I know this sounds pretty extreme, but I have a couple reasons for suggesting this:

1) Almost every thread in that forum contains replies that violate one or another of the board rules.

2) The lack of professionalism of the "companies" which make the majority of replies in that forum are not representative of our industry as a whole. Giving such prominance to that mess is degrading to the reputation of our industry, and insulting and embarrassing to the responsible professional people in this business.

3) Treating those replies with respect, especially protecting them from critisicm and archiving them for posterity is misleading and harmful to the hosting newbies who come here looking for guidance. There should not be one forum where people can boast of security flaws as though they were features!

4) There is an acknowledged problem with indivduals misusing that forum to make fraudulent offers and basically rip people off. By disallowing comment and argument about those offers WHT and it's owner and moderators may be subject to legal liability when these thieves continue to prey on visitors. It's kind of like maintaining an unlighted parking lot when you know that your shoppers are getting mugged on the way back to their cars. Irresponsible. Negligent. Gross Indifference. What do they call it?

SO Anyhow, I suggest that we just talk in the topical forums, and advertise in the offers forums, and let anybody who wants use a PM to request quotes from the hosts who interest them.


Ok, go ahead, beat me up now :angry:

Or agree with me :cool:


I really like WHT, but the hosting request forum makes me feel dirty :(

Originally posted by Luxore
1) Almost every thread in that forum contains replies that violate one or another of the board rules.(
If you report the ones in violation, the mods can take of it from there. They can't be expected to read every thread on the forums. :)

A lot of people attend this forum purely for that board. It would improve quality but greaty reduce the forums user base.

Nice idea though! :)

Originally posted by UH-Matt
A lot of people attend this forum purely for that board. It would improve quality but greaty reduce the forums user base.

Nice idea though! :) So it's a good thing to count numbers when they're bolstering the user base but not when they're posts in Website Reviews?? Methinks I see a double standard here!!! :eek: And valuing quantity over quality does not seem like a very enlightened rationale IMO. BTW, I have never been to the forum in question so have no vested interest one way or the other.

I didnt say anything about website reviews.

The website reviews section used to be just as bad as the ads forum! 90% of the posts contained "nice site" and that was it.

Im sure people such as yourself gave solid reviews and enjoy posting there, but for other people it was seen as a cheap, easy post count ride.

Its all pretty sad and pathetic, but something we must all live with on forums.

The trouble is there have been numerous requests, suggestions to re-structure the forums in general, OR do away with the offers/requests all together. Unfortunately most requests seem to "fall on deaf ears" so, I guess you have to learn to live with it the way it is. :eek:

Originally posted by Martie
Unfortunately most requests seem to "fall on deaf ears" so, I guess you have to learn to live with it the way it is. :eek:

That is because most requests are not good requests which would benefit the forums.

Why change the structure at all ? Its been fine for many years.

Requests is an integral part of this place weather we like it or not.

Originally posted by UH-Matt
That is because most requests are not good requests which would benefit the forums.

Why change the structure at all ? Its been fine for many years.

Requests is an integral part of this place weather we like it or not.

Humm well we all have opinions :rolleyes:

Originally posted by UH-Matt
That is because most requests are not good requests which would benefit the forums. . . . . . . Then they (WHT) should state that. Instead of ignoring the request. They should state what what their position is on it.

Why change the structure at all ? Its been fine for many years. No. It has changed through the years. Did you come here years ago and just register last year?

Requests is an integral part of this place weather we like it or not. Of course you're for the Requests forum.


Personally, I say leave them. Just moderate them.

The requests forum I couldnt care less about. Was just stating an opinion.





IMHO.

:D

ME TOO, I agree to close that forum! :angel:

I can't concentrate on my work plus got a warning today saying that I will get banned eventually~ :(
I am NOT going to touch that forum! :stickout:

[add]
oh, I've just received a emeow from human saying I won't get banned! :homer: :love:

I say dump the forum along with signatures. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Luxore
4) There is an acknowledged problem with indivduals misusing that forum to make fraudulent offers and basically rip people off. By disallowing comment and argument about those offers WHT and it's owner and moderators may be subject to legal liability when these thieves continue to prey on visitors. It's kind of like maintaining an unlighted parking lot when you know that your shoppers are getting mugged on the way back to their cars. Irresponsible. Negligent. Gross Indifference. What do they call it?
I was with you on 1, 2, and 3, but point 4 (quoted above), seems a bit out there, not to mention having questionable legal references. If removing the Requests Forum somehow remaoved all fraudulent offers from the internet and from members, then the notion might have merit. Removing the Requests Forum would do no such thing. If I tell you I have a fine bridge for sale and you're stupid enough to enter in your credit card number without checking up on the deal, then you'll learn to question sellers of fine bridges in the future and not jump on (and from) the first bridge you see.

I hear that some scam artists use the telephone to rip people off. Irresponsible? Negligent? Gross Indifference? Maybe a forum is different... Call your lawyer, there's a big check waiting for you because you signing up for $5 worth of hosting and it wasn't provided to your satisfaction. Make sure to tell them that the company or individual that provided (or didn't provide the serve in this case) isn't responsible... it's the forum on which the offer was posted which is responsible.

I suppose one should automatically assume, without question, that any offer made via a forum, the newspaper, a magazine, or the telephone, etc., is a valid one? One should assume that the responsiblity of ensuring the validity of the offer rests squarely and unconditionally on the media in which the offer was relayed, and that you can sue for large damages should this not be the case?

IANAL, but me thinks this wouldn't fly for a white guy.

Hey Chicken :) good to see you!

The legal stuff, it's exagerated, but it's also true. Because you know, that's how the american legal scene is. 40,000 guys cook the books. 5 guys go to jail for 20 years.

You never know what's gonna happen.

Maybe tomorrow some high school kid kills himself because he couldn't face the shame of having lost his yearbook's online hosting money to some slimeball on wht.

And then some lawyer will be asking you about the 6000 distinct complaints of criminal behavior that were reported on WHT during your tenure as a moderator. They are all there in the database you know.

Do I really think this is going to happen? No, but it could.

It's much more likely that a _lot_ of people will be hurt a small amount each and will not seek legal relief.

But is that really any better?

Originally posted by Luxore
Hey Chicken :) good to see you!

The legal stuff, it's exagerated, but it's also true. Because you know, that's how the american legal scene is.
Hey you! :D

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be surprised if you could sue a forum for an ad placed (and win). It wold make me want to throw my hands up and scream... but it woldn't surprise me, heh. ;) :D


I just re-read my post above and noticed all the spelling errors and incorrect usage of words, but I typed it fast and recently corrected one too many papers, and not in the mood to correct my own, please forgive.