Why not put your location in the title?

[johnny means]

Title says it all.

[Andrew Kertesz]

They could always make a location in your profile mandatory for signing up...

[Myk Rian]

Title says it all.
Because they put it in the body?

[glenn bradley]

Because they put it in the body?

I believe Johnny's good suggestion would help me avoid wasting time looking at a great deal on a 16" jointer in Indiana when I am 2000 miles away ;-)

[Christopher Clark]

I enjoy looking at everything for sale here. I don't care how it is presented. Just bring it on!

[Lee Reep]

Title says it all.

Hmmm, good question. And what is your location? :)

[Peter Kelly]

Good suggestion. Should post this in Forum Tech Support (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?7-Forum-Tech-Support) though no?

[Ole Anderson]

Title says it all.
Could you please elaborate? Do you mean as an example: "Why not put your location in the title? French Lick IN"?
And I personally wonder why folks that have been contributors for years don't fill in their location in their profile so their location pops up every time they make a post. I find it very useful. Even if it a general location in the way Myk gives his.

I see where it would be useful in the classified section but not for every thread.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ole,

This thread was originally in the Classifieds Forum. The Classifieds Forum isn't meant to be used for discussion so another Moderator moved it here.

Some people prefer to not identify their location. That's their choice and I respect it. When somebody wants to sell something, however, it would be easier if their location was available. Like my friend, Glenn, I wouldn't respond to a jointer sale in Virginia, as it is a bit far for me to travel and save money.

[Michael Mahan]

Ole,

This thread was originally in the Classifieds Forum. The Classifieds Forum isn't meant to be used for discussion so another Moderator moved it here.

Some people prefer to not identify their location. That's their choice and I respect it. When somebody wants to sell something, however, it would be easier if their location was available. Like my friend, Glenn, I wouldn't respond to a jointer sale in Virginia, as it is a bit far for me to travel and save money.
I don't because we are made to use our real name as a TOS condition & not a handle,nickname
with my real name & then a address (yes even a city) then any scammer can find me , we talk about all our tools & nice shops ,
NOW why would I want advertize my location & name ? ?
Think about it

[John McClanahan]

Michael, you have a good point. I used a general location, like Myk, just in case someone has trouble with my accent. :D:D

John

[Lee Schierer]

I don't because we are made to use our real name as a TOS condition & not a handle,nickname
with my real name & then a address (yes even a city) then any scammer can find me , we talk about all our tools & nice shops ,
NOW why would I want advertize my location & name ? ?
Think about it

I've been a member here since the Creek started and have always had my location identified. I've yet to be scammed due to any post on the Creek. You don't have to give your full address, even the state would be better than nothing.

[Erik Loza]

Ole,

This thread was originally in the Classifieds Forum. The Classifieds Forum isn't meant to be used for discussion so another Moderator moved it here.

Some people prefer to not identify their location. That's their choice and I respect it. When somebody wants to sell something, however, it would be easier if their location was available. Like my friend, Glenn, I wouldn't respond to a jointer sale in Virginia, as it is a bit far for me to travel and save money.

Ken, I help administrate another V-Bulletin forum (not ww'ing related...) and for our FS classifieds, there is a required field with drop-down box that includes the state before you can create a thread there. I agree that members should have the right to a level of anonymity in the general forums but we found that mandating the state location in the FS threads helped out everyone. Just my own experience...

Best,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Myk Rian]

Hmmm, good question. And what is your location? :)
Hmmmmm......

[Wade Lippman]

I always put "Craftsman RAS - WNY", and think everyone should do the same.
I don't bother to look at the classified because one out of 50 is close enough to bother with, and since I don't know which, why look?

[Ole Anderson]

Ole,

This thread was originally in the Classifieds Forum. The Classifieds Forum isn't meant to be used for discussion so another Moderator moved it here.



Thanks Ken, that explanation of the original post having been moved from the classified section now helps makes sense of the original post

As far as disclosing our location, each of us has a different level of:
-trust in other folk's actions
-paranoia
-belief in conspiracy theories

And I agree with you in that I respect their choice. But so many times I look to see the poster's location when he/she is asking a question or bringing up an issue in which their location might have some bearing. And when blank I have just a little bit of frustration. No biggie.

[Kevin Bourque]

Makes it harder for Americas Most Wanted to track me down.

[Wade Lippman]

I don't because we are made to use our real name as a TOS condition & not a handle,nickname
with my real name & then a address (yes even a city) then any scammer can find me , we talk about all our tools & nice shops ,
NOW why would I want advertize my location & name ? ?
Think about it

What do you think the odds are of someone targeting you because they want to steal your tablesaw?
I wonder if a tablesaw has every been stolen from a house...

[Michael Mahan]

What do you think the odds are of someone targeting you because they want to steal your tablesaw?
I wonder if a tablesaw has every been stolen from a house...

with a name & a city I can find out more information on you than you'd really want me to know about you , your finances , even a picture of your house and all the access points , even a view from curb . What cars you drive .

[John Lanciani]

with a name & a city I can find out more information on you than you'd really want me to know about you , your finances , even a picture of your house and all the access points , even a view from curb . What cars you drive .

It's all out there anyways; change the spelling of the name you post under if you're that worried. (having sold a lot of stuff through the creek I can say with authority that many posters don't use their legal names here). In addition to the classifieds issue, if I (or many others here) can help out someone nearby I almost always do. If I don't know where you're from it makes little sense to invite you over or stop by to share what I can.

I guess having a name like mine it doesn't really matter, I see that there are a whole lot more people named Michael Mahan than there are John Lanciani (Just me and my cousin) so you have a lot more built in anonymity than I do.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Michael,

There is very little you can do on the internet that can't be tracked.

Did you ever wonder how the SMC Moderators are able to identify those people who are "guested" here at SMC and then reregister using a different name to cause trouble again? Each post you make on the internet leaves evidence of your IP address. We are able to identify and locate someone by their IP address, which is generally unique. Keith is able to contact their provider and those IP addresses are blocked from SMC. Using that same ability I could at least tell you where your ISP is located.

Everybody has a right to show or not show their location. And....each person's reason to do so or not do so is just as valid as another person's reason. It's subjective...open to personal opinion.

It's not black or white.

There is no right or wrong.

Everybody has a right to have their own opinion.

[Michael Mahan]

It's all out there anyways; change the spelling of the name you post under if you're that worried. (having sold a lot of stuff through the creek I can say with authority that many posters don't use their legal names here).
those people you refer to then are Not abiding by the SMC TOS then .

[Michael Mahan]

Michael,

There is very little you can do on the internet that can't be tracked.

Did you ever wonder how the SMC Moderators are able to identify those people who are "guested" here at SMC and then reregister using a different name to cause trouble again? Each post you make on the internet leaves evidence of your IP address. We are able to identify and locate someone by their IP address, which is generally unique. Keith is able to contact their provider and those IP addresses are blocked from SMC. Using that same ability I could at least tell you where your ISP is located.

Everybody has a right to show or not show their location. And....each person's reason to do so or not do so is just as valid as another person's reason. It's subjective...open to personal opinion.

It's not black or white.

There is no right or wrong.

Everybody has a right to have their own opinion. I didn't say anyone was right or wrong , I'm just pointing out that placing a address & name on a site that is open to all visitors not even registered reveals more info than some care to realize .
Yes it is just my opinion that it is not in the best interests of anyone who might value their rights to privacy to list a full name & location on a open forum like SMC .

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Michael,

As I stated, you can't be on the internet without having a traceable presence and that information is available for others. To think that merely not posting your location is protection is being naïve.

There is no black or white..... no right or wrong...... We simply put different amounts of importance on different reasons for doing or not doing something....it's subjective.

Further, I am of the belief that overdramatizing an argument doesn't increase the validity of your position one iota.

It could just as easily be argued that it's irresponsible to overdramatize the reasons for one's opinion and cause unnecessary worry by others.

When you come on the internet, you freely, maybe unknowingly, relinquish certain amounts of privacy. It's not your choice once you enter the door.



As I stated in my first post, I respect the right of each individual to post or not post their location. It's their right....and I respect it.

Neither of our opinions are more valid than the other. We just have opinions and in this case, our opinions differ.

[Chris Padilla]

I had a sticky post in the Classified Ad forum once upon a time requesting people to put their city, state in the title as I thought most would find it helpful. I'd say it was successful for about 1/3 of the posts for a little while and then fizzled out and I eventually nuked the post. I can try it again.

As to filling out the "Location" line here, notice that mine is general but gives you a reasonable idea where I live.

[Erik Loza]

I had a sticky post in the Classified Ad forum once upon a time requesting people to put their city, state in the title as I thought most would find it helpful. I'd say it was successful for about 1/3 of the posts for a little while and then fizzled out and I eventually nuked the post. I can try it again...

Chris, the way we do it on my other forum is that the OP is required to select a state from the drop-down menu in order to create the thread, but we suggest in a Sticky at the top of the F/S forum that folks handle the rest of the specifics via PM or email. That seems let potential buyers filter out too-far distances right away while still respecting the privacy of the seller. Works for us, anyway.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Chris Padilla]

Erik,

I like the idea but it would be up to our Admin to write the code for this feature.

[Brian Elfert]

What do you think the odds are of someone targeting you because they want to steal your tablesaw?
I wonder if a tablesaw has every been stolen from a house...

No, but they might steal your other tools. How many construction trailers have been broken into to steal tools? I deliberately don't keep my enclosed trailer locked at home because there is nothing of value in it. I don't want hundreds in damage from someone breaking in hoping to find tools.

I'm not paranoid enough to keep my location off here.

[John Sanford]

With the exception of Alaska, Montana, California, Texas, Nevada and Florida, where a bit more precise of a location than merely the state would be useful, I think that simply including the state would do the trick for those desiring to quickly filter out classified based on geographic proximity.

[william watts]

Yes, a table saw has been stolen from a house along with $6k of other tools. Covered by insurance fortunately. This was before the wide spread use of the internet.

[Moses Yoder]

I don't believe there is any way to force someone to give their location if they don't want to. Smart people would naturally post an approximate location as early in the message as possible for stuff that is not easily shipped. If you see an ad for a widebelt sander that doesn't have the location posted early on, I think you could safely assume you are dealing with a person that is not very intelligent and avoid dealing with them.

[Brian Elfert]

With the exception of Alaska, Montana, California, Texas, Nevada and Florida, where a bit more precise of a location than merely the state would be useful, I think that simply including the state would do the trick for those desiring to quickly filter out classified based on geographic proximity.

Plenty of other states are big too like Wyoming and Nebraska. Both states are about 400 miles east to west. I live in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. It would have to be an awfully special tool for me to drive up to say International Falls or Roseau, Minnesota.

Realistically, I would probably be more likely to buy a tool in Chicago or Des Moines, Iowa than any place way up north in Minnesota. The highways to Chicago and Des Moines are way better than going to far northern Minnesota.

[Myk Rian]

If someone is so paranoid about people finding them, it's time to cut the I-net connection, and go off-grid.