I can see that unrestrained commercial posting on the main discussion forums could go astray.
I think the best suggestions so far have been the ones to have a separate makers forum, which could include both commercial posts and discussions of whistle building details. Then, perhaps whistle (and flute/concertina/bodhran/bouzouki) makers could use their monthly posts to simply point out more detailed posts on that forum, and the rules could remain the same for the remaining forums. And, of course, you could keep the rule restricting explicit comparisons to the instruments of other makers, just to promote peace and tranquility.
As for the Google ads, I’ll say again that I think they are fine. I scarcely notice them.
I voted to eliminate all rules. Surely we are mostly adult enough to read between the lines of a commercial post. And of course there would be more posts about whistles to balance up all those OT threads.
I don’t think that I would ever have tried a Serpent whistle without all of Bill’s commercial posts. No, I didn’t particularly like it but I did at least get to try one!!
Ah, but then I’m an anarchist at heart.
You’d think so, but what would we do when we started getting spammed? Most of us are adults, but there’s always a small number of @^#%# idiots lurking in any large group.
Yes, but we don’t have the resource here to block (“killfile”, remember?) senders. Even if we had, we’d end up getting it anyway, quoted, when other people reply to them.
Ok Why not try the impossible and keep everyone happy,
why not introduce a forum especially for commercial posts,
that way if ppl are interested they can look without it being thrust down their throat on the main instrument forums,
It would probably provide a good service and be quite beneficial, possibly enhancing discussion in the other various discussion forums
What do you think?
Regards
David
It seems fine to me too, the way it is. I’m guessing that if some people are not responding to the poll, they also must be satisfied with the way things are.
I think it’s fine the way it is. Right now it’s an honorable system. Commercial posts get on occaisionally but only with permission. When there is a commercial post it is usually something interesting about something totally new or a big deal like a new whistlemaker announcing his/her wares. It’s gentlemanly. I like that. I voted to leave it alone too.
I voted to leave them as they are, following my initial gut reaction to the question.
I post announcements of music workshops from time to time and, frankly, most of you are too far away to take advantage of these excellent learning opportunities anyway.
But there are plenty of more appropriate venues to try to support a business, and people in business should go ahead and pay whatever tariff there is and accept that as the cost of doing business.
Maybe Dale should charge a fee for items sold through the forum to help support the enterprise. Why should sellers take advantage of his good will just to avoid paying eBay fees?
(Yeah, right, like he’s going to study all the posts and send out invoices. But whenever he’s made a general plea for money, I’ve sent some. I haven’t always been in the position to be generous so it’s just my way of saying “thanks” to a higher authority. That is, higher than Dale, if you can imagine such an entity.)
As one who has now succumbed to not one, but two initially-innocent-seeming “Flute FS” posts on the Flute Main Message Board, I’m not averse to a separate “For Sale” forum. That way (if I have the strength), I can avoid that forum entirely, remain blissfully ignorant of those dreaded “Blackwood Pratten 6-Key Olwell FS” posts that happen to appear, and go peacefully about my life … & thus escape being sucked into the miserable torment that is The IFF (Itchy Flute Fingers) Vortex.
Would it be possible to simply set up a Commercial Listing section, where people can go to check out what ever is available, with reviews able to be posted, etc… while the regular boards remain virtually commercial free. Discussions of them could still be allowed on the reg boards, even links to the commercial posts for those who choose to use them. With limits on number of posts - perhaps one that can be edited regularly with a length limit? Don’t know if policing that would be necessary or an option.
Perhaps a small fee for the privelege of the commercial listing isn’t outrageous either, though it needn’t be much, I’d imagine - enough to cover the additional bandwidth?
If this has already been considered, I’lll just slink away and pretend to practice my whistle…
