[MOPO] How to Beat The Clock

[JR]

Kirby, Claude and others,   Actually, there may be a way to make on-line auctions behave in a much more "traditional" fashion -- and that is to have the official end time automatically *extended* by a set amount of time if there is a last-second bid. We're actually trying to integrate this approach into MoviePosterBid.com right now, but it is a real programming challenge to make it work. The idea is that if a last-second bid comes in, say, 2 seconds before the item is scheduled to close, then the end time is automatically extended by, say, another 60 seconds. If no other bid comes in, the "fair warning" has expired and the last bid wins it. If another bid comes in, it is now the high bid. If another bid comes in that is within a few seconds of the new ending time, then the ending time is once again extended for another 60 seconds, etc.   This way, you not only simulate the live auction effect of saying "going once... going twice.. fair warning... sold!", but you also end up pulling the teeth of the automatic sniping programs. People could still use sniping programs to manage their bids and place their bids for them while they are off doing other things, but you would no longer have the situation where several automatic sniper bids battle it out in the last micro-second of an auction -- because if that happened, then the auction would be extended by at least another 60 seconds, giving anyone who is seriously interesting in continuing to bid on the item a  last chance to do so.   We hope to have this new auction approach in place fairly soon, but as you can imagine it is a very tricky thing. You have to make sure everything works just right in all circumstances because you are adjusting the end time, the most critical moment in an auction, "on the fly" -- and you are asking a computer do it instead of a live, experienced auctioneer.   But we think we can make it work.   -- JR ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 21:03 Subject: Re: [MOPO] Reply to Claude Thanks Kirby   I agree with you that the "beat the clock" method is different than a live auction but realistically it is the only way to have an internet auction.  You can call it a hybrid from the old standard, and i agree with you, but I still think it is an auction.  After all, no matter how the game is played only one person ends up with the item.  However, because of sniping it is more of a crapshoot.   The second part about condition--i agree with you.  Claude Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.