Subject:
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Re: The LEGO Company and the North American AFOL
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:14:02 GMT
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In lugnet.general, David Koudys wrote:
> So yeah, I'm posting in l.general...
Hi David,
just by chance I came across your loooong article and found it very interesting
to read, even if you mention North America and I live in Europe.
But maybe I can comment from the distance as a person being in the community of
LEGO fans for more than 15 years now. I myself have not been very active in
exhibitions, shows and Lugs over the past 5 years. Blay gave me a hard time.
Then the chareer took it's tribute....
So I have not heard anything from LEGO and no rumors about LEGO cutting costs or
support on LUG support (in whatever manner).
But I did never care for that in the first line. I have always appreciated
independency and valued this higher than a money worth support of LEGO (which I
in fact never received personally#). But what you call the "pat on the head" has
been in fact a nice extra in past shows. I loved the more symbolic recognition
more than money worth supports.
Lego being at a show to give inside information or first sneak views on future
sets. Designers speaking in front of an audience. At maximum support with some
goodies for a public lottery. This has been great. Today Lego uses YouTube to do
part of this (and in result it's not us AFOLs to be the first target). But from
cost and output that might the way to go for them?
I fully agree on your thinking: we are AFoLEGO - it is their hardware that we
use even if the company would not be around any longer.
For me it is even the more: they do not just offer a couple of bricks but a
mindset and ethics as well. They offer (still) very good quality (although this
has been even better in the mid-eighties). They take care for the enviroment.
The product is one of a few, which is really safe to kids (compare this with
typical china made trash). They actually DO care. They still offer jobs in our
more and more de-industrialzed First World. They still have a concept ("System")
behind their original and 8mm x ÂÂÂÂ8mm x
ÂÂÂÂ9.6mm grid. Even if clones do exist and are legal today: I
do not like clones.
And for me: I have been really upset about blay/gray desaster. For PF-trains I
realized the benefits this offers in play value at least at home. Running
multiple trains independently is a benefit for me. I run it still on metal track
an can now combine 9V plus battery AND 12V running on PF-battery. This mix is
the best train system I ever had. (And the PF-system is the best within this mix
and I feel confident to promote this against any public audience).
But even the better: in review of 15 years I see a lot of former dreams having
become true:
(1)
communication:
LEGO has been as open as the Mossad 15 years ago.
Today there is comunication on many levels.
(2)
sets:
There has been "Town Junior" and "Jack Stone".
Today we have Emerald Night, Maersk Train, Cafe-Corner-Modulars, Mindstorms,
Technic, Sculptures, Star Wars...
All of these are so advanced. They exceed the dreams I had 15 years ago by far.
(3)
company policies "against" AFOLs - that's in fact a professional view and not a
dream becoming true:
But there has been just nothing 15 years ago.
10 years ago we all have been very enthusiastic.
Maybe in the past years the many NDAs have become a concern (I signed NDAs on
10183 and Power-Function workshops - but I regard tham to be timed out since
long). And I heard that Lego does not want to see certain content (sex, violence
...) at shows (or shows of Lugs) that they support officially. Until today I
always saw this more as a theoretical set of laws to protect LEGO against abuse
of their well-reputated brand. They learned the lesson out of e.g. that old
KZ-theme sets many years ago.
So in the end it is up to each Lug of course: can you live with a level of
"censorship" that obliges you to be in-line with LEGO ethics - for me that is
(until now) no problem. If LEGO ever asks for more than that: We are free to do
our own thing, as you mention.
In fact I enjoy some decent sex+violence content in fan-displays - especially
when it is more in comedy/parody style. But LEGO does not want to appear in
newspapers in conection with such topics. So just hide it well enough or do your
very own show.
Maybe I completely missed your point of changes in collaboration LUGs vs. LEGO.
I would appreciate more specific information then....
Leg Godt
Ben
*******************
#) In fact I did received minor compensations for working on the 10183 project
group and in a PowerFunctions workshop.
And I had the chance for bulk-orders as part of 1000steine.
=> This never had an impact on my thoughts on LEGO as a company.
The main payment has been the chance to look behind the courtains and have
access to the Lego Vault in Billund. And this has changed my mindset positively.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: The LEGO Company and the North American AFOL
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| (...) <snip> (...) <snip> Hey Ben! No, I think you got my point pretty clearly, and your post is a good look at it as well. I love LEGO, hence I'm a fan for over 40+ years (no dark ages for me). I appreciate the company that produces LEGO. Besides (...) (12 years ago, 12-Nov-12, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | The LEGO Company and the North American AFOL
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| So yeah, I'm posting in l.general... Anyway, using my amazing powers of prognostication (1), I believe that we NA fans o' LEGO are in for a few nasty surprises in the future with regards to our relationship, as LUGs and organizations, with TLC. I've (...) (12 years ago, 9-Nov-12, to lugnet.general) !
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