This guy apparently thinks that readers of the pickle's Low-End Mac FAQ have a very dire need for custom computer cables. Beats me as to why. [removed] has been inserted instead of the company's real name, as I don't want to harm the company because of the ineptitude of one employee.
From: "Cliff Knopik" <cliff@[removed].com> To: <thepickle@binhost.com> Subject: [removed].com Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 15:33:31 -0800 Hi, I am the webmaster for [removed]. We sell computer cables and networking supplies. Can you please check out our website http://www.[removed].com and consider adding a link to us? Thanks, Cliff Knopik Webmaster
This doesn't really need any commentary. Anyway, I sent back this reply:
To: "Cliff Knopik" <cliff@[removed].com> From: the pickle <thepickle@binhost.com> Subject: Re: [removed].com At 15:33 -0800 on 04/12/01, Cliff Knopik wrote: >I am the webmaster for [removed].com. >We sell computer cables and networking supplies. > Can you please check out our website http://www.[removed].com >and consider adding a link to us? Why would I do that? Why do I have the distinct feeling this is an attempt to verify this e-mail address merely for spam purposes? p
I figured that would be the end of it, but it wasn't. This came in the next morning:
From: "Cliff Knopik" <cliff@[removed].com> To: <thepickle@binhost.com> Subject: Re: [removed].com Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 08:21:20 -0800 > Why would I do that? > Because visitors to your website will find our website usefull and easy to use. > Why do I have the distinct feeling this is an attempt to verify this e-mail > address merely for spam purposes? > I don't know why you have this feeling. If you don't want to add a link that is fine. If you find our site useful to visitors to your website then you might want to add a link to us at http://www.[removed].com Have a great day. Cliff Knopik [removed].com
Well, curiouser and curiouser this situation becomes. Let's see what he has to say for himself...
To: "Cliff Knopik" <cliff@[removed].com> From: the pickle <thepickle@binhost.com> Subject: Re: [removed].com At 08:21 -0800 on 05/12/01, Cliff Knopik wrote: >> Why would I do that? >> >Because visitors to your website will find our website usefull and easy to >use. Vague reasons aren't going to get you anywhere, Cliff. >I don't know why you have this feeling. If you don't want to add a link that >is fine. If you find our site useful to visitors to your website then you >might want to add a link to us at http://www.[removed].com Neither is begging. What will I gain from adding this link? More importantly, what will visitors to my site gain? p
At this point, I genuinely wonder what he's going to say. And here came the response, a few hours later. Keep in mind I still haven't visited the site, mostly because I have yet to see a compelling reason to do so...
From: "Cliff Knopik" <cliff@[removed].com> To: <thepickle@binhost.com> Subject: Re: [removed].com Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 08:40:37 -0800 ----- Original Message ----- [Note: headers and extraneous quotations snipped] > Vague reasons aren't going to get you anywhere, Cliff. You know your visitors better then me. Will they lfind our website useful or not? If they will then you might want to add a link as a service to them. > Neither is begging. > > What will I gain from adding this link? More importantly, what will > visitors to my site gain? > I am not sure what you are talking about. It was a simple request. Obviously you feel that your readers would not find our site useful. In that case don't bother adding a link to us. Cliff
ARGH! He backed out. I wanted to know what the heck it was that made him think a large portion of visitors to the FAQ would benefit by the addition of a link to his company. See, my philosophy for linking to commercial enterprises like eBay, Half.com, Radio Shack, Sears, etc. is if they have a specific item or items to offer, and at a reasonable price, or if they specialise in older Mac gear (like Shreve Systems or Sun Remarketing, whose prices are usually ridiculous but old Mac stuff is all they sell), they get a link in the appropriate question. Cliff's company does neither, and I've never heard of them before, so I don't know how trustworthy they are. Also, I don't see their company filling a specific need of 68K Mac users. At any rate, I couldn't resist one last jab as I saw this was probably going nowhere fast:
To: "Cliff Knopik" <cliff@[removed].com> From: the pickle <thepickle@binhost.com> Subject: Re: [removed].com At 08:40 -0800 on 05/12/01, Cliff Knopik wrote: >You know your visitors better then me. Will they lfind our website useful or I certainly know my visitors better THAN you, but apparently you think you know them well enough to tell me your site would be useful to them. I want to know why. p
This came back. In a way, I'm disappointed he didn't take the bait, but I'm also glad he turned out not to (probably) be a spammer harvesting addresses.
From: "Cliff Knopik" <cliff@[removed].com> To: <thepickle@binhost.com> Subject: Re: [removed].com Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 09:07:16 -0800 Sorry this seems to be such an inconvenience and trying situation for you. Good luck in all your endeavors. Cliff [removed].com