RE: (ET) Technical Service

["Don Barry" <Don Barry kmtc com>]

I don't want to do anything that make ET support less attractive for Bill 
either. But I'd guess what he wants to do is make money selling parts and 
refurb tractors. Passing the "brain-drain" isn't contradictory to that 
goal if it lets you sell more parts to more people. I'd like to classify 
info on the "how to do's" and leave leads to Bill for the parts "to do it 
with". True, publishing a service manual on the WWW may cut out that part 
of his business, but I honestly don't think he's making a living on 
photocopied manuals!

I called there this morning, and Bill was out. I'll try him tomorrow to 
feel this out somewhat.

One of the bad things I see is a lot of confusion/lack of information on 
parts. I think a lot of ET's are getting junked or parted out, just from 
the lack of info on available parts and their cost. As an enthusiast in it 
for the long run I want to try to improve the information flow, both to 
answers and the parts.

5 ET's? Larry, you da man!!!

Don Barry



>>> "Elie, Larry (L.D.)" <lelie ford com> 01/22/01 11:54AM >>>
I talked with Bill as well the second week of January; I needed 
assembly instructions for some parts... and I have had 5 ET's!  
I think that IS the point; none of us know the machine and all the 
options as well as Bill.  Part of this is conjecture, as I don't 
know Bill that well, but I think he suspects a 'brain-drain' without 
any sort of commensurate payment.  Free consultation is fine if you 
expect some payment in time.  Too many people only use up his time.  
Once we start thinking of publishing info that he sells (even if the 
statute of limitations on the copyrights has expired) it starts 
to get to him.  I for one don't want to just soak up what he has 
had to spend time to learn without getting him some sort of payment.
It is one thing to 'help someone out' but another to put someone 
out from further sales.  I don't mind the first but I prefer not to 
do the second.  ETC may well have done the second.

Larry Elie


-----Original Message-----
From: Dean A. Stuckmann [mailto:dstuck lakefield net] 
Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2001 10:57 PM
To: <Elec-trak
Subject: Re: (ET) Technical Service


A few weeks ago I asked the group if anyone knew Bill good enough to have
him compose a letter of his intentions so everyone would know what is going
on.  I didn't see any replies so I guess we have to keep going with these
second hand stories which is dangerous.  This is my addition. I spoke with
him last week and he stated that most of the inquiries have fallen through.
If you remember, I was talking with the folks at Electric Tractor Corp and
they wanted to speak with Bill about seeing if one of the ETC dealers may 
be
interested in Bill's stuff.  I gave the message to Bill and he did not want
anything to do with ETC.  Evidently they tried to get some information from
him very early in the ETC development which left a bad taste for Bill.  I
told him that ETC was not interested in the business, they would check with
their dealers.  He still didn't want anything to do with it.  Either he is
VERY upset with ETC or he doesn't want to get rid of the business too bad 
if
he turns down possible leads.
Dean A. Stuckmann 

> From: "Don Barry" <Don Barry kmtc com>
> Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2001 17:00:20 -0600
> To: "<Elec-trak" <elec-trak cosmos5 phy Tufts edu>
> Subject: Re: (ET) Technical Service
> 
> Bill's problem is because of financing? I thought it was something along
the
> lines of not being profitable enough, or too time consuming.
> 
> What's the straight poop??
> 
> Don
> 
>>>> "John" <etrak jvlnet com> 01/21/01 04:07PM >>>
> Hi; I was doing some thinking today (I know I've heard it before) and had
a
> thought about Bill's dilemma. With all of the governments grants and
> resources it would be a darn shame to see the oldest and best electric
> tractors on earth become orphaned because of financing. It seems to me
that
> with a little support maybe Bill could afford to outsource a little more
and
> thereby leave more time to other things such as troubleshooting and 
> things
> that only he can do. Any comments, John.
>