Lets All Please Be Appreciative

[fossiljunkie]

hey everyone,

i noticed on some id posts that some people are getting argumentative after receiving id's. i for one appreciate the replies to all fossil id posts i may make. there is an extreme level of knowledge and expertise in certain areas that we may not have the knowledge for ourselves. that is why most of us post in the id section. we want to learn from that expert knowledge shared with us.

why post saying we have no idea what something is and then argue the reply. doesn't make sense to me. i've been seeing that the last day or so on the forum.

i just want to take a minute to say that if any of us are so sure to argue then maybe we don't need to post in the id forum. that isn't to say something may or not be debatable but arguing about it is silly after posting for help.

anyway enough rambling from me. i hope the advanced members who have helped me so much with my ids have a chance to read this post and understand that most of us are appreciative of the help in any way with identification. i also recommend anyone else who posts in the id forum that agrees with me replies to this post and show thanks and appreciation to all the members and moderators that try to help and assist in our id's. i know i appreciate it greatly and just wanted to say thanks for all the help.

[Coco]

Hi,

I am OK with you, fossiljunkie.

This forum includes numerous specialists and the advanced amateurs who express their opinion in identification requests. Sometimes, we "opened" discussions, where several possibilities are approached, but always on the respect for the given opinion.

Then, when anybody arrives on this forum with one or several ID requests, why to refute all the answers, especially when they are not in agreement with the fact that the new member is of opinion, and to close the dialogue? Why to ask to look better, on a photo of rather poor quality? Why to put back in doubt the opinions of the competent members who have a long past of the paleontology?

If he knows what that is, any need to ask us here! It is sometimes tiring to see systematically any rejected idea, without being able of maintaining the dialogue, simply because the person who asks for the identification believes knowledge what it is !

Sorry, it is "my 2 cents" ! And many thanks to the nice members who help others about ID !

Coco

PS : tooth has not pores ! :startle:

[Auspex]

A little respect goes a long way.

Members who invest the time to share their observations and expertise are entitled to at least a modicum of gratitude. By the same token, someone with the curiosity to make the effort and post pictures for ID should expect that they will be free from ridicule, poor behavior notwithstanding.

This is how we all try to have it work; almost always it does.

[fossiljunkie]

A little respect goes a long way.

Members who invest the time to share their observations and expertise are entitled to at least a modicum of gratitude. By the same token, someone with the curiosity to make the effort and post pictures for ID should expect that they will be free from ridicule, poor behavior notwithstanding.

This is how we all try to have it work; almost always it does.

i agree with you 100%. and it is what makes this forum what it is.

[Guest fossil dummy]

i agree with you 100%. and it is what makes this forum what it is.

Yea,who does Mountaineer think he is?Just because he unearthed a Glyptodont Fossil now at CSE museum in Pensacola,Fl.,what makes him think he can voice his opinion back to you?

[Auspex]

Yea,who does Mountaineer think he is?Just because he unearthed a Glyptodont Fossil now at CSE museum in Pensacola,Fl.,what makes him think he can voice his opinion back to you?

Voicing opinions is encouraged, as long as the etiquette of the Forum is adhered to.

Do you know Mountaineer?

[Sharks of SC]

Im seeing a lot of similarities between Mountaineer and Fossil Dummy - mostly hostility, but also the way each posts...and their proximity...and their recent joining of the forum.

Any connection?

[Auspex]

They also have the same IP address.

This troll charade is over.

[Sharks of SC]

Thank you, Auspex.

[fossiljunkie]

Im seeing a lot of similarities between Mountaineer and Fossil Dummy - mostly hostility, but also the way each posts...and their proximity...and their recent joining of the forum.

Any connection?

hey man good catch. i just don't get the hostility to begin with unless i missed something somewhere. thanks .

[fossiljunkie]

Voicing opinions is encouraged, as long as the etiquette of the Forum is adhered to.

Do you know Mountaineer?

thanks auspex. somehow fossil dummy thinks asking for appreciation means the guy can't speak his opinion. i have no problem with opinions but respect is respect and everyone deserves it both those asking and those giving. thanks again.

[JohnJ]

They also have the same IP address.

This troll charade is over.

Mountaineer and fossil dummy were likely the same person definitely posting from the same IP address as Auspex pointed out. They had a confrontational agenda with no regard for the guidelines of The Forum (which doesn't last long here).

[fossiljunkie]

i'm glad everyone was on the ball. who would need a member on the forum who has confrontation as their main goal. funny how he knew who i was talking about when i started the post without any names mentioned

[Auspex]

Trolls happen.

Further research has revealed an ulterior motive ('nuf said).

[Procynosuchus]

I agree whit what fossiljunkie said.

When i was a begginner (well, i'm still a beginner), when i was even more a beginner, i happened to mistake bizzarrely shaped sedimentary forms for bones, calcareous veins for oyster shells, zoophycus for fossil plants...

What i've done then was to read any fossil publication i had at home, and read carefully the geologic maps of the places where i used to go (actually this is the most important thing when you go looking for fossils, e.g. prevents you from a 3-hours useless trip in fossil-free trobiditic rocks).

The only thing this people should do is to purchase any fossil guide for beginners and learn how an actual fossil looks like. Also typing for "fossil" on google or ebay could be useful.

And getting angry when people that collects fossils from years tells you "it's a rock", makes you look kind of immature and annoying. Calm down and check your freaking geologic maps

Edited September 18, 2010 by Procynosuchus delarpheae

[fossiljunkie]

I agree whit what fossiljunkie said.

When i was a begginner (well, i'm still a beginner), when i was even more a beginner, i happened to mistake bizzarrely shaped sedimentary forms for bones, calcareous veins for oyster shells, zoophycus for fossil plants...

What i've done then was to read any fossil publication i had at home, and read carefully the geologic maps of the places where i used to go (actually this is the most important thing when you go looking for fossils, e.g. prevents you from a 3-hours useless trip in fossil-free trobiditic rocks).

The only thing this people should do is to purchase any fossil guide for beginners and learn how an actual fossil looks like. Also typing for "fossil" on google or ebay could be useful.

And getting angry when people that collects fossils from years tells you "it's a rock", makes you look kind of immature and annoying. Calm down and check your freaking geologic maps

well said.

[Procynosuchus]

a'ight

[Scylla]

...

PS : tooth has not pores ! :startle:

Unless you don't brush after eating candy

[Boesse]

Getting off the troll track and back to the original subject - I started off getting fossils identified on the GTLSYS forum as a relatively ignorant high school student, and would occasionally jump to conclusions and submit fossils for identification - however, in most of those cases, it was more so to get validation of my own 'belief' (a word I don't use often, but in this case is very applicable) rather than to hear other opinions. As you can imagine, I was quite miffed and shocked when I heard suggestions that I had grossly misidentified certain fossils. I can't recall how defensive I was at the time (although JPC, RB, and Fossilcrab (Keith)) could probably attest to it if they're still around (I know JPC is).

Over the years, as my knowledge, library, and collection increased size, I was able to more confidently identify my own fossils without requiring consulting others. Occasional weird specimens still crop up, in which case I'll show certain paleo faculty members and paleo students. That being said, in the years since I've been in college, I've transitioned to a role where I offer my (rather limited) knowledgeto identify other folk's fossils.

I'll admit, I do lose my patience every now and then - that being said, I try and temper myself during exchanges with similar versions of my 'former self'. We've all been there - we know what it's like. To be quite fair, I'm really impressed with the rather extreme degree of patience the majority of members who identify material on here exert - and, on the other side of the coin, I'm equally impressed with how well many newcomers take "negative" ID's.

Anyway... 'nuff rambling.

Bobby

[fossiljunkie]

Getting off the troll track and back to the original subject - I started off getting fossils identified on the GTLSYS forum as a relatively ignorant high school student, and would occasionally jump to conclusions and submit fossils for identification - however, in most of those cases, it was more so to get validation of my own 'belief' (a word I don't use often, but in this case is very applicable) rather than to hear other opinions. As you can imagine, I was quite miffed and shocked when I heard suggestions that I had grossly misidentified certain fossils. I can't recall how defensive I was at the time (although JPC, RB, and Fossilcrab (Keith)) could probably attest to it if they're still around (I know JPC is).

Over the years, as my knowledge, library, and collection increased size, I was able to more confidently identify my own fossils without requiring consulting others. Occasional weird specimens still crop up, in which case I'll show certain paleo faculty members and paleo students. That being said, in the years since I've been in college, I've transitioned to a role where I offer my (rather limited) knowledgeto identify other folk's fossils.

I'll admit, I do lose my patience every now and then - that being said, I try and temper myself during exchanges with similar versions of my 'former self'. We've all been there - we know what it's like. To be quite fair, I'm really impressed with the rather extreme degree of patience the majority of members who identify material on here exert - and, on the other side of the coin, I'm equally impressed with how well many newcomers take "negative" ID's.

Anyway... 'nuff rambling.

Bobby

bobby,

for the most part both sides are quite kind. what i was referring to was a member posting for id's and quite arguably being downright nasty in his replies, but that is only my opinion. i think he could have received the info he asked for better than he did that's all. thanks

[RickNC]

Yeah, but it has pores....

[siteseer]

I was really lucky when I started collecting fossils. I was visiting a fossil/mineral dealer I had met at a flea market when a friend of hers came over to ID a bunch of specimens she had picked up in a lot. He was a high school science teacher who collected fossils, minerals, meteorites, coins, and artifacts and he was very knowledgeable about it all. He had a couple of books with him (the Fenton book, Case's "Pictorial Guide"). Later, he invited me to his house, showing me several Riker Mounts on his home office walls and floor cases displaying some specimens of his collections. He told me about pseudofossils - how erosion could shape rocks to look like just about anything.

This forum is that teacher for new collectors who aren't lucky enough to have a local friend to help them with identifications. Some people don't want the bad news that their river rock or beach debris isn't a dinosaur egg or a tooth and they get mad because they feel like someone is trying to insult, trick or cheat them. Some people want to believe they already know everything already and work hard to ignore clues to the contrary. A collector should want to know what he actually has - not get mad because it didn't live up to the dream.

Getting off the troll track and back to the original subject - I started off getting fossils identified on the GTLSYS forum as a relatively ignorant high school student, and would occasionally jump to conclusions and submit fossils for identification - however, in most of those cases, it was more so to get validation of my own 'belief' (a word I don't use often, but in this case is very applicable) rather than to hear other opinions. As you can imagine, I was quite miffed and shocked when I heard suggestions that I had grossly misidentified certain fossils. I can't recall how defensive I was at the time (although JPC, RB, and Fossilcrab (Keith)) could probably attest to it if they're still around (I know JPC is).

Over the years, as my knowledge, library, and collection increased size, I was able to more confidently identify my own fossils without requiring consulting others. Occasional weird specimens still crop up, in which case I'll show certain paleo faculty members and paleo students. That being said, in the years since I've been in college, I've transitioned to a role where I offer my (rather limited) knowledgeto identify other folk's fossils.

I'll admit, I do lose my patience every now and then - that being said, I try and temper myself during exchanges with similar versions of my 'former self'. We've all been there - we know what it's like. To be quite fair, I'm really impressed with the rather extreme degree of patience the majority of members who identify material on here exert - and, on the other side of the coin, I'm equally impressed with how well many newcomers take "negative" ID's.

Anyway... 'nuff rambling.

Bobby

[Boesse]

Fossiljunkie,

I recently came across that post, and I couldn't agree more; we occasionally come across some members who just need to grow up, plain and simple, and I think this is one of those cases.

Bobby

[fossiljunkie]

I was really lucky when I started collecting fossils. I was visiting a fossil/mineral dealer I had met at a flea market when a friend of hers came over to ID a bunch of specimens she had picked up in a lot. He was a high school science teacher who collected fossils, minerals, meteorites, coins, and artifacts and he was very knowledgeable about it all. He had a couple of books with him (the Fenton book, Case's "Pictorial Guide"). Later, he invited me to his house, showing me several Riker Mounts on his home office walls and floor cases displaying some specimens of his collections. He told me about pseudofossils - how erosion could shape rocks to look like just about anything.

This forum is that teacher for new collectors who aren't lucky enough to have a local friend to help them with identifications. Some people don't want the bad news that their river rock or beach debris isn't a dinosaur egg or a tooth and they get mad because they feel like someone is trying to insult, trick or cheat them. Some people want to believe they already know everything already and work hard to ignore clues to the contrary. A collector should want to know what he actually has - not get mad because it didn't live up to the dream.

siteseer,

i have learned quite a bit from everyone here and i feel that i wouldn't hesitate accepting the majority opinion when i ask for it. i will do it for many years to come and i thank all of you.

[frozen_turkey]

I remember when i sarted fossil hunting way back in the day. I never realy had problems telling a fossil from a rock but..... There was this one time 5 years ago i oppesivly looked for indian artifacts in my creek and after several months of diging i had the bright idea of showing my stuff to a proffetional. And basicly he tolded me that i had a box of rocks and to go see the geology department. He was nice about it but, O that realy ground my gears and i just wanted to sit there and argue with him about it. But seeing that i had no chance i didnt. But it took alot of self control not to. And after that i gave up looking for that stuff and went back to good old fossils. (true story)

-Frozen

Edited September 19, 2010 by frozen_turkey