[Andreas Brekken]

Hello, Norbert

I guess I am one of the individuals you refer to, as I have offered to share my web-based information or database if you want to refer to it as such.

It is not easy to write a few sentences here to describe my 'intentions', but I would like to explain a bit about what I have been doing and why I would like to have a bit of control with regards to who gets access to the information me and my friends have collected.

Firstly, I think that especially Jim P. who also visits this site frequently can testify to the amount of time and monetary effort that goes into this process:

1. Gathering original information. You have to pay for copies of mikrofiche or microfilms, and other documents.

2. License fees. A database is necessary, which can be free or have a license fee, I have been using SQL Server, not free.... In order to get the information out on the net you have to either get a subscription with an ISP, or set up your own webserver. Again not free...

3. Entering the information. You and your friends use countless hours entering data into the database.

4. Programming the GUI. In order to get the stuff ut on the net, you will have to design a GUI for the database, for entering, and reading data etc. Again, hours and hours of work.

My intention, as people that know me can tell you, has always been to have this kind of information easily available over the internet, searchable and indexed. The intention is to share it with people that have a real interest in the topic, and can be trusted not to compromise the data, steal it etc. The result would be a resource where all that are willing to participate would gain access to information in a structured way that one person alone would ot be able to process in a lifetime. Joint effort!

The reason I have opted for a members scheme is in my opinion definitely shown by this and the others discussions concerning the same topic to be a way to go, as it proves that people can not be trusted not to steal for their own benefit. A membership scheme online, with the logging abilities at least I have on my system, would locate someone trying to steal fairly easily.

I do not know why you seem to mistrust people like Jim P and myself Norbert, I think we both have proved over and over again our willingness to assist others in their research, not once (at least from me, and the same goes for Jim as far as I know) asking for any monetary reward (but very happy when others have offered to assist or share documents in their own collections in return).

My membership scheme would not cost a lot, but as the willingness to pay even a small amount also show a willingness to contribute and a resonably serious attitude to the topic it might be a way to keep the freeloaders out. I have had questions regarding both payment (would it be able to pay less if I contribute more hours in adding information instead - answer YES!), and problems with not having a person to vouch for an applicants seriocity (problem solved by enrolling the member and monitoring activity, and willingness to share and contribute)

The Luftwaffe Verband was a community that had a lot going for it in my opinion, but as it takes a lot of effort to keep such a project going, it eventually stopped. My project would be an online version of this, or at least that is the intention.

Regards,
Andreas Brekken