I'm So Sick Of It!

[blindacoustic]

Ugh! Hi!

I am a fellow "forum-er" who is also a proud site owner. I like to add my sites in my signature. I think it helps people get to know you, and may even be of some use to the reader of your post.

It seems that wherever I go, I am a "spammer" if I add a URL to my signature.

I want to build a forum that allows you to post any URL that you'd like - in your signature, your post, etc - as long as the person posts relevant content that keeps dialog going.

Does anyone think this is a good idea?

Please respond - I don't really want to waste my time if no one thinks it's a good idea...

-Andy

[Ian J]

If anyone wishes to know about your site they only have to look in your profile. The reason why the 20 post 30 day rule was brought in was to cut down on spammers who were only here to post any old rubbish as long as it gave Google another link to spider.

You may notice that other forums have now followed our lead and built in a qualifying period of some sort before allowing live links.

[blindacoustic]

Ian J,

Now, don't get me wrong - I am not going after Teneric.co.uk in any way shape or form. Teneric seems to be one of the better forums on this - they seem to have some common sense.

But this is my problem - a FORUM is meant to have people connecting with other people with like interests, right?

Who would really mind a couple of URLs at the bottom of the post if the post was a relevant post that initiated conversation?
I sure wouldn't. I'd encourage it - take a look at it - maybe the person who built the website and is proud of it can teach me something new. Again, another part of the forum...

-Andy

[peterjhale]

We have to keep the forum clean as well as not link out to dodgy sites. If you saw the amount of spam we receive that never makes it onto the forum you'd be very surprised.

It's these few spammers that means we have to make these rules now - in the old days there were no rules, but a few make it slightly harder for the majority.

But hey, stick around - 20 posts is not many nor is 30 days....

[simonr]

Unregulated stuff like that would be an open invitation to people to just turn up, post a couple of things with their website addresses in 'em and never return.

You're quite right that forums help people get interacting with each other and as such they have/need a sense of comunity - thus keeping people around for 20 posts before they can do as you're suggesting seems sensible to me. 20 ain't many, honest! I clocked that up in just a couple of weeks! (Yeah, I know, I should get a life!)

Simon

[www.infoebookstore.co.uk]

There are plenty of forums out there set up so that people can talk rubbish and they allow links in posts as well as in the signature. go find them.

At the end of the day 200 signature links are better than 1.

[eequals]

I agree with the last post. A forum with well informed and constructive content is going to attract the sort of member who will go to the trouble of going to one's profile and following your link from there if what you have to say about a particular issue is of interest.

Forums that do not have this approach may offer as many links as you like but I doubt that you can ultimately do as well with them as you can on a forum like this.

Joe.