How would the Koi Hobby be without the internet?

[aquitori]

How would the Koi Hobby be without the internet? To me my hobby wouldn't change, I would keep chuggin along without it...How about you?

[mrbradleybradley]

Hi

When I first started, there was no internet. The learning was slower, I went to more club meetings and would read more books. For me things have changed much.

Bradley

[Steve Nguyen]

well, instead of reading koi-bito online, friends would get together for beers by the pond more often.

Steve

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori How would the Koi Hobby be without the internet? To me my hobby wouldn't change, I would keep chuggin along without it...How about you?

[adreamer2]

The Bible says that knowledge and travel will increase in the last days....


Without the internet, I know, I probably would have very little understandin of the hobby as I would have to rely on my own understanding and you fanatics wouldn't travel so far after a fish of such immense quality and beauty...

I was at the pet store and met a young fellow who kept them... He gave this long spew about how koi "mate for life"... And that once they mate, if parted, they would mate no more forever...

Here's me believing all that he had said.... If it were not for the internet, I would not know otherwise how untrue these words were......

[dinh]

hummmm...... interesting question.. koi hobby was born long long before internet was created..... I guess I agreed with Steve. Hang around or more beers with koi buddies.....

Anyway, how do we live without internet nowadays?

[RayJordan]

I use the internet a lot. Research on the internet with a wireless laptop sitting by the koi pond - it just doesn't get much better easier than that. On the other hand there is a lot of bogus information presented as fact. I know a few internet koi wonders that have morphed themseleves from novice to pretend expert in a year or two. Reader beware.

Our club meetings provide lots of oppertunities to discuss koi with some very knowledageble koi keepers. We have field trips to local koi breeders. Wet labs to scrape and look for parasites. etc. It is sad to hear someone say they can learn all about koi from the internet or a magazine. You have to tub a koi and get up close to see the subtle details of the finest skin textures and color depth.

So the best oppertunity to become a better koi keeper is to expose yourself to as many different sources of information as possible. Verify information with several sources and if possible a koi mentor that you know personally not just by their internet nickname.

[junglegeorge12]

Before the internet I just used to ask dealers, distributors, breeders, and read books. Alot of the info on the net, say on breeding, is just excerpts from old books and mags. The problem back then was that if a dealer or person gave you bad or partial info, finding out took months and years, not hours and days.

Alot of the 'experts' on here like to throw out comments that touch on several very deep subjects, and really skirt alot of issues. Sometimes it is impossible to chat with them due to that, and they know it. It is how they impress the chat world newbies into thinking they know alot. Their main purpose seems to be to impress others into thinking they know more than anyone else, and it is a false impression. That is one reason I like aquitori, he has lots of knowledge, mroe than some of the 'experts' on here, but doesn't act like an ass about it.

I know alot of keepers who don't get on chat due to it, who have 20 and 30 years of experience to share. They say, 'those idiots make it impossible to win or let anyone else be right'. So sadly, they don't waste their time cuz they don't want to be humiliated due to not wanting to write a book in a self defense post. Then the newbies here are left only with the impressions they get from the few who do decide it is worth the hassle. Cuz it's a war they don't have energy or time to fight.

Not alot of keepers with experience even get on the net regularly at all.

You notice you don't see many breeders or dealers on here. The reason is, they will get discredited and attacked in one or two days, humiliated and made to look like fools by jerks. They would have to write a book for a post that would take four days to prove otherwise, so they say screw it.

Even the dealers who advertise here are scared to post here, I know cuz several have told me that.

There is more than one way to skin a cat, but some look at it like the only way is their. I never ran into that attitude in this hobby until getting on chat. Then we have moderators who are new to the hobby trying to guess who to trust in different areas. Often they get misled or sold on this 'one way to see things' mentality. I dont really blame them for that though, they are just going by what appears to be right to them at the moment.

I wish Brian from Morninglight (chagoi) would post more on technical and controverisal issues here. He has a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience, and goes to Japan alot and knows it very well, but only a few folks know that.

[Louie]

In the 50`s,60`s and 70`s Gardena had the largest population of Japanese in the USA . There was no internet so we learned from one another. Many would have friends and relatives in Japan that would send information on koi keeping. One big problem it was slow in comming. A club was born to help share information and through this club friendships were made through the common bond in koi we all had. Nothing on the internet can replace friends gathered around the koi pond on weekends discussing the attributes of each and every koi. As Ray said It IS SAD when people say that they can learn all they need through the internet
Friendship Through Koi,
Louie

[Bern]

Tonio, let me give you an example of the old days.


I corresponded with a guy on the West Coast of the USA. His name was Stan Ranson and he was a member of the Ventura County Koi Club. Stan used to get a copy of the BKKS Magazine ( a private mag in those days). Stan might read something that required clarification or explanation. He'd right me a letter. The letter would take 3 to 4 days, he generally got the mags 2 weeks later than their issue in the uk. Give me a day or two to find out the answer and reply, and 3 to 4 days for it to get there.

For Stan, he was always about month behind on any info available in the UK, and the same applied to me in reverse. If there were more people involved, you could add several more days to keep the info-flow going.

Nowadays, I can exchange e-mails (multi-addressed in need be) in 24hrs.

One of the greatest assets of the Internet for me is the revolution it has brought to the International side of the hobby.

rgds BERN

[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by Louie In the 50`s,60`s and 70`s Gardena had the largest population of Japanese in the USA . There was no internet so we learned from one another. Many would have friends and relatives in Japan that would send information on koi keeping. One big problem it was slow in comming. A club was born to help share information and through this club friendships were made through the common bond in koi we all had. Nothing on the internet can replace friends gathered around the koi pond on weekends discussing the attributes of each and every koi. As Ray said It IS SAD when people say that they can learn all they need through the internet Friendship Through Koi, Louie

Louie
I agree nothing can replace friends gathered around a pond discussing koi. The internet is a good thing, with lots of info both good and bad. But hands on is so much more rewarding, especially when sharing with fellow hobbiest and friends. I think that is the best part of the hobby.