Hosts, while some of you are just trying to help, there seems to be a constant problem that we are faced with. We need your help and understanding of one of the guidelines:

Participants who are associated with a web hosting company may not use the main Forums to direct others to the advertising Forums.

Again, some of you are actually just trying to help (and I do realize that) but regardless, it is not fair to ask some of you not to do this and allow others to do it who we 'feel' are just trying to help. It would only confuse the hosts here and there is too much grey there.

So we are asking all hosts to please not suggest that people check or post their request in the advertising forum(s) when people post requests or ask for suggestions. Please allow the moderators to suggest this.

If you see a post that you feel belongs somewhere else, please report it and we'll have a look and/or make the suggestion.

Although this message belongs in the Lounge, the problem happens here, so it is being posted here.

Although I can see why you have this rule, I don't really think it's needed.

When someone lists the specs of everything they need, and a price range etc... and wonder why they don't get offers, someone should be able to step in and say, "If you post in the advertising forums you will get direct offers from webhosts."

You'll see almost all of the time they thank the person who suggested they go to the advertising forums, because they didn't realize hosts weren't allowed to promote their services there.

I left this open in case people had questions, and will try to explain best I can. You are correct that people do appreciate the suggestion. Often they haven't read the guidelines (no shocker there), and thus don't realize hosts can't reply. Keep in mind, the guidelines state hosts may not recommend others post in the Ad. Forum, and that other members and moderators are free to do this.

It has been abused before (host has ad in Ad. Forum and then suggests someone look there), and we are only limiting it to members who might have a commercial interest. As per the guidelines, hosts are welcome to recommend other hosts which they've had experience with, give general feedback, discuss, etc.

People who come here who represent companies do have more restrictions, and some of the restrictions we all have to put up with are due to people abusing the forum. This I understand, and accept. After all, I'm not only a moderator, but also a member here too. :D

I think we all understand this and don't want to see the forums cluttered. However, most people that frequent here, are hosts. The highest majority are or have some standing in the hosting business. Data centers, Hosts, resellers, whatever. Most people that aren't hosts' themselves, rarely participate here any longer than to get or offer information or the like. Few stay around. This is a web board that's active mostly due to hosting providers almost exclusively (probably 85+%). It's difficult to implement a rule where you as a host, aren't welcome to respond to a person that is looking the exact service, plan and price you can offer them.

Of course, there's the negative side too, and that's people abusing that ability and the forums become cluttered with offers every single time someone asks a simple question about some type of service or price they are looking for. Therefore, the rules are understandable, yet since most people that participate here are hosts, it leaves the small percentage that are regular user's to decide what hosts are good or not to be suggested, based on their feelings, even if they are biased anyway. This is not an easy issue.

However, few people might get the host they need or are looking for, based on the small percentage of people that are allowed to voice their suggestion, opinions or whatever. It's obvious that actual hosts have much less power to be free to say what they want, need or would like to on a variety of subjects, over the regular user. However, there's certainly a reason for this. I've never trolled these boards looking for client's myself and don't intend to, and no one likes the fact that that's all some company's do, which is why this rule is implemented.

Still, I agree with them, yet it does suck that it interferes with the legitimate and honest intentions of people to help, because they aren't allowed based on the fact that they are a provider themselves. Keep in mind, more provider's are better qualified to offer assistance, than the regular user's that are left to suggest things. It's a no win situation and it sucks, but I think we all understand. It would, however, be nice if hosts were allowed to have the same say as the "regular users", and it does suck to not have that same right. Again, we all understand why that is though, it's just too bad.

I guess I don't quite understand why a host couldn't advise someone to post their request in the "Webhosting Requests" forum.

I think there's a big difference between the "Web Hosting Requests" and Web Hosting Special Offers" forums.

There would be some validity in mandating that hosts not send a participant to the "Special Offers" forum where the host may indeed have an offer posted. But to bar a host from an attempt to help someone new to this forum by suggestiong that they would be better served to post their requests in the "Requests" forum is a bit much if you asked me.

Just my thoughts.

I'd think there are enough active members without commercial interests who could suggest this. There are also 5 moderators who could suggest this. While not every host might post with some evil agenda (heh), it is easier to prohibit it across the board then for moderators to have to make grey judgement calls all the time. Does it seem as if the host had a reason to suggest that or not? We'd just like to see those suggestions come from members who aren't associated with companies.

Originally posted by Chicken
I'd think there are enough active members without commercial interests who could suggest this. There are also 5 moderators who could suggest this. While not every host might post with some evil agenda (heh), it is easier to prohibit it across the board then for moderators to have to make grey judgement calls all the time. Does it seem as if the host had a reason to suggest that or not? We'd just like to see those suggestions come from members who aren't associated with companies.


Fair enough;)



Now. . . .How come I could understand that ??

We implemented this rule because one or two hosts were commenting on dozens of threads directing the participants to the advertisement forums, in many cases it was clear that the participant was looking for suggestion rather than quotes and this was becoming annoying. Also many hosting companies were using it as an excuse to get more exposure for their signature (indirect I know, but still), effectively saying "Hey check us out".

Other members are free to direct them to the advertisement forum and/or reported the post to a moderator to move, but other than that just presume they have posted in the correct forum and let it be.

Originally posted by MattF
We implemented this rule because one or two hosts were commenting on dozens of threads directing the participants to the advertisement forums, in many cases it was clear that the participant was looking for suggestion rather than quotes and this was becoming annoying. Also many hosting companies were using it as an excuse to get more exposure for their signature (indirect I know, but still), effectively saying "Hey check us out".

Other members are free to direct them to the advertisement forum and/or reported the post to a moderator to move, but other than that just presume they have posted in the correct forum and let it be.

yeah, mods are right after all that is why they are here and the mystry behind there posting number is go on increasing :D

keep up the good works. i will report mods whenever i find such post. :cartman:

Aloha

just curious do you mean pointing to a particular thread in the forums or just saying in general check out the advertsing forums
if I said
hmm ya might have better luck in the webhosting request
would that be considered ok ??

I can see if I said
check out this offer in the webhosting forums and linked direct to it.
as this is like you are cruising looking to point people to your thread

sorry I am just a designer not a hosting brain ;)
(who is trying to learn more about insanity)

Originally posted by Honu
Aloha

just curious do you mean pointing to a particular thread in the forums or just saying in general check out the advertsing forums
if I said
hmm ya might have better luck in the webhosting request
would that be considered ok ??

I can see if I said
check out this offer in the webhosting forums and linked direct to it.
as this is like you are cruising looking to point people to your thread

sorry I am just a designer not a hosting brain ;)
(who is trying to learn more about insanity)

i think it is okey if you refer to some thread in advertisement form.

what they said you should not direct or tell member to post in advertisement form. i mean start new thread or request offer.

correct me if i am wrong mods.

Chad, if you aren't associated with a web hosting company, then you've got nothing to worry about:

Participants who are associated with a web hosting company may not use the main Forums to direct others to the advertising Forums.

Members may suggest people post a request in the Requests Forum, or they may have noticed a thread in the Offers Forum that might fit, and may relay this information. "I've seen offers that match what you are looking for in the Offers Forum below."

Aloha

OK Cool and Mahalos

Originally posted by Honu
Aloha

OK Cool and Mahalos

why you always write aloha while starting your post ?.

"I've seen offers that match what you are looking for in the Offers Forum below."

is this apply to member like us who are web hosts ? :confused:

This rule would apply to you. Unfortunately it si difficult for us to have to distinguish between those who are honestly just trying to help, and those who are doing it for other reasons. Thus, no host may refer to the Advertising forums in the main forums. Sorry, you would not be able to post this.

Originally posted by mahinder


why you always write aloha while starting your post ?.


hehehehe
Aloha

well I wish more people would or could get aloha
its a word for hello and or goodbye a few other emotions almost a state of feeling to some and can run very deep about friendship etc....
so just wish more people were friendly and all
it is kinda how I would greet people ;)
(not that people are not friendly here)

Originally posted by Honu

so just wish more people were friendly and all
it is kinda how I would greet people ;)
(not that people are not friendly here)

Aloha! :)

Honu's from Hawaii. Its a "freindly native thing".

I like it.

Sadly, I'm from New York, and our "Native Greeting" probably runs afoul of the profanity filter. ;)

Originally posted by Chicken
This rule would apply to you. Unfortunately it si difficult for us to have to distinguish between those who are honestly just trying to help, and those who are doing it for other reasons. Thus, no host may refer to the Advertising forums in the main forums. Sorry, you would not be able to post this.

well i have decided not to put my companies name in my signature as it doesn't give me any benefit. However i may put it in future. just a thought and no commitments.

:D Aloha

:D

Originally posted by mahinder
well i have decided not to put my companies name in my signature as it doesn't give me any benefit. However i may put it in future. just a thought and no commitments. I still don't think you'd be able to direct to the advertising forums if you are associated with a hosting company whether it's in your signature or not.

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue
I still don't think you'd be able to direct to the advertising forums if you are associated with a hosting company whether it's in your signature or not.

don't worry i haven't did this in order to direct people to advertisement forms. i just thought i can do good without signature on this forms. after all i don't intend to take this form as source for accounts, i have too many :D

i just want to learn something here and make some good friends out here. ;)

ALOHA :D

Originally posted by Kaith Sutai-Rustaz
Honu's from Hawaii. Its a "freindly native thing".

I like it.

Sadly, I'm from New York, and our "Native Greeting" probably runs afoul of the profanity filter. ;)


hheheheheheh

I thought watching letterman that it was that smack the arm and let the hand fly up kind of thing ya see