Noise...

["Mark M." <traguspiercing@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have been lurking around now reading the articles posted to the newsgroup,
and it seems to me that discussion about alarms went out the window a long
time ago. After filtering out RLB's HTML and PR posts, the number of
messages gets pretty thin. Don't get me wrong, I think RLB is a complete
ass, but it seems to me (judging by sales at the company, and the
technicians that I talk to every day), that the DIY market is a very small
and not all that terribly lucrative. Most of the high quality equipment out
there is not really for the DIY installer anyway. But I digress. The serious
discussion here about alarms went out the window a long time ago, and RLB
has what he wants, he has abused the group to the point of the destruction
of any useful message threads. Someone will pop in, post a legitimate
question, and five replies in it becomes a RLB vs The World flame war.  That
tends to drive any useful discussion right out the window. Which is too bad,
as I have always found Usenet to be an invaluable source of information on
other topics that are of interest to me. Someone suggested in an earlier
thread that an alt.security.alarms.moderated be created, which I think is a
splendid idea. So also is the creation of an alt.security.alarms.diy. There
are always the DIY's that are actually competent, and can install their own
alarms. Mostly ones that are already in the construction trades and have a
good working knowledge of how to run wire, or properly position wireless to
minimize false alarms, and maximize coverage and engineer (Do you really
need a contact on that third floor Pella bay window casement?)  their own
systems without going into an overkill mode. At this juncture, if I was
going to have an alarm put in my residence (I rent at the moment, having
recently relocated to here from another state), I would look for a reputable
company. I could do it myself, but after 19 years as a drill pusher and
attic rat, I would much rather watch someone else put it in. I can change my
own oil, but I still just go to Jiffy Lube because I am lazy and don't want
the bother. The majority of customers out there (or end users if you prefer)
would rather have a professional system installed. The average DIY'r is a
source of income, you can charge them a lot to go in and clean up the mess
they've made. Something that cannot be done through telephone support. You
can tell them how to program over the phone, but trying to troubleshoot a
false alarm, or telling them how to "feel" for the drill busting into free
space at the top of the window header is impossible. Caveat Emptor. There
are always going to be a small percentage of people that are going to try
the DIY route, and will get there stuff from BBA. Too bad, so sad. People
have the right to make their own mistakes, and to throw money into an
incinerator if they choose. When they figure out that all they are getting
is warm, and that there are cheaper fuels, they will come around. With or
without the constant flaming. I am sure that this thread is going to get
someone's BVD's in a bundle, and to be honest, I don't care. I came into
this group to share information, and to keep track of the current state of
the industry (at least amongst those that post here). What I have found is a
comedy of errors. Eventually the group will go back on topic.
Note to RLB...I have you kill filtered (squelched your noise) so any replies
that you post to me will go unread and unacknowledged. Your opinions and
your idiotic flames mean zilch to me. Wanna say something to me, reply to
the e-mail address. Flood it with crap, and MSN/Hotmail will simply make you
a "junk sender". Been there. Done that.
Mark M.
...fades back into the shadows, out of sight, but not out of earshot...