What do you miss on FPGeeks?

[Saintpaulia]

With all due respect. I carry 12 pens (or more) everyday and use them. I write a lot and to each his own, anyway.

OK! My error. I have corrected accordingly my notions regarding how many pens real people carry everyday! Amazing! And yes, to each his own (or hers).

[KrazyIvan]

Yup. My 12 pen case is with me every day.

[Saintpaulia]

Yup. My 12 pen case is with me every day.

Well if you don't mind telling Ivan how many pens do you actually own? It'd be interesting to see the proportion of pens leaving the house vs. those that remain. It still baffles me though Probably an artefact of my collection. I own a grand total of only a few more than you carry every day.

[KrazyIvan]

Well if you don't mind telling Ivan how many pens do you actually own? It'd be interesting to see the proportion of pens leaving the house vs. those that remain. It still baffles me though Probably an artefact of my collection. I own a grand total of only a few more than you carry every day.

I'm too lazy to count them and actually, I don't want to know. Seven Eight of them have left my possession within the last two weeks but I received four back. Three are in the mail. That's all I know.

[Maja]

Good stuff, everyone! Keep it coming. We'll be addressing all the suggestions here soon.

From a commenter on Youtube:
Hi,

I watched a single FPGeeks video -- the one where Eric mocks the Sailor Elephant. The guy came across to me as an arrogant snob. I then noticed FPGeeks comments are turned off on YouTube videos and we need to register to post on fpgeeks.com; smelling of arrogance again. I love fountain pens and enjoy watching review videos, but they're just pens, building a clique around that is ridiculous. I'm boycotting everything related to FPGeeks; how many more fountain pen enthusiasts were alienated in the same way? We're lucky to be able to share such a rare interest through the Internet, why not keep it open and accessible?

If you ask me, I'd say FPGeeks does not need *more* stuff, it needs *less*!

Cheers,
Eric

Comment left by someone named "Eric", eh?

Is this one of those Gollum/Sméagol situations, Dan??

[snedwos]

I must admit that I stopped watching the broadcasts, mainly because I've already extracted all the possible excitement I can about the long stream of expensive new releases just by reading the blog posts. I really don't find that they provide for 2 hours of interesting listening, I'm afraid. This is sad, because I do enjoy listening to the conversation. I'm especially a fan of Eric's more adventurous turn of phrase.

I think that FPTV would be soooo much better if it followed (almost exactly) the format of Top Gear. With a short news section, and then other features. In fact the different video reviews, awesome reviews, shootouts, inkcyclopedia, GotW interviews would be really cool if they became part of the show.

This would of course not work live, but it would be awesome.

And for the test writes you should hand it over to your tame racing writer: "Some say his blood is the colour of Baystate Blue; and that the first and only time he handled a ballpoint pen he used it to tie his hair into a bun. All we know is, he's called the StIPG."

Basically, i think the broadcasts need mixing up to be properly entertaining, and include tips, reviews, interviews, writing samples, etc. My idea would definitely take too much time.

[Saintpaulia]

I'm too lazy to count them and actually, I don't want to know. Seven Eight of them have left my possession within the last two weeks but I received four back. Three are in the mail. That's all I know.

[snedwos]

It's also great to see you're not ignoring the comments where you've been slammed. It's always interesting to hear someone strongly criticise something one thinks is great, it makes you think about it again.

[tarjeipark]

Don't make the Geeks' podcasts shorter. They end too soon!

[nameoftherose]

In response to those finding fpgeeks elitist and only covering high end pens... I understood one of the reasons the guys set this thing up is to aggregate info on new pen releases and special editions as a lot of stuff was buried on badly designed manufacturers websites and certainly not gathered in a single, accessible, fun place forming a basis for a new online community.

It is just a fact of the market that there are more high-end and limited releases than low-end, low-budget ones. A manufacturer releasing a low budget new pen will be hoping to sell hundreds of thousands, or millions of them (those were the days) and will hope the design stays on the market for a decade or two (Safari, V-Pen). The R&D budget they sink into such ventures will far exceed the money spent on producing the tooled and jewelled stuff that gets released every week.

I'm sure if and when major new mass-market releases come out, the guys will be the first to let us know and the first to order three or four and chat about them on FPTV (forthcoming TWSBIs being a case in point).

This site is about getting excited about pens, some we can afford, some we can't, some we WANT, some we don't care for, regardless of price or value. It's well laid out and more visual (and now audio-visual!) than the labyrinthine forums us geeks had to sift through to indulge our hobby in years past (though we have some forumage here too, in case other places seem a bit like old-boys clubs).

Great work guys, full of humour, passion and eye candy. I'm worried about the many 'votes' for more instructional, educational stuff. Don't feel you have to depart from your current self-imposed limits. They're necessary. We need curators/editors/critics like yourselves to sift and present. The forums out there are for the audience to learn from each other and occasionally from experts. You don't have to do all the work! This isn't the mass media, a good audience knows it has to do some of the work itself.

[Saintpaulia]

@NameO'deRose I did think about the points you made and tried to take them into consideration. Especially regarding the dearth of new pen releases in budget class. You can't announce/review pens that haven't been created! I think that what some are saying, myself included to a degree, is that the forefront of the site does not have to depend upon new releases of pen per se. It can go in alot of different directions (of which q.v. the above posts). Regardless I liked your comments.

[nameoftherose]

Yes, I see; I think this is a simple problem that seems now to have been fixed: the homepage is first and foremost a blog, and presents the last 13 or so posts in chronological order, newest first. BUT for a while they bannered the AURORA review and the TWSBI giveaway above everything on the homepage.

They were probably rightly proud of their original images and in depth review of the AURORA and the coup of giving away the hotly anticipated new TWSBI. These guys aren't trying to be the next dotcom millionaires, they're fans like us who are building a site and community in their spare time for the love and fun of it. So yeah that AURORA banner on the landing page might give an initial elitist impression, but spend more than five minutes browsing the site or in the company of the geeks through the podcast or FPTV and it's easy to see they're hungry for whatever pen comes next, or rediscovering a forgotten classic, the same as the 'rest of us'.

[Saintpaulia]

"These guys aren't trying to be the next dotcom millionaires, they're fans like us who are building a site and community in their spare time for the love and fun of it."
You bring up yet another point which I have also contemplated. And pondered. It seemed to me, as a newcomer especially, that it would be considered impolite to inquire as to how Dan/Eric earn their livings. At one time I thought, given their very strong efforts for promotion of the site, that they were headed towards making the site a paying proposition. If that is not the case then frankly there are few grounds for any criticism unless strictly constructive (which hopefully all of ours have been).

[nameoftherose]

There was a subtle hint in yesterday's show that perhaps they are thinking of some way of monetizing their site carefully, but I'm sure they are just keen that on top of all their time and effort the site doesn't also end up costing them too much hard-earned that could be spent on PENS... Down the line I'd love to see some FPGeeks member's editions, inks, Edisons... any profits could recompense the guys for their bandwidth and giveaway expenses of the last year. I'm not sure a subscription model would work unless they have tens of thousands of current subscribers, since a huge percentage always disappear when a paywall is erected.

[Saintpaulia]

Thanks for that info. Since I don't watch the program I would not have known that. I wish them well in whatever form they decide to go with, if in fact any change occurs. And yet again Name you bring up another point I've wondered about! Just how do they get all these expensive pens to review? To my knowledge neither Dan nor Eric have ever just come right out and said, "And we want to thank XXX company for providing the pen for our review". 'But surely', I say to myself, 'they cannot possible have the funds to buy all these expensive pens that they review, or even give away!'. Or did I miss a "hint" about this too somewhere along the line?

Stephen has always been completely upfront with the fact that the only way he can review pens for us on his channel is by buying them himself ('greater love hath no man...'). Now THAT is generosity to the max IMHO. But what is going on at FP Geeks is on a whole other level!

[dannzeman]

Just wanted to drop a note and say that we are reading each comment and will address everything here in the next week or two, depending on when suggestions start to slow down. Also, I want to say how impressed I am with everyone keeping things constructive and friendly. Y'all are awesome!

[Saintpaulia]

Just wanted to drop a note and say that we are reading each comment and will address everything here in the next week or two, depending on when suggestions start to slow down. Also, I want to say how impressed I am with everyone keeping things constructive and friendly. Y'all are awesome!

You are more than welcome! You guys are awesome too!

[nameoftherose]

This comment posted by Dan on the Aurora review would answer your query,
"Kenro sent us this one [the Aurora] and the Omas 360 Turquoise. Dave Wager sent us the Tree Ring Pens. Everything else either Eric or I have purchased."

Most people's concerns and queries are already answered out there on the site if you enjoy browsing through the content that has built up. The podcast/tvshow is really entertaining and now can't imagine fpgeeks without it. I first came across fpgeeks by googling for reviews of a specific pen. I'm sure others discover it from searching for reviews on YouTube. I think it's fair enough they might sometimes disable YouTube comments, since the content was produced for their site and the site will doubly benefit from useful discussion of it.

I would be unsure of paid-subscription to the podcast, but starting with a 'tip jar' or something ('donate' has overly charitable connotations) would be great, I've got way more out of fpgeeks.com than any pen show or pen magazine of late, if everyone did micro-payments of what they would have spent on a mag, it would at least pay for some of the hosting or buy the guys a coffee

[dannzeman]

Adding another comment from an email submission.

Hi there lads!
Following Doc Brown's You Tube message I just wanted to give my thoughts on FPgeeks.
Firstly, and most importantly, I'd like to thank each of you and your guests for giving up your spare time to educate and entertain us, it really is much appreciated. I enjoy the FPgeeks Podcast and look forward now to catching it every weekend. I particularly like the fact that your guests don't just use the slot for self promotion but are constructive with their comments (hold your head up high Brian Gray). The humour is just right along with the content, although I do sometimes find myself wishing you could give advice on where to purchase some of the pens featured (perhaps an idea for the website?) For example a few weeks ago I was rather taken with the Franklin Cristoph Model 29 Bellus but a thorough search of the net has revealed no stockists on this side of the pond and I'm loathe (or too mean?) to pay taxes on both banks!
On the subject of the website, it would be great to see even more news but hey that's me being greedy! On a more constructive note, would it be possible to modify the pen review categories as they are currently a little confusing (or is it just me?) For instance is luxury not the same as premium and economy pretty much the same as standard? Please do not take this as criticism just a few ramblings from a big fan of yours over in the UK.
Once again thanks for all the effort you put into both the site and the podcasts.

[matveik]

First off, I really appreciate all of the content and the energy you devote to your site. I love what you're doing, and I'm a huge fan.

I think one minor nuisance I've noticed on the website is that searching can be a little fussy. Maybe a few static index formats? E.g. a basic alphabetized list of all inkcyclopedia entries and reviews (unless I've missed this?). Even if it only gets updated periodically, it would be a helpful improvement over searching by tag on the home page and having them displayed over several pages. Also, maybe you could consider moving away from unlisted youtube reviews. I think (read: I'm guessing) I understand the exclusivity angle, but you're hurting your search referrals through youtube!

If you're looking for possible long-term projects, how about a penmanship series? Maybe one of you could have a weekly/biweekly series on various scripts or calligraphic alphabets. It could provide a jumping off point for the rest of us to practice. I don't even think you'd need an expert. It'd be fun to see it from an amateur's perspective.