What is POTN?

[-Douglas-]

I know what it stands for, and all of the POTN refugees do, but will newcomers?
I looked around a bit and couldn't find anything, probably missed it! If so, I apologize for starting this thread.
If I was newcomer here I'd be wandering what the heck is this POTN I see all over the place.
Maybe we should have a 'sticky' thread to explain it for the newcomers?


I sure hope I didn't miss it somewhere, that would be sooooooo embarrassing !!!

 

[OhLook]

I like your idea. Whether there should be a sticky, I can't say. It's occurred to me that, despite all the welcoming in the world, people who join Focus from anywhere not POTN might feel left out when we talk about POTN so much. They won't necessarily know who Pekka is, who Jake is, what RTAT was, what FYEO was. Do we inadvertently give an impression of being an ingroup, implying an outgroup?

 

[DavidWatts]

Good idea. A sticky, or a Shrine. Something though. And newcomers won't really understand us, who we are, without the POTN context being explained through the eyes (lens?) of it's history. They won't know about any of the above-mentioned people or funny things we've all done there, Title Fairies, who Chet is, or why "Tom has been restored." I think we owe it to Pekka and crew, and the tens of thousands of those who spent a good deal of their lives there. Who we are is what we all were there.

 

[Wilt]

This article gives a good start to explaining Photography-on-the-Net (POTN) its origins and eventual demise, and the motivations of its creator in deciding to close POTN.

The Photography-on-the-Net Forums is Shutting Down

The site will shutter sometime before the end of the year.

petapixel.com

What is missing from that article is the fact that

1. POTN started off as primarily oriented around Canon brand digital photography
2. Pekka did an incredible job of programming the design and then coding the software to address what he had found as shortcomings of using existing forum software sets, in creating the second version of POTN
3. With the intro of version 2 software, POTN grew in appeal to be highly inclusive of all brands of digital photography equipment
4. What distinguished POTN from most other forums Iand especially Newsgroups) was the fact that members kept down the personal attacks and alienation found commonly in other forums, bringing together what many felt to be a welcoming and accepting community of members, which allowed the establishment of friendships acrossed the membership.
5. POTN was a great vehicle for the sharing a wealth of photographic information and techniques, and sharing of photographic images.

 

[Canon Amateur]

"a picture says more than a thousand words" so I made few screenshots just before POTN went down.

 

[Canon Amateur]

 

[Chet]

Is this Pekka?

Double-bass

Double Bass

yle.fi

PUBLISHED 28.02.2011 - 10:40. UPDATED 24.02.2024 - 19:04

 

[Yno]

I would say it must be. From the symphony website:

Pekka Saarinen began his double bass studies at the age of 18 under the direction of Jiri Parviainen and continued them at the Sibelius Academy's soloist department under the direction of Olli Kosonen. Saarinen has worked as a substitute in the Lahti City Orchestra and the Finnish National Opera. Since 1989, he has been a member of the RSO's double bass section. In his free time, Pekka composes, photographs, works as a webmaster, web designer and programmer.

 

[OhLook]

At POTN, Pekka posted that there were no photos of him on the Web.

 

[Chet]

At POTN, Pekka posted that there were no photos of him on the Web.

While POTN existed. Pekka does work for the orchestra and his picture was never before on the site until now.

 

[DavidWatts]

He looks pretty good for someone in his 70's.

 

[SkedAddled]

Pekka posted a few pictures of him as a maestro, as well as his performances as an instrumentalist.

 

[Archibald]

I posted a picture of Pekka here at Focus and it was taken down.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

I posted a picture of Pekka here at Focus and it was taken down.

I think the reason was the timing, Ed. You posted your thread with Pekka’s pic and info around the time POTN shut down. We were all still in shock, very much tied to the old place and also very much aware of Pekka’s sensitivity to having his picture shown anywhere on the internet.

But this is May now and we have left POTN behind.

It seems to me that when someone’s photograph is on the internet for public viewing, it is no violation of that person’s privacy to link to it or repost it (with credit given).

 

[Archibald]

I think the reason was the timing, Ed. You posted your thread with Pekka’s pic and info around the time POTN shut down. We were all still in shock, very much tied to the old place and also very much aware of Pekka’s sensitivity to having his picture shown anywhere on the internet.

But this is May now and we have left POTN behind.

It seems to me that when someone’s photograph is on the internet for public viewing, it is no violation of that person’s privacy to link to it or repost it (with credit given).

I am quite fascinated with Pekka because I have some of his technical tendencies.... also I'm an amateur musician and have had a fair bit of contact with pro musicians who play in orchestras like he does.

I know that he wants privacy, but that does not impose any obligations on us.

Anyway, as you say, his photograph was already on the internet. And I reposted it at the time with the source acknowledged. I wanted to get a glimpse of the man who had influenced so many of us, and thought others might also want to see it.

The post stayed up for a week or two and in the end, I thought that was sufficient.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

I know that he wants privacy, but that does not impose any obligations on us.

No, it does not. I fully agree with you.

 

[Chet]

So did my picture from the Orchestra site match yours?

 

[Archibald]

So did my picture from the Orchestra site match yours?

No.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

The post stayed up for a week or two and in the end, I thought that was sufficient.

Ed, the thread was removed from public view but it's still here. Would you like me to bring it back? Undelete it, say?

 

[Archibald]

Ed, the thread was removed from public view but it's still here. Would you like me to bring it back? Undelete it, say?

Maybe we should ask Pekka. I'll bet he is a member here.