Forum Moderators: open
What's the deal with the rule against linking in posts?
What are the issues/problems that are being addressed by preventing linking on this forum?
What is the problem with WebmasterWorld appearing in a site's referrals?
Like I said, not criticisms, just an honest desire to understand the reasons for this unusual rule. :)
That being said, the editing of links seems a little inconsistant. I posted a link to a useful font resource in response to a call for such resources. That link was 'deactivated', whilst an active link to the Adobe font pages in someone else's response was left untouched.
I don't have the energy to trawl through 10 pages of posts to work out the rationale behind such a decision.
Can anyone give me the shorthand version?
TIA :)
Besides, late-comers to an out-of-date thread would presumably know that the site/url has been fixed from statements and thanks given towards the end of the thread.
If a site was no longer active, then the member would probably understand why by looking at the date of the thread.
The reasons you've given, if the case, seem to me to sacrifice usefulness now for the sake of usefulness later.
But given that urls themselves aren't actually banned from posts only active links and even then, only *some* active links), I doubt that the reasons you gave are the right ones (no disrespect meant).
members with site or code problems are required to paste their problem code in a thread?
As well as preventing URL abuse, this is also useful in getting people to focus their minds on what precisely is wrong with their code. It might even help them solve their problems by themselves.
I'm not convinced that's the answer either as it doesn't explain why some links are left active and others not.
If it is the answer, or part of it, then I'm failing to see a coherent plan at work here or at least see one that could be effective in resolving the problems their aimed at without making some threads an unwieldy blizzard of code.
100k visitors a day. All each with sites. Many have thousands of sites. My best guess is that for every visitor, there are 10 domain names. All those people have something to promote - do the math ;-) There are other forums where open linking is allowed, and some that even (gasp) take money for forum based advertising or forum "sponsorship", how can you ever trust those discussions? Whether it comes in your mailbox or in your browser, spam is still spam.
We also are part of the web world that is suffering from "Page Rank Mania [google.com]". That mania has lead people to build tools that allow them to signup at thousands of forums at the click of a button (see: google guestbook [google.com]). They drop links (even to innocent Font resource sites) for the value of the page rank in the link.
> useful font resource in response to a call for such resources.
Apologies, we tend to stay away from such "calls for resources" since 9 times out of 10, they are issued by a person who owns a resource site and turn into spam/url drop threads. Folks know how to use a search engine and can find resources pretty easily.
> code problems are required to paste
> their problem code in a thread?
I'm sure you have heard that old, "give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime"?
We prefer to teach folks how to answer their own questions. Dumping code and doing peoples homework? Nope, we don't want that. We want to help people by pointing to the applicable spot in the W3C standard on HTML to help them help themselves. If the issue is understanding the standard, or standards support in some browser, then that is a different issue and can be best handled by pointing to the right place on the browser manufacturers site. So, we try to be educators and help people to help themselves, but not to "do their homework" for them.
> What about those who don't know where the problem section is?
We try to stick to the issue in the abstract. We want to stay away from the minutia of code. Maybe the real issue is the testing method is at fault and the person can't find the right spot.
So, those are just some of the issues at hand. We try to be a commercial and promotion free site. We are here to discuss the act of doing business, but *not* to actually *do* business. We really are trying to be the Switzerland of the web.
Brett
What's the deal with no linking in posts?You posed a good question, one that we revisit frequently. And the fact that you asked indicates your concern with being a "quality member." Thanks.
So, members with site or code problems are required to paste their problem code in a thread?Not exactly, Terms of Service [webmasterworld.com], item 21.
Our goal is to build a community that DISCUSSES issues and techniques, not one that solves specific problems or provides personalized solutions. Avoiding advertising is one key to achieving that goal.
As to apparent inconsistencies regarding links in posts, there are two major factors:
1. Limited staff - With thousands of posts per day, we can't review them ALL, we're volunteers and need to spend a few hours a day earning a living too! :)
2. Staff judgment (and various shades of gray regarding links) - A link to something clearly commercial by the site's owner is (usually) advertising and removed. A link to a commercial resource that is exactly what a member is looking for is usually delinked. A link to a valuable non-commercial resource is usually unmolested (unless it's offered by the site's owner). Links to sites that are indigenous to the Net are usually unmolested (google.com for example). In addition, each staff member may judge the value of a link or the intent behind a link somewhat differently...
Can anyone give me the shorthand version?Don't post links! :) Or when in doubt ask a moderator. Or don't post a link unless it's ESSENTIAL to the discussion. Or expect any link you post to be edited. Or... Make a sincere effort to conform to the TOS in your best judgment and we'll do the same!
I wish the rules were more clearly defined too! People keep joining and the board keeps growing so we must be doing something right. ;)
The remark about be able to find solutions and resources via a Google search could be said about every other piece of info offered here on this forum.
It's my understanding that forums work best when you know there's someone there who'll have the answer to your question. If the person who knows the answer isn't allowed to tell, then I can't see that as being constructive to the spirit and community of a forum.
Now, of course, it's your baby and if you've been under an onslaught of abuse of various kinds then it's your choice and privilege how you deal with it.
I just can't help thinking there must be a better way to weed out the badd'uns and promote the same sense of self-moderating community without the need to implement certain, arguably draconian, rules.
Of course, it's partially my ignorance in not reading the T&C for this forum, but tbh, I didn't expect the rules to be so far removed from those generally typical of other fora.
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I'm still not clear as to why my font link was deactivated when a previous link to Adobe wasn't.
I appreciate that you're trying to steer clear of allowing the forum to be (ab)used to promote other sites, so why let Adobe's commercial font retail department feel the love, so to speak? :)
I'd hardly call their fonts as being indigenous to the net in the same way that Google is.
I'd be stumped to understand how anyone could judge
them as being equal in that context.
But hey, my recommendation is still there, so I've still been able to make a contribution and I appreciate that you've left my effort effectively intact. :)
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Regarding the dumping of code.
It wasn't something I'd endorse myself, but I only suggested is during my question about an earlier response.
I'm of the opinion that it's easier to offer effective advice if the person offering advice isn't doing so blindly based purely on the half-understood explanation of a newbie who doesn't really know what they should be looking for.
I prefer to 'let the dog see the rabbit' rather than rattle along playing twenty questions for the sake of what might, to me, be a simple thing.
That being said, I'm also one who prefers to see people understand rather than merely copy code on trust. With that in mind I make the effort of adding enough explanation with my solutions to enable the recipient to understand the whys and hows, so that next time they'll be a little better equipped to answer it themselves.
Again, I understand your approach (I think), but I guess I don't see giving help as something that has to be drawn out in order to leave a lasting benefit.
It may well be that your method turns out a better developer. It might not. Either way, I know I don't have the time or patience to play Shaolin Master to someone's 'Grasshopper' and trickle knowledge into people's heads as though it were some precious gem of wisdom and enlightenment.
I'd rather just shine a torch on the problem and explain why it's happening and how to fix it, in terms they can understand and build on. ;)
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In closing... (yes, nearly there) ;)
If it works for you and your members are by and large happy here then more power to ya. :)
I'm just not sure my preferred way of helping people and preferred sense of moderation is something that is going to fit in well here.
Perhaps I haven't had one of the forums at which I moderate so badly abused that I can begin to really understand the lengths you've gone to.
Perhaps my simple idealism is a luxurious attitude that only comes with smaller communities number in hundreds and thousands rather than hundreds *of* thousands.
Perhaps I run a tighter ship that is able to deter the kind of abusers you might otherwise attract.
Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. ;)
Perhaps small really is beautiful.
Perhaps this place isn't for me.
Perhaps I'll save my future input here for when I'm a bit more battle-scarred and cynical and appreciative of the rules in place here.
In the meantime, best of luck to you all. :)
Because they have built many of the fonts that go into os's and are clearly an authority site on many items related to programming and digital composition.
The bluerobot link is somewhat benign as it is obvious there is little promotion value in it. The site is free and offers up quality examples. We have linked to it in the past and appropriate.
Thanks for taking time to understand the system and it rules - I hope you stick around and make it home like the hundreds of thousands of others have.
