Photo-3d - The Stereo Mailing List

One of the best sources of information on stereo photography!

Photo-3d is a mailing list of stereo enthusiasts, operating non-stop since 1992.  I recommend joining it today by going to: 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/photo-3d/

First sighting of DrT on photo-3d!

The following is a posting from photo-3d, May '97.  It explains why I am known as DrT.

My good friend Bill Davis was kind enough to forward my first posting in photo-3d.  This was in Digest 625:

> Date: Mon, 19 Sep 1994 01:18:34 -0400
> From: fj834@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Dr. George A. Themelis)
> Subject: Stereo Viewer Repair Information...

It was a nice Monday afternoon that changed my life... Since then I have met and corresponded with dozens photo-3ders.  The posting was a "commercial" one, in response to a question for repairs on Kodaslide stereo viewers.  It starts like this:

> OK, it's time to introduce myself.  I have been working with stereo viewers
> for a year now and I offer repair services and supplies (mainly light bulbs
> and power supplies).  I am distributing an 8 page catalog with general
> information on light bulbs and power supplies and description of my
> products and services.  I've also written a book on the Stereo Realist red
> button viewer (reviewed in current issue of Stereo World). [stuff deleted]

The DrT nickname was coined to me here in photo-3d some time later.  I used the "Dr." in my name thinking that this will speed my application for an email account at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland OH, that manages the Cleveland Freenet.  In reality it did not help and due to a mix up it took a few months to get this account.  I got stuck with the "Dr." and soon people started calling me Dr. George, Dr. T, etc. The Dr. T proved popular to the point that I started using it myself!!!!

Bill says he will get out and send me my postings from 625-710.  I have compiled the ones from 710-1100 and 1325-Present.  Still working on 1100-1325.  I only keep the ones I consider "worthwhile" (about 1/2 of them) and have accumulated two 400K Word documents (about 100 pages!) This does sound like a lot of writing but some new shining stars here, like Gabriel and Larry Berlin, will soon pass me, if not in number of postings, at least in length!!! ;) ;) ;)

I do plan to further compile, organize and publish this information as "DrT's Great Photo-3d Quotes" or something.  This idea came to me a few months ago when I realized that "most of what is to be said, has been said already!"  When a question is asked about viewers, mounting, exposure, Realist, general philosophy of life and 3d, I can just pull out the old posting and repost.  Most of what I said is still valid (some ideas/opinions have obviously, changed; it is even interesting to study those changes!)

Thanks Bill!  I appreciate the help.  And thank you photo-3d for being a great companion for over 2 years!

George Themelis, a.k.a. Dr. T.

 

The following is an article published originally in "Stereogram" 2.6 (November 1998).  Things have of course changed since this was written, but I am leaving it here for historical purposes.

Last year (Stereogram 2.6) we talked about Email, the Internet and the Web. With prices of computers dropping fast, many of our members now have access to a personal computer and the Internet. (Internet connection & email costs about $10-$20/month, while email accounts only can be obtained for free from hotmail, juno, yahoo, etc.) With an email account one can join any of the numerous mailing lists.

A mailing list consists of a group of people who exchange email messages on a particular topic of interest. Usually a (free) subscription is required to join the list. There is a host computer and people responsible for the orderly operation of the list. List subscribers send messages to the list and these messages are then distributed to all list members either as individual messages or in groups of a certain size, called “Digests”.

One such list, of particular interest to us, is photo-3d, focusing on stereo photography. Originally the list was called “3D - Stereo Photography” and was run by a fellow, Tom Neff, who used his home computer to serve the 50-100 subscribers. In November of 1992 the list was moved to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, administered by John Bercovitz while in 1994 it was moved to East Texas State University under the administration of professor of Computer Science, Bob Wier. In 1997 Bob took the list with him to his next employment post at Rocky Mountain College of Billings, Montana, where it resides today.

Today “photo-3d” has about 1000 members. Only a small fraction of these members (maybe 100) post messages (many of the rest, known as “lurkers”, only read the messages) while only a few dozen members post on a regular basis.

I joined photo-3d in 1994 and immediately became a regular contributor. In 1997 I volunteered to be a moderator, helping with the list subscriptions. In photo-3d I am known as “DrT”, a nickname given to me by photo-3d list members.

In 1996 the photo-3d list was split into 3 lists in order to reduce the volume and encourage growth in other areas. The 3d lists operating today are:

Photo-3d continues to have the largest number of subscribers and volume of traffic.

What subjects are discussed in photo-3d? There are news, facts, opinions, arguments, basic questions (and answers), interesting tips, etc., on all aspects of stereoscopic photography from antique stereo view cards to modern computer 3d. On any particular day a certain topic might dominate the discussions. This is known as a “thread”. Threads change as new questions or issues are brought up for discussion. The list operates 24 hours a day (non-stop). Some people elect to receive the messages as they are posted but most receive them in “digest” form.

I would encourage all club members with email accounts to join the list (see insert for instructions) and participate in the discussions. It is through these discussions that I have learned a great deal about stereo and have come to appreciate the diversity of interests and opinions on stereo matters. It is through photo-3d that I came into contact with many great individuals, resulting in long term friendships. Also, it is through photo-3d (and sell-3d) that I have advertised our club and newsletter. Today, from our 93 members and subscribers, 33 first heard of our club through photo-3d.

George Themelis

Many thanks to John Bercovitz and Bob Wier for their contributions in this article and for getting photo-3d going!

 

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Updated: May 2006