Re: Remember the Good Old Days

[Robert Campbell <robercampbell@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 10:11:46 PM UTC-4, Jim Davis wrote:
> On Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 10:05:14 AM UTC-4, Robert Campbell wro=
te:
> > On Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 7:38:23 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:
> > > I still recall Robert Bass calling me up to brag endlessly and compla=
in=20
> > > about Mike Sabodish only to have Mike call me a little later to carry=
 on=20
> > > about Robert Bass.  Don't worry, machinists and tackle makers have th=
e same=20
> > > kinds of guys and more of them.  I'm not missing out.  LOL.
> >=20
> > I too spent many years on this newsgroup before it more of less died of=
f. During those many years, I had a lot of interface with Robert Bass, and =
unlike everyone else, I never had a single problem with him. We disagreed o=
ften on things, but always managed to work it out (and he usually ended up =
being correct since I still had a lot to learn about our industry in those =
days). Now I don't condone his negative behaviour in the least. But respect=
 begets respect, and he and I always treated each other that way. I took a =
lot of "heat" for even dealing with him, but I refused to stoop to negative=
 behaviour then and still do now. I also got to know him personally when I =
was spending time in Florida back then, and he was much like I knew him on =
the internet. He was devoted to his parents, and well known and loved in th=
e Brazilian community down there, and I met many of his friends at that tim=
e from that community. He was very welcoming to me and shared his beautiful=
 home with me on one occasion. I don't doubt he had a negative side as we a=
ll do, and which  he often exhibited on this newsgroup. But he was very sma=
rt technically and often able to correct technical things said on the group=
.Perhaps those who where corrected didn't like it and instead of learning f=
rom it, took it personally- who knows. I do know he died in almost abject p=
overty, so I cannot comment on the worth of his business accumen either. Bu=
t for me, he provided a lot of assistance, and on several occasions, I was =
able to help him out in return. And that is what a technical newsgroup shou=
ld be all about.=20
> >=20
> > This newsgroup was of great assistance to me for over a decade so for m=
e, it was a total success. But like most newsgroups of the time, it was fil=
led with people and opinions that went from hate, up through nonsense, all =
the way to brilliant. It was left for the reader to sift through the inform=
ation to get that rare nugget or jewel to be discovered.
> >=20
> > I fully expect even this post to solicit all sorts of hateful responses=
 to which I can only say it was what it was to each person. I can only hope=
 he has gone to a better place as will all of us eventually. I certainly do=
n't wish ill of the dead
>=20
>=20
> Hello Robert,
> Good to know you're still looking at the grass from the top,
>=20
> I think that too much time has passed for you to get any kind of "hateful=
 response" anymore. 99.9% of the time .... civility reigns here now.
>=20
> However, Though I can't comment on your personal experience with Bass, I =
only know what he was and did in this forum and Usenet. So I guess I can ag=
ree with you on his capabilities but as for the last part, if there really =
is a "place" to go, I hope it wasn't a good one. He was a deceitful, vile a=
nd vengeful person who in my opinion, for all of the years and years of per=
sonal pain and aggravation he caused people in Usenet .... he should have n=
ever been born and I can't express the relief I felt what he died. I never =
felt that way about another person in my life ..... but him.=20
>=20
> Can't say I hated him ....... just despised his total self-centered lack =
of respect for others.

Yup, still above ground. My son and our two full time technicians run the b=
usiness now and they have expanded it into several other high tech arenas. =
As a result, RMR has soared and he invoices amounts for work done far beyon=
d anything I ever did. I spend my time semi-retired doing office work and b=
illing, which keeps me involved to the degree I want. We still maintain the=
 "standards" I set years ago...total upfront honesty with clients selling t=
hem only what they need, month to month contracts ONLY, and now high end ne=
twork management capabilities for our increasing base of large commercial c=
ustomers.=20

ADT bought Protectron, and they now handling monitoring services in a dread=
ful manner, so our accounts are being moved off to another responsible moni=
toring company. This is taking some time but it gives us an opportunity to =
revisit each client and ensure all is working well.  =20

All in all, life is revolving exactly as I would wish. All the best to you =
and the remainder of the "old gang" still here..