Moderator Reminder - Please Read

[Ken Salisbury]

There have been numerous incidents lately of folks including a direct link to their web site in their signature at the bottom of posts. This is a violation of the SMC Terms of Service.

3. External Linking
Links to other websites are allowed in posts. In fact, they are
encouraged. However, links for the sole purpose of marketing,
generating traffic to a site, or any other commercial advertisement deemed
to solicit commercial benefit are not allowed. Links to other public or private forums are not allowed. Links should be submitted as references, for the sole purpose of generating or supporting discussions on SawMill Creek.

You may include a direct link in the body of your post if that link is to a page on your web site which is directly germain to the subject of the thread. For instance, if the thread asks for an opinion of a tool, etc and you have a review of that specific tool then you can link to that review directly.


Also please note that direct links to other public forums is also a violation of the TOS.


Thanks in advance


http://www.oldrebelworkshop.com/misc/moderator.gif

[Aaron Heck]

I'm confused. You say in rule #3 that links to other websites are allowed. But then in your remarks, you go on to say that links to other public forums are not allowed. I've never understood this.

If there's a question about a project or tool or whatever on another site, why wouldn't that be allowed? I feel that it provides valuable insight that may be missed here.

[Aaron Koehl]

Links to other websites are allowed, except for forums.
No direct links are permitted in signature lines.

[Richard Blaine]

Let me start by saying that I am very happy that you are providing this forum, and since it is your forum, it is your decision as to what the terms of service are to be.

Having said that, I'd like you to reconsider the complete ban on linking to other forums.
Reason 1: I found my way to this forum because of a link from another woodworking forum to a post here that dealt with a question I had posted. If all other forums had the same ban, I would not have found you.
Reason 2: If another forum has dealt with a question, it makes it easier for the poster on this forum to get the answers he needs with a direct link. I guess I could always just say we dealt with that same issue on xyz forum post #7890, but I only see that as making it harder to get the answers one needs.

Anyway, I'm sure you had a good reason for your ban on direct links, but please consider the above.

And again, thank you for providing this forum.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I don't really care one way or another about the banning of links to other forums...but it occurs to me that since no advertising is accepted here, what purpose does the ban serve (since it's not monetary)? Do the direct links add a load to your server?

Just curious...

[Gary Max]

I think that it is to keep someone from turning this into their own marketplace.
I really do beleive that this is the best woodworking site on the internet----this said---it must be the way that it is ran that makes the difference.

[Ted Shrader]

As I understand it, the reason links to other forums discussing a particular topic are ver boten is that the data will not be archived here at the Creek. Where as, if one were to summarize the discussion on the other board, then additional contributions are made here, that data is archived.

Not everything on all boards is archived and searchable, therefore the Creek would loose part of its repository of knowledge. Certainly we are not so naive as to think no other boards exist and references - not links - are made without penalty.

Ted


. . . . If another forum has dealt with a question, it makes it easier for the poster on this forum to get the answers he needs with a direct link. I guess I could always just say we dealt with that same issue on xyz forum post #7890, but I only see that as making it harder to get the answers one needs. . . . .

[Dennis McDonaugh]

I have not used obscene language on this forum and don't remember ever posting a link to another site, but for some reason all these "reminders" sets my teeth on edge. I realize this board is hosted at no charge and the moderators do this on a volunteer basis, but I've got a few things I'd like to say.

First, I don't understand having rules that don't affect the operation of the board. Do links use up more bandwidth? If so, I understand why they'd be banned in the signature block. If not, what's the problem? I can't see missing some discussion in the archives as that big a deal. After all, this is not the congressional record and there are lots of other sites to get information from. I see multiple posts on the same subject across all woodworking sites I frequent.

Second, there are lots of different people in this community, many who think differently than the moderators and those who developed the TOS. I think sometimes we need to think of all of those who use the forum, not just the mainstream users. Maybe it'd be useful to open up discussions on the TOS of the site. After all this is a community and not a commercial board, right? Most communities set their own standards and they evolve over time to meet the needs of the community as it evolves and changes.

[Doug Jones]

I don't get it either, cross linking to other forums is how I found this place as well. It may be a touchy subject (could be why you don't see to many people responding), but what is the harm.
Its your web site and your rules, I'm just here to learn.

[john lawson]

Ditto to what Dennis said. I have posted here on occasion, but quite frankly I have been somewhat reluctant because there are a lot of "rules", many of which I don't understand.

A couple of times I have read a rebuke from a moderator that was downright meanspirited.

I mostly just read the posts and take the stern warnings with a grain of salt, lifte is too short.