It Pays To Watch Freecycle Experts Needed

Edna_Bucket_2

DitzyLips wrote: »

...I was happy with this boards no abuse/rudeness policy.It isn't necessary to jump all over somebody when they post and some of you owe andrea an apoligy although somehow i doubt she'll get it.

To be fair, I think we'd all moved on from that in the thread - why did you think it was a good idea to drag it back up again?

To set things straight I don't think anyone has been rude to Andrea at all, so no apology is surely needed. Disagreeing on a public Forum with the way something is presented has nothing to do with "rudeness." In contrast, "MSE Forum Manager" (whoever he/she is) was extremely rude to me at the end of a post because I dared to disagree and set out an alternative view...but I doubt I'll get an apology.

Neither no doubt will the cretin who has been sending me abusive PMs about this all day send an apology - am I bovvered? Not really. Life is too short - a somewhat poibgnant thought at this end this afternoon.

hibees1875_2

The trouble with freecycle as it gets bigger, it gets harder to obtain items. Also you get ridiculous wants such as "digital slr" and "digital photo frame". Also, you get a plethora of people wanting everythign to car boot or ebay.

yes you can pick up bargains and have the thrill of the chase, but when the wants outweigh the offers then it becomes a bit pointless. Also, wouldbe receivers become more fussy and choosy and dont turn up for items which just wastes everyones time. Not as good now it has become a free-for-all. Now less of a community and more of a mob mentality looting fiasco.

Queenie

Edna_Bucket wrote: »

I think this raises a bigger issue actually. Is it still "Martin's" site?

I realise that might appear a daft question, since we see his mugshot hovering above it every time we come to a page, but what the MSE team and ML himself might want to address it that this site and particularly the Forums area long ago outgrew one person, whoever that person is, or whatever that person has achieved.

That's not a criticism, just a statement of fact - an example of the evidence might be the contents of the emails, which are largely sourced through contributors (and acknowledged as such on the threads, if not the email itself.)

The fact is this is now a vast PUBLIC resource, and the whole "team" (and I like to think of the MSE people as a team, not one man) need to pick up that thorny issue.

The problem is that with the momentum the way it is, if you carry on saying "Martin says this" or "it's Martin's site" there is a real danger in the future that it ends up looking like a personality cult, and the MSE Admin team just the senior cult members "enforcing" their views on others.

I hope everyone would agree that is a scenario to be avoided.

Ok, I'll agree that that is a scenario to be avoided. However, I think you are being deliberately antagonistic

I joined this forum in the days when ML was the *only* "moderator" of this site. I recall him posting when he needed *an* assistant because the site traffic was becoming too large for him to handle alone. Actually, I do recall PM'ing ML at that time of the request (no, not to offer my services) to highlight that I think he was being a little naive to think he only needed ONE assistant! It was no surprise to me that, in time, he eventually took on the services of several "assistants" in the guise of the MSE team and the BG's. All are conversant with ML's ethos and the rules of this site.

However, putting all that aside, one has to accept (like it or lump it!) that, this site BELONGS to ML. The "It Pays To Watch" IS ML's own show. Personally, I do not believe that it is becoming a "personality cult". Members are giving far more freedom in THIS forum than in other forums I belong to, free or paid for, to give their opinion, no matter how disagreeable (or, to some people's perceptions, downright rude and antagonistic!).

I disagree that this is a public resource per se! Why? Simply because, when we sign up as members, we do so under certain "Terms & Conditions". To operate a website that scores above a certain level of "hits" per day, costs that person, who set it up, financially if they wish to continue running it.

Ultimately, I don't see it as a "personality cult" excercise - I view it more along the lines of "it's my house and my house rules apply!".
By that same token, if I don't like it, I have to move somewhere else which may cater better to my principles, values and perceptions!

Queenie

poundsinbucks wrote: »

I think Freecycle is a great way to dispose of furniture and children's toys and clothes, and am amazed at how quick my stuff always gets snapped up .

What gets me is the ones who take the mickey; the other day somebody asked for a car (!) and quite regularly I see posts of people asking for a laptop. The one to top it all was a post asking for a Nintendo DS - yeah right, I was about to take mine to the tip :mad: , NOT!!

But overall I think Freecycle is a great idea and would recommend it to anyone .

Poundsinbucks x

Funny you should say that ... last week I met a lovely young man who really DID get a car from Freecycle. Ok, admittedly, he didn't *ask* for one; he simply saw one on offer, accepted it and has been driving around in it, happily and merrily, ever since

Rab19

I've both offered and received from Freecycle, but if I'm honest, I delete the wanted posts as I think there's too many on there now! Our local one 'supposedly' has 'Wanted Wednesday' but there seems to be LOADS of wanted ads on whenever I log on.

Some people have left our site due to people taking stuff & selling it on eBay - we've also put stuff in & had the Mod request if they can have it without advertising it!

Personally, when I offer something, I try to look past the sob stories & don't just go straight for the first reply, I check the names to see if they're constantly asking for things or if they're on there a lot, before making a decision as to who gets it!

It's a good idea in theory, but I feel the Mods need to be a bit stricter on it!

Rab x x

Edna_Bucket_2

Queenie wrote: »

...Why? Simply because, when we sign up as members, we do so under certain "Terms & Conditions". To operate a website that scores above a certain level of "hits" per day, costs that person, who set it up, financially if they wish to continue running it.

You've every right to your opinion of course Queenie - as a "veteran" here.

Can I ask a question though? If you subscribe to all the above 100% can I take it that you'll be hotfooting it across to all of those people elsewhere campaigning to get bank charges back and tell them to belt up too as they signed up to the "T&Cs" too. (Whoops, that might include our hero ML.)

I respect your opinion but I hope you'll respect mine when I say politely that I think you're living in the past. The monster growth of MSE has overtaken all that - to show that I'm not being negative about this I'd also add that it's WELL overdue IMHO that the rest of the MSE team get their full names put up in lights too for their team efforts and not just one person and the occasional other Christian name (which may or not be a real one - I don't know.)

It's a shame though that you also saw fit, in an otherwise perfectly polite message to end in the same vein by suggesting that people who post with a different stance to the cult, whoops sorry my mistake, should have typed the status quo, , should get lost.

It really is most peculiar that some of the establishment here just don't seem to be able to take any criticism whatsoever, even from folk who contribute more than some of them do to the site - that's a shame.

Queenie

Good Evening, Edna

Ok, on the bank charges issue, I don't have any! Fortunately for me, I was brought up on the ethos of "cut your coat according to your cloth" together with "neither a lender nor a borrower be!" And yes, I do believe that those who were charged did indeed sign up to their T&C's knowing the full impact of doing so. However, I did marry a man who was brought up with quite a different outlook and during *his* management of our money, did indeed incur costs - fortunately, I took the helm and redressed the balance and *his* charges are too long ago to matter. I believe I did post something similar to what you are saying (but put a little less bluntly) some while back - which resulted in quite a furore from subsequent posters But, I digress ...

... I would not be so rude as to say "Get lost" Although I admit to saying if you don't like it ... Personally, I find your posts most interesting; it's good to hear differing opinions because it has the potential to either, make one reconsider their own, or, reinforce one's own. It's a healthy broadening of the mind either way

The "establishment" as you call them, have been pretty objective (from what I've seen) about all remarks. Yes, some regular posters do feel sensitive to your comments, but you knew they would

I have had the opportunity to meet ML and at least one member of his team (I may have met more, I don't know, they could have been incognito ) and I really have to say that they came across as genuinely lovely people. I have mixed (if that is the right expression) with so called "celebrities" from a very young and impressionable age and soon learned to tell the difference between the egotistical and those who are passionate about their beliefs without the ego attached.

I can honestly say, hand on heart, that the people I met that are either ML or his associates, were NOT egotistical and presented (to me!) a genuine, friendly approach that was to their credit! (It can be so eeeeaaasy to get caught up in the hype and believe themselves to be something they are not )

I can equally state, that from the forum members I have had the priviledge to meet since I joined here, that they are not shallow minded, easily led "personality cult" minded, blind followers but, genuinely lovely people who are here for the same reasons most are - to save a few bob

Edna - your posts are stimulating and thought provoking; that I appreciate because it broadens my mind and my outlook. But, if the ethos or workings of the site bother you to a point of concern ... that is the point I suggest you find somewhere more to your liking. It has nothing to do with whether we agree or agree to disagree and most certainly isn't a subtle way of saying "get lost"

I shall thank your posts for what they are - thought provoking and interesting and ... mind broadening

thepresentwife

I am a moderator for one of the Freecycle Groups in Lancashire.

Freecycle is a great concept.

Keep it Free, Keep it Legal, Keep it Local

Many groups have also opened online cafe groups in order to help their communies even further.

Onwards & Upwards Freecycle

Annie021063

poundsinbucks wrote: »

I think Freecycle is a great way to dispose of furniture and children's toys and clothes, and am amazed at how quick my stuff always gets snapped up .

What gets me is the ones who take the mickey; the other day somebody asked for a car (!) and quite regularly I see posts of people asking for a laptop. The one to top it all was a post asking for a Nintendo DS - yeah right, I was about to take mine to the tip :mad: , NOT!!

But overall I think Freecycle is a great idea and would recommend it to anyone .

Poundsinbucks x

My son's PS2 packed up just before xmas - obviuosly we coudn't afford to buy one and he was devestated. So I posted a want on Freecycle, I got no replies (was not holding out much hope) but I expect one of the reasons was because most people thought I was trying to make money fron the site. I did have a genuine reason for asking and it saddens me to think that my genuine request was ignored because of others.

tazical

I would just like to point out to anyone doing, or thinking of doing, Freecycle to please, please, please be repectful of the people posting items. Most people are doing it to try and help out others- after all, it would usually be a lot quicker and easier just to toss things in the bin!

I freecycled a lot of things in 2006 when I moved house, and it was a huge inconvenience when people would email me about items and then not show up to collect. I nearly killed myself dragging a six-foot-tall bookcase downstairs because someone said they would collect it that night- was most peeved when they never turned up and not a word since of explanation. Plus by that time I had turned down several other requests and had no time to re-list it, so it sadly had to be chopped up.

The same happened to me last week- I offered a load of cardboard boxes and packaging from my workplace. I had an email asking me to keep it for three days for someone, which I did although it was taking up a huge amount of room in the office. Since then I have had no contact or replies to my emails, so the whole lot is going in the bin tomorrow. What a waste of time and space! Incidents like this really put me off posting anything else to Freecycle, why create hassle for myself??

So all you people who want to use Freecycle to receive items, just make sure you don't bite the hand that feeds you :rolleyes: