Date   : Sun, 29 Sep 1985 20:43:52 GMT
From   : Eric Hestenes <hestenes%sdcsla.uucp@BRL.ARPA>
Subject: Re: Classified ads

> REF: Msg by Jack H. Smith on classified ads in mail.

What exactly is an unwanted ad?

Is it a For Sale ad, or is it a request for the latest version of MODEM ?
Is it and ad that implies exchange of cash, or exchange of floppies?

Is this group therefore just for technical info, and not a place to
connect with other users?

It seems silly to forbid most ads for personal entities ( not commmercial 
entities ) because they mostly involve give and take between legitimately
interested parties. The primary assumption of the "personal" ad here is that
the ad will be used on one occasion, e.g. to get rid of your cpm system.
Abuses therefore include only those people who try to get rid of more than
a few of an item ( "I've got 300,000 cpm systems to get rid of and a special
rate for net people" ).  

the whole point of using the net is that it allows you to interact with people
with a common interest. If you take out the common interest variable by
placing the ad in a general-purpose mailing group, then you defeat this
purpose. 

Ads that did not relate to cpm *would* be objectionable.

eric

[ these views are my own, not the views of my employer. ]
arpanet: hestenes@nprdc.ARPA
other: ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdcsla!hestenes or hestenes@sdcsla.UUCP