Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

The problem isn't with the people who "don't" bid on ebay, the problem is with the people who "do" bid on ebay and think that they are going to get a deal if Ed posts links after the auction has closed.

I gaurentee you when I bid on something that I want on ebay, I don't lose. Doesn't make a difference to me if Ed posts it or not. I'll just win it for less money, which really isn't an issue when one is rounding out a collection.

Here's a simple example, among other things I collect F4U Corsair items. One day on ebay a F4U factory manual shows up. I take note of it and wait. The auction winds down, I bid $500 in the last few seconds and get the manual for $12.50 because 4 other collectors tried to get it for peanuts. Putting in $2, $4 & $10 bids isn't going to cut it. I was willing to pay top dollar to complete my collection just like Sudek13 and others. If it's something I want, price doesn't matter. Especially with one of a kind pics, books, militaria, etc..

Keep posting Ed, before the auction ends. It's already the 28th we're due!

Regards,
Mike

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

Unbelievable, you also could compare apples and oranges...

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

Fernando,

I'm surprised that you have said this. As you are both a researcher and author, you will know that when you undertake research, it does cost money to pursue a research project to its conclusion, whether that is by trips to research institutions, trips to see other researchers, or trips to see veterans. And 'collections' are the lifeblood of any research project, since it is mainly collections that researchers delve into to find the relevant photographs for their work. In the process, researchers build up their own collection, either of original prints, copies of prints, or a mixture of both. The other thing research is made up of, which you do not mention, is time.

I would not want readers to think that authors have books published at no cost to themselves. In a lot of instances, their own costs actually outweigh the return.

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

John, I obviously meant "not for making money" or, more generally, not as a field to exercise our individual economical power.

I thought that my thinking was clear from the things and concepts I had written, but there is always the need to specificate further...

As for money spent in researching, it is certainly a lot, but diluted in doing things, like meeting people, visiting archives, duplicating, and so on, not certainly in throwing packs of banknotes in eBay for prints or negatives.

May I say "always"?

But let me add that I wasn't speaking of that. For all the thing you say, I agree with you.

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

Fernando,

Yes, you are right. I was shocked when I totalled up how much I had spent over the years doing research. And the time put in to just a single book is incredible, as you know.

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

Very well said, John. If I can get even after one of my books has been published, I'm satisfied (financially, that is). Usually, however, this isn't the case. And eBay plays a major role in this...

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

Well guys, if you talk about Bodenplatte than I spent approx 15x the amount that I got in return...... but hell, that is only talking about money. I think I got much more in return from doing the research.

cheers,

John.

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

Ed

I also appreciate your searches and posts. Sometimes I put in a bid, the majority I do not. What is invaluable is to have the opportunity (when I have so little time), to spend a nice 10 minutes to have a look at the photos to basically expand my know how on so many different aircraft types and markings. It is like looking at a new photo book in the library.

I am still hoping that a photos might surface one day of one of the aircraft recovered from Russia over the last 15 years.

As for research versas reward in publication. For myself I spend 5 years (hundred of hours) researching Hurricane P3351 to only write an article at the end. I did enjoy the genealogy in relation to locating pilots and families - it is not only about the money. Everyone has hobbies - I cannot understand people who spend every weekend travelling to football matches or hours spent fishing - but that is me. I am sure they would say the same about what most of us do with regard TOCH.

Just my 2p worth. I do agree with John and he said it so well! What Ed does is for the benifit of the majority and does not have any effect with regards to ebay sales or prices!

Ed - keep on going. The majority appreciate it.

regards

Mark

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

Gentlemen,


I will continue. You can see that my post of 3-24 is available and still shows almost all of the listings (assuming perhaps that one photo was sold early and one is maybe an error). My goal is not to help people make money on eBay but to make the images available to researchers like yourselves. Of course, those who do not want to wait until I post can look all they want. Nothing is preventing anyone.

As soon as the current batch of listings close, I will post them. That's it. Once that process is started, I will be back to posting regularly as auctions close on a particular batch of photos and related.

And thank you, everyone, for your kind words.



Best regards,
Ed

Re: Change to Ed West's posting schedule
 

I am one of the (pretty active) buyers of photo's on Ebay and I have never regarded any listings of auctions by Ed as a thread to any potential buyer !!!

The only thing I didn't like was the postings of people asking to identify certain types of planes up for sale.

Mind that I say "didn't like" but that doesn't mean I protested against it or did demand for anyone to stop such action.

When you discover a really rare photo on Ebay because you are able to recognise such rarities, you don't want everybody's attention drawn to that particular auction. The Internet is a very large community and there will always be someone else who can recognise that certain type of plane.

But I really don't see any harm of postings of listings of active Ebay-auctions, because anyone can search for them.

The only problem is that some of you simply don't have the time to look through every page of Ebay everyday.

And that's where Ed's postings were very helpfull.

Mind that the members of this board are all dedicated fans of WW2 aircraft. Any new photo (despite copyright stamps) are welcome and help many researchers. And when dedicated researchers get new inspiration to make a profile (based on a photo shown on Ebay) we will benefit from it.

I vote for continuing Ed's postings of all active Ebay auctions.

Btw, some of you may know me but many of you don't. Let me say that I have no financial interest by asking (not demanding) to refrain from identify aircraft from active auctions, because I have never asked a single penny for using my photo's for publications and when you surf the AAW forum you can see I share a lot of original photo's.

The only reason why I don't share more photo's on this forum is the restriction of the number of photo's or the size of the photo's on this forum.

The moderators of this forum should really resonsider these restrictions.

Regards,
Jan