sellers market

From: Jgzabol_at_aol.com <(Jgzabol_at_aol.com)>
Date: Fri Mar 19 14:30:57 1999

In einer eMail vom 19.03.99 19:03:07 MEZ, schreibt Sellam:

<<
 On Fri, 19 Mar 1999 Jgzabol_at_aol.com wrote:
 
> So someone needs to create another web site that is the opposite
> of what eBay provides. A site where you can advertise that you're
> looking for an Exidy Sorcerer computer, and woould be willing to
> pay about $15 plus $10 shipping. I suggest you call this new
> site yaBe.com ....
>
> -Lawrence (yes I want an Exidy, who doesn't?) LeMay
>
> >>
>
> I think this is a VERY, VERY GOOD idea !
 
 It is a good idea but let me be the naysayer for a moment. Say someone
 does go through the trouble to create such a cool site. A bunch of guys
 sick of the ebay atrocity start posting want ads for stuff they want.
 And they wait. And wait. And wait. And...nothing ever comes of it.
 People who are selling this stuff come to the page, see someone wanting an
 Exidy Sorcerer for $15 and go "HAH! I can get 20 times that on ebay!"
 Then they go to ebay and get 20 times that.
 
 Now I would think that many on this list are more interested in trading
 computers in a sane manner with other like-minded hobbyists, and on the
 strength of that alone will this work.
 
 Now let's say that a trading board is added, where people can post stuff
 they have for sale or trade there. Let's say some really cool things are
 offered for sane prices, like S-100 systems and cards, interesting
 micro's from the 80s, PDP-8 hardware and software, etc. Good stuff. All
 being offered at reasonable prices because its offered by hobbyists
 intended for hobbyists.
 
 Now, along comes some jerk with a lot of money, he starts buying up
 everything that gets posted, and then even worse, a couple weeks later
 this stuff starts showing up on ebay and getting sold for the same old
 ridiculous prices!
 
 Now, what I'm trying to say is, while this sounds like a very cool idea,
 it has the potential to get destroyed by the very thing we're trying to
 avoid. A system needs to be designed to insure that there is a level of
 integrity maintained, otherwise you just have another ebay, and one ebay
 is bad enough.
 
 I don't have any ideas on this (yet) but I think it should be well thought
 out before anyone even bothers to set up the site.
 
 Sellam Alternate e-mail:
dastar_at_siconic.com
>>

That impresses me as very logical. By that token, no automatic scheme
of any sort would work. This seems to point to the need for some kind
of registry: differentiating between hobbyists and jerks must be done in an
intelligent manner, and someone would be kind of the gatekeeper.

Here in Germany we have a point scheme for traffic violations: whenever you
commit one, a note is sent to a central registry. When your point sum reaches
a limit, you loose your license. This kind of scheme - an extension of the
mediated
mailing list I would say - may be the right thing here:
 - Hobbyists apply for the right to participate;
 - Unless negative info is known, application is granted;
 - if and when negative info accumulates, right of participation is revoked.
Of course, the registrar must be a person really in high esteem by everyone!

John G. Zabolitzky
Received on Fri Mar 19 1999 - 14:30:57 GMT