P3D Re: Barriers to Stereoscopic Photography

["Greg Wageman" <gjw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

From: Bob_Maxey@xxxxxxxxxxxx <Bob_Maxey@xxxxxxxxxxxx>


>I will throw this idea out. Could it possible be that in this day and
age,
>people have lost the 'do it yourself' attitude? At one time, people
were
>more handy around the house, worked on their own cars, pumped their own
>gas, got up off their behind and actually changed the dial on the TV,
>cooked rather than microwaved, went to the bank rather than use
automatic
>deposit... you get the idea?


And nowadays people use the Internet to monitor and manage their
investment portfolios, buy season tickets to professional sporting
events and attend all the home games, have two full-time wage earners
working 9+ hours a day plus commute time, exercise and/or play their
favorite sport at a gym, pick up their kids after school and take them
to their after-school activities, maintain a household, etc.

I used to tune my '74 Nova.  It only required a timing light and an
analog dwell meter/tachometer.  I even rebuilt the carburetor once.  The
engine compartment of my current car is so cramped that changing the
spark plugs is most easily done from beneath, using a lift.  The engine
is fuel-injected and computer-controlled and requires $pecial diagno$tic
tool$ to tune and adjust it.  I could change my own oil, but why bother
when there's a "Spee Dee Lube & Tune" on practically every other corner
that will do it for $19.95 with no appointment necessary, AND dispose of
the used oil which is now classified as 'hazardous waste'?  (In the "old
days" we threw it in the trash and forgot about it.  Now that's a
crime.)

Most people I know are busy doing things they *want* to do.  Not things
they used to *have* to do because there was no alternative or because
doing it yourself saved substantial money.  This is the benefit of
automation, miniaturization and innovation, and our 'service-based
economy'.  At least, that's what they told us when I was in school.
Maybe it's different where you are.

Then again, the TV is full of Martha Stewart- and Bob Villa-types
showing us how to turn our pitiful hovels into the Vanderbilt Mansion,
using only empty tin cans and baling wire.  That taken with the Internet
investor I mentioned earlier, it seems that 'do-it-yourself' has changed
in scope and focus, but not disappeared entirely.  Today's
do-it-yourselfer is starting the next Amazon.com in his living room.

Most, but not all, present company enjoys mounting slides or prints, but
this is by no means universal even amongst our hobby.  I don't think
laziness is the reason; people just have different priorities and
preferences as to where they apportion their leisure time.

I like to compare our hobby to model railroading.  Some people buy a
basic set: engine, four cars and a caboose, an oval of track and a
single-train power pack.  Set it up once a year under the Christmas tree
and they're happy.  Others don't stop until they've recreated the entire
Penn Central or some other prototypical railroad in their basement,
dress up in engineer's garb and have 5-10 people over weekly to run the
thing on a schedule, switching cars in yards, the whole nine yards.  And
there are a million variations in between the two extremes.  One's not
more 'right' than the other.

     -Greg W. (gjw@xxxxxxxxxx)





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