As someone who has used EBay to buy screen memorabilia, I say let 'em in, as long as they don't flood your/our mailboxes. This should be made explicit to them (or you can filter them out). But, yes, I would'nt prevent moderate, appropriate commercial presences on the list. However, if they can make money from this list, why can't the list take a cut, as many other sites do? See how EBay feels about that..... At 07:30 AM 7/13/99 -0700, Jeremy Butler wrote: >The moderators at Screen-L recently received a post advertising an >auction on eBay for some film scripts. This raises an interesting >policy issue for something we couldn't have foreseen when we began >Screen-L in 1991: > >Should advertisements for Web auctions of film/TV-related materials be >permitted? > >On the one hand, Screen-L has always permitted postings from >commercial entities. E.g., film/TV publishers/distributors/magazines >who wish to announce new materials are allowed. So, there is some >precedence for advertisements on Screen-L. > >Moreover, an auction site such as eBay can be a good source for >off-brand film/video equipment (e.g., super-8 projectors) and film/TV >memorabilia--which can be useful in the teaching/research of film/TV. >If a Screen-L subscriber posts a search for such material, would there >be anything wrong in someone saying, "Oh yeah, you can find it on >eBay--auction #xxxxxx"? > >On the other hand, auction sites can encourage naked opportunism, >commercialism, and consumerism. Is this something Screen-L should >tacitly endorse? > >And should we distribute and thereby promote, e.g., someone selling a >pristine one-sheet of WILD WILD WEST (which is truly a colossal >stinker of a film, incidentally). > >As moderators of Screen-L we firmly believe that LESS moderating is >BETTER moderating and we tend to err on the side of leniency, but we >are guided by the wishes of the Screen-L membership. (The poster of >the eBay ad was not a Screen-L subscriber, by the way.) > >So. Your thoughts on Screen-L distributing Web auction notices? > >Feel free to post your opinion to [log in to unmask] or to me >personally. Normally we don't distribute messages ABOUT Screen-L ON >Screen-L, but when it comes to policy issues we think it's important >to have a general, open discussion. > >-- >Jeremy Butler >Screen-L Moderator >[log in to unmask] >ScreenSite http://www.tcf.ua.edu/ScreenSite >Telecommunication & Film/University of Alabama/Tuscaloosa > >---- >For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives: >http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html > > Paul B. Wiener Special Services Librarian SUNY at Stony Brook Melville Library 516/632-7253 fax: 516/'632-7116 [log in to unmask] ---- To sign off Screen-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF Screen-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]