What is it about British Archaeology?

[garybrun]

What is it about British Archaeology?
As some of you may know I have been visiting this forum for many years and as a metal detectorist I have been greeted with some apprehension and also open mindedness of a few member who listen to what I have to say and have had quite a few debates over the years.... some rather heated.
What attracts me here is that BAJR does listen and comes with constrictive criticism on various topics but most of all David Connelly is not afraid to step out of the box and is not blinded by past prejudices. I have met David in person and we have had a few long conversations over the years and when the crunch does come the crunch we have realized that we both do care for the heritage yet we come from different viewpoints.
As some of you may know I formed UKDFD to record metal detecting finds that were not going through the PAS system and tried to create an area that would capture people who did not trust the governmental systems. To be honest the UKDFD has become a great success with over 17000 records yet many within the archaeological establishment have attacked it.
I cannot find one amateur archaeological group that has come up for so much criticism than UKDFD has received.
PAS and the CBA have branded its users as ?irresponsible? because data was not being transferred to the HER?s. The latest Night Hawking survey also stated this and I fought long and hard to have the report changed because of those false misleading statements. Im very please to say that they have looked at my complaints and have changed the wrong statements.... to me that is a great achievement and also shows EH will listen if you present your case in the correct way.
Anyway... UKDFD has offered data transfer to the HER?s with the help of David and PAS still refuse to accept us as responsible.... in other words we are a threat because our database works and is successful. After all the money that has been poured into the PAS system it?s still not working and no real data transfer module is in order... whats are the facts and why is it not working??

All the years PAS and CBA have been stating UKDFD was irresponsible because it didn?t PAS its data to the HER?s. After much research and digging around... I find that PAS has hardly passed anything over to them either... because they do not have a transfer system that works and the data is to be honest unreliable. Also the HERs don?t have the resources to accept and implement it. The whole area of data transfer is a complete mess and I personally feel cheated and lied to by these two organisations. The whole thing of ?data transfer? has been a red herring.... but now its all in the light. Is the PAS system worth the money... when the HER?s could have done a lot with that money and be up to date with database systems instead of the odd few still on card based systems?

When now looking at the responses to the BAJR FED you are going through the same political hoops that UKDFD was has been going through. Let?s face it the powers that be don?t like change or anything that affects their personal utopias.
I would like to wish the BAJR FED all the best and I do hope that you all are not afraid to stand your ground against the political bullies.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce70k5ewGpA

Website for responsible Metal Detecting
http://www.ukdfd.co.uk
Recording Our Heritage For Future Generations.

[BAJR Host]

In a word... sad but true...

Change is however inevitable... its how we got where we are, it is how we will keep moving, and one day, people will look at BAJR as some sort of establishment dinosaur (some do already )

Keep on moving forward.. and perhaps cooperation with the new is a good way for the old to move forward too.

Great to hear that English Heritage see the benefit of UKDFD.. something I have seen for a long time now.. and will continue to support. lets jump the hoops, but one day say... no... these hoops are no longer relevant.

"Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage."
Niccolo Machiavelli

[Dirty Dave Lincoln]

As PAS and UKDFD have the same agenda (that of recording finds) there should be co-operation and not any form of conflict.
It would be like the Red Cross and the Red Crescent both turning up at a disaster site, and having fisti-cuffs to decide who has jurisdiction instead of both just getting on with the job!!!
Apart from that Gary, please keep up the good work :face-approve:at least you know some archaeologists support and appreciate what your doing.

[Disgruntled Ex Digger]

Have you considered that it might not be British Archaeology or the website you are making that is the problem but the way you approach things.

I demand this etc.. they wont accept this blah blah blah. HERS are covered by the freedom of information act and are funded from local govt and therefore are not in a position to agree to terms that they cannot legally adhere to.

If we have a record on a system to an eight figure grid reference then, is asked under a FOI request, we CANNOT refuse to give it without a good reason. A third party agreement with your website would not cut it in a court of law, look at the mess West Ham got into.



<< EDIT Hosty does not like provocative signatures... you were asked politely to remove.. now I have done it for you.

You have a problem... call me.

I have left the rest of you post in relation to free speech and allowing opinions >>

[garybrun]

What do I demand??????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce70k5ewGpA

Website for responsible Metal Detecting
http://www.ukdfd.co.uk
Recording Our Heritage For Future Generations.

[BAJR Host]

we CANNOT refuse to give it without a good reason

well you could have a good reason... could you not??



"Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage."
Niccolo Machiavelli