Date:         Wed, 11 Aug 2004 19:05:16 -0400
Reply-To:     "Michael S. Nichols" <msnichols@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Michael S. Nichols" <msnichols@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Re: It's been almost 5 years that Gerry and I have lived
              together...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hello fellow listers,

I want to begin by thanking all those IT savvy folks that have made this
list possible.  This is something I could never do, even though I can,
thanks to the list,  keep my 2 1981 air cooled Vanagons up and running  with
little if any repair shop help.  I do wonder though about all the commercial
vendors who benefit financially  from this list.  Hey,free advertising is
great--- that's the American way.  But it is also the American way that no
one rides for free.  For example, I sell about $100.00 worth of used Vanagon
spare parts on this list a year.  I should pay something, I would think, for
the benefit of being able to do this. How much, perhaps, and how?

The large commercial and "hobby" parts sellers, what might they contribute?
Bus Depot is a successful concern, not just a mom and pop company.  Chris at
JordanWv, well, he advertises  lots of parts, but only for a hobby.
VolksCafe, Van-again, both for-profit concerns.  Stan W. in Dallas, Texas,
did I miss anyone?

The reality is that folks like me get a ride for free based on someone else
doing all the work,  volunteering their time and money to make this list
what it is. How can we make this arrangement work better?  Should the big
vendors run the list and pay the cost?  Should the big vendors be asked to
contribute financially to sponsor  someone else running the list?  The large
vendors pay other folks for advertising, and I keep seeing lots of expensive
Westy "newly arrived"  items being plugged on the list......
My question to the list:  Thoughts on this issue?

Regards,

Mike Nichols, Atlanta GA 30306