Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 14:01:36 -0500
Reply-To: Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Subject: Re: Re. List Vendors, Ken Flaming
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
At 11:04 AM 1/1/99 -0700, Kent Christensen wrote:
>IMHO this list is over the top as regards commercial
>advertising.
>
I've been on this list for over 6 years....and I'd like to respond to some
of this trashing of Ron and Ken. First off, I've never had any dealings
with Ken..commercial or otherwise. I've placed about 4 or 5 orders with Ron
over the past couple of years. Never had a problem with timeliness of
delivery, quality of parts, etc.
>Having said that, I too appreciate Ron's and Ken's input,
>but suggest it might best be provided as follows.
>
(Points raised by Kent removed)
Obviously, you are the only one who has a problem with either Ron or
Ken....this list was created over 7 or 8 years ago. As I said I have only
been on here for 6 years...the last year or so, I've been distracted by the
EuroVan and Type 2 list.
Perhaps you are a "newbie" to this list..or at least someone who has been
on here for only less than a year. Let me give you some history or my
version of history of this list.
At one point in time the Vanagon list was open to owner's of all VW Type
2s....T1s, T2s, T3s (vanagons) and T4s. There was a major sense of
community. There were folks selling list shirts and cups, folks advertising
their used vans and parts, Uncle Joel did his weekly list, and then there
were the Friday Funnies and tales about the California Camping Crazies.
Then the list began to grow and it split into the Type 2 and Vanagon lists.
I think at that time, we also lost some of the sense of community and sense
of the roots of this list...its rather unfortunate, and I think your
remarks lately reflect some of this.
I know that Ron's participation in BOTH lists grew from selling used parts
and vans to what has become a full fledged busines. I'm sure the same is
with Ken.
The purpose of this list is to help us enjoy our Vanagons...and that's
through discussion, Q&A and any other helpful form of communication
INCLUDING commercial posting by members. I can see your point about
commercialization..I'd hate to have this list suddenly be swamped by
vendors who have nothing more than the selling of their wares in mind.
However, both Ken and Ron provide a valuable service to this list and I'd
hate like hell to see their efforts stifled. I'm sure there are more list
members who have the same viewpoint.
Perhaps if this list is too commercial for you:
1. Set your filter on your mail program to filter out any and all posts by
Ron and Ken
2. Maybe you should start your own commercial-free vanagon list, I'm sure
your commmercial free list will have so much more to offer
3. Or perhaps you should stick to the lists that cater to BMW bikes, Land
Rovers, etc.
IMHO.
Ric
