Re: Rent-a-Realist

[P3D Gregory J. Wageman <gjw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>Greg, you sound like DrT!  Am I right in assuming that you have never
>attended a stereo club meeting?

True enough.  There's one "near" me (in Oakland, of which our esteemed
John B. is a member), but the meeting times don't fit in to my schedule.
(I'm usually still at work in the South Bay when the meeting is being
convened in Oakland, a good 1.5 hours away [or more, depending on the
blasted Bay Area traffic].)

>If typical stereo club members were in
>their peak of their carriers, in their 40s with high-paying jobs and
>open minds then things might have been different.  But the fact is
>that many members are senior-citizens, retired and in "fixed income".

Ah, well.  I bow to your greater experience with club members.

>But there are practical resons that this could not work.  If each
>member in a 30 member club kept the camera for one month (it is
>resonable to pick the camera in one meeting and return it in the next)
>then the ones at the bottom of the list would have to wait for 3
>years to use it!

So you'd want shorter sign-out times, or, more desirably, to purchase
multiple cameras...

>Also, those who have no interest in using it would
>refuse to finance this purchace.

We don't get to pick-and-choose which programs our taxes pay for, do
we?  The astronomy club I cited as inspiration for this idea doesn't
allow an "opt-out" option if you don't plan to use their equipment.
It's part and parcel of joining; if you choose not to avail yourself
of the equipment, that's your choice, but you don't get a discount
on your membership fee.

>There are other important and much cheaper equipment that the club
>must purchace first.  With the RBT's price tag at 5-10 times the entire
>annual budget, no president in their right mind could suggest such
>purchace so each member can benefit once every 3 years.  Better buy
>a better projector that is being used in every meeting.

Your club is just getting established.  Obviously you must have a
priority in order of purchases, and that makes sense.  And if your
membership isn't interested, then of course foisting such a scheme
on them would be wrong.  But have you asked them if they'd be
interested, or are you just guessing?

>And, of course, nobody would like to get stuck with the camera in
>February in Cleveland!

I don't know, I've seen some good urban snow shots.  It just calls
for a bit more creativity (and warm clothes!).

>Finally, even if those practical problems did not exist, I personally
>don't think that the RBT camera is a wise investment when a Realist
>will, for most people, do *about* the same job for much less money.

Hmm, that's not what you said in your review of the S1 for Stereo World!
:-)
	-Greg W.


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