Maybe a dumb question, but I'm not a member of CPF (though I have been lurking there, mostly in the battery section) and don't know if this is common knowledge: I always wondered why you can't enter the budget section on CPF as a guest? Everything else seems to be accessable, and I have to commit there is a lot of useful information between the narcissistic and smart-ass posts, but I never saw the point of making discussions of budget lights a "VIP only" zone. Luckily, the tone in some threads over there kept me from signing up long enough to discover BLF, but I'd still like to know: What's actually going on in the budget forum on CPF that makes it necessary to hide it from publicity?
I think the budget section was created to gulag it off because people were starting to get interested in less expensive lights (which is the natural order of things with mass manufacturing) when CPF profits depends on the traditionally pricey companies. So the reason it's hard to access seems pretty obvious.
Plus don't forget, when you sign up it inflates their membership numbers and they can command more for their banner ads...for expensive lights!
Huny,
whatever is going on there surely will not add to the revenue of Her Highness, hence it is regarded worse than the proverbial red-headed stepchild.
That forum virtually feasts on the desires of the members for items they neither really need nor they can really afford. While I have to admit that some of the (costly!!!!) lights offered there by the custom makers are really neat, at the end of the day a flashlight still is a portable electric or electronic device usually powered by primary cells or rechargeable batteries, generating photons through an illuminant, and most often bundling the emitted rays by a reflector or optical system.
The goal of having a portable source of light can be achieved many ways, the more cost-effective ones are discussed here.
CPF takes this a step further and blends in a good portion of luxury.
If someone is willing to pay for this, that's OK. To each their own; I, too, have a $urefire 6P I have thrown a couple of pricy gadgets at, like a McGizmo switch and the flat, TiAIN-coated steel bezel by Overready. That was as much as I was willing to spend, and the only reason was "...just because!". Mind you, it is loaded with a rather budget-priced SolarForce T6 dropin. I cannot and will not afford a nailbender, which are overrated IMHO. Perspective is the key, if my salary was higher, I probably would have bought one of those dull bronze-colored hosts as well. But, since money is an issue, and because I love to tinker with stuff MYSELF, I merely snatched up their ideas and transferred them to my own SolarForce. Guess what - I love my customized L2, and it sees plenty of duty.
There are two things that might be regarded as annoying on CPF. 1st, the moderator's style is WAY overzealous and strict, if not rude and offending at times. 2nd, their mantra is incredibly dogmatic: whatever it is you want to discuss, it better has a well-respected brand name and costs a lot, too.
Consequently, there is no place for budget lights. I guess they keep a "budget light" sub-forum to brainwash people and lead them to their brand-X lights. Which are nice, but still way overpriced.
Then again... so is a Ferrari. If I had the dough and wanted a fast, modern sports car, it surely wouldn't be one from Maranello. I'd shoot for a Corvette instead - go fast for less.
long story short - CPF is spoofed as "clearly profit focused".
Well, it had the opponent effect on me.
Though I have some lights that I wouldn't consider budget I was and am most interested in the lower priced lights because for me it's just a tool that eventually breaks, gets lost, sinks, is stolen, whatever. Inexpensive is not the same as cheap IMO, so I am interested in what is not so expensive but still good. CPF hides this kind of information (if it exists there, I'll never find out), which I think is odd, because I would assume that the average guy (well, make that me) would like to probe the technology first without spending a fortune, and then, when (more or less) knowing what he wants in a light and has made some experience change to the higher priced gadgets and still feel good, because he knows exactly why he pays more for that particular dream-light (not like some guys spending thousands of dollars on lights still struggling with the question "what kind of light do I actually want?"). So CPF is IMO only repulsing potential future buyers of high class lights this way.
Unless, of course, they secretely know that budget lights are not necessarily inferior to their more expensive relatives and think everybody else is too dumb to reckognize if they don't tell us...
Unless, of course, they secretely know that budget lights are not necessarily inferior to their more expensive relatives and think everybody else is too dumb to reckognize if they don't tell us...
The secret is that chinese lights have more or less the SAME parts inside as the more expensive ones. Their problem is mostly with uneven fit and finish, which is just stupid because labor is cheap there and it doesn't cost that much more there to polish it off. It's probably just a cultural thing since their main market is internal or 3rd world countries where they dont' have the same demands from consumer products as most of us.
For example, the f23 trustfire I got has a beautifully done SS exterior, great reflector, etc, but the switch contact inside is wonky so I had to take it apart and fix it. Frankly the time I spent figuring it wasn't worth the light, and it was only interesting as hobby so I personally didn't mind, but that can't possibly stand by western middle class income standards.
Well, the same moderator said. "Enough, thread closed" and locked the thread.
Guess he couldn't stand the heat so he closed down the kitchen.
You lost me at ...hello ,,Did you just say you'd choose a Corvette over a Ferrari..???
Having been in the G.M. factory in 1971 right before we went into Maseratti ,Detomaso ,Lamborghini.and the Ferrari factories let me simply say Sixfink you've fallen and hurt your head . If money is no concern and you choose a Corvette ...argh..I'm at a loss for words. lets agree on this one ..the 1971 corvette is garbage ..Sure it's a much, much better car today ,but I'll take the Ferrari, you can have the Corvette.. You so crazy .
p.s. your light is somewhere over the atlantic ,,Sorry no clutch assembly yet for your ford .:p
Re: 1000 Lumen CREE XML (T6) Flashlight from China via ebay
Enough. Closed.
DM51
Once again , Clossed .. Hmmm DM 51 sure dont like talk about *.* Fire lights , I guess too much talk about them might lead to some one eactually buying one !
And he really likes clossing threads , does he not ? Another classic who done it !
Also note that he's a level 4 supporter. That means he pays >$200 a year to act the pathetic tyrant. WTH is wrong with him?
$200 Is 5-10 nice lights a year ..just for the privilage of being a jerk ?
that's just silly ..
Hmmm...what would I buy with $200 ?
.
He's a f*****g prick, that's what.
Perspective is the key here.
$200 = 11 x L2P for a year.
You are right, having some bad publicity is better than NO publicity. Some really just go for the price, and seriously with youtube and forums, it isn't too difficult to see that Ultrafire is really not junk for most applications and for most people.
He trully is THE real junk.
Starts loosing the arguement so closes the thread. Doesnt like folk getting upety does he. Thing is people actually started answering back and not fawning and arse kissing.
CPF hopefully on the downward spiral to the plughole......
Anyone noticed that they have started posting adverts from their own servers now....wonder if my evangelising about ad blocker plus caused that.
I could be wrong....but I think DM51 is related to Greta, Her son maybe?
I'm terrible with names though, so it could be someone completely different :P
Totalitarism at its best.
Everytime I read about their incredible sense of tact and circumspection, I am tempted to draw some caricature or at least make a neat, funny, tasteless and disturbing little photoshop.
"I zink you may verry vell drraw your own conclusions, Gentlemen! Jawohl!!!" *dashingly clicking heels and saluting*
I won't, however - these days, lawsuits for libel or defamation of character have become increasingly common, especially on the I-net.
Certainly don't need it myself, and certainly BLF doesn't need that as well. Satire should be allowed to reach farther than the boundaries of today's taboos, but the legal department speaks a different language.
Besides, they're not that funny over there. Simply not worth the trouble... and I guess they could WELL be trouble if they see their name at stake.
I can feel a photo coming......