Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 08:03:26 -0800
Reply-To: Ben McCafferty <ben@KBMC.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ben McCafferty <ben@KBMC.NET>
Subject: Phone list part 2
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Ladies and gentlemen,
Top o' the mornin' to ya.
There are mixed opinions, but the bottom line is, most think this is a good
idea, and a few think we should just join the AIRS list at type2.com.
I like the idea of AIRS, since they have 1100 members already, and a cool
web format (you click on the state you want, or other region in the world,
and the site displays listees in that area along who have signed up along
with their relevant data). I emailed the admins for the site, and am
waiting to hear back from them. The downside right now is that the site
only allows you to list knowledgeability on 1200-1600 air-cooled engines, as
well as type 4. Nothing Vanagon related. If they'd be willing to update
the site to include the various vanagon and syncro derivitaves (tiico and
conversions too?), it would be perfect. There are quite a few Vanagon
owners on there already.
The downside of AIRS is that it's totally exposed to anyone who wants to
look. I'm not as sharp on my HTML as I could be, so you techies out there:
if a vendor/telemarketer/etc. wanted to crawl the AIRS list to extract names
and phone numbers/emails, they could do so, couldn't they?
So I'm still open to thoughts on security. I had the thought of a basic
text file with a heavy disclaimer at the beginning forbidding usage of the
list for any purpose other than VW assistance while traveling. I had a
friend who was being called 3x a day in CO by Sears to sell him vinyl
siding. He asked them repeatedly to stop calling, which they didn't do. He
finally taped a conversation with them saying that each additional phone
call from them would be agreement by them to pay him $500. They kept
calling, and he eventually pocketed $5000 in court. So maybe something like
that as a disclaimer? Hmmmm...... Otherwise, it seems like a
password-protected site is the other logical option. It would be possible
for someone to research the password on the list archive, but not as easy
for a random crawler to get in. Other thoughts?
Anyway, I'm still up for doing the list, and a number of people are
interested, so I'll keep you posted when I hear from AIRS.
tx,
bmc :)
"Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."
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