T the Mod's - Advertising on IBC

Hi Tony and other Mod's your quote below brings up a question in my mind. You state that members do not overly advertise on the site. Yet many members advertise their own website and/or blog with their signature with every post they make. So to be far to everyone wouldn't you have to get members to remove their links?
I myself don't mind seeing a post like Harry's (or Bjiorn's ) in announcements from time to time as it provides us all with another prospective site to visit for inspiration and learning.
Cheers Graham

"Hi Harry it is the policy of IBC that members do not overly advertise on the site, however you contribution to the collective knowledge that you have given over the last ten years on your website www.bonsai4me.com is well known and freely given. As bit of payback on our part with post can stay".

_________________
Tony Tickle... "that's not your real name is it?"

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." AE

Visit Tony's Bonsai website

Take a look at my Blog

If you Tweet?[i]

Anyone who posts regularly earns the right to have a discrete link in their sig line. That has always been acceptable. We do object to people putting advertising banners or repeated advertisements. All we ask for is some restraint. A single announcement of anything likely to be of interest is fine. Twice is overdoing it and three times is just too much.

I haven't been that active on the forum lately Kevin but wanted to say I too was a little surprised by the comment. I understand some restraint should be expected but I kinda like the idea that we would support these endeavours. It is widely said that the bonsai industry will not make you rich. In Fact many struggle to feed the family if they try to make a living from it.
I would think notifications of new books that are being published (from accomplished bonsai practitioners at least ) also classes, events, tools, nurseries, potters and demonstrators is for the better of us all.
One obvious thought to me was potters showing their pots. This is advertisement of their wares but I would not ask for links to be removed or potters to stop showing their pots because I love seeing them and believe this helps us all keep the finger on the pulse knowing what is going on around the place.
Ok now I will jump bak in my little box

To clarify my take on Harry's post. And I support Brett in his view that "I love seeing them and believe this helps us all keep the finger on the pulse knowing what is going on around the place."

We (mods) take a measured/balanced view based on providing a forum that is NOT a marketplace, there are many of Bonsai websites that are such, I believe that IBC has NO AGENDA or subliminal advertising.

I am sure that members are not aware that we (mods) remove many posts from chancers who post once with an advert and we never see them again. Also we track IP addresses and block spammers... all this in the background without fuss so that YOU our beloved members can enjoy a 'spam' free forum.

My own signature does contain links to blogs, website and tweets and I do got a lot of traffic from this site, payback for all the advice maybe?

gman wrote:Hi Tony and other Mod's your quote below brings up a question in my mind. You state that members do not overly advertise on the site. Yet many members advertise their own website and/or blog with their signature with every post they make. So to be far to everyone wouldn't you have to get members to remove their links?
I myself don't mind seeing a post like Harry's (or Bjiorn's ) in announcements from time to time as it provides us all with another prospective site to visit for inspiration and learning.
Cheers Graham

"Hi Harry it is the policy of IBC that members do not overly advertise on the site, however you contribution to the collective knowledge that you have given over the last ten years on your website www.bonsai4me.com is well known and freely given. As bit of payback on our part with post can stay".

_________________
Tony Tickle... "that's not your real name is it?"

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing." AE

Visit Tony's Bonsai website

Take a look at my Blog

If you Tweet?[i]

I think if you see it like this way.
You allso can see it like this way: Profecionals or bonsai masters who do bonsai and post a tree they styled is also advertising for them.

Best regards,
Yannick

Here I have to agree with Yannick

Peter

First it has to be said that the vast majority or members on IBC play fairly and sensibly on this issue. The amateurs among us (including myself) get the benefit of a vast quantity of free advice from people whose services would normally incur at the very least the cost of a workshop, and we are grateful to these people. That's where a little bit of payback is absolutely justified and I'm sure no-one would want it any other way.

But as has been said, occasionally we have to deal with out and out spammers who put on "posts" or "replies" which are clearly irrelevant, uninformed (if not out and out gobbledegook) and/or blatantly there for the sole purpose of advertising with no intent whasoever to give anything else to the forum. Often spam posts such as these contain links within the poster's signature that take readers to other sites. In the past we have had links to such things as clothes sales sites, general gardening equipment sites, and very occasionally porn sites. Obviously this is something we try to deal with as quickly as possible, and we would have to add here our thanks to those of you who have taken the trouble to point out to us some spam posts that we have missed.

Sometimes, of course, it is not always easy to tell the difference. Since we are human (though I would recommend you don't go too near Tony at a full moon) we do on occasion get it wrong and end up having to eat a lot of humble pie. Mostly those very very few individuals who have been caught up by mistake accept our apology and our reasoning. Very rarely, we will have to stick our moderatorial hands up and just say: "Sorry, we got it wrong and Person X will not be back."

However I am sure Harry does not want to be the unwitting centre of an unnecessary storm, so I think we should leave it at that.

The main message is that for the forum to tick over nicely we all need to be working together. That is what by and large happens, and I genuinely mean what I say in thanking you for the support you guys give to us. Long may the success of IBC continue and it is up to us all to ensure that happens.



And now, I for one am off to order my copy of this book.

Sometimes, of course, it is not always easy to tell the difference. Since we are human (though I would recommend you don't go too near Tony at a full moon) we do on occasion get it wrong and end up having to eat a lot of humble pie. Mostly those very very few individuals who have been caught out accept our apology and our reasoning. Very rarely, we will have to stick our moderatorial hands up and just say: "Sorry, we got it wrong and Person X will not be back."

Gotta love someone that can admit they are wrong. Those will undoubtedly be the smartest ones of all

Thanks for the clarification guys

Thanks folks for all the input, Tony/Fiona/others….it wasn't my intent to bad mouth anyone, I just found it a little ironic that Tony would start his reply with that statement (he could have easily sent him a pm).
I guess I looked at "overly" and wondered what Tony was getting at (definition per se for I'm sure we all have a difference of opinion on that), considering that I didn't find Harry's Post at all self indulgent, although when I look at Tony’s clarification points, it would be nice to see Harry visiting and participating on this site more often. I’ve followed his site for years as I do with many others on this site as I’m eager to absorb as much as I can…. which in turn can be reflected in my trees.
So back to bonsai……