Retro

A place to hang out, chat and post general discussion topics. (Non-technical posts here)
User avatar
Manalto
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2108
Joined: Tue May 16, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Retro

Post by Manalto »

vvzz wrote:
Olson185 wrote:As a non-native speaker I don't even understand how you guys learn this stuff as kids. It doesn't me surprise people can't spell. There's no rhyme or reason to how most words are spelled(at least not practically applicable) It's complete madness.


You might even say weird.

Imagei before e mug by James McInnis, on Flickr

User avatar
OurPhillyRow
Settling in
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 1:00 am
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: Retro

Post by OurPhillyRow »

Just catching up.... This thread is awesome... Even if it isn't about old house love.

I was never very good at paying attention in English class when I was young, but I started the habit of keeping a dictionary around and whenever I encountered a word I didn't know, I would look it up (this is obviously before I could just look it up on my phone). I have never understood those who lack curiosity of the world or desire to learn more.

I am much more forgiving of those for whom English is not their first language as it is considered rather difficult. There are so many nuances to the language which are challenging to learn. But for the folks who were born and raise here and graduated with at least a high school diploma, yet cannot discern the difference between rot iron, rod iron, or wrought iron, I have little empathy. :roll: :roll: :roll: I don't expect perfection in any way, but four letter words are not that hard to learn.

That said, I tend to be more of a stickler for accuracy in describing things, such as realtors who claim 12' ceilings which are no higher than 10', or listing an 1,800 square foot home as 2,400 square feet. When I see those kinds of egregious inaccuracies, I lose all faith that they are honest about anything else and avoid doing business with them.

And while I am at it… I also struggle with why sellers on CL or eBay insist on adding key words which have absolutely nothing to do the actual item for sale (example: a 1920s art-deco waterfall front dresser listed as Mid-century modern/atomic era/Milo Baughman/Eames/Haywood Wakefield/etc...). If I am typing in Milo Baughman into the search, I am not expecting to anything prior to the 1960s.

Then there are the words which have completely lost their original meaning. Epic, Luxury, Unique, etc....
I'll step off of my soapbox now... And go back to thinking about how I am going to fix up my old house. :think: :whistle:
Devyn - Old House Lover
1852 Brick Rowhouse - Philadelphia

User avatar
awomanwithahammer
Knows where blueprints are hidden
Posts: 911
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 1:19 am
Location: Maryville, TN

Re: Retro

Post by awomanwithahammer »

OurPhillyRow wrote:
And while I am at it… I also struggle with why sellers on CL or eBay insist on adding key words which have absolutely nothing to do the actual item for sale (example: a 1920s art-deco waterfall front dresser listed as Mid-century modern/atomic era/Milo Baughman/Eames/Haywood Wakefield/etc...).

We have a local CL seller who lists all of their items as "1800s", whether or not they actually are, which is highly doubtful. I always get the feeling that they are "Antiques, Made to Order." :eusa-liar:
Bonnie

User avatar
Manalto
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2108
Joined: Tue May 16, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Retro

Post by Manalto »

And we come full circle. While it's tempting to complain about grammatical transgressions, my original point was what Bonnie and Devyn are saying about false or inaccurate statements. The seller peddling bogus 19th century items can claim ignorance, but the pattern you describe is suspiciously like those who use "Art Deco" or "shabby chic" (cringe) because of the attention it will garner. To knowingly advertise something falsely, hoping that once the potential buyer clicks on your item s/he will be so seduced by its wonderfulness that the search for a genuine example will be abandoned and your item eagerly snapped up, seems like an extremely long shot.

I'm no expert in categories of antiques but I do have a pretty good idea of what decade some items belong to, going back to about the 1890s, and sellers get that wrong a lot. That's number, rather than word, abuse. :roll:

phil
Has many leather bound books
Posts: 4616
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 6:11 pm
Location: Near Vancouver BC

Re: Retro

Post by phil »

I use the flag option a lot, Just takes a sec. sometimes I notice things like people repetitively posting to the point of being ridiculous and just make a post to get others help flag them. I think there is a limit of 10 or something for the number you can flag per day from the same IP.

If you watch carefully you will notice things like the same item in different areas or no area selected. I looked into it and there is a lot of software you can buy to make these multiple posts. car lots and real estate agents do it a lot. Or there are companies with the software that will help you basically spam Craigslist.

some areas may have more diligent readers that will police the system. one thing I tend to do is pick on one that bugs me and sometimes there are catch phrases or phone numbers you can search for to bring up all their ads then its just a matter of clicking each one and then flag them.

in reading tips for the software. Craigslist is a simple looking format but they have some fairly sophisticated ways of checking and they change them around to try to prevent the spambots from working. these guys are using an IP from the area and masking their own IP and dont' live in the area and they will set the software up to keep posting over and over.. If the ads fail immediately they know it is the Craigslist software and if they are up for a day or two then get flagged then they know it's a person flagging them. of course the software can't prevent against people intentionally making it hard for the spammers to profit from it. It seems that one of the tactics used to prevent the system from blocking ads created by spamming software is to post a bunch of irrelevant type such as huge blocks of keywords.. somehow it tricks the system that is used to check for duplicate posts. So if you notice that monkey business just flag them they are ads created by spambots not people.

I found many many apps for Craigslist. I'm trying a little app called "craigtok" It isn't good for spamming Craigslist but it makes posting easier by reducing the number of steps and makes refreshing ads quicker and keeps those emails separate. It seems to help a little particularly if you want to post a bunch of things.
the other way you know its a spambot created ad is if they have fancy coding and the ads look like webpages. normal sellers aren't that sophisticated. if they put the type in with the picture and then turn that into a Jpeg file the craigslist software won't pick it off as being a duplicate ad because it cant' read the type it just thinks it's a picture. one way to get back is through questions or setting up appointments and things, get them to measure stuff , whatever. If people waste the spammers time it hits them back in the pocketbook. I do the same with phone solicitors, as questions let them explain ask them to explain again and at the end of It I tell them I would never support a business that uses phone soliciting for advertising and I added them to my boycott list at the beginning of the call ;-) If you can keep them on the phone 15 minutes that costs them a considerable amount in labor.

another tactic they use is adding special characters to the headers so you'll see ads like <<<< car for sale>>>> or even emoticons in the headers, again these are spambot created ads. The special characters are being used in an attempt to try to stop craigslist's software from flagging so don't hesitate to flag those ones. they are being created by machines not humans.

User avatar
Manalto
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2108
Joined: Tue May 16, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Retro

Post by Manalto »

I saw these out in front of Walmart this morning and thought of this thread.

ImageRetro bicycles at Walmart by James McInnis, on Flickr

User avatar
Willa
Revered expert in almost everything
Posts: 1369
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 9:46 pm

Re: Retro

Post by Willa »

I have never set foot in a Walmart*, but those fake vintage bicycles look pretty good (frown).

* Much has been written about Walmart's founding family's personal and political philosophies, which are surely not mine.

User avatar
Manalto
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2108
Joined: Tue May 16, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Retro

Post by Manalto »

Willa wrote:I have never set foot in a Walmart*, but those fake vintage bicycles look pretty good (frown).

* Much has been written about Walmart's founding family's personal and political philosophies, which are surely not mine.


Nice to know your stance on Walmart. You'll be relieved to know that it's possible to see the bicycles without violating your principles; the bicycles are outside.

phil
Has many leather bound books
Posts: 4616
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2015 6:11 pm
Location: Near Vancouver BC

Re: Retro

Post by phil »

wallmart is where all the shabby chicks go ;-)

https://www.google.ca/search?dcr=0&biw= ... HYeTnr2vhQ

User avatar
Manalto
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2108
Joined: Tue May 16, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Retro

Post by Manalto »

I know it's supposed to be funny but I find that stuff depressing.

Maybe I should lighten up.

Post Reply