Hi all
I have to confess - I am an impostor on this list. I do not earn my living as a photographer. In fact photography probably accounts for less than 5% of my income. I did however 35 years ago attend a full time 3 year photography course at a prestigious college. I did then work for 3 years in a well know fashion/advertising studio. I did then work for 25 years in the professional photo equipment distribution industry, latterly trying to sell high end digital equipment to quite a number on this list (sometimes successfully) and I probably know as much about this industry as most on this list
Coming up for for 6 years ago I changed tack and became a web designer. I have spent a lot of time, effort and money learning how to do it. I am now pretty competent. Not the best - but pretty competent. I do earn a living at it.
I subscribe to various web design related lists. The GoLive list, the Flasher list, the FlashNewbie list, the ChiWeb web usability list amongst others. On those lists no-one complains about giving information to ANYONE.
Many on this list make their own websites. Some also make them for their clients. Some are very good at what they do (in fact I can get jealous). Some - frankly - have no clue what they are doing. Some have asked me for advice which I have freely given. Quite a few have asked for technical advice on Prodig. I could argue that some of those are stealing my (and other web designers) livelihood. But I don't. It's pointless.
My first point is that professional photography is no more under attack than many other crafts. How do you think prepress/printers feel at the moment?
My personal opinion is that those in this discussion who advocate closing this list to all-comers are wearing very large blinkers. The very nature of the web ensures that all information will be available to all who search for it. By trying to close access to Prodig, the only sure thing is that Prodig will disappear up its own arse (couldn't think of a prettier way of saying that - sorry!)
Just my thoughts. No doubt others will disagree :-)
best
Francis Newman
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