Trade Paperback Swap

[BarryAllen]

Great idea, big fan!

 

Too bad on the "one year criteria" I have a good sized TPB selection.

 

I guess I will check back in a few months.

[slym2none]

Great idea, big fan!

 

Too bad on the "one year criteria" I have a good sized TPB selection.

 

I guess I will check back in a few months.

 

Give it a chance, you might be close enough with other good stats, like kudos/feedback, general likeability, etc.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[BarryAllen]

Great idea, big fan!

 

Too bad on the "one year criteria" I have a good sized TPB selection.

 

I guess I will check back in a few months.

 

Give it a chance, you might be close enough with other good stats, like kudos/feedback, general likeability, etc.

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

[CAHokie]

Good stuff Techvoodoo! Just out of curiosity since I don't collect TPBs; will condition of the books be a factor or should it just be assumed that some books may have rips/dogears/etc...?

 

Considering this should be for people to swap out stuff they have for what they want to read but don't own, condition shouldn't matter. As a matter of fact, I don't think it should even be mentioned. If you have a TPB that is about to fall apart, tape it up before sending it out! Otherwise (again, all IMHO) condition shouldn't matter one bit.

 

It will matter to some and if condition is not disclosed there will be problems.

 

In my opinion, it shouldn't. But I don't speak for everyone.

 

 

 

-slym

 

I agree condition shouldn't matter. If you care about the condition of a book that dozens of people will be reading then dont send it

[CAHokie]

Great idea, big fan!

 

Too bad on the "one year criteria" I have a good sized TPB selection.

 

I guess I will check back in a few months.

 

Give it a chance, you might be close enough with other good stats, like kudos/feedback, general likeability, etc.

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

If that is a selection criteria then how do you plan on getting in?

[bffnut]

What about board members who don't get along with each other, I could picture a member wanting to borrow a book from another, but that person not wanting to loan it out to them. Would that person still get a strike? It doesn't really seem like a request, since a request can be denied, while being threatened with a strike seems more like you have to do it or else.

 

Also how long could a person have the book or books for? I think it would make sense that there should be a time limit for how long someone could keep someone else's book for. Maybe 1 or 2 weeks after it arrived at their door, or if the two parties came to a certain return date themselves?

 

I think the idea is that you keep what you get and permanently give up what you send out.

[LanceTX]

As stated in the thread earlier today, I would love to be part of this.

[Barth]

This sounds cool, I'd like to be part of this as well

[CAHokie]

I would like to be a part of this as well and can vouch for the two guys above me

[techvoodoo]

Lots of questions asked and I'll try to address them.

 

The biggest question being asked, does condition matter? When you post a book to your bookshelf, ie. the books people can take, there will be an option to list condition. If you don't disclose the condition accurately when the recipient receives the book they are required to report it has arrived, and in condition as described could be a part of that process.

 

So no, condition doesn't matter if you disclose it when you post it. Although if it's in terrible condition there's the chance no one claims your book, and you never get a credit for sending that book.

 

 

Someone asked about how long you can keep the book. When you use one of your earned credits to take it book, it's yours. You own it.

 

You can put it back up on your bookshelf after you've read it and if someone takes it you will earn a credit to claim something else. Or you can keep it forever, light it on fire, do whatever you want with it.

 

 

The idea of getting credits up front without sending books, people using multiple accounts and what not was also brought up. At least for the intial round of invites for beta testing, people need to start with credits, otherwise no one will be able to claim anything. That's why I am only selecting a small'ish group of people that I believe will be trust worthy.

 

Also joining the site will be based on getting a unique invitation code. You shouldn't be able to, in theory, create multiple accounts. I will be the only person sending out the 1 time use codes to start. Members will earn the privilege of sending invitations out, after they've built up a history of successful exchanges. Those will be limited and again the codes to join will be unique 1 time use.

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

• HOW WILL IT WORK

 

Membership will be limited, at least at first, by invitation only. Once invited and after joining the website you will be asked to setup your Bookshelf. The Bookshelf is the list of TPB's you are willing to send out to other members. For each book you put on your Bookshelf you will earn 1 credit up to a maximum of 3. Don't worry you can earn more.

 

This is the only point in the system where you will earn credits without actually sending out a book, and the recipient reporting back to the system that it has been received.

 

Once you've setup your bookshelf, 1 of 2 things can happen. You can either use your credits to claim books from other members, or someone might request you to send them one of your books on your shelf.

 

In the event someone requests one of your books, provided you ship the book to them and they confirm in the system they have receive it, you will earn another (1) credit. Habitually not fulfilling member requests will earn you strikes and lead to a ban on the site.

 

You can use your credits to claim TPB's from other members. Once you get the book you will be asked to confirm that you've received it so they can get their credit. Habitual failure to report back on the status of an exchange will earn you strikes and lead to bans on the site.

 

Maybe I'm not understanding this, but it seems like you'll have a multiplier effect that a closed system won't support.

 

In other words, if a person offers 3 books and ships them, he can now claim 6 books. Right?

[techvoodoo]

• HOW WILL IT WORK

 

Membership will be limited, at least at first, by invitation only. Once invited and after joining the website you will be asked to setup your Bookshelf. The Bookshelf is the list of TPB's you are willing to send out to other members. For each book you put on your Bookshelf you will earn 1 credit up to a maximum of 3. Don't worry you can earn more.

 

This is the only point in the system where you will earn credits without actually sending out a book, and the recipient reporting back to the system that it has been received.

 

Once you've setup your bookshelf, 1 of 2 things can happen. You can either use your credits to claim books from other members, or someone might request you to send them one of your books on your shelf.

 

In the event someone requests one of your books, provided you ship the book to them and they confirm in the system they have receive it, you will earn another (1) credit. Habitually not fulfilling member requests will earn you strikes and lead to a ban on the site.

 

You can use your credits to claim TPB's from other members. Once you get the book you will be asked to confirm that you've received it so they can get their credit. Habitual failure to report back on the status of an exchange will earn you strikes and lead to bans on the site.

 

Maybe I'm not understanding this, but it seems like you'll have a multiplier effect that a closed system won't support.

 

In other words, if a person offers 3 books and ships them, he can now claim 6 books. Right?

 

For the initial testing at least, I'm going to have to start people with some credits otherwise we will have 25 people who all post books but no one has any credits to claim anything. Perhaps I'll just start everyone with 1 credit instead of 3, to get people going. That's not really important, but in theory if 25 people join and no one has any credits to start with no one can claim anything.

 

After the intitail beta testing when it's opened up to more people that rule can be changed, so that you start with no credits until someone claims something you've added.

 

Currency, so to speak, needs to be added to the system to start it though.

[techvoodoo]

Great idea, big fan!

 

Too bad on the "one year criteria" I have a good sized TPB selection.

 

I guess I will check back in a few months.

 

 

You can still apply, send me a PM and especially if you can show a history of successful transactions on the board that you can show I may overlook the 1 year requirement. Alternatively, after the initial round of beta testing, when people start getting awarded permission to invite their friends, someone else could always invite you.

 

I'm just trying to weed out people that will try to abuse the system. And to be sure, someone will come along and try.

[techvoodoo]

What about board members who don't get along with each other, I could picture a member wanting to borrow a book from another, but that person not wanting to loan it out to them. Would that person still get a strike? It doesn't really seem like a request, since a request can be denied, while being threatened with a strike seems more like you have to do it or else.

 

Also how long could a person have the book or books for? I think it would make sense that there should be a time limit for how long someone could keep someone else's book for. Maybe 1 or 2 weeks after it arrived at their door, or if the two parties came to a certain return date themselves?

 

 

I could perhaps allow for a system to block people from even seeing the books a person offers. I don't want to worry about building that complexity into the initial system so to start with I'll just hope everyone can get along so I can get the site off the ground and get books exchanged.

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

• HOW WILL IT WORK

 

Membership will be limited, at least at first, by invitation only. Once invited and after joining the website you will be asked to setup your Bookshelf. The Bookshelf is the list of TPB's you are willing to send out to other members. For each book you put on your Bookshelf you will earn 1 credit up to a maximum of 3. Don't worry you can earn more.

 

This is the only point in the system where you will earn credits without actually sending out a book, and the recipient reporting back to the system that it has been received.

 

Once you've setup your bookshelf, 1 of 2 things can happen. You can either use your credits to claim books from other members, or someone might request you to send them one of your books on your shelf.

 

In the event someone requests one of your books, provided you ship the book to them and they confirm in the system they have receive it, you will earn another (1) credit. Habitually not fulfilling member requests will earn you strikes and lead to a ban on the site.

 

You can use your credits to claim TPB's from other members. Once you get the book you will be asked to confirm that you've received it so they can get their credit. Habitual failure to report back on the status of an exchange will earn you strikes and lead to bans on the site.

 

Maybe I'm not understanding this, but it seems like you'll have a multiplier effect that a closed system won't support.

 

In other words, if a person offers 3 books and ships them, he can now claim 6 books. Right?

 

For the initial testing at least, I'm going to have to start people with some credits otherwise we will have 25 people who all post books but no one has any credits to claim anything. Perhaps I'll just start everyone with 1 credit instead of 3, to get people going. That's not really important, but in theory if 25 people join and no one has any credits to start with no one can claim anything.

 

After the intitail beta testing when it's opened up to more people that rule can be changed, so that you start with no credits until someone claims something you've added.

 

Currency, so to speak, needs to be added to the system to start it though.

 

Yeah, I understand the need for currency, but your exchange rate is 2:1.

 

How about 1 credit for offering the book, one for shipping, and charge 2 to select a book to keep the ratio at 1:1?

[techvoodoo]

The only time you'll get any "free" credits is when you first sign up and post some books. After that you get a credit, not for posting new books, but for shipping books (you have to post books to ship them obviously). This will also only apply to the initial invited beta testers. Once it's more widely opened that will probably change.

 

I'll have to think about the actual numbers as I continue to develop the site I'm sure we'll come up with someone that works.

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

As I understand it:

 

Offer three books: get 3 points

 

Ship three books: get 3 points

--------------------------------------------

Total: 6 points

 

 

Now this person can claim 6 books and have them shipped to him.

 

 

Input = 3 books, output = 6 books

 

Or, in other words, a two for one deal.

 

 

[techvoodoo]

It's the same system that paperbackswap.com does, only you can get up to 10 points for the first 10 books you list, if memory serves me correctly. It seemingly works for them and it's a huge site with 130,000 members.

 

That said your proposed solution of, "How about 1 credit for offering the book, one for shipping, and charge 2 to select a book to keep the ratio at 1:1", might work fine except I don't want to give credits for listing books, after the initial sign up. So if we set the price to claim a book at 2 credits, people will have to ship 2 books for every one they can claim after the initial signup.

 

On the other hand If you always give credits for people offering books, they could conceivably offer up 30 extremely undesirable books and claim 15 very desirable books. I only want to award credits for actually shipping books, except for the initial sign up phase to get some currency into the system for people to start exchanging items.

 

The flaw of the 2:1 ratio will only apply to the initial testers on their initial 3 items listed. Ideally people will sign up and post much more than just 3 books, but they won't get free credits for all those extra books they list, they'll have to wait for people to claim them to get credits.

 

I don't expect that to break the system. And again I might play around with the numbers to encourage people to list more books like, get 1 credit for every 5 books listed up to 3 credits, for example. And as new people come into the system without getting the free credits, the disparity will flatten out even more until it's almost imperceivable, I think.

[Ditch Fahrenheit]

II just read their site. Here's how they work it.

 

Offer 10 books inclusive of shipping. Get 2 one-time-only credits to get 2 books inclusive of shipping.

 

After that it's 1:1 (ship a book, get a book shipped to you.)

 

 

So their initial offer is 1:5, after that it's 1:1.

 

You're proposing 2:1, which is basically the same thing as making a profit. See what I'm saying?

 

 

Anyway, it doesn't matter to me. I was just pointing it out.

[techvoodoo]

Ya I didn't remember their system exactly, it's been years since I've used it, I just recalled that you had to offer 10 books and I know I have 8 credits left on my account with them. Maybe they have changed their ruleset since I've used the site, not sure.

 

In any event, my recently posted concept of getting 1 credit per 5 books posted upon initial signup follows the same concept as theirs which would work better than the initial idea.

 

Either way the concept and development is still in it's infancy and the actual numbers can be worked out as I get deeper into development of the site.

 

Thanks for your input. I appreciate your insight.