Re: [photo-3d] Sniping

[Mike Kersenbrock <michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> The sniping software "BidSniper Pro" is set up with an initial bid, at which  
> to enter (or try to enter) the bidding, and can be instructed to raise the 
> bidding "x" times by "y" dollars each time.   

Yes, I use that program.  It's the silliest feature I could imagine!  Makes no
sense whatsoever!  If one wanted to tell it to put a bid of $50, and then up 
the bid by $10 up to three times, it'd be much better to just bid $80 and do 
it a little bit later (and let ebay do the rebidding for you).  I can only see 
that it was done that way as a selling gimmick to sell folk who do it that way 
manually before buying the program -- and thus show something familiar, even if 
it makes no sense at all once one has the program that will bid a few seconds
from the end with good reliability.

Mike K.  

P.S. -	Actually, all bidders on ebay have a 
	sniping program working for them.  Whomever is leading the bidding at 
	the end of the auction has Ebay's computers "sniping" for them up to 
	their maximum bid. If someone bids at the last second, ebay will act
	as the bid-leader's proxy and bid the leader's money for him/her 
	just after the sniper snipes.  A counter-snipe as it were.   

P.P.S. - Thought of another reason for "the" feature.  It'd be a way to hide
         the fact that one's really in bed asleep -- in case one is defensive
         about using software to do one's bidding (as if Ebay itself weren't 
         software... and computers.. etc.).