Dale's Whistle Maker rules were detrimental to the site.

[FJohnSharp]

I don't think anything any of the makers has done in the last few months is the particularly bothersome. I kind of like it when they announce new products, because I do not spend any time scouring all their web sites for that type information. I like that it's restricted to the degree it is, but I wouldn't be in favor f it being restricted more.

[Chuck_Clark]

Personally I have not read any of Serpents posts, I switch off the moment I think someone is launching a load of sales pitch.
I think however the restrictions on commercial posts are fine, I simply hate it when people try to sell you stuff all the time, we had our Steve Powers, Phil Hardys nad the like and recently Mike Burke is is jumping at every occasion to tell us he has a CD in stock and wouldn't it be grand if we ordered it all with him. I don't care for that behaviour at all, if I want to read adds, I'll start opening the spam or read the back end pages of the Clare Champion.

Well said! My sentiments exactly.

My personal favorite instrument makers don't advertise here at all - and they ARE members. They're the ones who answer with facts when someone asks for help, but either never tout their stuff here or limit themselves to one very low key announcement on a far less than monthly basis. We all know who I mean. I love the fact that real musicians and instrument makers choose to be part of this community, but I'm put off when they start acting like used car salesmen.

[Whistle_along_Cassidy]

I always try to avoid those threads, but i also try to avoid ones like these. Everone expressing his or her oppion and the thread keeps goin on and on. It just gets boring. If you have a problem with something about this board keep it to yourself you dont have to tell everone. I love this board, even though i dont post too much, it is where i can meet people just like me who love to play music and that is what it should all be about.
Andrew Cassidy

[PhilO]

Dale - Sleep tight; it's a decent and reasonable compromise policy and makers should easily be able to help people with technical problems, join in board discussions and still keep within the guidelines. I understand where Peter's coming from as well; movie theaters now show, in addition to really fun traditional movie previews, adds for f------- TV shows....argggghhhh!

Finally, the makers who really want to announce any new trends or products should establish their own specific e-mailing lists from their own sites. Rich and Dale are IMHO correct that this Board not be used primarily or to any large degree for individual commercial advertising.

And the above comes from a blatant WHOA collector who loves to hear about and try new whistle products ad infinitum...

Regards,

PhilO

[Brian Lee]

:roll: Aren't there any bigger problems in our lives than this? I can understand BOTH points of view, but honestly guys...how hard do you want to nitpick stuff like this? Sheesh.

[Celtoid]

If I thought that our whistle makers were going to get rich at our expense then i would be pretty ticked off at the free advertising on this site. Making something of beauty and function with your hands is to me the next most respectable thing to being a mother and raising children. And like being a homemaker, being a craftsman rarely yields the compensation that the person's art deserves. So in my mind, I see a commercial spot by a regular-posting craftman in a different light than a commercial from General Motors. At the same time, if Dale did not come up with somekind of guide rules then a free-for-all could take place with too many posts being for whistle sales information. Still, if we can have OT posts about looking for a lost cat or something, then a post with an announcement or two certainly seems OK to me. Finding a happy medium is a misnomer because it pleases no one, and dale has had a lot of trouble trying to work this one out, because our craftmen are part of our community not a greedy outside force trying to exploit us. Serpent has had a high profile of late due to the raffle and the half-price deal which created many threads and reviews, all of which I enjoyed. One of the reasons that I like to come here (besides all the cool OT threads) is to find out about whistles and read reviews and so forth. Yet I don't want to read nothing but commercial information because I can go to the makers' web sites for that. (shruggs shoulders like a Frenchman) Que faire?

[Wombat]

Gee this is dull after the Uilleann Pipes Forum.

[Nanohedron]

Gee this is dull after the Uilleann Pipes Forum.

Wombat, the pipers have all simmered down now, and are back to diligently scraping their reeds.

[Wombat]

Gee this is dull after the Uilleann Pipes Forum.

Wombat, the pipers have all simmered down now, and are back to diligently scraping their reeds.

So I noticed. I got into the elevator and noticed that somebody had diligently removed the f*rt. Still entertaining though. Oops, did I really say that? Well you know things are dull when you wish someone would f*rt.

[LeeMarsh]

This issue surfaces from time to time and currently there are two related thread running on it. Rather than reposting on this thread, please take a look at my post on the <a href=http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... rt=15>'Got my hand slapped' thread.</a>

It all about how you ...

[Nanohedron]

Why, Wombat! Thank you for the reference. I'm touched...but everybody knows that.

[Whistlepeg]

This has come up before, but could we not have a forum specifically for makers, sellers, traders etc. of instruments and items of interest to Chiff & Fipplers? Other types of groups have a "sellers" section.
Many C&Fers are interested in what's available, what's new etc. so it would be great to have a place where they can get/share that information.
If it is not appropriate to have it as part of the other forums - why not set up a "Market Place" or "Yard Sale" type forum?? Anyone not interested can stay away from it. Personally, I like to hear about instruments, CDs, & other stuff for sale. To me, that is far more interesting than what movie is most popular right now or how many whistles someone has or how long they have been waiting for their order, or politics etc ....etc.....etc.......

[Daniel_Bingamon]

I don't think that there is any problem with instrument makers talking shop here. A certain amount of restraint from outright advertising is needed. I have been on the MIMF (Music Instrument Makers Forum) www.mimf.com for a few years and they have restrictions about makers advertising their but yet everyone there talks shop. One that board, the advertising is also heard back because the board is selling a advertising service. I'm sure C&F could have a paid classified section to pay internet bills if the idea was wanted or needed. And rich should have option available to him.

BTW - If C&F ever had a classified for non-makers if actually be useful to us makers because it lets us see what whistles are traded and what people keep.

[brewerpaul]

Jeez-- this all comes up just when I was going to offer a free set of Ginsu steak knives with each Busman whistle sold. :=(

Actually, I don't really have any problems with Dale's guidelines. Much as I like to sell whistles, I'd hate to see my favorite board become nothing but a commercial site. A little common sense will hopefully prevail among all concerned.

I know that as a maker of a rather niche-market item, there are not a huge number of forums where I can publicise what I make. Without something like Chiff and Fipple , where else would people ever hear about handmade whistles? Just to keep things above board, I almost always run my posts past Dale before posting here.

Now, what am I going to do with all those steak knives?

[avanutria]

Now, what am I going to do with all those steak knives?

You could start a combination juggling school and medical center...