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<MISC> Posting on BMW list... and credibility

Hello Phil and everyone else.

I was truly heartened to read that you had received a 10:1 response
against commercial advertisements on the list.  I vote "NO" to ads, "NO" 
to shameless commercial plugs, and "NO" to flame wars in public between
vendors and unhappy customers (even though the customers have proven to
often be correct), except what Richard may deem necessary to finance the
existence of this fantastic mailing list.  I trust Richard's experience
in determining how best to combat offenders to his advertising policy.

I've been on the BMW list nearly since its inception.  I've seen posts
from all types of people.  I've made some of the very same mistakes that
I've since advised against making.  Having said that..

There are two types of advertisers on the list:

1. The Good Category:
- - Larry Reynolds, Care Care Products (how could you folks forget HIM?)
- - Phil Marx, Bavarian Motor Warehouse
- - Steve D'Geralamo, Parts Coop

What categorizes these folks is that they are fully willing to disclose
the fact that they HAVE a commercial interest in BMWs, along with all
company contact information as a few-line tag at the end of their messages
(known as a "signature").  They all make an effort to follow Internet
Netiquette.  They post *specific* answers to *specific* questions from
list members.  They mainly discuss topics in their sphere of influence. 
And, they have an incredible amount of knowledge of BMWs, not just the
prices of different wheels. 

2. The NOT-Good Category, including but not limited to:
- - my320i@domain.elided, aka Andrew Who?
- - hottrodd@domain.elided, aka Rodd "Gotta get the last word? Who me?" Sidney

Sorry guys, but what you have in common is that you don't fully identify
yourselves in every post, partially due to AOL but mostly due to your own
unwillingness to learn and practice accepted Internet Netiquette. As well,
you're always plugging a particular product or set of products and usually
do it periodically (weekly, or worse).  Also, when attacked for these
practices, you usually implode. 8^) 

Why do we reject blatant plugging?  Well, many of us on the list are
do-it-yourself-ers and it's precisely due to getting ripped off by dealers
and shops that many of us are motivated to take care of ourselves (I won't
even get into the Zen side of it all).  We are interested in QUALITY parts
and FAIR prices, not bmw-logo tire valves and t-shirts. 

If some yutz asks on the digest "what's the address of that guy with the
keyless entry system?", respond to him personally, don't feel obligated to
remind the list AGAIN.  If you guys want to plug your Clean Wheels Dust
Shields so you can sell us more rotors, do it on your WEB page - NOT on
the digest.  Please leave the rest of us along.  We're too busy trying to
separate the snake oil from the quality products, and we really don't need
more people muddying up the waters.  But, as some have pointed out, I'll 
always have the Page-Down button...

Despite the occasional "what color M3 should daddy buy me" posts, this is
a VERY sophisticated audience.  We can distinguish quality from fluff. 
Many of us are engineers and understand this VERY well. Unscrupulous Parts
Pushers BEWARE - we've got your number! 8^)

On a cheery note: Richard, you're the best.  There are many of us out here
that recognize the quality of the work you've done to keep this list and
your pages going, and my hat's off to you, sir... again.  Thank you. 
Thank you. Thank you. 

Regards,
 .steve.
- ------------------------Mobilitaet ist Leben------------------------
Steven J. Bernstein                     E-mail: bernstein@domain.elided
P.O. Box 11242                   WWW: http://www.mordor.com/stevenb/
Hauppauge, NY 11788 USA      __________       VOICE: +1 718 740 7411
- ----------------------------(oo  OO  oo)----------------------------