History and the need to be transparent

[Gil Boyd]

Something which is close to my heart is security which I deal with everyday in my work, but also history and the storing of such information without compromising security for the longer term.
An example:
I placed an article on the site about the M85 V L96 selection and why the M85 lost out to the L96 as being the British Army replacement at the time of the new contract in 1985 and used my name in clear as the author of that piece not Gil9713.

With me so far?

This website is second to none in storing and providing access to even non members, to the best technical and practical information on weapons systems and all things Military, right back to even the Romans

Computers have allowed this to happen in the last 15 years, where Doug has done a fantastic job in administering the site for US ALL, members or non paying researchers alike.

But what happens when we move on and are no longer about to answer specialist questions if we retain the information in our heads or in a dusty cupboard in the attic??

All I ask is that we take off our security heads for one second and think about the FUTURE.
This sites information is so terribly valuable for people in the future, to be able to use it with confidence in the knowledge that it came from that period in time, from those that had hands on detailed knowledge of the very workings of that specific piece of weaponry like Parker Hale as an example.

So I ask that we supply the site with "open" and transferable and exchangeable information on weapons as I intend to do with the M85, like Simon has, on the L42/L39's etc.and those wanting to know where their rifle was born and ended up before they purchased it.

In this way security is preserved in my view forever, because it is open to all to use in the years to come.
Had people like Bill Smallwood of Parker Hale not recorded the weapons he built, retained them himself, and then provided those records to me, and visa-vee me to this site, they could have been lost forever.

Yes there are risks in openly showing or writing down serial numbers to the open www, but I suggest by us doing what I propose, will assist in spotting the fakers out there, duplicating weapons system serial numbers as we use this great facility the world wide web to OUR advantage, and try at least to stampout this scourge.
Open to views and feedback..........but please think history when you respond, this site is a fantastic resource and has so much talent within it, and perhaps we should encapsulate its benefits.

Information

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[CINDERS]

Well said Gil as some are willing to take information with them and leave the fraternity floundering through books which can never replace the gained knowledge from in the field experience that went past what the books could teach.
We are not asking for state secrets just a continuation of the knowledge gained from years working on weapons so future generations like my 14 y/o son and other forum members families and the like can enjoy what we all brings us great pleasure the collecting and shooting of milsurps and the history they can teach us.

[WarPig1976]

The key to your suggestion is the ability of a guy to use a computer and his grammar skills. There could be lurkers who for one reason or another are embarrassed to write anything or just too long in the tooth to mess with "That Internet thing".

[Gil Boyd]

Take that onboard totally, and I do realise, no matter how transparent we think we are or try to be, in our attempts to be helpful, there will always be something lurking at the back of one's mind, that this new fangled technology is not to be trusted, and will always be abused by a few.

It is especially true of our age group of ex servicemen, and those that can remember how to strip and assemble most of the Milsurp on here for real, having been once trained in its art.
It was my way of asking those blessed with this first hand knowledge, who worked on these Milsurps who are getting on in years to perhaps consider the well being of that written knowledge and its safe transition to a.another just in case, as I have seen so much destroyed over the years by those who know little of how the information was fought for or gained.
That was one of the overriding reasons I wrote down what I researched about the M85 and talked to those who were there at the time

[CINDERS]

I for one struggle daily with the computers and various programs, I still type with 2 fingers as the key board keys are too small get some weird words anyway good for a laugh, I for one am not going to pick on or pass comment on gained knowledge though I may have angered a few forumers with mis-quotes at times they were made with sincerity not yanking peoples chains.

Just my thoughts on a subjects Gil is trying to get others to share