Just thought I'd say hi,

I've lurked here for a month or so, (found it with google LOL) & just joined a couple days ago.

For as long as I can remember, I've liked lights (even when I was a kid). Its really 2 basic types:
1) Christmas Lights
2) Fluorescent Lights

For years I've known there was groups of people into Christmas Lights/decorating (and yep, i'm one of
those crazy guys that's been known to computer control them LOL )

I had no idea (and never thought about) the fact that there might be others out there that might be into
Fluorescent Lights...I justfigured it was a weird thing i liked ...
About a month ago I came accross a youtube video on Fluorescent Lights by a user named DavidFromAE (not
sure if they are a user here) ... that led to me google'ing - searching for light related sites, which
is how I found this place.

Welcome to LG from me, I've also liked fluorescent lighting and lighting in general for a very long time.

I especially like the older preheat and rapid start fluorescents since don't turn on at the same time when there is a lot of them which makes a cool effect in a large room filled with them.

I don't mind the newer electronic programed start and instant start but I prefer the older rapid start and preheat over them.

The programmed start ballast sometimes also look cool staring up but not as much as the older ones. 

I also like discharge lighting too such as the HID lamp too. I also have a smaller collection of incandescents and anything else that glows LOL.

Thanks!
Same here...i deff prefer the older rapid start & preheat lights as well, not because only they do look
cool turning on, but also because the better ballasts seem to last forever (unlike some of that crap made
these days)...i will say tho even the instant-start have a place as well.

I don't have any HID stuff, but would like to get hold of something like a 100w clear-bulb mercury vapor
light (from a couple videos i saw, i guess they've been banned?) will keep an eye out for those at garage
sales this summer.

Back when i was young the streetlights were all the blueish green mercury vapor bulbs...then they came
through and changed them all out for those orange-ish sodium ones (even way back then i didn't like the
orange). Around the same time every one of a certain type of tree in the neighborhood died...don't know
if it was related, or just bugs...