On Sat, 6 Sep 2008 06:39:51 EDT, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM> wrote:

>In a message dated 05/09/2008 9:11:58 A.M. Central Standard Time,
>LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
>        OK, gotta chime in here.  I have installed a few of these pop top
>strut kits and have had absolutely no problems....geeze it's not rocket
science !!!!....

Frank,
I agree that Mark is to be commended for putting together this kit to aid
those in need of help with the lifting of the pop-top; I have a friend or
two who could benefit from it.  I am glad that your level of experience
allowed you to avoid the problem with the seemingly erroneous/confusing
installation instructions that caused Joy difficulty.  She posted to the
list to provide a heads-up to others about the problem, and to seek advice
as to an appropriate remedey for the mistake that resulted.  She received a
number of helpful replies; your "...geeze, it's not rocket science!!!!"
comment was not one of them.

You make your living working on cars, have obviously done so for years, and
based on your postings to the list over the years, which are appreciated,
it would seem you could do most anything related to automotive work without
help from anyone.  I doubt you really have need of the List, other than for
the plugging of your commercial offerings, which I, and surely others, do
not mind, or at least tolerate, if only because you often take the time to
share your knowledge as well.

However, please be mindful that only a handful of the thousand members of
the Vanagon List likely possess your level of expertise in automotive
repair, and that the rest of the membership could benefit from some
patience and tolerance on your part, as well as your expertise.  That fact
that the subject of a posting may not be a problem for you, or that the
subject was discussed at some point in the prior fourteen years of the
Vanagon List, is likely irrevelant to most of the membership.  Members
seeking knowledge should be accorded a polite and civil forum in which the
free exchange of ideas and answers can occur; anything less hinders
participation, which may deny to the membership the benefit of others'
experience and knowledge, which is precisely the purpose of this forum.

Bill