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 Forum abuse and SSF changes
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| Author | Topic: Forum abuse and SSF changes |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 03-01-2005 09:09 AM
  
We say right at the start and we mean it.
*** NO pre-sales/auction research or valuation questions. *** Please first familiarize yourself with the Over the past few weeks the SSF has been inundated with new one time posters who are not respectful of the Silver Salon Forum Guidelines. The abuse of the forums has reached an all time high. As such we are going to make some changes. The New Members Forum is where new members can begin posting. As a result of past misuse of these forums by some new members, all new memberships will be restricted to the New Members Forum. All the public Silver Salon Forums will be viewable and searchable by anyone. Posting privileges may be extended to the other public forums once a new member has demonstrated that he or she is a member in good standing. To get things started, we have arbitrarily selected the top 20% of posters and have given them posting privileges in all public forms. If we missed someone please don’’t delay your post, just post it in the New Members Forum. We can move the post later. Then contact one of the moderators via e-mail. In your e-mail include the date/time/title of your post and the URL. And ask that your post and past posts be reviewed. What is the criteria for posting privileges? These changes are intended to make forums a more inviting place for both those new to the subject and the more experienced. Please realize that we are instituting these changes very quickly in an attempt to mitigate a problem that has grow exponentially. We may have to revise and refine some of these changes so your patience and understanding is appreciated. IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 03-02-2005 08:45 AM
The changes are finished. Please let me know what you think. Many of the recent new nember's posts have been moved to the New Member Forum. This way the new member can continue to reply in their orginal thread. New members let me know if I or the moderators missed a thread and that you would like it moved to the New Members Forum. In your e-mail subject say "SSF Thread - Please move" and in the body of your e-mail please include the title of the thread and the URL. IP: Logged |
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FredZ Posts: 1070 |
posted 03-02-2005 01:51 PM
Scott, You have come up with a fair and wonderful idea and have executed it well. It will help first commers and will weed out those choose not to abide by the regulations of the forum. Great Job!!! [This message has been edited by FredZ (edited 03-02-2005).] IP: Logged |
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sazikov2000 Posts: 254 |
posted 03-02-2005 02:00 PM
Very fair and effective solution! Sazikov2000 IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 03-02-2005 02:28 PM
Thank you. To paraphrase... 
Everything we do (or think about doing) is well discussed with other forum members so the kudo’s really belong to all of us as a community. IP: Logged |
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blakstone Posts: 493 |
posted 03-02-2005 03:50 PM
I agree completely - I think it's a great idea and I'm amazed at how quickly and efficiently it was executed. Good going! IP: Logged |
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adelapt Posts: 418 |
posted 03-02-2005 04:28 PM
Good job - well done. Let's hope it achieves what you aimed for. Best of luck. Adelapt. IP: Logged |
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Richard Kurtzman Moderator Posts: 768 |
posted 03-02-2005 06:56 PM
Great God almighy, free at last! IP: Logged |
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Argent47 Posts: 67 |
posted 03-03-2005 06:54 AM
Scott - Thank you very much - It was high time something was done. IP: Logged |
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labarbedor Posts: 353 |
posted 03-03-2005 12:22 PM
You asked for opinions this is mine: How about we make new members memorize the Guidelines first and pass a test. Then of course they should have to prove they have no interest in making any money anywhere if silver is concerned or even nearby. Besides they should finally have to show they can make a photograph fit exactly into a prearranged box. Just for laughs we can then write a computer program that will change the size of the box just as they are trying to put the photos in. This will insure that no new members will arrive by any but the most arduous methods, and hence can not challenge our knowledge and opinions. Personally I have never read the Guidelines. I have trouble reading long pages of rules, I rarely intend to follow anyway. Strangely I have gotten along in life by behaving properly, or trying to, and not worrying whether or not I follow rules too often dictated to me. Has anyone actually read all the software agreements they accept, if so you wouldn’t have time to read this. I was asking and answering questions on the Forums for several years before posting a photograph myself (wev did it for me up until then, thanks) It would seem more important to supply a place for people to post them. Or maybe charge them $1 to post them, or whatever. I would like to both buy and sell every interesting piece of silver I see. I hear there have been lawsuits, but I would think disclaimers would suffice. Or if you don’t want to help out some poor person who wants to post something accurately on eBay, just don’t answer the question. I don’t see anything wrong with making money. Of course I don’t own this site, but I can give some advice to those who do. It is the same advice I have given to people in the antique business for years. If you keep building walls around yourself you eventually may be safe in your nitch, but you will certainly be alone with your antiques by then. IP: Logged |
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agleopar Posts: 850 |
posted 03-03-2005 02:02 PM
Labarbedor, I think I understand your point of view, that this sight should be a free arena for the exchange of information. This, it seems to me after finding the forums last year and being knocked out by the level of discourse (yours included), is the ideal. In practice you have a group (yourself included) who in their own time, wanting nothing back, give a great deal of information that wuold take years and deep pocket to aquire. Then you get a group (which it seems to me has grown in the short time I have seen) that is just using that expertise and not giving back. Its not about value and making money, which alot of the regulars obviously do, but about sharing the knowledge. So how to make it work? The new aproach is an easy one because the users can ask in a contained way and the rest can have the great discourse. I look forward to many years of the furums, perhaps with great pieces and funny ones too, like a stone with a coin and a big story! IP: Logged |
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Richard Kurtzman Moderator Posts: 768 |
posted 03-03-2005 03:03 PM
Simply put, Bad posts drive out good posts. IP: Logged |
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Waylander Posts: 131 |
posted 03-03-2005 03:33 PM
A move in the right direction! Waylander IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 03-03-2005 03:47 PM
To all that say out loud or to themselves:
Please realize when you joined the SSF you signed an agreement to abide by the Terms of Service, Rules, Policies, Guidelines and Disclaimers posted on the SMP website. So please make sure you review the posted Terms of Service, Rules, Policies, Guidelines and Disclaimers before your first and/or next post. IP: Logged |
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akgdc Posts: 289 |
posted 03-04-2005 12:06 AM
I think I read the guidelines back in 2001, but I can't remember a thing they said. I'm bad at remembering lists of rules. (For instance, I can't even remember more than two or three of the Ten Commandments, despite those judges in Alabama.) Do I need to reread them every time I post (or think about possibly posting)? Perhaps we need a slightly stricter policy for the likes of me and Labarbedor: "All Members will have the Terms of Service, Rules, Policies, Guidelines and Disclaimers tattooed on their right arms." IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 03-04-2005 02:07 AM
Actually if people said I am making an auction for silver and know nothing about it, would you help me do a better job, I might be inclined to assist every once in a while. But not all the time. After a bit of experience, people should be able to make basic distinctions and recognize elementary marks. Thanks for the changes Scott. IP: Logged |
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sazikov2000 Posts: 254 |
posted 03-04-2005 09:40 AM
I am new to this forum and I want to learn and participate of the knowledge of much more experienced members than me. If I can answer questions with the little knowledge I have than this is my form of pay back for what I got. But when I read some threads like: Chickenman, New Member, Posts; 1 than I know either something is running the wrong way or I am in the wrong forum. The decision made was absolutely neccesary! akgdc as a GERMAN I love your idea, but it came 70 years too late!! IP: Logged |
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FredZ Posts: 1070 |
posted 03-04-2005 10:35 AM
I think the new format for the forum is fine and should make it much easier to review the new posts. I also have no problem helping others even if it is for profit and it is a bit annoying to see your words used verbatim on their auction and not receive a royalty check. I do not believe the new changes are intended to exclude. I think they will be an easier way to field the questions. My congratulations to Scott. Fred [This message has been edited by FredZ (edited 03-04-2005).] IP: Logged |
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tmockait Posts: 963 |
posted 03-05-2005 12:55 AM
It is sad that these changes are necessary and shameful that people abuse the forum. What you have done is perfectly fair and reasonable. I do hope, though, that you continue to take the educational approach to new members that makes this such a good forum. Many new members break the rules through ignorance or oversight. A little guidance turns most of them into good participants. Thanks again for sponosoring this great site! Tom IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 03-08-2005 11:26 AM
Hi Scott. I too wish to add my applause for the solution you have developed and to say thank you for working to keep this site true to its purpose. I have one suggestion that you might consider as an addition for the new members forum - is there a way to include a mandatory field on new topic postings there where the person must fill it in with a statement on why they are asking the question? I've noticed that this is one of the key issues that keeps arising. A mandatory statement at the beginning of new member's questions might go a long way to improving their postings without having to go back to them to ask them for this information all the time - which can sometimes be misunderstood by new people. If a mandatory field is not possible, then perhaps a requirement (with an explanation on why this is important) to start all new posts in the new members section with such a statement could be included in the guidelines and repeated at the top of the new members' page in large typeface? IP: Logged |
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Cheryl and Richard Posts: 154 |
posted 03-08-2005 05:12 PM
Well done. Thanks, Scott. June, too. IP: Logged |
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t-man-nc Posts: 327 |
posted 03-11-2005 04:20 PM
Kudos Scott! I think you have done the right thing... I would like to at least speak to one of my own problems, and that is that my Eyesight is not as good anymore and I cannot seem to focus the Camera, and have to wait to see if I can get one of my kids to come by to help. I know this is a particular issue with some and I apologize if am disruptive for not posting photos as often as I would like. I agree with Maurice, that we should be able to understand and follow the basics, even though the test idea sounds like fun, it may be more work than any of us have time for. As for following basic common courtesies you get most of the rules right (I reread them before responding). And yes WEV posted and cleaned up most of the photos posted under my name too... Thanks again WEV! As far as valuations are concerned, it all comes down to the basic instincts of all folks, when it comes to buying or selling any item.... Did I get a good deal? They all want to increase the probabilities in their own favor. Therefore, there will always be those who will take advantage of others (intentional or not) and those who will always step up to the challenges that life has to offer. The question is, which is the correct path, and only time will tell if we have chosen wisely. Scott, June, for my part, Thank You both for what has become a large part of my enjoyment and the laughter and wisdom I get to share with so many of you. And thanks to all the regulars here that make coming back here day after day so worthwhile. PS. I am willing to kick some financial assistance to help with the costs if that will help continue the forum. "Smaug" IP: Logged |
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tonycooper Posts: 20 |
posted 03-12-2005 09:16 AM
If you want to streamline the forums, start a new category called "Go Directly to Jail". Put all posts there that contain images or image links that are not acceptable to the forum. Posters can play their "Get Out of Jail Free" card by revising the image and have their post re-placed in the proper category. The current forums are littered with repeat posts with - first - an unacceptable image with "Edited By...", then a question about how to make an image acceptable, and then - finally - an acceptable but muzzy image. IP: Logged |
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Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46a
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1. Public Silver Forums (open Free membership) - anyone with a valid e-mail address may register. Once you have received your Silver Salon Forum password, and then if you abide by the Silver Salon Forum Guidelines, you may start a thread or post a reply in the New Members' Forum. New Members who show a continued willingness to participate, to completely read and abide by the Guidelines will be allowed to post to the Member Public Forums. 2. Private Silver Salon Forums (invitational or $ donation membership) - The Private Silver Salon Forums require registration and special authorization to view, search, start a thread or to post a reply. Special authorization can be obtained in one of several ways: by Invitation; Annual $ Donation; or via Special Limited Membership. For more details click here (under development). 3. Administrative/Special Private Forums (special membership required) - These forums are reserved for special subjects or administrative discussion. These forums are not open to the public and require special authorization to view or post. |
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