Totally OT and lame...don't read! Re: Rare Apples, eBay, Goodwill

[Chad Fernandez]

Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
> Sales are not free.  There's a cost of doing business.  You really need to
> read a book on business principles or take a local community college
> course on it.  Better yet, start your own business to learn first hand.

Do you refer to taxes?    I don't see how selling something cheaply is 
more cost effective than throwing the same item out.

As far as college..... already busy with Differential Equations and Physics.

> First of all, have you ever seen Michael Nadeau's book?  It's not, you
> should buy a copy (as should anyone at all interested in collecting
> vintage computers).  It's pretty comprehensive.

I haven't seen it.  I was actually pondering that a bit over dinner.

> 
> Second, if you really think it's quicker and more efficient for them to
> read and interpret a sheet of "guidelines" that will be obsolete and
> require re-publication and re-distribution every few months then you have
> never managed people before.

I don't see them as going obselete that quickly.  We're talking bottom 
of the market, here.  Prices don't change that quickly at that point.

> 
>>A sheet of guide lines can tell them, the
>>monitors a small one, it's clean, and it says Trinitron, $15... bam
>>they're done, next item.  Let's see, it says Mac, the screen is part of
>>it, it's pretty dirty, $10, bam done, next item.
> 
> 
> Does it work?  Do they know?  Do they know how to test it?  Did they test
> it 100%?  Are all the colors present?  Is there any distortion or is any
> part of the screen out of focus?  What kind of dot pitch does it have?
> What's its maximum resolution?  Did they test all the video modes for
> that monitor?  Does it require degaussing?  Did they burn it in for 24
> hours to catch problems that only manifest themselves after continuous
> operation?  Is all this worth $10 to $15?

They don't need to check all that, it's only a $5, 10, or $15 monitor. 
If they checked all that the cost would go up, and they wouldn't be able 
to sell it.  My local Goodwill store actually allow returns, btw.  If I 
were to buy a monitor that didn't work, I'd have seven days to return 
it, as long as I had my reciept, so in a way my local Goodwill turns me 
into the testing person, whcih doesn't cost them.

> 
> If it doesn't work, then what?  Pay $10 to $15 to get rid of it?  That's
> the current going rate in much of the US.


I think most places around here just toss them.  I realize your in CA, 
and you have more restictions.


Thinking back at our previous comments to each other.  I think we are 
both assuming different situations of use of the guide and application 
of the guide.  I'm assuming mostly older PC stuff with occasionally 
something interesting, where the unilateral application of the guide 
would be useless.  Maybe you are assuming a higher percentage of 
interesting items, and the application of the guide only when the 
employee recognizes it as a non-PC, or at least something out of the 
ordinary?  If the second case is closer to your position, maybe both of 
us are right (potentially)..... my way for the PC stuff, your way for 
the more interesting stuff.

We probably should close off this thread, as it is kind of off-topic 
now.  That being said, I have enjoyed it.  If you want to fire back once 
more, send it ito me directly.