Poll: Commercial policies on C&F

Post by **Dale** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:07 am

Before answering, you might want to read the commercial policies--Very top thread on the board.

Thanks.

ADDED NOTE: I put this poll up at about the same moment that someone posted to a commercial thread by Gary (raindog), which bumped it up into close proximity to my poll post. That could have left the impression that I was reacting to Gary's post. Not at all. Just a total coincidence. Actually, my poll was precipitated by a few regulars stating a wish for laxer policies.

CHIFF FIPPLE · Post by **CHIFF FIPPLE** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:11 am

it an't broke----- so :roll:

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:17 am

I voted for "loosening" them up. The reason is that I think you've broken your own rules by bringing in the GoogleAds. There are at least a couple of avid C&F posters whose businesses frequently appear in these new ads . . .

And come on, given how venomous the collective WE become in threads, I think it would be hard for anyone to get away with abusing the forum as a "merely commercial" forum.

So relax.

Stuart

Post by **Dale** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:18 am

While we're at it, for those of you who vote to loosen them up, I'd welcome your posts about suggestions on how to do that.

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:20 am

As a professional whistlesmith, a considerable part of whose living depends on the whistle business, I'm very comfortable with the guidelines as they are now.

There's plenty of room for inviting suggestions and feedback from board members, announcing new things, answering questions, posting monthly listings of everything one is doing. I see no need whatever for more leeway in the commercial guidelines. I also think the guidelines as they stand are effective for keeping a semblance of order and preventing us from going overboard with our commercial posts.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Post by **Dale** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:27 am

sturob wrote:I voted for "loosening" them up. The reason is that I think you've broken your own rules by bringing in the GoogleAds.

Yes. I'm always doing that. I'm a rule-breaker. A scofflaw. I'm a rebel. A drifter. A loner. I'm bad news, Baby. You don't want to get mixed up with a guy like me.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:44 am

I voted for leaving them the way they are. As things stand whistlemakers are free to discuss their whistlemaking without blatantly pushing their business all the time.
What I can do without is whistlemakers raving on all the time how great their whisltes are, how perfectly tuned they are etc, or retailers breaking into every thread to announce they can 'help' us get the recordings of the artist under discussion orthe whistle the thread is about. That was why the rules are there I think and as far as i am concerned it is working well.

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 10:52 am

DaleWisely wrote:
sturob wrote:I voted for "loosening" them up. The reason is that I think you've broken your own rules by bringing in the GoogleAds.
Yes. I'm always doing that. I'm a rule-breaker. A scofflaw. I'm a rebel. A drifter. A loner. I'm bad news, Baby. You don't want to get mixed up with a guy like me.

I find myself strangely attracted to you now, Dale.

beowulf573 · Post by **beowulf573** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:05 am

Has the possiblity of a dedicated commercial forum been discussed?

Post by **Dale** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:14 am

blackhawk wrote:
DaleWisely wrote:
sturob wrote:I voted for "loosening" them up. The reason is that I think you've broken your own rules by bringing in the GoogleAds.
Yes. I'm always doing that. I'm a rule-breaker. A scofflaw. I'm a rebel. A drifter. A loner. I'm bad news, Baby. You don't want to get mixed up with a guy like me.
I find myself strangely attracted to you now, Dale.

Ah, you're just a kid. A kid with a crush. I'm trying to tell you: I'll only break your heart. You'll wake up one morning and I'll be gone. Gone without a trace--if you don't count the unpaid bills, the beer bottles, and the warrants. Trust me--well, don't trust me, but----understand---it'll all be for the best this way. You'll find another Whistle Journalist. Another guy who can barely play the damn instrument, who was born and raised in the southern USA his entire life, and has somehow managed to become a celebrity in Irish music. A minor one, certainly. A VERY minor one, even. You'll find another guy who has suddenly found the key to a fast buck. Not drugs. Ha! Not gambling. Ha! Not prostitution. NO! The key: Google Ads. The kinda money I've never seen before. The kind that'll get you a warm and saggy bed at the Motel 6. A big steak at Denny's. And with that change in your pocket, you get to stand out in your underwear on the balcony of your Motel 6 room---if they had balconies--and if no one called the police--and look up in the stars and say to yourself "Hey. Those stars are spelling out MY name across the sky. And that one's moving. And now that one seems to be moving. And now they seem to be forming some kind of cluster and now there's this cigar-shaped thing that seems to be mov//////////BRK///////////INTRNeT MONITOR SUBROUTN "M6"//////BRK/////KEYLOOP OVERRIDE AUTHORIZE "VIAGRA"/////BRK////STOP

Post by **Dale** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:16 am

Hey. So far the poll is looking like Nixon v. McGovern.

djm · Post by **djm** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 12:05 pm

One option you didn't offer in your poll is a separate For Sale forum. I would very much like to see the new adverts that recently appeared at the top of each forum REMOVED and placed into a separate thread. This new forum would allow makers to advertise, sellers to advertise, and eBay scroungers to post their finds, instead of clogging up the discussion forums.

djm

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 12:18 pm

Leave it be. The GoogleAds are just a billboard, the rent from whch helps pay the bills . If some of our commercial people want to get in on that part, they should contact Google. As for the rest of the board, if you've ever seen a board that allowed unrestricted commercial posting you wouldn't want it. It becomes very irritating very fast, especially if a few sellers decide to get into a trade war.

FWIW, I never believe what an advertiser says, anyway. One respectful post a month is more than enough to let us know you're there - beyond that, count on your work and word of mouth to sell your product - or sink it as the case may be.

Post by **rich** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 12:19 pm

sturob wrote:I voted for "loosening" them up. The reason is that I think you've broken your own rules by bringing in the GoogleAds. There are at least a couple of avid C&F posters whose businesses frequently appear in these new ads . . .

Google advertising is paid. Anyone wishing to advertise via Google is welcome to pay them, choose the right keywords, and have their ads appear here in the ad banners, separate from the post content.

The commercial-posts policy is regarding free advertising here amongst the discussion, not paid advertising separate from it.

Jon C. · Post by **Jon C.** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 12:56 pm

I like the idea of a seperate forum for flute and whistle sales, new and used. That way if you don't want ot look at it you don't have to go there.
There could be discussions with the various makers in a more friendly, "not afraid to break the rules" forum.

Jon

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