"PA forum will be closing down"

[simk]

This was foreseeable for a long time. Now read this by PatB here on tradgang:
https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?PHPSESSID=umr2e15birrh5k5c8459rc5h96&topic=184034.0
Up for discussion.
Good luck PA!

[GlisGlis]

That is really a sad news!
Loosing PA forum is like a fire in a library.
So many useful informations!!!   Words of people that in some case are no more and continue to teach and inspire new generations.
I strongly hope the owners would consider to let PA forums live

One thing I noticed is both PA and tradgang use the same "simple machines" software for site management.
It should be quite easy to integrate PA into tradgang.
Please consider this option
Do we have a shutdown date? is there time to prepare a bailout? 

[Del the cat]

Sad indeed... I know nothing about advertising revenue, business models, income streams and production costs.
But I do know that closing BOM to non subscribers was a ridiculous decision, as it cut off a supply of good content and viewers.
Del

[medicinewheel]

...
But I do know that closing BOM to non subscribers was a ridiculous decision, as it cut off a supply of good content and viewers.
...

Yes, indeed.

[Hamish]

Very sad. I fret for all the information that will be lost to the archery/ bowyer community. Yes the broad stuff will still exist in other forms of media, but the individual artistic detail, idiosyncrasies, and the personal perspectives, that made such a richness that made things special will disappear. The same thing happens with family photos. We take more photos than at any other time in human history, yet they don't seem to have the same value as when they were on film/negatives. It's like gross inflation of paper money, because most people take them for granted, and don't archive or preserve them, or print them out like we used to.  As they don't exist physically, they will likely disappear for ever once our memories are gone.

I think cancelling print issues was the end of PA. The same pattern has occurred with many of the other magazines that I subscribed to. They rationalized their businesses during Covid and, that model didn't work out for most. I still wanted print issues for all these magazines, and even wrote to some of the editors telling them why I thought it was a mistake to go digital only, and that I wasn't going to subscribe anymore. That was even before PA went digital only. None of them listened, many ended up folding. I can't imagine that ones that continue to exist as digital only are doing as well monetarily as they did in print. They certainly aren't making more profit.


 Digital only is a corporate model, that people who have no idea about the soul of an institution, promoted. I can't accuse the publishers of being like this because they obviously have a a long standing passion, and great track record of service to the community. I imagine everyone has to hang up their spurs eventually, and retire to a quieter life, for whatever reason, so I wish them all the best. Thank you for all the years of good memories, and the opportunity to encounter and interact with such wonderful people in the community.

[ssrhythm]

Oh noooo!  I just finished up a bow for my son.  His first bow was the first bow I ever built, and it was stolen or lost three years ago.  This new bow is the best tillering job I've pulled off yet, and I was hoping to enter it into the BOTM contest, somehow get lucky enough to win, and get the magazine with its picture and story for him to have forever.  Longshot, I know, but a man can dream. 

But enough of my selfishness, there is so much knowledge on here and the advice and simple online camaraderie is far, far too valuable to just let evaporate.  My late dear friend, brother, bandmate, and fellow outdoorsman started a website back when the infancy of the innerweb, and I know from discussions with the co-founders of the site that running a website properly costs money and is a lot of hard work.  I do not know enough about computers and technology to even try to run a forum like this, but maybe someone on here does and can take over the website portion from the PA folks?

If not, maybe I can talk to the current owners of the website/forum my bud created and see if there is a way to add a Primitive Archery forum to the site with subforms.  I don't know what that would entail, but maybe it could happen.  The site is called SCDucks.com, and despite having a large number of members from all over, it remains a tight-knit online family with respectful members...very unlike ArcheryTalk and similar forums.  The site, as is, is a great site for outdoorsmen, and I know there are a few trad bow hunters on there and even one guy who is a knapper. 

I don't know if something like this could work or not.  I just hope we can continue to have a place to have the discussions we currently have on here now.  Let me know what you think about the possibility/feasability of someone taking over and running this website as is or moving our communications/community to an existing forum under a PA forum with sub forums, and I'll float the idea to the owners of SCDucks in the meantime.

[Muskyman]

I hope something happens to keep it going. I’d hate to lose all the great info and people on here. It’s probably the only site I get on, and do so daily, if for nothing else just to see what others are building or watch their progress. I’ve learned a lot from the great people on here. If it happens , a big thank you to all that have given help, advice and encouragement.

[sleek]

Will the site be archived? Can we crowd fund to finance it to keep running? This page has done so much to advance archery and build friendships, as well as archive the communications of those no longer with us, how can we lose it?

[superdav95]

Yup the thing to do is to at least archive it so we don’t lose it all like sleek says.  We then need to be proactive in finding a solution like ssrthim says and have someone manage the site and forum and discussion pages.  There is too much valuable information here with the community here on pa.  I’ve been to other sites over the years and this one for me is the one I go to and visit daily.  Good bunch of guys and gals! Please count me in for any crowd funding options and or discussion. 

[StickMark]

These old school blue pages have taught me much. Horrible news.

So long.

[Del the cat]

Yup the thing to do is to at least archive it so we don’t lose it all like sleek says.  We then need to be proactive in finding a solution like ssrthim says and have someone manage the site and forum and discussion pages.  There is too much valuable information here with the community here on pa.  I’ve been to other sites over the years and this one for me is the one I go to and visit daily.  Good bunch of guys and gals! Please count me in for any crowd funding options and or discussion.

Ditto from me
Del

[Zugul]

losing this forum would be a huge set back to any new bowyers who are trying to understand how to build their own arrow launchers, such as myself 

[Pat B]

If someone is interested in taking over PA and/or the PA forum they can contact Monroe Luther, the owner on Primitive Archer, about this. Monroe is the only one that could make this decision if it is possible.

[WhistlingBadger]

Sure hate to see this, but figured it was coming.  I wish I had the time and expertise to take it over; it sure would be worth doing.  It has always amazed me that, in the era of dying forums, this place has stayed so active.  It's a testament to the quality of the people who make their own bows.   Monroe and Marie, if you're reading this, thanks for all you've done.  It's been a heck of a good run and for all our griping and "suggestions," we appreciate all you've done.

If somebody can figure how to make it work, I'd sure be willing to throw a few bucks in the pot to keep things going...

[Eric Krewson]

A while back I suggested us non-subscribers should subscribe just to help keep the site afloat, I subscribed for 2 years and put my money where my mouth was. I found I didn't care much for the mag but the subscription fee only worked out to a buck or so a month and I had gotten ten times that amount of enjoyment out of this site.

All of you guys who angerly dropped your subscription for one reason or another may have sunk this ship. For me it is not about the magazine, it is about the first site I go to every day, I eat breakfast and drink coffee in front of my PC while I read what is new on the PA site.

Being a flintlock guy I have two other primary B/P sites that I go to multiple times a day, from these sites I went from a being complete dummy about shooting B/P to building some mighty fine rifles, scratch builds, no kits, just a block of wood and a pile of parts. These sites are owned by individuals and get by with member donations. The M/L Forum has 40K members, I bet less than 1% donate. The suggested rate is $12 a year, I set up an automatic payment with this site to help keep it afloat, what I have learned there would fill volumes.

The American Longrifle site runs on donations, every now and then I sent them $100. The best gun builders in the world are on this site and readily share their information with pictures to wood hacks like myself.

The old adage "you get what you pay for" applies to the site closure, no support, no site. I am not upset with anyone for their choices because after almost 77 years on this planet I understand human nature very well. I personally don't believe in the concept of a "free lunch", what others chose to do is none of my business.