On Friday, November 8, 2002, Mail List wrote:
> Now Jeffrey,
> > charging exhorbitant prices for things that ClassicCmpers like
>
> With you having an email address of... sales_at_sub...
> (which has a pretty commercial ring to it)
Yup. I wanted a way to filter ebay-related mail into its own folder. I was
going to call it ebay_at_sub..., but then I thought that I might use it for
something other than ebay. So like any decently pedantic programmer, I
abstracted the name. I'm glad you think it is pretty.
> That you use for your eBay sales under the ID ... xor-ax-ax
Yup.
> Parting out systems (you pick up at surplus?), and selling the parts on
> eBay (for as much as you can get for them?) (as evidenced by no low
> "Buy-It-Now" prices?)
I go places occasionally (usually scrap or surplus shops) to get stuff for
my collection. I take what I can get, which may be the whole machine or just
parts, depending on variables like physical access to the machine, my
transportation, and the condition of the machine. I keep what I want, and
the rest goes to other people. I choose eBay to get the word out, since many
(most?) list members and many non-members browse its categories.
I don't greatly care how much money my auctions make. I'm happy if the
proceeds pay for the trip I took to get the items. Being a "poor student",
sometimes this is the only way that such trips can be done. So I always have
dirt-cheap starting bids. I've tried BIN before, but to me, BIN seems
greedy: "If you pay me more, I'll break from regular auction protocol and
give you the item". I most certainly do not seek "as much as I can get" for
any item. By eBay's rules, if some schmuck wants to place ridiculously
inflated bids on one of my items, he can. It has happened before. *cough*
But I don't expect that, and it isn't common.
> http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewListedItems&userid=xor-ax-ax&include=0&since=30&sort=3&rows=0
Coincidentally, your link provides evidence for my point. Except for that
one strange Apple II board that unexpectedly went for $20, the high bid
average across the listed auctions is $3.28. I would venture that your
average item price is several orders of magnitude greater.
> Which incidently was EXACTLY the same thing THAT I WAS DOING.
Nope. Reseller prices are highway robbery. Mine are not. Not even close.
> And I did sell a part for $1 one time. Do you feel that was exhorbitantly
> high?
Just once? Should we wipe the serial killer's slate clean because he once
helped an old lady cross the street?
> How is it you feel you have a right to pass judgement on me?
It is granted to me by the First Amendment, I believe.
> That time I talked to you on the phone, you wanted MORE for your CMD (disk
> only) controller than I ever could have gotten for one.
You're a reseller. I don't like resellers. You wanted me to end my auction
and sell directly to you. However, I was not about to let you so directly
profit from me. I quoted you a high price, and it discouraged you. There's a
taste of your own medicine, buddy! During that phone call, I also did not
like the way you tried to recruit me into your DEC reseller business,
promising great profits if I were to kiss your ass.
> > Maybe it is to have access to equipment-available announcements in the
> > hope that you can get there first and resell for serious green.
>
> I only ever picked up one system. I traded that system to a hobbyist up in
> Maryland for only a few parts that he didn't need.
Is your scheming truly that unsuccessful? What about the time you tried to
take advantage of our patriotism and capitalize on the emotions surrounding
the first anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack? Read this:
http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2002-September/007165.html
And what about the time you tried to bargain with Doc Shipley's boss to
steal Doc's PDP-11/93 right out from under him?
http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2002-September/007259.html
Especially after reading that last post, it seems that you are possible of
making quite an effort to exploit the members of this list. I find it hard
to believe that you have had zero success at defrauding us.
> I know I saw you said that you were a poor student. How do you know that
> my situation was not similar.
You told me so during our phone call.
> can't stand to see anyone else realize any benefit from their
> contribution.
Not exactly; I can't stand to see YOU realize any benefit from me.
> Remember that biblical quote ... Let he who is without sin cast the first
> stone.?
No, I'm agnostic.
--
Jeffrey Sharp
Received on Fri Nov 08 2002 - 18:19:00 GMT