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Results 51 to 75 of 145
Thread: Requests Forum [merged]
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01-20-2008, 06:03 AM #51Retired Moderator
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At least we made it two months until this came up again
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01-20-2008, 06:04 AM #52Disabled
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because there isn't a valid counter-argument to keep this forum from existing.
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01-20-2008, 06:12 AM #53Retired Moderator
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I would say the biggest counter-argumenet would be (as I'm sure you're aware) the amount of junk that would most likely end up being posted within the forum. Barring copy/paste type of replies I'm speaking more along the lines of the host that responds to tons of requests with useless offers that don't fit what the user actually wants.
Now of course people can (and I hope would) report these type of replies and they'd be handled, but it's a difficult type of thing to handle as a moderator. It certainly would be in one of those gray types of areas.
i.e.
Looking for:
10 GB Diskspace
100 GB Monthly Transfer
PHP5 Standard
PDO-MySQL Installed
Judging by other requests sections (such as the Design Requests or Employment Offers) you can see how fast those topics get replies. Hosting requests would be quite a bit larger than that.
If we were to lock down requirements pretty strictly on what a post should be comprised of (lets say just for argument's sake disk space, bandwidth, type of account) then we'd be getting pretty close to what is already in place with the Find a Host / Hostquote link.
With all that writ I would support a requests forum if it had enough people backing it on a trial basis to see how it goes. I wasn't here when the original requests forum was open but I have heard my share of horror stories about moderating it.0
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01-20-2008, 06:22 AM #54Disabled
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Half that post can be resolved by the reputation mod they've been talking about since the vb2 days.
Second half, you already have offer forums for shared, dedicated, and vps offers, so why not separate each type of offer the same way?
You have an army of new registrants who expect the forum to exist. That forum was the reason I joined wht, and I'm sure many other seniors joined for the same reason. it might not have been the reason why we stayed around, but it got us here, and it would probably attract even more people now.0
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01-20-2008, 06:42 AM #55Retired Moderator
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How so? Limiting responses unless a user has X reputation?
Second half, you already have offer forums for shared, dedicated, and vps offers, so why not separate each type of offer the same way?
"All responses to requests must fit what the OP is looking for."
would be a hard one to moderate due to it not being a very black and white rule.
You have an army of new registrants who expect the forum to exist. That forum was the reason I joined wht, and I'm sure many other seniors joined for the same reason. it might not have been the reason why we stayed around, but it got us here, and it would probably attract even more people now.0
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01-20-2008, 07:43 AM #56Disabled
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How so? Limiting responses unless a user has X reputation?0
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01-20-2008, 08:01 AM #57Retired Moderator
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Not sure if there's a Digg style hack out there or not, but I'm not sure it would work in this instance.
The idea of the number of diggs and/or votes is to show how important (useful, popular, etc..) an article is. If we implemented something similar here it would only work to hurt the OP (if I am understanding you correctly). If say the thread was blasted with useless offers and people voted down the thread, in the end the OP would still end up with the useless offers and nobody else would really see the thread to post a useful offer.
If we're talking about voting on actual posts within a thread then that may work, but I don't think it'd be any cause for concern to the "serial request response poster" as the user making the request would still view the response to see if it was worth while or not.
Now the thread starter moderating their own threads is an interesting idea, and assuming everybody would play nice in how they moderated their own threads it could work. The problem I see with that is once again the useless offers will still be posted and still waste the time of the OP as well as make him delete them (if he wants to that is).
8 votes down to make a post invincible█ Mike from Zoodia.com
█ Professional web design and development services.
█ In need of a fresh hosting design? See what premade designs we have in stock!
█ Web design tips, tricks, and more at MichaelPruitt.com0
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01-20-2008, 08:54 AM #58Predatory Poster
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It was fun to see how low people would go to make a sale. I'll volunteer to police it if you're so touchy about manpower.
Patron: I'd like my free lunch please.
Cafe Manager: Free lunch? Did you read the fine print stating it was an April Fool's joke.
Patron: I read the same way I listen, I ignore the parts I don't agree with. I'm suing you for false advertising.
Cafe Owner: Is our lawyer still working pro bono?0
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01-20-2008, 09:20 AM #59Web Hosting Master
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01-20-2008, 09:39 AM #60Disabled
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If we're talking about voting on actual posts within a thread then that may work, but I don't think it'd be any cause for concern to the "serial request response poster" as the user making the request would still view the response to see if it was worth while or not.
How is an offer useless anyway? Just make a rule that says "your post must be within the guidelines of the op", and drop any posts that don't abide by it. Even if you get a bunch of people crafting plans specifically for the thread, the user is still getting what they want, and any counter-argument is socialist.0
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01-20-2008, 09:50 AM #61Dennis Johnson
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01-20-2008, 09:52 AM #62Retired Moderator
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Shame archive.org isn't wanting to show any of the threads from the old WHT requests forum. Taking a look at FWS's hosting request section though:
http://www.freewebspace.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3
I just don't see much use from a consumer's end in the offers posted. That's just my personal opinion though. It seems in some threads the responders (not all, but some) ignore specifics that the OP is looking for.
When that isn't the case it looks like the user could have got as much information just browsing the offers forum save for special deals that hosts are offering them. I can see the advantage of the user getting a custom plan created for them though. That would be one benefit to a requests forum.
Jan (Anon-e-mouse for those that don't know) is an Admin over there and I'd be curious to hear how it is to moderate. I'd also be interested in seeing how many people choose to PM people looking for hosting (with what may be junk or non-junk) instead of posting.█ Mike from Zoodia.com
█ Professional web design and development services.
█ In need of a fresh hosting design? See what premade designs we have in stock!
█ Web design tips, tricks, and more at MichaelPruitt.com0
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01-20-2008, 10:03 AM #63Disabled
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01-20-2008, 10:08 AM #64Retired Moderator
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My concern certainly isn't a lack of use It's an improper use of the forum and having it be a lackluster tool in the end; however, as I said earlier I would be in support of it on a trial basis if people really wanted it here at WHT.
I also agree that there is a desire for it as we do see threads being made in the Webhosting forum quite a bit asking for hosts to contact them with offers. How much of a desire there is for the forum is really hard to judge, but I guess that's the reason for this thread.█ Mike from Zoodia.com
█ Professional web design and development services.
█ In need of a fresh hosting design? See what premade designs we have in stock!
█ Web design tips, tricks, and more at MichaelPruitt.com0
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01-20-2008, 04:57 PM #65Web Hosting Master
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01-20-2008, 05:18 PM #66Web Hosting Master
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I am 100% against having a requests forum. It will be littered with fly-by-night hosts offering ridiculous amount of everything for next to nothing.
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01-20-2008, 07:08 PM #67Brian King of LLAMEDOS
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Is the idea that looking for a host is too much work for the customer ?
or am I missing something ? maybe I to should blame the socialists ? ?_____________________________________________________________
- There are many types of Marmalade -0
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01-20-2008, 07:19 PM #68Web Hosting Master
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01-20-2008, 09:34 PM #69Disabled
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01-20-2008, 10:19 PM #70
Exactly what happened previously. It seemed they weren't even reading the requests, simply pasting the same durn thing into every thread they came across...some more than once.
Already do, we just haven't been allowing the requests forum. The two aren't mutually exclusive.Your one stop shop for decentralization
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01-20-2008, 11:25 PM #710
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01-20-2008, 11:47 PM #72Web Hosting Master
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I'm still not understanding something.
How would a request forum benefit the end-user? The user posts a request for hosting and then gets to look through pages and pages of offers:
Post 1. "We're the best choose us"
Post 2. "No, we're the best choose us"
Post 3. "We advertise 24/7 support even though everyone knows we don't."
.....
Post 1000. "We're even better."
What's the benefit in that?0
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01-21-2008, 12:00 AM #73Disabled
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Exactly what happened previously. It seemed they weren't even reading the requests, simply pasting the same durn thing into every thread they came across...some more than once.
I'm still not understanding something.
How would a request forum benefit the end-user? The user posts a request for hosting and then gets to look through pages and pages of offers:
Post 1. "We're the best choose us"
Post 2. "No, we're the best choose us"
Post 3. "We advertise 24/7 support even though everyone knows we don't."
.....
Post 1000. "We're even better."
What's the benefit in that?0
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01-21-2008, 12:02 AM #74Dennis Johnson
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There is no best host. There is only the host that's best for you.0
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01-21-2008, 12:02 AM #75Web Hosting Master
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