Not a single bid... I am pissed!
I received this nice e-mail:
Francois,
Thanks for the info. I didn't think that my questions would be so much trouble. You seem to know a lot about Amiga computers. I was only referring to legal software when suggesting that you could install Amiga OS on a SCSI hard drive because it would help receive more interest and bids for your auction...I recently checked and there are 0 bids. I never thought that a seller would include/install pirated versions of software...as a buyer I will only pay for legal software because I want originals and I don't agree with piracy...why would anyone pay a seller for software that they copied...unless the seller didn't disclose this?
You state that finding original OS and hard drives on the net is easy...I'm sure it is but as of yet had no need to do so and was asking you questions about the machine you are selling on your auction since I may bid on it. After reviewing your answers I can make an intelligent decission whether this machine is worth the money/trouble. Thanks for pointing me to sites on the net for more info but I always check every possible site relating to the Amiga. Remember, since this Amiga with added KS 3.1 is yours and have experience in using it and are selling it you should let the buyer know of any problems: with the computer/KS 3.1; what won't work with it like software or other hardware configurations (if buyer wants to add other cards to this computer. eg: Accelerator card, etc.) Better yet...you should include this info on your future listing along with the easy to find OS and hard drive as I'm sure most buyers would like to at least be able to plug it in and start using it. This would cost you very little time/money but am sure it would profit you in a higher selling price. List on your auction what you added and state the cost to show extra value...also include screen shots of the OS/some apps & games and close ups of the inside of the case. These are only suggestions from a buyer so you don't have to follow them. I don't know what other buyers feel about your auction after seeing it but I am left with the feeling "What's wrong with this Amiga and why is he selling it without an OS/hard drive/cd-rom?"
I am the owner of a fully loaded Amiga 2000/periperals which I purchased new in 1990 for over $28,000. I also bought thousands of dollars worth of original software (many are utilities including Quarterback, etc.)/books...so I do know how to prepare a hard drive. I also owned many other Amiga models which I later ended up selling. The only Amigas I have left are the fully loaded Amiga 2000 and 500/memory expansion module.
Thanks again for your time and effort. Don't worry...you don't have to answer any more of my questions.
PS - You should be receiving a lot of bids for an Amiga 2000 and since your not, there obviously are reasons for this. If you get bids in the final minutes then it's possible that buyer/s want it cheap.
I hope you take this email as it was intended...as insightful input and not criticism...that can help you in your future auctions.
Regards,
Pano
==========================================================
My reply:
Hi Pano,
>From: "Pano
>To: eslapion
>Subject: RE: Amiga 2000 images
>Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2007 19:00:29 -0700
>
>
>Francois,
>Thanks for the info. I didn't think that my questions would be so much trouble. You seem to know a lot about Amiga computers. I was only referring to legal software when suggesting that you could install Amiga OS on a SCSI hard drive because it would help receive more interest and bids for your auction...I recently checked and there are 0 bids. I never thought that a seller would include/install pirated versions of software...as a buyer I will only pay for legal software because I want originals and I don't agree with piracy...why would anyone pay a seller for software that they copied...unless the seller didn't disclose this?
Installing the OS on a hard drive whern you don't have the original license does constitue software piracy. Auctions were pulled in the past for doing that.
>You state that finding original OS and hard drives on the net is easy...I'm sure it is but as of yet had no need to do so and was asking you questions about
>the machine you are selling on your auction since I may bid on it. After reviewing your answers I can make an intelligent decission whether this machine is worth the money/trouble. Thanks for pointing me to sites on the net for more info but I always check every possible site relating to the Amiga. Remember, since this Amiga with added KS 3.1 is yours and have experience in using it and are selling it you should let the buyer know of any problems: with the computer/KS 3.1; what won't work with it like software or other hardware configurations (if buyer wants to add other cards to this computer. eg: Accelerator card, etc.) Better yet...you should include this info on your future listing along with the easy to find OS and hard drive as I'm sure most buyers would like to at least be able to plug it in and start using it. This would cost you very little time/money but am sure
>it would profit you in a higher selling price.
Such a list would probably require more than a year worth of work and would probably require that I test thousands (hundreds of thousands ?) of different hardware and software combinations.
For example, knowing what games won't work with KS3.1 would require, at the very least that I test one by one the 8000 Amiga games that I have here... I beg you to understand this is not realistic. Making a more complete list would require that I spend hundreds of hours on the internet to find more and document their compatibility too.
There are more than 2'000 hardware add-ons for the Amiga computer, most of which I simply don't have access to.
The list itself would probably fill up a CD.
When you buy an original Package of Windows XP or Windows Vista, it comes with a hardware compatibility listing that provides the information you refer to. It is a book of more than 300 pages. They do not publish such a book for software because it would be the size of an encyclopedia.
>List on your auction what you added and state the cost to show extra value...also include screen shots of the OS/some apps & games and close ups of the inside of the case. These are only suggestions from a buyer so you don't have to follow them. I don't know what other buyers feel about your auction after seeing it but I am left with the feeling "What's wrong with this Amiga and why is he selling it without an OS/hard drive/cd-rom?"
Unfortunately, the problem is, there is NOTHING wrong with this Amiga. It was fully tested from end to end. It is exactly what it claims to be.
An empty but perfectly working system.
>I am the owner of a fully loaded Amiga 2000/periperals which I purchased new in 1990 for over $28,000. I also bought thousands of dollars worth of original software (many are utilities including Quarterback, etc.)/books...so I do know how to prepare a hard drive. I also owned many other Amiga models which I later ended up selling. The only Amigas I have left are the fully loaded
>Amiga 2000 and 500/memory expansion module.
>
>Thanks again for your time and effort. Don't worry...you don't have to answer any more of my questions.
>
>PS - You should be receiving a lot of bids for an Amiga 2000 and since your not, there obviously are reasons for this. If you get bids in the final minutes then it's possible that buyer/s want it cheap.
>I hope you take this email as it was intended...as insightful input and not criticism...that can help you in your future auctions.
>
>Regards,
>Pano
Honestly, having read many horror stories from people being ripped off by dishonest Amiga sellers, it seems to me that there is no place for an honest seller.
Recently, I had to trash a number of Amiga 1000 and Amiga 500 computers, perfectly working ones.
There is NO WAY I will work for more than 12 hours on a machine to make sure it is good and then just give them away.
That's why fraudulent sellers have had so much success in the small Amiga community that's left. People have unrealistic expectations.
Thank you for your understanding.
