OT: Freecycle

This is the one big fault with Freecycle. It needs a system writing whereby you can just post messages without registering. The need to register is a pain. It would not be too hard to do. And it could be paid for by advertising. But I doubt Freecycle will do it in the near future. They seem stuck in their ways. Someone needs to start something which is a cross between Freecycle and Craigslist. An alternative.

Best wishes,

Chris

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 22:26:08 -0500, with neither quill nor qualm, technomaNge quickly quoth:

Yeah, and it's a good thing. I get rid of crap I don't need (or couldn't sell at the garage sale) and find treasures from other folks, like the travel trailer I got, or the riding mower.

I found bricks for my ex-girlfriend's garden, tools for myself, lamps, and all sorts of other great STUFF.

Granted, the trailer is semi-gutted and the mower doesn't run, but they're projects for me. ;)

Just do it. I don't get any spam from them.

Exactly. There is no Craigslist here, either.

- Metaphors Be With You -

I'm a member of the freecycle group here in the High Desert of southern California. I have had really good luck with it. In fact, just today I got a bunch of landscape rock that I will pick up tomorrow. The guy was doing landscaping in his yard and way over-estimated what he needed (he also thinks they over-delivered). Anyway, I'll go get as much as my Mazda will carry and make several trips if necessary. His wife thinks that there may be ten tons there. I have also gotten and given away several other things. Give it a try. What's to lose? Yahoo won't bite. I actually use it for my home page and like it.

Jim Chandler

The one in our area is awful. People begging for everything from working trucks to haircuts -- all with sob stories. And then there's the group that monitors all the messages and grabs everything that comes by so they can sell it at their garage sales. Our local moderators discourage criticism or complaint and just prefer to let things go that way.

technomaNge wrote:

I have gotten rid of some REAL crap that I couldn't believe anyone would want, but was just too good to throw out. We haven't really done much acquiring through it, but it really helped clear out my shop when I had some new equipment coming in.

Jon

Quickly turned into a waste of time to sort thru 99 percent postings that were either people begging for stuff for free or giving away useless garbage.

Exactly the same thing here. Now I just take my good-but-not-needed stuff to the Salvation Army. F**k freecycle.

-Carl

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 23:40:10 -0500, with neither quill nor qualm, Mike Berger quickly quoth:

One of those garage sale trolls recently was exposed by our moderator and kicked off with a public message, so it must vary by region. Ours are active.

- Metaphors Be With You -

Yep, IndyFreeCycle.

No big deal -- who says you have to give any *real* personal data?

Two years ago, I got a freecycled baby grand piano. Really.

I've also managed to get rid of an awful lot of stuff that I had absolutely no use for, but thought someone else might -- stuff that I figured I could never sell (like a broken dishwasher), and was too cheap and lazy to load up and cart off to the dump.

Your humble servant

I never see anything worthwhile offered (from a metalworking perspective), except what is offered by myself. I offer a lot of unsold merchandize there, such as electric motors, etc.

Now if you wanted broken VCRs, toys, kid stuff, you would find plenty of that.

Killfile everything that says WANTED in the subject title.

I always say, "commercial intent is welcome". If someone wants to resell something that they get from me, I am always OK with that, since I could not sell it.

There are several overlapping ones around here. They all seem to work a bit differently, depending on who is moderating. A couple of the list moderators will reject any messages that say things like "DESPERATELY IN NEED OF ..." or will ban folks who repeatedly ask for big ticket items, or simply make too many requests.

I have gotten a few neat items, some computer networking stuff, a couple of UPS's, a really nice old Grundig tube radio (I love old radios), some nice contactors that found their way into a few of my machines, other small miscellany. Given away a bunch of stuff as well.

Yahoo registration is no big deal to me.

Yeah, some of the posters and postings could be annoying, I just choose to ignore them. Glad we never get any annoying posts around here...

;)

-Al A.

I was kicked off the local group after someone "SAW" me selling computers at a flea market. They couldn't describe me, or what I was supposed to be driving, or even tell me what booth i was supposed to be in. I was visiting that market about four times a year, to pick up computer junk form a used computer dealer. Then the moderator informed me that "My husband works for the Sheriff's department, and you're under criminal investigation!" Her last name was the same as the Sheriff, and I had been on a live radio show with him several times, and discussed my computer recycling program with him. I asked a deputy I know about her threat. He wanted her name and a copy of the email so he could report her and her husband to the department, to have him fired.

I asked who made the accusation and was told that I had no right to know. I told her that you have the right to face your accuser in the United States, and that I didn't serve in the US military to be pushed around by a Nazi winnable. A few days later the two Nazi moderators went totally berserk, and threw EVERYONE out of the group, then shut it down.

BTW, it's been two years, and I still haven't been contacted by the Sheriff's office. ;-)

I participate in a Freecycle (Bakersfield, Ca) and have had mixed results.

Had a kid wanting free computer stuff, and specifically told him I had a bunch, some good, some bad, but he had to take it all, no cherry picking. He came by with his wife, took a bunch, most of which was the so so or bad stuff, which I made clear, and told him to come by the following weekend and help me clear out an outbuilding, which had the good stuff in it. He emailed me a day after picking up the first load, telling me there wasnt anything "good" in the first batch..and was pissed about it. When I pulled his chain about coming back and getting the rest of the stuff for the swap meet...he got really pissy and thats the last I heard from him, except for other wanted..computer equipment ads. I mentioned the story to one of the moderators....got a "will check into it"

Shrug. Got some good stuff, got rid of some good stuff I didnt want to toss. Its been an ok thing for me.

Gunner

I've gotten some good stuff, especially a free vcr to replace the one the power company wrecked, and I have given away some stuff without having to load it up and take it off to the Salvation Army (saved time for me)! Admittedly, there is a fair amount of crap offered, and many unreasonable requests for working cars and the like, but hey, it's FREE! Quit whining if you don't like it.

Right now I'm hoping to get a free treadmill motor (working, of course).

I have 30 of them. NOS in boxes. Come load em up.

Gunner