e-bay item

From: Doug <doug_at_blinkenlights.com>
Date: Wed Mar 3 03:39:52 1999

On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, Derek Peschel wrote:

> In other words, you're attempting to beat the odds. So far you have
> succeeded pretty well. I'm not trying to be sarcastic. I'm just
> boiling the situation down.

No, as I've said, these postings rarely affect me directly. I am honestly
offended by the "unfairness" to those who are willing to spend the effort
to find stuff vs the "helpfullness" to those who choose not to spend that
effort.

> But I would also take the pragmatic view that it's hard to win all the
> time when you try to beat the odds. If more and more people get
> involved in eBay auctions, my view will become more (depressingly)
> realistic.

Do you consider it "beating the odds" when you choose to attend a physical
auction while somebody else decides to sleep in?
 
> It's also VERY monotonous for a LOT of people, I think.

Hell, it's VERY monotonous to me! But if somebody asks me something in
public, I feel I have to respond in public.

> There is an alternative. If I actually screened all the messages on the
> list, I would weed out all the spam and junk, but I would get first pick
> at all the auction tip-offs! That's nice but it's hardly fair. And
> then people would stop posting them. You'd say that would be a relief,
> but it might also be a disservice.

I don't think anybody wants to give you editorial control :-) It'd be
nice if there were a consensus on this subject, but there isn't. So, if
it's OK with you, I'll agree to flame people in private whenever they do
something that annoys the hell out of me. I won't make another public
comment unless somebody addresses a public message to me (directly or
indirectly).

-- Doug
Received on Wed Mar 03 1999 - 03:39:52 GMT