From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 03/12/01-02:52:17 AM Z
On Sun, 18 Feb 2001 bmaxey1@juno.com wrote:
>
> No offence Judy, but how much of the info you read here ends up in your
> Little Magazine? (NOTE: Little Magazine is not a snide comment - it is a
> publishing term for the type of magazine you offer. I WANT TO BE CLEAR).
> Am I accusing you of stealing? CERTAINLY NOT!. However, I can safely
> assume that some of what you write is based on material that might be
> posted here, or historical, or themes and variations on existing
> techniques. Have you ever published an issue that is completely original
> material? Again, I will assume no. Certainly, feel free to correct me
> about my assumptions.
My goodness Bob, I absolutely BOAST about the richness, breadth and
variety of info in Post-Factory. I would consider any issue that didn't
at least pay some small tribute to this list to be in arrears. And I
assume that most folks don't want just "original Judy" however adorable
she may be. Even I, believe it or not, would get tired of sound of my own
voice. As for "completely original material," there IS no such thing,
everything is based on something....
In fact in a recent issue of Post-Factory, Catherine Rogers made just that
point -- commenting in an essay about Mike Ware's Cyanotype book that some
people had claimed WHF Talbot hadn't INVENTED photography because he used
prior research, as well as Herschel's discovery about fixer as a crucial
step. And....
"Herschel's cyanotype was greatly assisted by Dr. Alfred Smee, a surgeon
and scientist.... Putting this valuable information together, Herschel
created... a collection of processes.... Talbot's practical photographic
process is regarded by some historians as not invention, in part because
Herschel's discovery of the action of hyposulfites was...... But invention
is usually complex and usually includes contributions of others...."
etc. etc. etc.
I note, however, that Talbot managed to patent photography.
AND, if you think that a book printed 15 years ago had the info since
then either evolved on this list or reported here, you haven't been paying
attention. I have been paying attention. Some very excellent and
valuable books were printed 15 years ago. Many have been updated and
reissued. Of the others, the only one still of value as other than period
piece may be Keepers of Light, and even that great classic starts to
creak.
Judy
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