A question for the users

[Blackjack]

Many sites swap traffic in exchange for paying for advertising within their sites. Case in point, if you visit my site, there is a direct link to this site, with this site's banner prominently displayed on the homepage. I do this because I believe that this is the best pool site on the internet, and I am extremely grateful to you (MIke) for posting my articles and providing a link to my site as well. OTOH, if somebody is just using the "discussion" forum to peddle their site or a product (without permission from the site admin), I see no reason why you should not remove the post. The CCb had a similar discussion a few years back about the Predator Pro Pool School ads, and around the same time period I had one of my posts removed because I posted information about my products and services(which were similar to the posts that Charlie Williams had done for his venture). Go figure. Remove the post/posts, or follow the link provided and talk directly the site admin about your stance on this issue.

 

[larrynj1]

blackjack and dave are outstanding contributors here imo. i think blackjack's articles are great, and dave's offer of free programs for beta testing, etc, can be a great help to td's. i'll say again, a commercial board here would be great if business' would offer sales and discounts to azb posters.

 

[Rude Dog]

I didn't see the Ads and I don't know who posted them, but I think that he should go Kill Himself.. imo

That's it, I'm taking my ad down, I've got too much life left in me to lose it over this stupid ad I put up. So, it's over, the jig is up, I'll just find somewhere else to sell my GUARANTEED LOTTERY WINNER.

 

[jjinfla]

Well if he is using your site to make money for himself and not compensating you then you are being had. But then I would also eliminate the regular posters who are walking billboards. Both in their signatures and in their messages. They too are taking advantage of you. But if it is just someone advertising a site and there is no monitary gain for them then I see nothing wrong with it.

It's your time and work that makes this board. It is up to you to run it the way you want it to be run.

The problem with letting one or two people use you, and not stopping them, is that soon everyone thinks that is the norm and they all do it and you become the floormat.

But personally it doesn't matter at all to me. It has been going on for as long as I have been here. If I see something I don't like I just go on to the next one. If someone rubs me the wrong way I just "Ignore" them.

Jake

 

[GeraldG]

Mike,
My opinion (fwiw) is that you should PM the offender and politely tell him that his posts are in violation of your forum rules and ask him not to do it again. Tell him that he's welcome to stay and contribute to the forum, but not to use your site to advertise his own site in that manner. If he does it again anyway, delete the post and ban him permanently. You are providing a valuable service for the billiards community. The very least the participants can do is respect your rules. It sounds to me like all this guy wants to do is use your resources for free advertising for his enterprise. There is an ethics problem there.

 

[sjm]

You could make it so advertising in someone's signature is OK, but not in a message.

That's a great idea.

 

[Comeback Kid]

I feel this site should be used for advice and the answers of questions that people need rather than a free advertising spot for someone trying to make a buck. Just my opinion......Rich

I have a question that I would like an opinion on.

There was recently a post to the forums advertising a service that a small billiards site was offering. I am usually pretty easy going about people coming on and advertising what they are doing as long as they contribute to the conversation.

I did a little research and this person had posted 3 times and they were all ads for his site. One of them was even a 'Hey I saw this cool site but want to know what you think about it' type post where he was talking about his own site.

My first thought was just to ban the user for life and move on, but I thought that maybe I was being to harsh.

Anyone have an opinion on something like this?

Mike

 

[sixpack]

I have a question that I would like an opinion on.

There was recently a post to the forums advertising a service that a small billiards site was offering. I am usually pretty easy going about people coming on and advertising what they are doing as long as they contribute to the conversation.

I did a little research and this person had posted 3 times and they were all ads for his site. One of them was even a 'Hey I saw this cool site but want to know what you think about it' type post where he was talking about his own site.

My first thought was just to ban the user for life and move on, but I thought that maybe I was being to harsh.

Anyone have an opinion on something like this?

Mike

Mike,

What irritates me is that once I responded to a post like that on here, with my honest opinion, that the product mentioned on the site was overpriced. and the person almost immediately deleted their post and replaced it with another one to get rid of my response.

I think a warning is in order for deceptive ads, such as the one described, and a second violation maybe they should be banned. People who are giving information about a product that people seem to want and who are regular contributors, should be allowed some leeway. For example, I do like to hear about OHBs poster of him and St. Louis Louie.

Cheers,
Regas

 

[larrynj1]

ohb has a poster?? LMAO!!

 

[kdd9]

I'm in agreement that a permanent ban for a first offense may be a bit harsh. Maybe a warning first and see if that curbs it.

 

[Jimmy M.]

I have a question that I would like an opinion on.

There was recently a post to the forums advertising a service that a small billiards site was offering. I am usually pretty easy going about people coming on and advertising what they are doing as long as they contribute to the conversation.

I did a little research and this person had posted 3 times and they were all ads for his site. One of them was even a 'Hey I saw this cool site but want to know what you think about it' type post where he was talking about his own site.

My first thought was just to ban the user for life and move on, but I thought that maybe I was being to harsh.

Anyone have an opinion on something like this?

Mike

I say, whatever you want to do! It's your board! If you don't care to have people who post nothing but shameless plugs for their own sites, ban the creeps! =)

P.S. Visit http://www.msn.com/. Tell 'em Jimmy sent you.

 

[jjinfla]

I just scrolled through a few of the current threads and came up with the following ads either in the Avatar or the signatue. Some had ads in both.

www.hightowercues.com
Nielson's billiard supplies
Break Trainer
Classiccues
Predator
Roscoe's House of Chicken Waffles (What is this?)
www.breakrak.com
www.pooltablemagic.com
www.platinumbilliards.com

All of the above are just blatant ads.
Just like all the pool studs out there who say, "you want to play me? Okay. How much a set? No freebies.)

If it was me I wouldn't allow any of these ads unless they wanted to pay for them.

But that is me, I prefer to be paid for my services rather than give them away. You ae free to do as you please.

And you do know that all those pretty names and logos on race cars and race car driver's hats and suits pay mightly for the privilage of being there. And there are people in the industry who actually count how much face time a logo gets to the public.

Now that a certain pro is being sponsored by another sponsor I wonder how long before we start seeing new posters ask the question, "I am going to buy a new pool table - what do you think of ------ table?"

Actually you probably have the opportunity of forming a pretty good business in selling ads on your site via the Avatar and Signature. If they pay for them fine. If not, then we are better off without them.

I once rented a bench sign. I had to pay for prep plus so much a month, six month minimum.

And if someone wants to put a flyer in our magazine that is distributed to 2400 homes you have to supply the flyer and the charge is $125 per month for insertion. (That sure does sound high to me but every month we get a half dozen flyers in our magazine).

But you will never know unless you try.

Jake

 

[cueman]

I just scrolled through a few of the current threads and came up with the following ads either in the Avatar or the signatue. Some had ads in both.

www.hightowercues.com
Nielson's billiard supplies
Break Trainer
Classiccues
Predator
Roscoe's House of Chicken Waffles (What is this?)
www.breakrak.com
www.pooltablemagic.com
www.platinumbilliards.com

All of the above are just blatant ads.
Just like all the pool studs out there who say, "you want to play me? Okay. How much a set? No freebies.)

If it was me I wouldn't allow any of these ads unless they wanted to pay for them.

But that is me, I prefer to be paid for my services rather than give them away. You ae free to do as you please.

And you do know that all those pretty names and logos on race cars and race car driver's hats and suits pay mightly for the privilage of being there. And there are people in the industry who actually count how much face time a logo gets to the public.

Now that a certain pro is being sponsored by another sponsor I wonder how long before we start seeing new posters ask the question, "I am going to buy a new pool table - what do you think of ------ table?"

Actually you probably have the opportunity of forming a pretty good business in selling ads on your site via the Avatar and Signature. If they pay for them fine. If not, then we are better off without them.

I once rented a bench sign. I had to pay for prep plus so much a month, six month minimum.

And if someone wants to put a flyer in our magazine that is distributed to 2400 homes you have to supply the flyer and the charge is $125 per month for insertion. (That sure does sound high to me but every month we get a half dozen flyers in our magazine).

But you will never know unless you try.

Jake

Since you mentioned me putting my web address at the bottom of my posts I feel I should respond. I have never heard that was against the rules and have seen many others in the Ask The Cuemaker forum doing the same. Mike's beef was that those who only post a advertisement and never offer anything worth while in posting get on his nerves. You will see I post alot and answer questions about cuemaking and other things. Are my posts worth while? The reader decides. Does Mike want to say no web addresses at the bottom of the posts? That is up to him. Do some cuemakers offer their assistance here in order to get a little exposure? I would say so. Could they find something else to do with their time? Yes. Would they still post if not allowed to put name or web address at the end of their posts? Who knows. My guess is some would not be posting as much.
Chris
www.hightowercues.com

 

[chefjeff]

I didn't see the Ads and I don't know who posted them, but I think that he should go Kill Himself.. imo

I hoping you're kidding about death for the "crime" of advertising here. I hope.

Advertising provides values for us. It allows us to easily and cheaply investigate cool products and services. I like the ads and have visited many of the web sites mentioned in them. I don't want them to go away completely or this whole site loses some of its remarkable value.

What I don't like is to be fooled up front by a marketer. This shows me that the marketer is dishonest and probably not worth doing business with. If he's attempts to trick me to going to his site, he'll most likely attempt to trick me again, perhaps with shoddy products or pricing that doesn't reflect the values offered.

Again, the problem here on the AZ board has solved itself, as we have trashed the poster completely and I'll bet he hasn't made a dime from any AZers, and never will.

How about a sticky thread that critiques any site advertised here, whether paid for or not?

Jeff Livingston

 

[JimS]

A warning first. Then, if the warning is not enough, a week's suspension, then revoke their posting privileges.

If he is contributing to the discussions in a informative and/or helpful way then mentioning his business on occasion, when the mention is relative to the discussion, should be permitted, imo.

Mike, you always seem to me to be interested in promoting pool sincerely and rationally and I think you'll use your conscience as your guide very successfully in regards to this problem. You have my confidence.

If it might be of any help, I participate in two auto detailing disucssion sites and you might benefit from contacting them for suggestions. Try www.detailcity.com talk to Dwayne. Great guy and knowledgeable.

 

[pete lafond]

Maybe you should consider a special forum for announcements. Generally forums allow users to post comments to forum related items and at the signature section users can place a quote or reference to their business. This is more professional.

 

[jjinfla]

Since you mentioned me putting my web address at the bottom of my posts I feel I should respond.
Chris
www.hightowercues.com

I was not picking on you Chris. As I stated I just went through a few threads and copied down the ads that I saw. Yours just happened to be the first one I saw. And it is a nice website I might ad. And as you state the ads (links) have been there for a long time and if they are okay then what is the big deal about picking on one person who may have posted a blatant ad? He probably thought, as you did, and I did, that it was okay. In fact, I still think it is okay or else they would be gone.

But then I didn't see the post that got Mike's attention. Or, if I did, I must not have thought it was so bad. It couldn't be any worse than all those phony Predator posts that used to be on here.

Actually, if Mike didn't like it he should hav just deleted it and contacted the writer telling him why.

I only wish I had a business so that I could put up a reference to my business at the end of my posts. Hey, I collect the $1 casino chips maybe I can put that at the end. Or Lionel trains. I buy Lionel trains and $1 Casino chips. LOL

Actually the only posts that really get to me are the ones that promise great wealth by sending people on a list some money. The chain letter posts. As stupid as they are, people fall for them.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Jake

 

[1pRoscoe]

Nielson's billiard supplies

Roscoe's House of Chicken Waffles (What is this?)

You obviously skipped over what I wrote in this thread earlier.

Yeah, my avatar is an advertisement.... It's a joke, hero. Chill out. Notice my user name? See the correlation between that and my real name now?

Ross

 

[jjinfla]

You obviously skipped over what I wrote in this thread earlier.

Yeah, my avatar is an advertisement.... It's a joke, hero. Chill out. Notice my user name? See the correlation between that and my real name now?

Ross

Very clever Ross. And here I was wondering what chicken and waffles would taste like. But then in Chicago we had chitlin pizza. Never did get around to trying that.

And Cueman, I sent your website to my bud the fledgeling cue maker here in Ocala and he wrote back saying he bought his lathe from you. Small world.
Made a few nice cues with it too.

Jake

 

[Rickw]

Mike,

I think you should let people know what your expectations are regarding this, perhaps when they apply to join the forum? After that, yank them as soon as you notice it. You have many vendors that post here but most of them contribute quite a bit while they're selling their wares. Seems like a fair exchange to me. If they're not contributing anything, then it's just a one-way proposition.