CPAPtalk.com

On top of whatever legal and business cases can be made for not having a separate sub-forum for selling; in my experience with other topics those subforms don't get much traffic and then the sellers post in the regular forum anyway when they don't get the response they'd like.

Slartybartfast wrote:CPAP machines and accessories are Class II medical devices which are available, new or used, only by prescription, as mandated by the FDA. ..you're not going to see anyone selling new or used machines without a prescription for very long before the FDA shuts them down, citing the possibility of fines and jail time.

So why does an established business that sells the equipment with Rx's to patients permit there to be any buying and selling of C/Bipap equipment on a site that they sponsor?

They don't "permit" anything at all. They choose not to moderate closely enough to stop people from doing what people do. Thus the disclaimers in the user agreement.

I'm also glad Sheriff doesn't pull me for going four-tenths of a mile over the speed limit.

LookingEast wrote:

Slartybartfast wrote:CPAP machines and accessories are Class II medical devices which are available, new or used, only by prescription, as mandated by the FDA. ..you're not going to see anyone selling new or used machines without a prescription for very long before the FDA shuts them down, citing the possibility of fines and jail time.

So why does an established business that sells the equipment with Rx's to patients permit there to be any buying and selling of C/Bipap equipment on a site that they sponsor?

The owners of CPAP.com have a strong commitment to maintaining a completely unmoderated forum here. Posts are NOT screened by any forum monitors/moderators and, unlike many forums, this site does NOT use forum-screening software to edit or delete posts that violate "the rules." Senior members of the forum can delete posts as Spam, but most of us are very reluctant to delete anything remotely connected to sleep apnea. We use that privilege to delete hit-and-run posts advertising things like "Coach Bags for super cheap", particularly when they're also written in Cyrillic letters.

And yes, periodically newcomers also raise the issue of "Why aren't there any moderators?" as well.

robysue wrote:The owners of CPAP.com have a strong commitment to maintaining a completely unmoderated forum here. Posts are NOT screened by any forum monitors/moderators and, unlike many forums, this site does NOT use forum-screening software to edit or delete posts that violate "the rules." Senior members of the forum can delete posts as Spam, but most of us are very reluctant to delete anything remotely connected to sleep apnea. We use that privilege to delete hit-and-run posts advertising things like "Coach Bags for super cheap", particularly when they're also written in Cyrillic letters.

And yes, periodically newcomers also raise the issue of "Why aren't there any moderators?" as well.

I find this forum to be much more helpful (and way more active) than the other two 'heavily moderated' big forums...

heck, on one, I got a post deleted and warned by the head moderator because I used the term 'brats' in response to someone's drive by post about "ZOMYGOD SOMEONE ON FACEBOOK POSTED ABOUT THEIR KIDS TURNING OFF THEIR CPAPS AT NIGHT, HOW CAN WE LOCK THE CONTROLS" .... and I was warned that my post might possibly be offensive to someone, and was thus deleted.

the one shot poster never came back and clarified whether it was kids turning off the parents machines, or kids turning off their own machines...

palerider wrote:

robysue wrote:The owners of CPAP.com have a strong commitment to maintaining a completely unmoderated forum here. Posts are NOT screened by any forum monitors/moderators and, unlike many forums, this site does NOT use forum-screening software to edit or delete posts that violate "the rules." Senior members of the forum can delete posts as Spam, but most of us are very reluctant to delete anything remotely connected to sleep apnea. We use that privilege to delete hit-and-run posts advertising things like "Coach Bags for super cheap", particularly when they're also written in Cyrillic letters.

And yes, periodically newcomers also raise the issue of "Why aren't there any moderators?" as well.

I find this forum to be much more helpful (and way more active) than the other two 'heavily moderated' big forums...

Yep. I strongly agree. But I still post over there because I feel bad for the folks who don't discover this site.

heck, on one, I got a post deleted and warned by the head moderator because I used the term 'brats' in response to someone's drive by post about "ZOMYGOD SOMEONE ON FACEBOOK POSTED ABOUT THEIR KIDS TURNING OFF THEIR CPAPS AT NIGHT, HOW CAN WE LOCK THE CONTROLS" .... and I was warned that my post might possibly be offensive to someone, and was thus deleted.

the one shot poster never came back and clarified whether it was kids turning off the parents machines, or kids turning off their own machines...

I know the thread you're talking about. I wish I could say I was surprised. But I'm not.

zoocrewphoto wrote: It would only encourage more people to come here for the express purpose of selling their equipment. Many of them are people who paid DME prices, quit fairly early on, and then hope to recoup their money. We already see people with only one or two posts offering bricks at high prices. It would get taken over and become a marketplace. We've had some annoying people come in and post daily. We don't need those here.

So, you think it would attract riffraff?

I agree. Let's don't screw up a good forum.

robysue wrote: . . . I still post over there . . .

I applaud that you do. You do good work. And not just here.

And yes, periodically newcomers also raise the issue of "Why aren't there any moderators?" as well.

Not this newbie.

I was just commenting on the post about the Rx and legalities, etc. vs the posts asking if they can sell their stuff here with answer being, "yes."

Conflict resolution thoughts going on in my head.

The only issue that exists with a forum with no active moderators is that sometimes newer members tend to look at those members with a large number of posts, and who have been here a number a years, as de-facto moderators, even though few of the high-number or longer posters ever view themselves that way at all.

In my opinion, the number of posts under my name or how long I've been here should not give my posts any more weight or influence than anyone else's posts in a forum of this format. I have considered asking the owners if my counter and date could be zeroed out, just to keep me from deciding to use another name and e-mail address to post here (or deciding to post as guest only) as some have done.

jnk wrote:

robysue wrote: . . . I still post over there . . .

I applaud that you do. You do good work. And not just here.

Thank you jnk.

jnk wrote:

robysue wrote: . . . I still post over there . . .

I applaud that you do. You do good work. And not just here.

Robysue is a better man than I. I got sick of being treated like a criminal for trying to help people. I used to PM people who really needed help and invite them here, but I got tired of playing the mole. Too bad for those people who really need help and will never look for us here.

I applaud that those with the stomach for it are able to do it. It isn't my gift, so I admire those who have it.

This forum can get messy sometimes, but it is the only PAP forum I am able to stand posting at, myself, these days.

Janknitz wrote:

jnk wrote:

robysue wrote: . . . I still post over there . . .

I applaud that you do. You do good work. And not just here.

Robysue is a better man than I. I got sick of being treated like a criminal for trying to help people. I used to PM people who really needed help and invite them here, but I got tired of playing the mole. Too bad for those people who really need help and will never look for us here.

Jan, you are the reason I "discovered" this amazing forum. I'm glad I got diagnosed before you retired.
Moles do good work too.
Thank you!