent that led to the success of LPF over and beyond the others. It was a bit rocky at first, but the word got out quickly, and so began the feverish pitched race for bigger better badass laser pointers by the rapidly growing LPF cult of collective collaboration among the influx of a great number of very knowledgeable, highly imaginative and talented individuals joining the LPF ranks as laser diode harvester's, electronic driver designer fabricators, and those early LED flashlight repurposing builders that put it all together into finished products ready for sale. The hype and the shock and awe drew new members and guests in daily by the thousands.

So what happened for us to find ourselves now the few left here on LPF, with our laser pointers still of no real purpose or needful use?

There was high drama from the very beginning, members taking sides came and went, trolls came and went, scammers came and went, the Rep system was always a distraction, forum hosting and format upgrades came and went.

What changed is simply the novelty, the interest, and the shock and awe upward curve slowed, peaked and began the downward decline now to where the forums have lost the level of interest that before had always kept LPF moving forward inspite of everything else. Where here and now we are left with no clear path ahead and no apparent standard bearer to lead us forward

if you want to know where it all started, the history and statistics Chronicles of Laser Pointer Forums , albeit I haven't updated it in a very long while, it's all still there (I think)

 

[Unown (WILD)]

Long time no see madmacmo!

 

[madmacmo]

Yes it has, I'll check in periodically, and decided to drop in on present discussion

 

[Unown (WILD)]

We got a discord now. In my sig