TOCH Down :(

[leonventer]

Originally Posted by Bombphoon

Are you able to archive the information on this forum too?

https://lwag.org/forums/

It looks like there is some good information there but the forum is inactive.

Yes, it was a very useful site. The late Richard Eger started LWAG (Luftwaffe Archives & Records Reference Group), and he collaborated with several notable Luftwaffe researchers to compile a vast amount of information from many different sources on the site's discussion board.

I would dearly like to preserve this part of Richard's legacy, but sadly, it doesn't seem possible. The problem is that the site is currently just an empty shell. The only functional parts are the displaying of the home page and the first page of threads in each forum, as well as the first page of the members list. It isn't possible to view the contents of any threads because their links are no longer present, and the 'Search' feature doesn't work. I used to be a member, but the 'Log in' mechanism is broken. Also, the 'Register' and 'Contact Us' features have been disabled.

This is all a bit puzzling because someone is still paying for the domain name and hosting fees, and the site's database obviously still contains at least some thread and member data. If anyone knows one of the site's administrators (the listed ones are Charles Petrie, Jamie Iverson, and 'Maerlyn'), please let them know that I'd be happy to make an archive of the content and make it publicly & freely available.

In the interest of clarity, I want to be explicit about my motivation for doing this:
I attach great value to the collective knowledge in such forums, and I cannot bear the thought of it being lost. I have benefited greatly from the information contributed by researchers who have spent much time and effort dredging through primary sources, and as an ex-software engineer, this is one way in which I can give back to the community. I respect intellectual property and copyright law, and, where possible, I will always obtain consent before publishing such material. The archives will be hosted free of ads, tracking cookies, or any exploitation of personal or proprietary data. I hope that makes my intentions clear.

Leon Venter