In the last Digest 980608, visitor Stuart Caplan wrote:

> The strength in a web site, such as this, is not only the focal point
> for gathering and expressing information, but also to unit to better
> the hobby and the marketplace.

I know this to be true from personal experience.  I had some very
unpleasant dealings with Ragtime Automatic Music.  I kept getting the
run-around, the owner was dodging me, and I seen no relief in sight.

I then got as much responses as I could from people who had past
dealing with them.  I posted the information I received at our web
site.  That is when things started happening.

At the point that the search engines started listing them, I was indeed
contacted by RAM who offered a settlement.  I was also asked to take
the page down.  I agreed, although somewhat reluctantly.

Ragtime also offered me a $600 credit as part of the settlement.  That
suddenly changed to $400 the next time I called them.  I decided right
then and there that RAM was not going to honor their part of the deal.
So I sold all the RAM components to a fellow who installs them at a
price he could not refuse, and cut my losses and moved on.

I also learned that the web is more powerful than I had thought.  Had I
not had net access or a web site, I doubt that I would have ever been
contacted.

Best Regards
Andy & Chris Taylor
Tempola Music Rolls
http://home.swbell.net/tempola/index.htm