elizabethrichardson wrote:

I look forward to seeing the rules and procedures for new members re-written to be much clearer. I also look forward to seeing the definition of 'spam' redefined.

Aaawwww jeezz Lizzy.... there ya go trying to change us again..... I don't think anyone much cared about the definition of SPAM except lil ol U. We never had a universal definition of SPAM and I doubt we really need one. Putting one into the TOS would likely cause more debate about this which I figure has been done to death.. in short, most folks have their own ......

I think the rules on self promotion and link dropping are failry clear... the Admins/Mods are here to gently nudge anyone that makes an 'innocent mistake' and Skip and I are here for the smack down on blatent self-promoting, link dropping marketers that are QUITE AWARE that they are Spamming the board because they do so all over the web ( haven't learned how to automate it yet... he he)

.... yer a hoot as always.... yer just bored cause the site reviews have been quiet today ... hee hee

You like the site review stuff... did ya read this http://forums.site-reference.com/topic/ … imization/  ... I figure some of that might interest U

TheGypsy wrote:

I think the rules on self promotion and link dropping are failry clear... the Admins/Mods are here to gently nudge anyone that makes an 'innocent mistake' and Skip and I are here for the smack down on blatent self-promoting, link dropping marketers that are QUITE AWARE that they are Spamming the board because they do so all over the web ( haven't learned how to automate it yet... he he)

LOL - - smack-down is our specialty...

TheGypsy wrote:

.... there ya go trying to change us again.....

Not you Dave...you're too precious just the way you are...just like to making people think about outdated behaviors and perceptions.

TheGypsy wrote:

.... yer a hoot as always.... yer just bored cause the site reviews have been quiet today ... hee hee

Whether people claim they like it or not - controversy is always beneficial for a forum providing firm boundaries remain in place - as they do here.

TheGypsy wrote:

You like the site review stuff... did ya read this http://forums.site-reference.com/topic/ … imization/  ... I figure some of that might interest U

Always resourceful - always teaching me something new - thank you!

Elizabeth

Nic

What is Spam?

Well, I like the vast majority of definitions for it, but want to add my $2! (Yeah, usually 2 cents, but this is me!) I think spam should also include annoying ads, as determined by the viewer! (Why? Well. why not?) With that, I also include commercials with screaming sales people, whether they’re used car sales people, lawyers, or shopping network pitch people, as well as, annoying talk show hostess (even if she is in the Forbes’ list of richest people) and repetitive sales-pitched, pain relief medication that you rub onto the spot with the pain! Sure, I watch commercial run TV, so I don’t mind constant commercial interruptions, but it’s still spam if it’s annoying!

As for my definition of spam, gonna go with Justice Potter Stewart, “…I know it when I see it!” Common sense needs a strong comeback, if we need new rules or more rules to participate in this forum!

elizabethrichardson wrote:
I would like to see the rules be rewritten to have clearer procedures.

i'd like to have a crystal clear set of rules as well and that’s something i hope we do one day but i do have a lot of work  and while this is in the pile it hasn't made it to the top yet...not the greatest excuse but the honest one

May the idea be like lead in water, and keep sinking to the bottom of the pile!

Gypsy

1. Email spam - unwanted, requested, non opt-in email ads
2. Forum Spam - wel ya'll Admins/Mods know that one
3. Blog comment spam - if have a Blog U know this one
4. SMM  Spam - spamming various social media ssite profiles
5. Web Spam - MFA (and related) sites that are auto generated and link spam their way to top SERPs (uselss sites)

Just one add-on to your first one:
1. Email spam - unwanted, requested, non opt-in email ads, including 2nd and 3rd party spammers. (Yeah, it, too, is common sense, but I guess my $2 is imparting commons sense. LOL)

Lizzy, I think it is certainly experience that can help one to know what is and isn't Spam on a forum. As far as innocent mistakes, I would have to say it's nearly obvious. A person making a lengthy post, actively being involved in oter threads is likely made a simple mistake....

Hey! I resemble that remark…except I never make mistakes.

JPRuss

Here's what bugs me, I go to the movies and pay way to much $ to watch the movie and way to much $ to buy the popcorn, and sit down and see car commercials...Is this spam?

YES!!! (As for paying for the movie and popcorn, sure looks like the movie house near you is doing well with “what the market will bear.” If it’s really too much, don’t go and/or don’t eat popcorn there.)

Who decides what is 'unwanted'? - democracy?...Wait ! that's what we need a social spam voting service, vote for the worst spam, and then it gets removed....

Depends on where the spam is – here? The owner(s) and/or mods. You’re e-mail, snail mail, phone line, or trips to the movies? You and/or your country, depending on what your legislators have made into law. As for voting service on this board – bad idea! Heaven forbid several folks get a hair up their butt about one person – all of those posts will be voted as spam! Never mistake forums for democracy. They are not ruled by the mob, but by the owners. Good ones just seem like they are truly free speech zones.

Elizabeth

I would like to see the rules be rewritten to have clearer procedures. I notice they they are a left-over from the old administrator as well.

Old administrator didn’t give away his hard work to someone, who did not share his views on what this site should be. I’ve been here, at least, two years. (I’m not counting, and don’t feel like looking it up, but you’ll see exactly how long under my avatar, if ya gotta know.) The only changes I’ve noticed during that time is better articles (usually), more consistency in the newsletters, the turtle and some green as a secondary color, and mostly well chosen mods, who have a real heart to keep this site going strong, and keep the forums and articles as useful as possible for everyone.

Didn’t even know there were rules and procedures past -- don’t put your links in your posts, use the signature instead (which I did, way back as a noob, because I knew part of this forum’s purpose was to get links to my sites, and that menu link “Profile” was just too juicy to pass up LOL), and the “new one” of no talking politics or religion (bummer, but I understand. LOL)

Truth be known, since this forum is included in our BLs, there really doesn’t need to be many more rules. After all, going back to a previous topic and article – what is forever kept as our responses on this forum, reflects on our reputation for our sites! Now, you are lucky! You have the same name as some TV personality, some famous people in history, and a few people in a variety of businesses, but my screenname is used for 80% of the forums I’ve ever visited. As long as I don’t go overboard, and – dare I repeat? – use common sense, I have no problems.

What’s wrong with just using common sense, instead of needing more rules? Seriously, I worry about people, who need more rules. Needing more rules always infers (in my mind) that the person is looking to see exactly how far he/she can push something, without going over the line.

Want a new rule? Here’s one that might let you see how far you can push that line – “Do to others what you would have them do to you!”

As a noob (as Dave so eloquently put it,) I did not understand what a 'signature' was when I first came here. I could have inadvertently used it in my post without realizing where the signature panel actually was.....just due to inexperience (and maybe something to do with my knickers as well).

I just found out within the last couple of months that Noob was a derogative name! Apparently, "honky," "harp," "4-eyes," and "American" are all supposed to be derogatory names, but, hey, except I can't play a harp, they all discribe me too well to take them as an insult. LOL Seriously, again, Dave is who he is. He calls some m8s, some sweeties and honies, and some Noobs. None of those words are derogatory, although all have been accurate! To him, you are a Noob, in more than one way -- on the board, which doesn't matter usually, and to the whole SEO thing, in which case, compared to him, most of us are Noobs.

I'm not a noob on this board, but am fairly noob to most of the topics on this board. (Two years is a small education, even if I've been soaking in as much as possible in that time.) Took a quick peek at your site, and I know you aren't a noob to SEO either. That being said, to Dave, you ARE a Noob, and he has much to teach you! Taunting or mocking is not a becoming attitude, especially when you mock someone, who has plenty to teach you. Don't confuse boldness with mocking, since few folks around you are fooled about the attitudes. If you want eloquent, go try a writing, poetry, semantics, or linguistics board.

As for the rest of your statement, and, had you done that, the mods would have done what they’ve done many times before – edited your comment to remove the link, and leave a message reminding everyone to put their links in their signature. No biggy!

I actually made a post requesting this action to be taken several days ago and was cautioned by one of the moderators...(but promptly deleted it after his PM) his words were...

Goes back to common sense! We are not all policemen here. Users have no right to play cops. When we see misuse (usually in the form of spam, too LOL) of the forum, PM a mod! Truthfully, I’ve never seen anyone keep their links in their posts, because the mods are so quick to correct! And, nosy me, I tend to miss out on the really juicy threads, because they're deleted before I find them! LOL

I still feel for any of the people who may have been innocent victims to the broadness of this policy.....I see how easily it could have happened to me.

What victim? Are you talking about those poor haunted souls, who had part of their message removed because they didn’t know to put links in signatures? If that’s the worst thing that ever happened to them, they’re living a very charmed life. I’m probably one of the thinnest-skinned people here, but I’ve never been victimized! I’m also as opinionated as I am longwinded! Who are these victims you worry about, and what are you worried will happen to them that will forever puncture their low self-esteem?!

As we have seen  by this discussion, people's definitions of spam are quite general and guided by personal opinion...and Northie, I respect you greatly, yet I cringed when you made the comment ...

Personally, spam is anything online that is unwanted and gets in my way!

...and know that this statement is just one example of how personal opinions can get in the way of a SOUND policy.

I’ve never understood how folks can respect people that they don’t even know yet. I agree with Northie, because I understand what he means. Flash intros get in my way – therefore SPAM! Landing on a frigging MFA site, when I’m trying to find something through SERPS, gets in my way, and is therefore SPAM! Coming onto a forum to help others, but finding sales pitches in the guise of a post gets in my way, and is therefore SPAM!  Deleting 2/3rds of my e-mail because it was unwanted gets in my way; therefore is SPAM!

Northie is an astute businessman with a propensity for finding ways to make money. He’s got a full-time, hard thinking job, a side joint venture, and mods for this forum. He answered a question. This is not to be confused with spelling out SR’s full-disclosure stuff – it is merely answering a question.

Might be helpful to realize this is just a question based on a post from you. This is not to be considered the inmates in the asylum are trying to teach the owners of the asylum how to run the place! Lately, I keep becoming surprised by the number of long time posters, who are becoming mods, but they all have things in common: they care about the forum and the people in it, they have practical related experience, and they have long fuses. (Yes! ALL of them!) One other thing they have in common, no desire to make a long-winded legal statement to be used as rules for the forum! You may want more rules. I’m out of here, if it ever gets that complicated, because…wellllllll, ummmm common sense should be enough!

OFF TOPIC (it's a pity I don't really wear knickers or I may have actually been able to use that as an excuse)

TMI! Way, Way TMI! (But then again, maybe since I'm not a guy! ) LOL

TA

Angel Eyes wrote:
or is that why TA tried to leave?

Nah -- I didn't try to leave; just stepped away for awhile as I've got other things on my plate ... so, I guess I'll leave my Spam... 

http://www.govtrav.net/site%20reference.jpg

‘bout time, you noticed the name of this hotel!

While we're at it Lynn, I have another one....

Audio Spam ..... as part of my recent rants on crappy SEO (internet marketing) offerings I have gone to more than a few 'hype marketing' type sites and one thing I am getting tired of is audio/video that starts up when I hit the page. I wish they'd put their crap on the page and OFFER me to listen/watch it....

Why don't they? Because they know I don't give a rats ass and wouldn't click on it... so they spam my senses with it..... bwaaaa ha ha ah a.... Audio SPam... I love it....

atwhatcost : This is not to be considered the inmates in the asylum are trying to teach the owners of the asylum how to run the place!

If I had a preferred forum model it would be centered around “habitat and lion pride”.

atwhatcost wrote:

TA

Angel Eyes wrote:
or is that why TA tried to leave?

Nah -- I didn't try to leave; just stepped away for awhile as I've got other things on my plate ... so, I guess I'll leave my Spam... 

http://www.govtrav.net/site%20reference.jpg

‘bout time, you noticed the name of this hotel!

Yeah, I know -- bags are packed...

Audio Spam

Not that I have my speakers on as a rule - but yes this should be an opt-in activity - just like that Site Pal thing - I don't want to spend by bandwidth on that!