vent: anti-competitive forums

[SuzanneR]

First let me say that I'm becoming more appreciative of the Warrior Forum by the day when I see some of the tight-cheeked IM forums out there. haha!

I've just run into my second affiliate-selling forum where if you say "boo" you're considered a spammer.

Jesus H. Christ already!

I understand having to post x amount of posts before carrying any kind of weight...and a few other precautionary things to stop spammers from polluting the forum.

But not allowing people to include links in signatures (while having a feature that allows you to do it)?

Not allowing anyone to post links of any kind in your posts--even when they are 100% relevant to the conversation?

I just tried to give someone a source to analyze clickbank products based on refund rates etc...and got my wrist slapped.

It's offensive. I hate authoritarian behavior...that's one of the reasons why I'm a goddamn entrepreneur. lol!

What exactly are they afraid of? (rhetorical question)

ok...vent over. :-)

[andrew_writes]

Originally Posted by SuzanneR

First let me say that I'm becoming more appreciative of the Warrior Forum by the day when I see some of the tight-cheeked IM forums out there. haha!

I've just run into my second affiliate-selling forum where if you say "boo" you're considered a spammer.

Jesus H. Christ already!

I understand having to post x amount of posts before carrying any kind of weight...and a few other precautionary things to stop spammers from polluting the forum.

But not allowing people to include links in signatures (while having a feature that allows you to do it)?

Not allowing anyone to post links of any kind in your posts--even when they are 100% relevant to the conversation?

I just tried to give someone a source to analyze clickbank products based on refund rates etc...and got my wrist slapped.

It's offensive. I hate authoritarian behavior...that's one of the reasons why I'm a goddamn entrepreneur. lol!

What exactly are they afraid of? (rhetorical question)

ok...vent over. :-)

I feel your pain. Been there with a couple of forums when I first started as well as associatedcontent when I first started and rewrote some plr.

[SuzanneR]

I would have to imagine it hurts their business. One of those sites is not terribly active...and the one I just came from probably left a bad taste in people's mouths in the way they dealt with me. They come across like bat-wielding cops. lol!

[Dan C. Rinnert]

Sometimes it's just easier to say "no links" than to get into battles over "how come his link is okay but mine is not?"

[TheRichJerksNet]

One reason why I started my own forum .... I can share and help all I want and no mods can tell me I can't..

James

[Paul Myers]

Suzanne,

It's offensive. I hate authoritarian behavior...

You mean... rules?

If someone were stepping into your space and forcing you to do something you didn't want, I'd be right there on your side, most of the time. But when you step into someone else's space, you play by their rules. The only absolute right you have in someone else's space is the right to leave unmolested if you choose.

That's how - and why - society works.

Every forum has rules. The fact that they don't suit your preferences does not make them bad. Just a bad fit.


Paul

[SuzanneR]

Paul--I appreciate what you're trying to say. But rules aren't always neutral like that.
There are rules...and then there are rules with an agenda.


It's pretty obvious (as someone who browsed there) that they are trying to hoard business for themselves--and they consider everyone else a threat. A forum with that type of flavor is bound to fail. From a business standpoint I don't get it. The whole idea of a forum is free exchange of ideas (as long as it's relevant to what the forum is about)

In any case, I didn't bother arguing with them. I'll never go back. And the person who was looking for advice really lost out because I had a resource that's exactly what he's looking for.

[SuzanneR]

Originally Posted by TheRichJerksNet

One reason why I started my own forum .... I can share and help all I want and no mods can tell me I can't..

James

that's an idea I might consider in the future. I've always wondered how much of a headache it is though.

Most forums I've been on (including here) would have no problem with the posts I made.

From a forum owner standpoint, however, I'm wondering what it would take before I got all uptight about others posting links.

[TheRichJerksNet]

Originally Posted by SuzanneR

that's an idea I might consider in the future. I've always wondered how much of a headache it is though.

Most forums I've been on (including here) would have no problem with the posts I made.

From a forum owner standpoint, however, I'm wondering what it would take before I got all uptight about others posting links.

I have not had a problem at all .. No my forum is not that large and that is ok because I do have some great members on it and it is 100% ad free.

As far as running one, it can be hard and it can be fun.. Depends upon how you look at it but also depends upon how large it is. The larger it is the more work involved ..

James

[SuzanneR]

good to know. Something to definitely think about. thanks.

[Paul Myers]

Suzanne,

There are rules...and then there are rules with an agenda.

All rules are the result of an agenda.

All of them. Every time. No exceptions.

As soon as you understand and accept that, you'll find that it bothers you a whole lot less. You just choose where and with whom to spend your time. You lose the desire to feel victimized by or to complain about how other people do things in their own space.


Paul

[DogScout]

every forum I have owned or run, I never had rules!

"Just one guide, treat others as you want to be treated."

when treated with respect and trust, the vast majority of people, even PITAs seem to change their evil ways (some anyway). One reason I like this forum is the admin is next to invisible and the expectation of acceptable behavior is largely respected. I think I have had a post or two deleted. I have no idea why, but I trust the admins here that that post might have contained something that might have offended another that I was unaware of. (or started a row, as I can be untactful sometimes... my tact valve is broke!)

As the admins here trust the members, so I trust the admins. They are more knowledgeable about this forum's idiosyncrasies that I am. I never complained or even mentioned a deletion (except here to make a point.) Trust, there is no substitute and the trust with this forum's admins was very quickly achieved with me, and I am usually very skeptical.

My hat (the grey one) is off to the admins here. They do a GREAT job compared to most places. They deserve notice and our thanks.

[SuzanneR]

Originally Posted by DogScout

My hat (the grey one) is off to the admins here. They do a GREAT job compared to most places. They deserve notice and our thanks.

hear hear! I guess I got spoiled. lol!

Loved your post. Really resonated. My sentiments exactly. :-)

[MJGrae]

Yea, agreed other forums suck. This is the best IM forum in the WORLD!

[sbucciarel]

Yes ... this forum is great but perhaps another forum owner doesn't want to deal with spam and exert energy into preventing it and moderating. Even if, as you say, they want all the action, since they are the forum owner, that is certainly their perogative.

I had a forum and there were rules. You could post links, but there definitely were rules and some didn't like them. I told them they were free not to participate, if they found the rules too overbearing.

I found running a forum to be a big pain in the a** and let the domain expire and deleted it.