Getting rid of negative FS posts from non-involved users...

[David Karp]

It is bad form to mix in.

If you don't like the price don't buy. If you think it is too high, send a PM. I have seen people post about a price, claiming it is too high, when in fact it is a fair price based on other sales. I have also seen posts where someone claimed that they purchased the item on Ebay for a much lower price, but when investigated, the price they paid was right in the same ballpark as the item for sale on the forum. Whether they were just trying to drive down the price or had some other motive, I don't know. The best way to handle it is in private, and not in a forum post.

My opinion anyway.

[Darin Boville]

I look at it like this....the LF Board is a community. Sorta like a bunch of people hanging out in a room. And one of the basic functions of a community is to look out for each other.

If I have a problem with my 4x5 the group chimes in. If it is a serious problem then I would guess that lots of people will chime in. It may even get to the point where people start doing experiments, all for the benefit of the group.

For example, I was just reading about focusing and ground glass alignment issues with the Chamonix 4x5. So I tested mine. And just as I'm writing this I'm scanning my Polaroid and will post on that thread that mine is o.k.. This, I hope, will be useful information to people. Why bother? Because I'm part of this community. That's what people in a community do.

Likewise I don't see any real problem with chiming in on someone else's sale ad. Is it really "buyer beware" here? Would you really feel o.k. to watch a newbie buy a lens at a price way higher than normal? What are the responsibilities of the community to its members? Dog eat dog?

This is a forum to communicate about LF photography. The sale board is not sacred. It is part of the community.

--Darin

[Frank Petronio]

It's tough, if I didn't read about problems with one particular member from South of the Border I may have bought an large ticket item from him and gotten burnt. Or I might have paid a deposit on a new Wisner camera. Or subscribed to View Camera magazine!

Heck I may have even spent $8000 on a Littman 4x5....

Luckily some of the loud-mouth a-holes here set me straight ;-)

[Brian_A]

Now when it comes to the reputation of the seller, publisher, etc, I think it's a bit different of an issue, Frank. If the guy hasn't delivered multiple times, etc is one thing. If the price is a tad high, it's another - imo.

-Brian

[Chuck Pere]

Seems like most of the posts are cheerleader types. Like this is a real bargain price, I'd buy it in a second if I had the money or I have one and it's great. Ban these also?

[Brian_A]

Look at the topic Chuck, it says negative, not positive, posts.

[RPNugent]

I think the last thing we want to ask the moderators to do is waste their time monitoring the For Sale section. Their work is hard enough and unpaid. The FS section is USER beware, so beware of people buying, selling or spouting off.

[Marko]

It's tough, if I didn't read about problems with one particular member from South of the Border I may have bought an large ticket item from him and gotten burnt. Or I might have paid a deposit on a new Wisner camera. Or subscribed to View Camera magazine!

Heck I may have even spent $8000 on a Littman 4x5....

Luckily some of the loud-mouth a-holes here set me straight ;-)

All true and your description sounds like an informal requirement for membership

But FS is FS and anything other than direct enquiries is rude and inconsiderate "noise".

Looking at many a thread, this forum makes it very easy - too easy even - to start new threads. Whoever has a different opinion about the price of a particular object or even the seller should be free to start a discussion of their own.

After all, peanut gallery comments belong in the FS section much less than religion and/or politics belong in The Lounge. They should be much easier to moderate too - all that would be needed is a complaint by the OP. Perhaps even give the OP an ability to delete messages he deems inappropriate in his/her thread if technically possible.

Just my $0.02

[Ron Marshall]

I think the last thing we want to ask the moderators to do is waste their time monitoring the For Sale section. Their work is hard enough and unpaid. The FS section is USER beware, so beware of people buying, selling or spouting off.

I agree, there is already enough work for the mods without making their lives more difficult.

[percepts]

I think it has been made quite clear that the FS section is "Buyer beware" and "At your own risk". I think the section should be set up so that you can post your ad but no responses can be made in the thread. That way all correspondance has to be done via PM and the discussion is purely between the seller and a potential buyer and not open for general discussion about the sale. That solves the problem as suggested and stops anyone just trying to intefere or express an opinion on something which really isn't their business.
Anyone wanting to issue warnings about sellers can do it the lounge if they really want to...