I have played with the idea of making a Lazlo website for Freecycle stuff but I have never had the time to flesh it all out. I figured it would be an interesting first project for Lazlo, that and a blog which I am still working on. Now if Macromedia could just get flex into a hosting server...
Adam H On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 09:49:10 -0600, Eric Dawson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 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 > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:150980 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=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
