24 Mar
2005
24 Mar
'05
4:31 p.m.
Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
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.
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?
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.