Life is too short

Compa

I just have to make a comment before leaving these boards. About a week ago I started a thread complaining about an eBay transaction. After considerable discussion among board members, the seller (also a board member) popped his head in on the discussion and made a refund. I thanked him and thought that was the end of it. But no, some of you simply couldn't let it rest.

Despite some original posters having gone back and edited their posts, anyone now reading the thread can see that some of the posters also believed that there had been manipulation of the photo. Others said they didn't believe that was the case. Several said that they could see why I would think as I did. My later posts in the thread showed that I was backing off on my initial position of being sure that the photo was edited.

After the posting by the seller that we was giving a refund, I dropped out of the thread but it managed to keep going. Although I never said it outright in the thread, I now state that the photo was simply of very poor quality and that any editing is very very unlikely. The seller was not attempting to deceive in the use of the photo. His description was deceptive but that is another story.

Now that thread did serve a purpose ... it educated me and others as to variations in photos from actual items and reasons for them to not be the same other than intentional editing ... it also educated the seller to be more careful with his photography and descriptions in general (nullsee his most recent photos) A couple of the comments made late in the thread were personal and just plain rude - at least one was made by someone I had never even seen on these boards. I've always respected most of you here and done business with more than a few of you. There just seems to be a feeding frenzy mentality that lives here ... one that I feel more comfortable avoiding in the future.

SYRACUSIAN

Compa,

I was among those who did not agree with you and went to great lengths of showing you that the seller had no intention to deceive by using one of my own ebay examples . I want to believe that I did this without being rude to you and certainly without making declarations later that the seller ,whom I did not know and had never bought from,was now among my favourites. I just thought that there was some injustice in that initial complaint of yours, and being very sensitive to any kind of injustice I tried to explain my position. Also, I did not do any editing, other than my usual for grammar and spelling as with 95% of my posts. Like you said, the thread kept going on and on without a reason, after you had bravely admitted that the thought of a scan had not crossed your mind, and when I saw that totally inappropriate comment to which you refer by some unknown lurker who probably enjoys just cursing anonymously on the internet, I thought that this was turning into a nightmare similar to the recent GCL thread.

I believe you're as much an essential part of these boards as any other Darksider and I would be very sad to see you quit them because of this. Like the title of this thread, life is too short and there is absolutely no reason to spoil it because of a simple incident like that which was overflated with or without intention by everybody who posted in that thread, myself included. What I'm trying to say, is simply do not go, remember,after all it's only coins, nothing more. Very often I think that this particular human online interaction that we all have, especially here at the Darkside ,is far more valuable than any member's collection and it would be a shame to miss it.

spinaker2000

Don't leave!!

tonyhar

Don't leave!!

DJC

Life is too short.

I don't have any knowledge of the (specific) incident in question (that I know of, anyway) but I've witnessed (and, unfortunately, taken part in) way too many such incidents over on the USCF. That's part of why I'm here now. The constant flame wars just aren't interesting anymore. This is my hobby, this is a forum to babble about my hobby (sometimes intelligently, more often, not.) Nothing said here, by anyone, can cause my blood pressure to rise by a single point. Unfortunately, others don't feel the same and it frequently gets very personal.

When I get bored with the BS, I just fade into lurk mode for awhile. It lets others cool off, and lends some perspective. These forums have greatly increased my knowledge of my hobbies, and hopefully I've helped a few myself. That alone makes it worth coming back, and getting past any hurt that may have occured.

Don't give up too easily.

oldshep

While I don't know of the thread you are talking about, I do know that this forum is unlike the other forums in as much as there is much more tolerance for opinions. Please don't leave the boards over a single problem post. Remember that there are many on this forum that will gladly argue a point with you or disagree with an opinion but that is part of a forum that is topic oriented.
Personal attacks are what cause the flavor of a dicussion group to change to bitter. Lurk for a while, but don't leave, the majority of great people on this forum will appreciate and enjoy your continued participation.

Shep

1jester

Compa, I don't want to see you leave the forum, and it would sadden me if you were to.

I believe I was one of the first couple of people to respond to your thread. I wrote one short sentence, something to this effect: "I'm sorry you were ripped off, defrauded or otherwise cheated." I wrote that because in your initial thread it sounded as if it was an open and shut case, and I sympathized. After the seller mentioned his story, and others pointed out that the auction pictures could simply have been unintentially poor, I thought it was a bit hasty to have accused the seller of outright fraud, thus I edited out my post. I should not have been so hasty in accusing the seller. I definitely feel bad if anyone is cheated, however, and will continue to try to stand up against unfair selling (and buying) tactics.

lordmarcovan

I see he still hasn't learned to use the Shift key.

You overreacted in that thread, and I think you are overreacting now.

You did make some valid points, then and now, and at least you can admit where you were wrong. (And the seller in question was not totally blameless, either. But he made good in the end.)

This is the problem with negative threads. They inevitably get a lot more action than positive ones, even here on a slightly more "civilized" forum.



<< <i>A couple of the comments made late in the thread were personal and just plain rude - at least one was made by someone I had never even seen on these boards. >>

I noticed that, and found it strange that some newbie nobody had heard of would be calling you names.



<< <i>There just seems to be a feeding frenzy mentality that lives here ... one that I feel more comfortable avoiding in the future. >>


True enough. But remember, in this particular feeding frenzy, you were the one who poured the chum in the water, albeit innocently.

Hope you decide to stick around and are wiser for the experience. If not, best of luck to you.

wybrit

Life is too short

There are a few people on this site that know this only too well.

I did not participate in that previous thread, but my observation is that the seller tried to make good on the error. Believe me, that one has a much happier ending than dealings many of us have had with genuinely bad ebay sellers.

If you are leaving because some anonymous troll posted an unacceptable comment, please reconsider. Who cares what a jerk like that thinks. I do, however, put creedence in what others here have said - there are many stand-up people here. What I like about them is that they don't just head-nod when someone writes something, they give honest feedback. I'd much rather deal with people like that any day.

All the best whichever way you decide to go.

worldcoinguy

Jim - Shake it off and move on. If you have enjoyed your time here since 11/2003, don't let one sour thread turn you away.

By the way - nice bird pics on your link.

satootoko

I've got nothing to add, except my vote that you stick around.

Aethelred

<< <i> I do, however, put creedence in what others here have said - there are many stand-up people here. What I like about them is that they don't just head-nod when someone writes something, they give honest feedback. I'd much rather deal with people like that any day. >>



My feelings as well.