posted on December 18, 2003 10:58:58 AM new
Oh my gosh....I just had to put in my password in order to search completed items! You now have to registered to do a completed search!!!
posted on December 18, 2003 01:09:01 PM new
Well....I stopped searching for 10 minutes while I did a few things...went back and had to sign in again. It doesn't even help if I click on the "keep me signed in" button.
[ edited by annekila on Dec 18, 2003 01:09 PM ]
posted on December 18, 2003 01:10:58 PM new
From the eBay announcemment board:
***Sign In for Completed Items Search***
Date: 12/11/03 Time: 01:26:44 PM PST
In the next few days, eBay members will be required to sign in to eBay before viewing the results of a Completed Items search. Completed Items data can be valuable information that is generated by the eBay Community, so it will be available only to registered members of the eBay Community. This change will take place on the U.S. site in the next few days, and on international eBay sites early next year.
If you are already signed in to eBay on your computer, you won't notice any difference when you view Completed Items. If you haven't signed in, you will be prompted to do so, and then your Completed Items search results will be presented as usual. Non-registered members will need to register before being able to view the results of their search.
posted on December 18, 2003 01:12:37 PM new
Lately I have had to sign in to eBay about every time I turn around.. PITA!! Must have a "time-out" function now too and "keep me signed in etc" means diddly squat now!
posted on December 18, 2003 02:02:20 PM new
I don't see a problem having to be logged in to do a search of completed items. A completed item is arhived information. It won't entice a buyer to create an account because it's no longer available. So ebay keeping this feature available only for registered, logged-in users doesn't seem that big a deal.
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
posted on December 18, 2003 02:23:30 PM new
This is just the start. As I have said on these boards before, and now as Ebay itself says, the completed search is a great reference tool,........ and too valuable a commodity for Feebay to ignore. I realized when they cut completed search from 30 days down to 14 what the future held. I would think that Ebay does have every item ever sold in a database somewhere. This is the first step. Next they'll lower completed search to 3,5, or 7 days. Then they'll begin implementing a new Premier level of membership. For an extra fee, you'll have access to more days. Then, it will be an extra fee to have pictures included. The final step will be a "pay per completeed search feature". Say .05 for a no picture 2 week search, up to $1-2 for a full search with pictures going back years.
posted on December 18, 2003 02:47:27 PM new
But again.. so?
It's a business. It's their site. They can do what they want to. I don't like it if they do, but it's not like there is another real alternative out there. If it was viable to do so, I'd have coded my own auction site by now.
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
posted on December 18, 2003 10:10:52 PM new
My take on the whole 'constant need to log in to ebay' thing is that ebay may have some security issues such a weakness somewhere that allows hackers in. Ebay seems to be scambling to fix it.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on December 19, 2003 12:12:01 PM newIt's a business. It's their site. They can do what they want to
But it is OUR information eBay is archiving and selling. Your creative item description is your copyrighted material. Even though you "click" an agreement with eBay giving them a license, that license must be in writing and must be signed.
I would even argue that my username is my trade/business mark and can not be copy/published or otherwise used by eBay without my written permission.
Meg is desperate to make her 2005 revenue projections. Look for fee increases coming soon.
posted on December 19, 2003 01:14:32 PM new
Electronic signatures are becoming more and more accepted. You agree to the terms when you list on their site. As such the auction listing remains on their servers and they can do whatever they want with that copy. Sure they cannot steal your words to create their own auctions, but they CAN catalog and index the pages if they want.
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
posted on December 20, 2003 09:41:19 AM newbut they CAN catalog and index the pages if they want
If that were the case then I could publish anyone's copyrighted work via my servers and claim they used an electronic signature to grant the license/permission. There is a reason that rights in a copyright can only be licensed in writing.
Electronic signatures are not accepted anywhere. ES's are impossible to authenticate. The only thing an ES proves is that someone on a machine somewhere activated the ES.
I could even set up a boilerplate click agreement that anyone who uses my site grants me rights in any intellectual property they create or have ever created.
The click agreements lack authentication and a showing of accord and should never be permitted to be legally binding.
posted on December 20, 2003 10:27:13 AM new
::Your creative item description is your copyrighted material.::
Not unless you have a copyright disclaimer in your discription and have paid the copyright fees. I don't know where this assinine assumption came from but every word you speak or type is not automatically copywritten. You must file and pay for copyrights.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on December 20, 2003 01:02:32 PM new
Not to rock the boat even more, but they probably get that idea from sites like:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/copyright.html
Which in the last sentence of the second paragraph it states:
"Under current law, works are covered whether or not a copyright notice is attached and whether or not the work is registered. "
(edited to correct paragraph #)
******
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." -- Groucho Marx
[ edited by jvj24601 on Dec 20, 2003 01:03 PM ]
[ edited by jvj24601 on Dec 20, 2003 01:07 PM ]
posted on December 20, 2003 01:58:16 PM new
My bad : )
And to think of all those copyright forms I flled out years ago... ACK!!!! Damn lawyer - I knew there was a reason I hated that guy.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on December 20, 2003 07:43:31 PM newNot unless you have a copyright disclaimer in your discription and have paid the copyright fees
Wrong. Under current copyright law an item is copyrighted as soon as it is placed in a fixed form, and requires no registration.
The only thing that registering a copyright can do is make the infringer pay legal fees if you sue and win.
From the US copyright office---
Copyright protection subsists from the time the work is created in fixed form. The copyright in the work of authorship immediately becomes the property of the author who created the work. Only the author or those deriving their rights through the author can rightfully claim copyright
In general, copyright registration is a legal formality intended to make a public record of the basic facts of a particular copyright. However, registration is not a condition of copyright protection. Even though registration is not a requirement for protection, the copyright law provides several inducements or advantages to encourage copyright owners to make registration. Among these advantages are the following:
Registration establishes a public record of the copyright claim.
Before an infringement suit may be filed in court, registration is necessary for works of U. S. origin.
If made before or within 5 years of publication, registration will establish prima facie evidence in court of the validity of the copyright and of the facts stated in the certificate.
If registration is made within 3 months after publication of the work or prior to an infringement of the work, statutory damages and attorney's fees will be available to the copyright owner in court actions. Otherwise, only an award of actual damages and profits is available to the copyright owner.
Registration allows the owner of the copyright to record the registration with the U. S. Customs Service for protection against the importation of infringing copies. For additional information, request Publication No. 563 "How to Protect Your Intellectual Property Right," from: U.S. Customs Service, P.O. Box 7404, Washington, D.C. 20044. See the U.S. Customs Service Website at www.customs.gov for online publications.
Registration may be made at any time within the life of the copyright. Unlike the law before 1978, when a work has been registered in unpublished form, it is not necessary to make another registration when the work becomes published, although the copyright owner may register the published edition, if desired.
The use of a copyright notice is no longer required under U. S. law, although it is often beneficial. Because prior law did contain such a requirement, however, the use of notice is still relevant to the copyright status of older works.
posted on December 21, 2003 11:12:54 AM new
Oh, there's no doubt that we will end up paying for completed item information eventually. It's part of the slow boa constrictor squeeze that ebay has been putting on us for years. They can't stand the idea that someone might make a deal with a seller using this information.
I know they are a business with obligations to their shareholders, blah, blah, but there are other values that corporations can have as well.
posted on December 21, 2003 12:32:16 PM new
Hi... good topic. Let's say eBay instituted fees for the completed item search.
What would they gain... in new items, clothing, toys, houses, cars,etc. The info is relevant.
But in vintage and old or antique items, I think that point could be argued...so many variables. So much so, there might not even be a point to it.
Additionally, many sellers have developed websites...bringing customer with them...off of ebay.
The fee for the completed search would also affect the buyer... how much, etc.
Right now, today, it can be quite confusing for the new person on eBay from my experience at least.
Plus...competition... Google is poised for something. Amazon gave up the auction ghost and Yahoo...well its Yahoo.
Anyway, hope I was able to add something
thanks for the insights
