OT: Advice on Good Online Store Setup

Why not investigate the services offered by SearchFit

At least there's one other individual that actively participates in this group that uses them (BassBurglarAlarms). I'm the owner of one of the many alarm companies that supposedly "quiver in our boots" over his "business model". Ouch!! I sometimes bite my tongue when it's in my cheek for too long. ;-))

Do you really think that your model, the "I badmouth my competitors EVERY chance I get, even in threads where no one's brought him up" is the better business model? You've got Bass on the brain in a serious way, Frank. Every time someone puts a nickel in the slot, no matter what topic, somehow, someway you manage to bring HIM into the conversation. It's almost like a TV sitcom. No matter what Rorschach card you are shown, no matter what question you are asked, your response is always "Robert Bass."

"What color is this?"

"Bob Bass"

"What does this inkblot remind you of?"

"Bob Bass"

"Tell me about your mother"

"Bob Bass"

Have you ever known a religious zealot? No matter what the topic of conversation they're bound to bring their hallelujahs into the discussion. Just like your ability to twist *any* HA post into a Bass bash, it's perilously close to obsessive behavior.

Your friends here at CHA can help you with that problem. We can try a behavior therapy technique known as "exposure and response prevention." We expose you to a situation that would usually evoke a compulsive response. Then, instead of posting here in CHA you could send a *private* message to one of your volunteer therapists who would help talk you through your issues and help you to NOT respond to the urges.

For example, in clinical practice, a person with contamination obsessions and washing compulsions would be asked to touch a dirty object, like the bottom of a shoe, and then try to keep himself from washing his hands. At first, they are incredibly anxious but, with time, anxiety begins to decrease and, usually in an hour or two, is entirely gone. If the obsessive patient repeats the process again and again, eventually the compelling urge to wash at the thought of being contaminated will diminish through a process called "extinction."

Let's begin helping you with your extinction therapy:

"Robert Bass is a wonderful human being who often helps people with their home automation questions."

:-)

-- Bobby G.

Bullshit Frank, you do little else. You're pathetic and really should find something better to consume your psyche.

The same applies to you. Just let it go. You've gone well past being helpful, now you're a bigger problem than anything you'd pretend to base it on.

-Bill Kearney

I've never "badmouthed" a competitor. Bass isn't "in the trade", doesn't operate an alarm company and we are definitely not "competitors". I've seen numerous people complain about the service they get from this man though. His customers have even emailed me.

Damn right. He's called me a liar and never offered so much as an iota of proof (although he has apologized, which I take as completely meaningless considering his post-apology behaviour). He's accused me of reneging on a promise, unethical behaviour, and used me in twisted examples involving other people's children... This man has no social conscience, fraudulently misrepresents himself to consumers, is a convicted felon, and uses lies and innuendo to personally attack individuals he can actually identify in real life.

Not always, but most times. There was a few months there where a degree of civility returned but his attitude and ego wouldn't allow that to remain for long...

Heh... Archie Bunker??

Don't recall there ever being a sitcom involving Rorschach cards...

Black. And I never call him "Bob"...

Nope. I see a big butterfly wearing a cowboy hat and a tool belt... :-))

Well, first of all, my mom never even resembled "Bob Bass"... She never wore cowboy hats for one, shunned "black", and didn't sport a beard... :-))

Yep... Bass is one... He's a "Christian Jew", or "Jewish Christian"... I forget which... It sort of changes at his whim... Read "the Testimony" lately?? :-))

You mean "HA" not "hallelujahs", right??

Nahh... Not even. You figure (as do a number of others here) that because Robert engages in completely amoral behaviour in other groups (sometimes this one too) he's *not* going to wind up "carrying some of his baggage" around with him?? You are naive!!

As long as Bass doesn't resort to telling lies, spouting misleading comments then I'll be perfectly happy to ensure my contributions to this group remain topical and informative. I won't allow this jerk to make free with his baseless accusations and innuendo though.

It would also help if all the guys that join the "Bless Bass Bandwagon" would enforce the group's FAQ (like that's *ever* going to happen)... Allowing Bass to advertise his wares here because he's "helpful" isn't part of this group's FAQ. Read it sometime... No one else does it!!

OK, OK... "Robert Bass is a..."

Sorry... I can't use the word "wonderful" in the same sentence as "Robert Bass"... Except to say it would be a "wonderful thing if Robert started behaving like a wonderful human being".

:-))

Frank, what "you figure" has no value. Take it elsewhere.

Hardly, and I'm not one of his customers. I'm just sick of seeing assholes like you continue to make a mess of an otherwise useful forum.

And that useless bit of diversionary comment doesn't help you either.

Face it Frank, you've become more of a problem than Bass will ever be. And you've done it entirely based on your own postings.

I doubt it. You are sorry, but not about having posted.

You deliberately posted this after promising earlier in the very same day to stick to "technical" posts.

OT= Off Topic = inappropriate. You are behaving inappropriately (yet again).

Your reason for this inappropriate post is to increase sales. When will you begin to abide by comp.* usenet rules and not post self-serving off-topic commercial stuff?

The folks here are "on top" of quite a few things but that does *not* make off-topic posts appropriate. Are you still an adolescent?

How about "not dumb as a rock" and "integrity" ?

alt.home.automation and alt.security alarms are two newsgroups whose charters do not prohibit commercial posts. Please control yourself and post your commercial stuff there. Please do *not* cross-post. Did you see the dysfunction and pathology your post here in c.h.a brought on with the a.s.a denizen ? You want to be associated with that ? (...well, you are now ...)

Marc_F_Hult

Aux contraire. alt.security.alarms FAQ strictly prohibits commercial posts with one exception. They must be limited to "new product" announcements *of interest to alarm dealers and installers*, cannot include pricing or a link to a "buy me" button.

I figure as long as Bass is "allowed" to post his stuff here, you have absolutely no right to restrict others from doing so.

Oh please!! This response pretty well sums up everything I've been saying all along, doesn't it Marc?? Robert's a real "magician". You, Kearney and a few others are watching what he's doing with his right hand, while his left is picking your pockets. As long as he posts "helpful information" (with the right hand) it's perfectly alright for him to post blatant commercials (with his left).

"We done found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but we shore done proved our weapons of mass destruction work!!"

Brian Abernathy

Read again. I wrote "charter", not "FAQ".

An ad-hoc, post-group-creation "FAQ" created by an individual is not a usenet charter. You cannot show me the prohibition in the a.s.a charter because thar ain't none thar. And unlike the comp.* hierarchy, the alt.* hierarchy does not prohibit commercial posts.

Agreed. A FAQ becomes an issue though when most decide that it's principles are sound and express a desire to live by them.

Check.

But there are still "ethics" and "netiquette". If many individuals express a desire to adopt a FAQ, then I'd say it becomes an amendment to the charter. Wouldn't you??

You're preaching at the choir. Tell it to the "former lay minister".

Heh... Call it "useless" if you want. Our PM was right not to involve our country in what amounts to nothing more than an invasion of a Sovereign state on a trumped up charge. Some 20th century megalomaniac did the same thing when he marched into Poland in 1939. How soon we all forget.

Ahhh... recognition at last... I admit I am a bit of a "thorn" in his side... When next he "spouts", look for the guy without the peg leg in the bow of the boat following him. I'll be the one pointing with the big harpoon... You can't miss me... :-))

Marc,

Originally, you are right, I wasn't really sorry about my OT post. I just do that in an attempt to mollify self-appointed Usenet monitors who take a reasonably innocent waste of bandwidth and turn it into a large waste of time.

I do realize that, although you were quoting my posts in your insulting response, your venom seemed to be directed elsewhere because my OT post wasn't promoting anything commerical, just asking for some simple advice about online store packages in what I thought was a relatively polite way.

BTW, how do insulting posts rate against commercial posts in your view? Better, worse, or the same? Think about that next time you are tempted to let the flames fly.

Now however, your assertion is wrong, because I really am sorry I posted. Didn't realize comp.home.automation harbored such ill will. I've wasted enough time here, and I don't plan on reading any responses. Later.

Brian

It's no wonder why you have sooo much free time too trash your competition..

Try spending more time taking care of the few customers that buy from you.

This would probably help your sales more then your current model. Maybe take a business class in Ethics.

Back to the question.

There are many companies out to grab your money while helping you to make money.

But I found a great shopping cart that fits me. I think the shopping cart mentioned is alot of money compared to other options.

I was debating on godaddy and have used 3 different shopping carts in th epast before settling with OsCommerce.

Wow, Mark. Not a single one of the obvious ads you listed in your subject list were posted by my news service.

If it ever got that bad for me, I'd want to rip off some heads, too. I think you should find a different news service. Google groups doesn't even list any of the posts you mentioned.

Marc. I'm admittedly illiterate.

Same here. My ISP recently subcontracted their newsgroup needs to giganews and I haven't see a single ad in weeks. OT trash, well that's another story .. . .

-- Bobby G.

Christ, another one!! Bass *is not* my competition. And he never will be. And before you go "slamming" someone perhaps you should have a look at what Bass has said about me. What I've responded with here is a whole lot "milder".

That's correct. He is your *obsession.*

"How many fingers am I holding up?

"Bob Bass!"

"If a train travelling west leaves Chicago at 1PM and travels at 60MPH how long will it take a second train leaving at 2PM and travelling 80MPH to catch it?"

"Bob Bass!"

"How much does 2 + 2 equal?"

"Bob Bass!"

And on, and on and on it goes . . .

Please, Frank, take your Bass diatribes back to ASA. If there's anything that's been agreed to by CHA participants, it's that we're tired of your endless whining about Bob Bass and the infantile obsession with you telling us how "he huwt me, Mommy." Just accept it, grow up and get on with your life.

-- Bobby G.