[Milsurplus] A few words from your list manager

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

David Stinson wrote:

> Ralph Hogan wrote:
>
> > 7) Electronic Bidding Sites
> > This list (and 99% of QTH.NET) does not support making references to the
> > latest gizmo for only 25 cents bid you've seen on one of 'those' sites.
> > There is a single specific remailer on QTH.NET that supports this. This is a
> > QTH.NET rule, not mine.
>
> Most unfortunate rule, and not just because I sell stuff there.
>
> There are a couple of lists where irrational hatred of
> auction sites has caused much grief.  But- even on those lists-
> items which have appeared there have been the subject of
> many very interesting and/or humorous threads.
> I have personally notified many members of very rare
> and hard to find items they might otherwise have missed
> (no- they weren't mine).
> The rule may have been instituted when QTH.net was formed,
> but it hasn't been enforced in the above cases to my knowledge.

I don't think it's as much an irrational hatred as it is a case of feeling like
you're being spammed with ebay ads. The unfortunate reality is that, while many
list members are capable of using the lists and auction sites in unison as well as
discussing them rationally, still other subscribers have no concern whatsoever for
anyone else. Once you start letting some of it in, once the door is ajar, these
users will see it as an opportunity of free advertising for their auctions, a way
to alert more users what *they* have for sale in an effort to get a higher closing
bid.

Saw this recently on the R-390 list with a user who never posts anything to the
list, but had a cabinet on epay that *could* perhaps be used with an R-390. Worst
part is, he'd had it listed for several days and no one had bid it high enough to
make him happy, so then he decided the list members were suddenly worthy of
bidding on the item. Thanks, but if we're clever enough to use an email reflector
and the internet in general, we can sure figure out how to surf auction sites just
fine without tutoring.

> I believe the rule was instituted to exclude FA (for auction)
> ads from the reflectors, not to ban discussion of rare or
> interesting items that happen to be listed there.
> I would not list an FA on a QTH.net reflector,
> but it would be a real shame if a T-89 transmitter or
> a new-in-the-crate BC-474 showed up and we were forbidden
> to discuss it because of a few people's pique.

I agree with you here, Dave - I recall Al's admonitions to the lists before. For
good reason, too - epay makes billions of dollars, Al makes nothing from giving
them free press or free advertising. Why should he open the floodgates to
advertising of any kind beyond someone's personal equipment offered for sale to
the lists? Many of us make deals among ourselves or offer gear here to others.
Others use auction exclusively, and some do a bit of both. In the course of daily
life, this is no big deal. But I recall the days when it was originally becoming
an issue, when every three posts was someone placing an ad for their gear at
auction. IMHO, that is just rubbish.

Discussing at as we do here should not be a problem, provided it doesn't become a
daily occurance I'd guess. A lot of good comes from it and it might help more of
us to come to an understanding of how better to utilize resources for obtaining as
well as moving items excess to our needs. And indeed - some of it is just plain
amusing. We always need to keep in mind, though, that these lists are specific to
particular areas and not really set up as classifieds. I like to believe we all
enjoy the offers of gear for sale or trade to us, but that none of us would like
to see any list turn into a bombardment of ads constantly. We can always access
the newsgroups if we want a free-for-all.

So, my understanding is that discussing it isn't the big taboo,
promoting/advertising is. I'm no rocket scientist, but I can run a browser pretty
well and bid at online auctions just fine. I'd prefer we didn't
spoon-feed(eventually resulting in a flooding of) the lists for the sake of those
too lazy to do so for themselves. I got over my epay phobia years ago and I'm not
against using any of the accepted means for locating or disposing of gear. But I
don't think we should expect the lists to carry the load of free ads and
promotions for items listed there. The auction sites have far more money and
coverage than QTH.net, and the list admins already have a big enough job to do.

Just my 5� worth.....

73 de Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ