posted on September 21, 2000 10:50:43 AM
Some folks are going to read that article and form the opinion that Musk is a snake.
Others will read it and admire him...
And of course, many opinions in between.
We all aspire to different things. We all find our inspiration in different places. If we were all the same, thought the same, felt the same way about things then there would be no point in discussing or sharing opinions. No point whatsoever.
capasto
PayPal is welcomed to change my opinion of them. I doubt it will change because someone, either lacking in the ability or willingness to share their opinion, deems the opinions of others to be 'ignorant'. Ignorant of what?
Suckling corporate teat after corporate teat looking for the best tasting PR spin is not exactly 'brain food'.
posted on September 21, 2000 12:23:58 PM
ToyRanch, I admitre your ability to cut to the point. "Sucking corporate teat for the best PR" is exactly the issue. There is so much money flowing in SillyCon Valley now from venture capitalists that the goal has become not to create a viable product, but to create an impression of greatness. Companies are formed and two years later sold for millions. This is a far cry from Hewlett-Packard creating their first calculator in a garage.
Innovation has been replaced by slick storefronts. Here's a man who sold a failing business for 300 million dollars. I am astounded that anyone can applaud this kind of "business sense." The money that paid for Musk's million-dollar toy didn't come from nowhere. That money ultimately comes out of our pockets, out of the pockets of people like you and me. Yes, Paypal has been losing money. And yes it was their plan all along to sucker us into this "free" scheme. And next year, Paypal's stock will be worth billions, based solely on the "perception" of disinterested stockholders. This is a corporate shell game and we all pay the price.
History will remember Hewlett-Packard, Apple, SPARC, Netscape and other product-based companies as truly great. Paypal and the other fly-by-night corporations won't even rate a footnote.
posted on September 21, 2000 02:28:52 PM"Some folks are going to read that article and form the opinion that Musk is a snake"
Yup, you might be right. Then again a blind man could touch just the tail of an elephant and come up with the same opinion, "This is just like a snake."
I don't think that article is going to change anyone's opinion, if you think PayPal's the Anti-Christ it's still the Anti-Christ, and if you think PayPal is just another business its still just another business.
And if you didn't have an opinion and that article gave you one then maybe you're a blind person that just touched the tail of the elephant.
It is amusing the attitudes some are taking. It would seem there are 4 choices, 1. sign up for a business account, 2. cancel your account, 3. wait and see, or 4. have a tantrum. I can understand choices 1,2,& 3.
[ edited by uaru on Sep 21, 2000 02:30 PM ]
posted on September 21, 2000 03:11:31 PM
Blind people are MUCH more likely to be able to tell the difference between an elephant's tale and a snake by holding it than sighted people. I fail to see what making disparaging and ill-informed remarks about blind people has to do with anything.
Yes, PayPal is JUST a company.
Anti-Christ? LOL!! Hardly!
But some folks have standards they apply to what companies they choose to do business with... and personally I think TRUST is a GREAT BIG ONE when it comes to choosing who you place your money with! Just another business that wants to care for my money, and their credibility through actions and the quality of their leadership is certainly called into question if one is to make an informed decision about who can care for their money! I'm not impressed that a 28yo who has no banking background and who managed to slick talk someone into buying an unprofitable company for 300 million dollars (most of which was NOT his, true) and then spent a million of it on a car and furthermore seems to be more interested in symbols of his dubious 'success' than in the nuts and bolts of running a successful and profitable business... one that was either built on an abusurd notion that it can make money on 'float' or one that was built on lies and deception... is trustworthy to be the holder and caretaker of my money, my customer's money, or anything that has to do with my business!
So if you see that as an elephant's tail and I feel it and say, 'no that's a snake', you can hang out and play with it if you wish... but whether snake or tail of elephant, you are either going to be bitten, or right in the path of the next load of crap coming out of the backside of an elephant. Personally, I'm going to drop that sucker and get as far away from it as I can.
posted on September 21, 2000 03:20:29 PM" I fail to see what making disparaging and ill-informed remarks about blind people has to do with anything."
Hey, then we're even, I don't see what Musk's car has to do with anything either.
BTW the analogy of the blind man grabbing the elephants tail and thinking it was a snake wasn't disparaging to blind people, it's an old analogy. I think it's older than me if that's possible. This can't be the first time you've heard that.
posted on September 21, 2000 05:03:31 PMtoyranch"you are either going to be bitten, or right in the path of the next load of crap coming out of the backside of an elephant."
posted on September 21, 2000 05:21:46 PM
"It is amusing the attitudes some are taking. It would seem there are 4 choices, 1. sign up for a business account, 2. cancel your account, 3. wait and see, or 4. have a tantrum."
Dennis Miller would call it a "rant" and use it on TV.
Our local newspaper would call it a "vent" and publish it.
I guess is all has to do with whether or not you agree with the opinion expressed.
No matter what you call it, it's actually quite healthy.
posted on September 21, 2000 07:05:29 PM
kaskas, these are the same people for months have been slamming eBay for what they see as ignoring the sellers who supported eBay. I assume these sellers were there when eBay started & I guess they had their e-mails replied in 30 seconds. I guess they want a 'I made eBay so bow b4 me' sticker.
These are the same people who last year slammed sellers who start their auctions at a penny with a high reserve. Then when eBay started Reserve fees to deter those sellers, they scream.
Then when eBay started Billpoint about 3 months ago & woefully offered $1 to buyers, they cried monopolistic tendecies & another Microsoft on the make...
I hardly hear anything constructive in these boards anymore. When King Ross & his goon was here (and everyone worshipped the ground he walk on) at least he gave out some tips to help new buyers and sellers.
posted on September 21, 2000 08:08:44 PM
Wow Comic123... Where do you get those 14" brushes? "These are the Same People"???
I can't remember doing ANY of the things you state...
Oh, except mentoring MANY new buyers and sellers...
I guess 'constructive' would be to join the PayPal Pep Squad, but finding fault with it is bad and wrong...
Give PayPal your money. Give them all your money. Let them take care of it for you. Let them take care of your customer's money. They are your Pal, they are not mine.
posted on September 21, 2000 10:04:15 PM
I was under the impression that Paypal was being funded by private venture capital in Silicon Valley. Is it possible Mr. Musk is doing it all?
It's obvious they have spent North of $40 million for their 3.5 Million customers.
I was suprised to see them claim that they must pay Visa 2% on all the times someone funds their Paypal account> I assumed they had a special arrangement with Visa, as i can see NO WAY anybody could imagine making money on the float of the Paypal balance if they are paying out this much just to get the money in.
I was also much surprised when they did start muscleing sellers for fees that they did it in such a poorly thought out manner. If I were one of the venture capitalists I would be screaming.
To make some sellers pay and others not just creates unfair advantages in the market place and leads to bad feelings. Also, since many of their sellers do small dollar transactions, the $.25 can be a huge %age, along with the 1.9%.
Also, what about sabatoge? One seller can hurt a competitor badly by sending him 1 cent many times. It costs the sender just 1 cent but the recipient pays $.25 each time.
And what about a policy for passing the fees along to the buyer? This makes it workable, as the buyer is the one getting a great value from the service. CC companys won't let the sellers do this I'm told...instead they must offer a discount for cash.
That sounds shady to me. I'd rather be upfront about it. Cash is one price and Paypal is $.25 plus 2% more. It sure beats buying a money order and a stamp and waiting a week. Buyers will pay it.
Since Paypal hasn't addressed these simple issues, I will continue to accept their referrals and not "upgrade" my account. I don't mind them making a profit, but I don't want to support a company run by morons either. How my perception has changed. Just a month ago I was wishing they would go public as I figured they had created a monopoly nobody could crack.
posted on September 22, 2000 03:08:14 AM
toyranch
Trade places for one day?...You bet your sweet bippy I would and when he got back he would havew to sell that fancy car to meet his rent money....And it would take the undertaker the better part of a week to wipe the grinn off my face.
posted on September 22, 2000 03:46:09 AM
Hey you guys quit your whining. An ebay seller can charge ludicrous handling fees and you guys find a MILLION Excuses why its fair. Well I view the new paypal fees as Handling Fees,.......I guess those handling fees aren't so cool afterall?
Heck they probably captured the concept from seeing how great ebay sellers feel about Handling Fees. But I told you guys months ago here and on the ebay Q and A that with the mindset of the average ebay seller paypal can't make any money on the float because there is nothing to float. You were warned months ago but like the Great People you are you ruined it. Those garage sale concepts are just so darned hard to shake. I feel for you just can't reach you.
posted on September 22, 2000 05:46:00 AM
comic 123 - actually a lot of people CAN'T do eBay. I have a step-sister in Ohio that is waiting for me to come down and walk her through listing things because it is too confusing and intimidating for her. Be happy you are not like that. She is one of these people like an Eskimo that will freeze up and not make any choice is she is not 100% sure what to do - as if the computer is going to blow up and burn the house down if she picks the wrong thing and hits enter.
toyranch - There was a caretaker in Europe last year that had a constipated elephant and
laxitives and everything where not helping.
When she was behind the business end providing a little extra help with a garden hose the problem resolved itself with such explosive force that it knocked her out and she smoothered under the great pile it dumped on her. What a horrible undignified way to go..
Hey, then we're even, I don't see what Musk's car has to do with anything either.
This can't be the first time you've heard that.
