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Jeez it's difficult to help people in this place!

by NoGimmicks
8 replies
This is obviously a forum where a lot of people who run online businesses visit and spend time, so why is it then that it's to difficult to try and help those people without getting threads deleted?

I posted a thread about a couple of issues with a membership script used by 35,000 people (along with a link to where people could get details of how to fix the issues) - thread got deleted.

After a comment saying along the lines of "put the details here rather than direct people to your site for answers", I did exactly that - thread got deleted.

There's a pretty major security issue with plugins (and themes that use those plugins) that thousands of people use for their online businesses. Absolutely no link to my site, only a link to the official announcement of the issue. Thread got deleted.

If you're running an online business, then surely the security of your website (and everything that can be taken from it if it's hacked) is pretty important?

Me - I'd like to be told there's an issue with something so I can be aware of it and take whatever action is needed - wouldn't you?

Seriously, trying to pass on useful info here is hard work sometimes - a lot harder than it should be that's for sure.

Martin

Moderated: And here's the rest of the story...

You did create a post, as was suggested, to give people the information you thought they needed. But you left your original post intact, link and all. You don't get to link to your site in your posts, that's been against the rules for years.

Reposting a deleted thread is also against the rules. So your second thread actually violated two rules: reposting a deleted thread and posting a link to your site.

And, posting a thread about your thread being deleted is against the rules as well. You might want to read those rules.
#difficult #jeez #people #place
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Hi Martin,

    Originally Posted by NoGimmicks View Post

    why is it then that it's to difficult to try and help those people without getting threads deleted?
    It's easy for some people; difficult for others. Honestly.

    Originally Posted by NoGimmicks View Post

    I posted a thread about a couple of issues with a membership script used by 35,000 people (along with a link to where people could get details of how to fix the issues) - thread got deleted.
    Did you post it in the Review Forum, where it perhaps belonged, or in the Main Marketing Forum?

    Originally Posted by NoGimmicks View Post

    After a comment saying along the lines of "put the details here rather than direct people to your site for answers"
    You directed people to your own site, for answers? Yes, that would be deleted, for sure. You can perhaps imagine what the board would look like, in a forum with over 800,000 members, if people were allowed to make posts here directing people to their own sites?! Spamfest City. Not your intention at all, I appreciate, but you can see why that policy's absolutely inevitable?

    Originally Posted by NoGimmicks View Post

    There's a pretty major security issue with plugins (and themes that use those plugins) that thousands of people use for their online businesses. Absolutely no link to my site, only a link to the official announcement of the issue. Thread got deleted.
    Not sure why would that would be. Possibly it lived in "Reviews"? Possibly it looked like a link to your own site? Possibly it looked like it was posted for the purpose of drawing attention to your own signature-file? Possibly it was even a mistake by a moderator (the occasional one is inevitable!).

    Originally Posted by NoGimmicks View Post

    Seriously, trying to pass on useful info here is hard work sometimes
    It can be. It honestly does tend to be a lot easier for people who are familiar with the forum's rules and policies. Not everyone is. But when you've been a member since 2010 and made a couple of hundred posts, the moderators are probably going to assume that you are/should be, and not allow you very much leeway over issues like this?

    If you're starting a thread, to discuss matters of a web security, I think you'd probably increase your chances significantly if you disable your "web security" signature-file in the initial post, too: it doesn't raise any questions about your motivation, if you do that? But I didn't see your thread(s) anyway, and I'm only guessing now ).

    .
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    • Profile picture of the author lgibbon
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post


      You directed people to your own site, for answers? Yes, that would be deleted, for sure.


      Yes, there's a couple more the mods need to clean up that also link to his site
      and match his sig file.

      Some people must think we came down in the last shower.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Originally Posted by NoGimmicks View Post

    This is obviously a forum where a lot of people who run online businesses visit and spend time, so why is it then that it's to difficult to try and help those people without getting threads deleted?

    I posted a thread about a couple of issues with a membership script used by 35,000 people (along with a link to where people could get details of how to fix the issues) - thread got deleted.

    After a comment saying along the lines of "put the details here rather than direct people to your site for answers", I did exactly that - thread got deleted.

    There's a pretty major security issue with plugins (and themes that use those plugins) that thousands of people use for their online businesses. Absolutely no link to my site, only a link to the official announcement of the issue. Thread got deleted.

    If you're running an online business, then surely the security of your website (and everything that can be taken from it if it's hacked) is pretty important?

    Me - I'd like to be told there's an issue with something so I can be aware of it and take whatever action is needed - wouldn't you?

    Seriously, trying to pass on useful info here is hard work sometimes - a lot harder than it should be that's for sure.

    Martin
    You've been here awhile, at least timewise so you should have a pretty good feel for what's allowed and what isn't. Since I arrived here in 2008 I've had three times the number of posts/threads deleted than you have posts. Not once did it bother me.

    I have no idea if you were coloring outside the lines, though you're mentioning dangerous plugins while you've got a web security link in your sig. That alone is enough for a few of the mods to call this thread a self promo. Not just that but starting a thread lamenting your deleted post is way off limits. That is right there, plainly stated in the rules. So this is more of the same. Could it be a pattern? Don't know.

    My advice to you would be forget it. Some stuff sticks and other stuff doesn't.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      There are two threads by the OP in the "reviews" section - both are warnings about plugins/security threats.

      One is from Aug 28 - one from last week.

      How many warnings do you need to issue? Could it people might take it wrong when your threads are about "security" and that what's featured in your signature?

      P.S. - As Les noticed - both of those threads above link to YOUR site. That usually doesn't fly here in any section.
      Signature
      Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
      ***
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      that's why there are so many of us.
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  • Profile picture of the author NoGimmicks
    Appreciate the reply but in point of fact the initial thread that got deleted was in the review forum. After contacting support on site here to ask why it was removed and how I can stay within the site rules, I was told that the review section was the wrong place as it wasn't a review, hence my new post in the main forum.

    That post survived long enough for someone to reply effectively suggesting "don't link to your site otherwise it'll look like a traffic/lead gen", so I expanded on the subject (as that wasn't my intention), gave all the relevant details, and bam - deleted.

    As for today's post, as I say, no link-back (I've not even got anything on my site about the issue I reported today yet), all details were in the post (albeit brief as I was posting from my mobile due to traveling), and again - deleted.

    Yes - I've been here for a few years. And no, I've not had any posts deleted prior to now so I generally know how to stay within the guidelines, but it's frustrating when literally all I'm trying to do is inform people of issues so they can fix them before they get hacked only for those posts to be removed.

    I know how busy staff/mods will be here, but a little guidance on where I've gone wrong would have gone a long way so that I can correct the action going forward. As a relatively long term member it'd be nice to think that I'd earned that at least.

    In terms of my signature, it's changed to avoid any confusion about what I'm actually trying to achieve here.
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    Sick of your products ending up on warez sites?
    Keep an eye out for StealthMarker...
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    • Profile picture of the author M3C
      I spent a significant amount of time assisting an individual with their start up blog.

      The thread was deleted, apparently it was too promotional.

      I didn't feel the guy was doing anything than asking for help on how to improve his site.

      It's a tough line for the mods, but I think there's too heavy a hand at times.

      It's made me not want to invest my time again in useful, detailed answers.
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  • Profile picture of the author NoGimmicks
    OK, in the vain hope that it makes a difference, I've changed my sig and updated the threads to remove any link to my site.

    For what it's worth, no - I don't think anyone came down in the last shower. There are many (many) people on the WF that I've contacted personally over the past 4 years to let them know about security issues on their site. None of which was promotional, all of which were aimed at helping them.

    I've done the same outside of the WF too, with some pretty big names in the IM arena. Again, not for publicity but to assist other business people.

    Hope that clears things up.

    If a mod wants to contact me to let me know how I can better pass this info on here then that'd be useful.

    Martin
    Signature
    Sick of your products ending up on warez sites?
    Keep an eye out for StealthMarker...
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    • Profile picture of the author salegurus
      Originally Posted by NoGimmicks View Post


      If a mod wants to contact me to let me know how I can better pass this info on here then that'd be useful.

      Martin
      Maybe, but the Mods don't have the time to contact every member to explain things.
      After 4 years you should at least have a basic understanding of the forum rules?

      PS. Don't take it personally, just move on...
      Signature
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