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Fanning the Flames "User to User Classifieds&

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    Fanning the Flames "User to User Classifieds&

    For those who take the time to read the Newsletter, this commentary is in regards to the intended "User to User Classifieds" section.

    From the article:

    "This is not a good alternative to getting advice in the forum. Folks can sell on their own sites. Don't downgrade Alpha this way!"

    All right I'll cop to it - that was me

    My concerns are NOT that it will impact the quality of the forum.

    I am concerned that it will be poorly implemented. One needs only look at the Adobe Studio classifieds to see the painful result of free for all add posting. Page after page after page of marginal offerings and rip-offs of far more viable and robust commercial offerings.

    Without the proper category filters finding and comparing similar products is impossible. Also the number of posts makes even a casual browse through the listings a tiresome experience.

    Think it can�t happen here?

    Guess again, Alpha with 1M customers may currently have their cake and eat it too - this excellent forum is a perfect example, but as time goes by (1.5M, 2M, 3M) even a carefully crafted category managed site can become a burden - resembling a forgotten garage sale of similar and out dated offerings add-nausium.

    I would suggest that Alpha take a stronger management role in the process and only allow reviewed and accepted content offerings through a well planned category management system. Some people may not like it but in the long run we would all benefit.

    Your comments, as always "welcome"

    Marc
    Marc King
    A5solutions

    #2
    RE: Fanning the Flames

    Marc,

    I can understand where you are coming from; still, one of the great things about this site is the willness of people to share their knowledge. I have recognized your contribution, since coming over from the dark side! Given past history, I would expect this to continue. If we get to the point where someone post and ask a question, and someone else says I know and will give you the answer for $5, it will be wrong. I'm willing to pay for someones time for things like the documentor and Ad Hoc. A $10 bill is not out of line for the Ad Hoc. If we can get useful add ons for a reasonable price, everone will gain, if not, its been fun, while it lasted.

    ... john

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Fanning the Flames

      I agree,

      I think it could be a really good thing with a simple industry, addons, styles, etc... category segmented structure.

      I just think it would be wise to have a process much like adding comments on Cnet - where you submit your post for approval before it goes live.

      This would keep out a lot of junk that always seems to latch on where there's opportunity.
      Marc King
      A5solutions

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Fanning the Flames

        Marc you make some very good points and both Bill Warner and Cal Locklin who are organizing this are very well regarded members of the Alpha Community.

        Alpha itself will play a helpful role in this as well.

        The goal is to add to the Alpha experience and not to detract from it.

        I would be delighted if you get in touch with Bill Warner
        at compuniq@aol or Cal Locklin at [email protected]

        to get your feedback heard.

        Both Cal and Bill will be at the confernce -- where I am sure this idea can be refined and improved for everones benefit

        Regards
        Richard Rabins
        Richard Rabins
        Co Chairman
        Alpha Software

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Fanning the Flames

          You guys have brought up some very valid points and I hope you will be at the convention to discuss them. I took a look at the Adobe site to get an idea of what you are talking about. The site is at http://share.studio.adobe.com/Default.asp for anyone else who wants to take a look.

          I believe there is a valid need for something like the User to User Classifieds because we currently have only the Code Archive and the "Application" tab on Alpha's main page. The Code Archive is primarily for posting code for free downloads by others and the Applications area is for showing/selling completed applications. There seems to be nothing in-between at this point and, with the advent of the .aex compiled scripts, selling a packaged solution for common actions makes more sense now than it did before.

          I will also admit that one reason I was interested in this is that I have some "in-between" items that I was considering selling for a small fee. (10, 20, 30 dollars??) I don't think any of them took less than 100 hours to develop so I would really like to get a couple bucks back for my effort but I don't expect I will ever get it all back. For example, I have a backup and restore routine that can be implemented in any app with as little as one line of code but the internal code consists of 6 functions and about 1800 lines of code plus it includes an integrated windows help file to help users and developers run it - you don't sit down and build that, debug it, rebuild it, etc. in an hour or two. As for advertising them on my own site, there probably aren't 1% of the users out there who would know where my website is. [And, as I wrote that I started thinking - maybe another (better?) solution would be a list of developer websites were people can look for solutions to their problems or just look to see what's available? I'm a believer in reviewing any and all ideas.]

          I really hope there are others out there in the same situation because I may well be interested in purchasing some of their solutions.

          I will also continue to answer questions and post solutions on the message board. One item I did put in the code archive that took a long time to finish was the Opt_net_v5 routine which apparently nobody is interested in using (at least not as far as I know) even though it would have solved some of the issues others have brought up on the regular message board. (I guess I'm just not a good enough salesman.)

          So, in summary, I think we need something for selling - for as little as $0.00 - 'functions' that are a bit too large for the code archive (I can just imagine how many people would be interested in seeing 1800 lines of code posted in the code archive!) but not really a full-blown application. As to how it can best be accomplished, that still needs to be finalized.

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Fanning the Flames

            Hi Cal,

            Thanks for your input. It looks like Adobe has put in a second layer of category filters to untangle the mess. Part of the problem at Adobe is that the whole thing started as a free exchange then without notice they were inundated with low quality commercial offerings that don�t mention any cost until you click to download. So as you dig through the morass of listings you cant tell what�s free and what�s commercial.

            This is what I mean - without category filtering the whole thing gets very confusing. Another more closely related example is

            http://www.filemaker.com/solutions/find_solution.html

            These being data base solutions they are clearly grouped by industry so you can get a clear comparative index of the kind of tools you are looking for.

            The need for a market place is viable and I support that completely - I don�t think placing limits on the pricing is practical. I agree that getting add-ons and such at $10 is a needed resource with much entrepreneurial potential. There is also a market for high end solutions targeted at specific industry. Sometimes it�s the high end solutions that get all the attention.

            If the system would have categories for Functions, Add-ons, and Solutions � And Solutions was segmented by Industry. And just a bit of management oversight. Then you have the foundation for an enterprise of opportunity that everyone can use to advantage.



            ~Marc
            Marc King
            A5solutions

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Fanning the Flames

              I am more than willing to pay for something I need. Cal I would much rather give you $100 for something that took YOU 100 hours to develop, that to develop it myself!!!! The heck with this $5 stuff!!

              I always offer and try to pay other developers when I get them to help me with something.

              I would be very interested in scripts/functions from other developers - especially if I could get the source code with it, so I could adapt it for myself.
              Cole Custom Programming - Terrell, Texas
              972 524 8714
              [email protected]

              ____________________
              "A young man who is not liberal has no heart, but an old man who is not conservative has no mind." GB Shaw

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Fanning the Flames

                Marc and others,

                Cal and I appreciate your comments. We will be working very hard to make sure this site is useful to the Alpha community. When the site is available, we will have guidelines for submitting code and other routines, and we welcome any suggestions regarding these.

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Fanning the Flames

                  13 Mar. 2003


                  Martin,


                  I agree 100% with you. I would much rather pay for valid code for having thesee problems solved or solutions that I have never even thought of. Pehaps Alpha could have a separate discussion group for items for sale. This would benefit the users and the developers both.

                  Have a nice day,
                  JG
                  Houston, TX

                  Comment

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