Dave,
All of the above answers are valid answers, plus I will add my tuppence. I have also participated in fora such as you mention, and with out question, there always seems to be a bias by the manufacturers and the vendors to their specific needs/desires. I find that the information I gain here is as unbiased as I believe I can receive.I would prefer to hear from a fellow modeler that a product either performs or not. Manufacturers don’t particularly own up to their shortcomings.
As for the magazines and articles, I have recently begun a campaign of scanning the articles I am interested in and passing on all my old Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman magazines. The thing I find interesting is that the newer that issue of the magazine, the less I find I am scanning and keeping. The magazines are more advertising and less content. Advertising is important, but without content, I the reader have nothing to bring me to the magazine. Compound with the question “Why should I pay someone - print magazine or fora - for what I can get here for free?”
If you look, there are advertisers here, but I don’t get barraged with advertising as I do on other fora. Those same advertisers will answer questions, if asked directly. As for manufacturers, there are few majors left, and those that are have their own thing going. The lesser manufacturers have their web sites to maintain and product to make and don’t generally have the time to spend kabitzing on forums. That said, some make appearances here now and again. Some do frequent as lurkers keeping a finger on the pulse of what is going on, but not actively participating. I applaud those that are left and will search them out.
I personally believe you will receive as good or better information here, and in a far more timely fashion than relying on manufacturers, vendors and magazines.
Bob C.
PS - I have a multiple year subscription to Garden Railways and Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette. I am NOT anit print. All forms of information supply are valid.
