Richard everything you say is of course correct. sometimes I download 60-70
or more e-mails a day from the net,and read them all. Sometimes it takes a
lot of time to look up the information I post, for everything cannot be
committed to memory. In addition to the e-mails I get telephone calls asking
for specific information that someone is having a problem they cannot figure
out. Other times I briefly make a comment to help but haven't the time to
fully explain it, hoping that it will do the job. I don't have all of the
answers, and look to others for information on areas of the motorhome that I
have not worked on. Those areas are getting fewer and fewer.
In the case of copying parts ie; the jack pad or wheel bearing puller that
was the case, I did not fully explain my position. I would never advocate
copying another persons commercial design to sell it to other people or just
to get a cheaper price. I do believe that is unethical. However if an
individual takes a part that is deficient in some way, improves on it, makes
it better and than distributes it to other GMC coach owners, that is a
different question. the jack pads are everywhere, and someone must have
designed the first one. Who was it??? Beats me. Is it patented? I have
never seen one marked, so must not be.
I have a jack pad and bottle jack one and can tell you that I would
absolutely not depend on it as the sole jack to use. Have a blown tire and
deflated air bag, and try and get the bogie high enough to get the jack pad
and jack under the bogie. have fun! I had it happen. But there is another
aspect that many are forgetting. Liability and engineering. In the case of
the jack stand it takes special welding skills, the right metals and
knowledge of metals design. Can anyone do it? Maybe. Want to trust your
life to some back yard mechanics welding skills, and metals selection
skills, when you are on the side of the road changing a tire, and the jack
pad breaks and the coach slides on to you or someone in your family? Not me,
I want to know who made it.
GM put a lot of design work into these coaches and the jack is one of the
areas. maybe it is big and clumsy but it works.
Off the soap box for a while, hard to breathe up there.
>> To all the GMC Net participants,
>
>I just had to chime in here:
>
>With all this talk about design copying and unethical behavior I want to
put in my
>2 cents worth. I know what I'm going to say has probably been said
before, but
>I'll say it again.
>
>Since I started my involvement with my new hobby (my 1976 Palm Beach) last
Summer
>the GMC Net has got to be the best thing I've stumbled across. I subscribe
to all
>the periodicals (GMC International Newsletter, GMC Motorhome News and GMC
Motorhome
>Marketplace) and I think I'm on all the various GMC part vendor mailing lists.
>Plus I have 18 years worth of letters, receipts, brochures, manuals,
newsletters
>and other miscellaneous junk that was piled almost 3 feet high from the
previous
>owner.
>
>That stuff is sure nice to have, but it all takes a back seat to what I've
learned
>from all of you on the GMC net.
>
>The last thing I want to see is anything that reduces the information flow.
I want
>and need all the information that I can get!
>
>I do see a problem! I've only been on the GMC net for a few months now, but it
>seems like the flow of good information is sometimes reduced by the occasional
>negative Email comment. I know that it is unintentional. No one here has
any bad
>feelings against anyone else here on the net. But it happens.
>
>I hate to see people get offended by innocent comments sent by such an
impersonal
>medium as email. I know I was offended by things that Arch said a few
weeks ago
>about Air bags & cones and I offended him back. As most of you know Arch
has since
>stopped actively participating in the GMC net. He left right after my
comments to
>him. I sure hate to think I caused the departure of a such a great
resource of GMC
>information. Arch and I have communicated privately since then, and I think
he's
>accepted my apology. I was probably "the straw that broke the camels back".
>
>I'll get to the point now. I think many of us take what's said via Email too
>personal. And more importantly, we don't always realize the impact negative
>statements can have on people when delivered by Email. I've noticed that
more then
>once certain GMC netters, that had been contributing a lot, suddenly stop
after a
>negative comment from someone. I know I stopped for a while because I felt
almost
>like I was being picked on and why bother? We're all adults here and
should be
>able to take criticism, but in reality we don't always do a good job
responding to
>the occasional critical comment. I know I didn't.
>
>Maybe a modified version of the "Golden Rule" applies here. "Don't Email on to
>others, what you wouldn't want to have Emailed on to you". I know I'm
trying to to
>use this rule.
>
>David Greenburg wrote recently:
>
>"How about everybody lighten up a bit!
>
>Sometimes things said tongue-in-cheek are misunderstood when you aren't
>in a face-to-face situation.
>
>Lets not get too serious about what is perceived as barbs when they well
>may not be barbs at all but a slightly twisted sense of humor.
>
>Lets enjoy the benefits of the Net."
>
>Please keep in mind that any of my comments perceived as negative are
intended to
>bring the issues raised to the attention of the participants of the GMC net
and not
>to reach any negative conclusions about the ethics, ability or capacity of any
>person, living or dead, or any GMC motorhome or accessory. (disclaimer
courtesy,
>in a vague way, from Flying Magazine)
>
>And last, but not least, how about a big round of applause for Patrick
Flowers and
>all the work he's doing on our behalf!
>
>Just my .02 worth,
>
>Richard Waters
>1976 Palm Beach
>Troy, MI
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
or more e-mails a day from the net,and read them all. Sometimes it takes a
lot of time to look up the information I post, for everything cannot be
committed to memory. In addition to the e-mails I get telephone calls asking
for specific information that someone is having a problem they cannot figure
out. Other times I briefly make a comment to help but haven't the time to
fully explain it, hoping that it will do the job. I don't have all of the
answers, and look to others for information on areas of the motorhome that I
have not worked on. Those areas are getting fewer and fewer.
In the case of copying parts ie; the jack pad or wheel bearing puller that
was the case, I did not fully explain my position. I would never advocate
copying another persons commercial design to sell it to other people or just
to get a cheaper price. I do believe that is unethical. However if an
individual takes a part that is deficient in some way, improves on it, makes
it better and than distributes it to other GMC coach owners, that is a
different question. the jack pads are everywhere, and someone must have
designed the first one. Who was it??? Beats me. Is it patented? I have
never seen one marked, so must not be.
I have a jack pad and bottle jack one and can tell you that I would
absolutely not depend on it as the sole jack to use. Have a blown tire and
deflated air bag, and try and get the bogie high enough to get the jack pad
and jack under the bogie. have fun! I had it happen. But there is another
aspect that many are forgetting. Liability and engineering. In the case of
the jack stand it takes special welding skills, the right metals and
knowledge of metals design. Can anyone do it? Maybe. Want to trust your
life to some back yard mechanics welding skills, and metals selection
skills, when you are on the side of the road changing a tire, and the jack
pad breaks and the coach slides on to you or someone in your family? Not me,
I want to know who made it.
GM put a lot of design work into these coaches and the jack is one of the
areas. maybe it is big and clumsy but it works.
Off the soap box for a while, hard to breathe up there.
>> To all the GMC Net participants,
>
>I just had to chime in here:
>
>With all this talk about design copying and unethical behavior I want to
put in my
>2 cents worth. I know what I'm going to say has probably been said
before, but
>I'll say it again.
>
>Since I started my involvement with my new hobby (my 1976 Palm Beach) last
Summer
>the GMC Net has got to be the best thing I've stumbled across. I subscribe
to all
>the periodicals (GMC International Newsletter, GMC Motorhome News and GMC
Motorhome
>Marketplace) and I think I'm on all the various GMC part vendor mailing lists.
>Plus I have 18 years worth of letters, receipts, brochures, manuals,
newsletters
>and other miscellaneous junk that was piled almost 3 feet high from the
previous
>owner.
>
>That stuff is sure nice to have, but it all takes a back seat to what I've
learned
>from all of you on the GMC net.
>
>The last thing I want to see is anything that reduces the information flow.
I want
>and need all the information that I can get!
>
>I do see a problem! I've only been on the GMC net for a few months now, but it
>seems like the flow of good information is sometimes reduced by the occasional
>negative Email comment. I know that it is unintentional. No one here has
any bad
>feelings against anyone else here on the net. But it happens.
>
>I hate to see people get offended by innocent comments sent by such an
impersonal
>medium as email. I know I was offended by things that Arch said a few
weeks ago
>about Air bags & cones and I offended him back. As most of you know Arch
has since
>stopped actively participating in the GMC net. He left right after my
comments to
>him. I sure hate to think I caused the departure of a such a great
resource of GMC
>information. Arch and I have communicated privately since then, and I think
he's
>accepted my apology. I was probably "the straw that broke the camels back".
>
>I'll get to the point now. I think many of us take what's said via Email too
>personal. And more importantly, we don't always realize the impact negative
>statements can have on people when delivered by Email. I've noticed that
more then
>once certain GMC netters, that had been contributing a lot, suddenly stop
after a
>negative comment from someone. I know I stopped for a while because I felt
almost
>like I was being picked on and why bother? We're all adults here and
should be
>able to take criticism, but in reality we don't always do a good job
responding to
>the occasional critical comment. I know I didn't.
>
>Maybe a modified version of the "Golden Rule" applies here. "Don't Email on to
>others, what you wouldn't want to have Emailed on to you". I know I'm
trying to to
>use this rule.
>
>David Greenburg wrote recently:
>
>"How about everybody lighten up a bit!
>
>Sometimes things said tongue-in-cheek are misunderstood when you aren't
>in a face-to-face situation.
>
>Lets not get too serious about what is perceived as barbs when they well
>may not be barbs at all but a slightly twisted sense of humor.
>
>Lets enjoy the benefits of the Net."
>
>Please keep in mind that any of my comments perceived as negative are
intended to
>bring the issues raised to the attention of the participants of the GMC net
and not
>to reach any negative conclusions about the ethics, ability or capacity of any
>person, living or dead, or any GMC motorhome or accessory. (disclaimer
courtesy,
>in a vague way, from Flying Magazine)
>
>And last, but not least, how about a big round of applause for Patrick
Flowers and
>all the work he's doing on our behalf!
>
>Just my .02 worth,
>
>Richard Waters
>1976 Palm Beach
>Troy, MI
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
