I buy into this stuff. I just joined some of the local freecycle lists. They really need someone to build something specifically for their groups. mailing list with online application for wants and gives.
[my hang up - I don't really feel comfortable asking for anything, but I would ask my friends for some things I am looking for but not willing to spend tons of coin.] I like the notion of using a social network engine as the basis of this type of application, so you can gift and share outward from your sphere of influence. ie family, friends, friends of friends and family etc, guys on the hockey team... etc And since you create a tool that allows people to create social connections - a key sharing function would be nice - cooperative purchasing // repackaging - gifting - sharing If anyone starts a project I would host for my community and contribute as I can. Eric -----Original Message----- From: Deanna Schneider [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: March 18, 2005 7:16 AM To: CF-Community Subject: Re: interesting idea Excellent idea - okay, who's going to write the CF version. ;) On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 18:14:40 -0700, Dana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/03/17/1110913726676.html?oneclick=true > > German firm goes one better than eBay > Hanover, Germany > March 18, 2005 > > Page Tools > Email to a friend Printer format > Need a grill for a weekend cookout, a bike rack for a vacation or just > a little renewed faith in human nature? A German firm has started what > it calls the world's first online borrowing exchange and been startled > by the results. > > Die Borger (German for lenders or borrowers) was inspired by the > runaway success of global internet auctions empire eBay, but instead > of allowing users to buy and sell products and services, it helps > offer them free. > > Andreas Kahnert, 41, and Thomas Pfuetzner, 38, were university friends > and later colleagues in the IT industry when they came up with the > idea. > > "We had set up a DVD trading service for our sports club and then over > Christmas we asked ourselves why we couldn't extend the idea to all > kinds of products for all kinds of people," Kahnert said in an > interview at the CeBIT tech fair which was held in the northern city > of Hanover. > > In the year since www.DieBorger.de went online, what began as a lark > has become something of a phenomenon with sites in Austria and > Switzerland and more than 4000 users who have registered nearly 9000 > objects. > > Advertisement > AdvertisementBorger are now trading a seemingly endless list of items > for limited periods of time including bobsleds, fondue pots, > camcorders, electric saws, scuba flippers, digital cameras, gardening > tools and Lord of the Rings DVD box sets. > > The system allows those seeking an item to search for it based on > postal codes and get a proximity ranking. Those in urban areas rarely > have far to look. > > Based on the principle of give-and-take, the site requires users to > sign up at least three items they are willing to lend before they can > begin borrowing. > > "We were surprised ourselves how well things have gone," Pfuetzner > said, insisting that the site had yet to hear a horror story from a > customer. > > "There may be trouble down the road when we get bigger but for now > things are running smoothly." > > Although both the entrepreneurs describe themselves as optimists, they > have built in three security guarantees to help inspire customer > confidence. > > Like eBay, lenders, borrowers and the objects are evaluated on a user > ratings system so cheats and fussbudgets quickly earn a bad reputation > that is publicised on the site. > > Die Borger also provides a draft contract that both parties sign > outlining their legal obligations. And borrowers leave a deposit based > on the lenders' estimate of the new value of their property. > > The site charges a nominal fee for borrowing, half of which goes to > the lender. But those who lend often win enough "credit" on the site > to borrow for free. > > Kahnert and Pfuetzner, who are both active Borger, said that people > who had initially just been hunting for a bargain were surprised to > have found a growing community. > > "You meet lots of people who share the same interests and are on the > same wavelength, sometimes even soul mates," Kahnert said. > > Kahnert, who had just lost his job when he started the company, said > he and Pfuetzner would like to expand throughout Europe and into the > United States and were looking for potential partners. > > But Kahnert said they had learned from experience when the internet > bubble burst in 2000 that no online start-up can survive on just a > clever idea. > > Pfuetzner said that if users begin to clock up an average of €5 > per > year in mediator fees on the site, it would put the company in the > black. > > "There are 36 million internet users in Germany, around six million in > Austria and about eight million in Switzerland. If we get even a > fraction of that number, we'll be doing well," Kahnert said. > > "We just need to reach critical mass," Pfuetzner added. > > AFP ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:150869 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
