Meet Joseph Luft, the man behind the Joe Luft's Philatelic Links, the best resource in philatelic links. Joe is also a member of APS, ISDN, PCSG, PDG.

1. What is your philatelic background? What triggered the choice of hobby?

I've collected stamps since around 10. Before that I collected coins but found stamps to be infinitely more interesting. I started selling approvals around 13 or 14 and progressed to selling from a price list several years later.

2. When did you publish your philatelic web site? What made you make that decision?

My original website was published in late 1994. Being involved with computers since college, it was a natural extension of my interests.

3. What are the responsibilities that you shoulder as a webmaster of that site?

As far as my philatelic resource pages, I review, classify, and add links to philatelic site. My 12 year old son, helps me a great deal as the process is very time consuming.

4. What do you have to do in a day's job? Is it satisfying for you?

It is very satisfying work. Since I have a regular, non-philatelic job, I'm involved with stamps as recreation.

5. What do you like best about being a web master? a philatelist?

Contact with some of the best people around. Stamp collectors as a whole are some of the most decent people you will find anywhere.

6. What do you do in real life?

I'm involved in a small computer software business.

7. How is your family like? Kids? Wife?

Wife: Paula (she'd kill me)
Son: Brian (12)
Daughter: Becky (10)

8. Any teachings you hold dear to yourself?

Stamp collecting exists to bring pleasure.

9. Any experiences you would like to share with philatelists and stamp collectors?

10. What makes you happiest and what do you think is your goal in life?

My family. My children are my greatest pleasure. To be secure and to see my family happy. I don't need any more than that.

11. What do you see for the future of Internet philately?

The future appears a little cloudy to me. The first few years were filled with unlimited promise and growth. I remember a time when there were only two sites on the Internet related to philately. Now there are nearly two thousand and the quantity continues to grow. The offerings have become vast and diverse. The rate of growth and quality, however, seems to have reached a plateau. I think that we have entered a period of consolidation where the major players are starting to shake out. The top auctions and commercial sites, and resource sites, for instance, are well established and it will be very difficult for any new sites to dominate in a particular area. Is there to be another revolution for philately on the Internet? Or, have we reached a peak, a plateau, or are we just taking a breather?

12. Any last words you would like to leave our readers?

I am concerned about an Internet phenomenon which has sadly now spread to philately. Acrimonious discussion on the news groups including rec.collecting.stamps has reached a high pitch. Perhaps it is the anonymous nature of posting to news groups that brings out the worst in some people; the Internet's version of road rage.

It is the gentle nature of stamp collectors that appeals to me. A very small handful of ill-mannered people appear to have halted or even reversed the growth of genuine philatelic discussion on the Internet. My hope is that this has only been a temporary trend that will correct itself since the vast majority of people involved with philately are turned off by this behaviour.