A Great Find & A Defense of E-Bay

..snip.. ..snip.. I used to do the exact same thing. During a period of marginal income, I sold an Altair 8800 manual I'd been holding on to every since the Popular Electronics article (from which I ordered just the manual). I sold it during an upswing in the popularity of Microsoft stuff, advertising it as "the oldest Microsoft BASIC manual." Asked and got $50 for it. Then recently, when real estate taxes became suddenly due (long story), I needed money fast. I had a 1983 Audi Quattro sitting in the driveway, rusting, a project car that was starting to look like it would never get a timeslice. So I posted it for sale on the Quattro list. I got 5 interested parties within 24 hours; within 48 that became 3 serious inquiries. By 72 hours it was down to two people, one came down that day to examine the car, brought a check with him. I really didn't think he was serious and had been certain the other guy would end up with the car. I was wrong; the guy with the check was serious, I needed the money immediately, so I sold it. The other guy was furious and now won't speak to me. I wish to God I'd sold it in auction format, whether on E-Bay or not. I'd have gotten what I paid for it, plus more, instead of taking a $1500 loss. R.D., you and others may have more faith that the long-sought- after item in front of you on E-Bay will be available later somewhere else in better shape for even cheaper; I guess I lack faith. When I see what I want and I want it badly enough, I'll pay the going rate to get it. Sometimes I regret it. I do understand taking a stand; I won't eat at the McDonald's that's closest to my office because one day I went there and a busload of school children were on some kind of field trip and being served to the exclusion of adults with 30-minute lunch breaks. The adults supervising the children, and those running the store, could not only not imagine why I was upset, but thought I was out of place for even suggesting that they should have scheduled their trip for another part of the day. I don't like the way they do business so I won't do business with them. Nyah. But I love the new McExtra or whatever it's called and I gotta drive way outta my way to get one because I've chosen to take this stand. Maybe someday, E-Bay will piss me off enough I'll take my business elsewhere. But for now, if I don't like the price, I just don't bid. regards, doug quebbeman