Re: Joe: You did a great job! Message #4 Posted by Glynn on 6 Sept 2000, 1:28 a.m., in response to message #2 by tired of waiting
My, Grandma... what big Teeth you have....
Hmm, Mr. Tired Of Waiting, interesting question, if it WAS one. ;-)
You see, I recounted my story to MoHPC both to express my satisfaction publically (I had already done so privately), and to inform Forum members of my particular positive experience, in light of an existing thread which had affected me.
This is something I would generally encourage all Forum members to do, when they find someone who helps them, does right by them... an eBay seller that accurately and fairly represents the merchandise, for example (easier than listing all the ones who DON'T).
And I especially feel this Forum exists to share information useful to the commmunity of calculator collectors and enthusiasts... so even negative information is relevant, as long as it is substantiable and reasonable, not a low shot from an "Anonymous Coward" (no slight intended: merely the assignation you get on Slashdot.org and some other places if you don't offer a name with a verifiable email address, Mr. Tired).
I told exactly what happened to ME... which was relevant PRIMARILY because one user, a Mr. Erik Hedegaard, had used the Forum specifically to pressure someone doing work on his behalf. His post had caused some anxiety, and for me, it turned out, needlessly.
He asked the question: "Is Joe Rigdon a crook?", while not really trying to ascertain if there was a REASON to be alarmed: he was busy alarming others-- as he stated in his very first post on the subject: "I know he's been around here for a long time, and probably lots of you have done good repeat business with him. But I won't use him again, never again. In the beginning, I sent him business from other people, too, and now I deeply regret it. It just really upsets me. I don't like being lied to. And I miss my calculators. Does anyone know what Rigdon's problem is? Damn, I'm upset!" And reasoning didn't, indeed, reach Mr. Hedegaard. Nothing but his EXPECTED outcome would do.
In response to his attempt to play the emotional flute, using public embarrassment for his personal ends, Mr. Hedegaard appears (to me) to be the classic Manipulator, one who tries to get his way by bullying, shaming, and possibly fabricating, all to get his way. He can assert something, assuming that, whether on the defensive or by believing his motives are genuine and his claims have some proof backing them, people will scurry to make him happy.
While Manipulators may often "get their way" in many areas of life (belittling their spouse's perceptions and intelligence, they can cheat and deny; in business, they are expert at impolitic insistent questioning, subtle innuendo and other behind-the-back power tactics to gain power through or over others; their self-importance, impatience and ambition usually masked by an innocent air and their reliance on others to give them the benefit of the doubt)-- in hobbyist circles they only achieve a poor success: people are willing to help only until it becomes clear that the favor is likely unappreciated and will certainly only be met in the future with the glassy stare of indifference or mercenary greed.
While in the process of exhausting the goodwill of his fellow hobbyists, the manipulator will make as much of the information and services he can glean, hoping to be on top of it all and rich from others' labors. As this expectation runs dry, he moves on, perhaps to yet another hobby he has little but commercial interest in.
In the meantime, he will have made it harder for all hobbyists: contributing little himself, he will have driven many who help everyone because of their enthusiasm and amateur interests to smaller and smaller cliques, out of self-protection. He is the classic selfish user; when called upon to contribute, even casually, he answers: "What's in it for ME?"
Now, that is MY perception, and may not always be the case with Mr. Hedegaard... but as I have personally dealt with many in hobbyist circles, certain characteristics seem to afflict a few within them, and the posts available, combined with my own experience with Joe Rigdon, lead me to my conclusions about the goal and character of the poster. Though I had only a small comment in my own post to make about that method as a means of motivating hobbyists, I not only stand behind all my comments, but will extend the same to you, Mr. Tired Of Waiting: your goal and character and method appear to me quite similar to Mr. Hedegaard's, as your chosen nom-de-plume tell quite a story.
As far as anyone asking me, I have had positive dealings with Joe Rigdon, and would recommend him and his work to anyone, and believe his character to be above serious reproach.
But certainly, as for your question: "would you like a long list of those collectors with opposing viewpoints?"-- I would have thought that the length of the list of those responding to Mr. Hedegaard's thread would have included at least some of those already; it didn't, only Mr. Hedegaard himself.
Maybe those collectors simply don't congregate here at MoHPC; or possibly they are comparing notes only by private email, a policy that you apparently eschew (which forces my public response, BTW). Possibly, they know that words, once written, are hard to take back: a knowledge that could possibly have avoided some of the trouble I see in Mr. Hedegaard's original post, and lead me to assess his motives.
So, looking back in the Forum archives, I have compiled a list of responses who, seemingly, agree with my assessment of Mr. Rigdon:
Me==> Glynn Harris (grharris@altinet.net)
Iqbal Mohammed (iqbal@tstt.net.tt)
Reinhard Hawel (hawel@teleweb.at)
Gianmaria Porrini (gianmaria@numerica.it)
Frank Knight (fdknight@mindspring.com)
Dave the "Lostrabbit" (lostrabbit@webtv.net)
Matt (lanrek@attglobal.net)
Now, the responses questioning Mr. Rigdon's reputation:
Erik Hedegaard (floete@aol.com)
To which I guess I can add:
You==> Mr. Tired Of Waiting (.............)
But, yes, Mr. Waiting, if you have something to add beyond what has been written previously in the Forum regarding a groundswell of dissatisfaction, feel free to expose yourself.
In other words, I welcome your response as much as I hope to hear from others in this Forum on the subject. Fish or cut bait, Mr. Tired Of Waiting. That way we can judge for ourselves, not swim in the cesspool of innuendo your question exudes.
Glynn.
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