How will this work ?

I don't see anything wrong with asking trade members to keep their advertising in the trade area but I'm against heavy handed moderation of general comment from traders simply because they are talking about or possibly steering people towards products they may sell. If the trade member is answering a question and believes, for example, that bass traps are the solution they should be allowed to say so irrespective of the products they sell.

There are plenty of moderators here and between them they must have enough experience to make a judgement call on these issues. If someone is clearly just touting then the moderators should act. No need to post a chapter and verse explanation - just delete or edit the post and fire as short warning PM to the poster.

On PFM I've certainly taken a few traders to task when I feel they overstep the mark and I know other mods have done the same. That is why moderators exist, to ensure the smooth running of a forum and that extends beyond dealing with the usual bun fights.

 

I agree with all of that - would hate to see discussion become too fragmented by forcing elements into a different area of the forum.

Further to this, perhaps it may be worth considering reducing the number of 'rooms' in the forum? eg. 1 music room, 1 audio room, 1 DIY room, 2 commerce rooms (private & trade) and 1 other? For new members this would be a much more straight forward and would help to reduce the likelihood of casual browsers/potential new members perceiving a sense of inactivity at ZG (just take a look at posting frequency in some rooms).

We've got to look like a thriving community in order to attract new members.

Regards,

Stuart.

 

Some interesting comments ....

I like the idea ...

where you can tell a persons intent by the comments they make ...

that sound obvious but if looked at in more detail its clear where there intension's lie. We have at least one reply on this thread where someone is seemingly trying to cause trouble so much so the target had to come back and explain that as they were not native to the english language some explaination was required.....


Its clear to me that its the repeated negative comments made in isolation by certain members ..that create the bad feeling. The target of the negative comments then feels they need to reply and thus the downward spiral starts. Now its easy to see if the member is just having a bad day ..we all have them or if its a trend ...just look at the posters history ...everything then [for me ] becomes clear.....persistent negative and argumentative post should be discouraged ....by what ever means seem appropriate ....



LS may not have said zg had gone down hill over the last year ...but its clear to me and many others it had seriously lost its way ... imo

At least with these post active measures it appears theres a hand on the helm.

 

Yes, but its been and done now pete.

 

On the example of bass traps.

Perhaps someone selling bass traps may reccomend -

moving furniture and putting (say) a bookshelf in each corner as a cheap measure or alternatively look at room acoustic treatments.

It's much better than e.g. buy a RPG Modex bass trap in the front two corners from me, and here's my website ..www. (guess what Chris has been looking at! )


That would be my suggestion.

Too much ''room treatment, room treatment, room treatment'' may lead to a straw-man style of self promotion.

*edit* not having a go at anyone here

 

Don't wish to be overly negative, but I will be anyway: given that AFAICT nearly all the regular ZG posters mostly post elsewhere, and given that ZG has long been almost dead, I can't see much reason for it to continue.

-- Ian

 

a good positive posting there Ian


thanks for that






perhpts soem people want it to?


I believe there has been a major reason why people have gone elsewhere but like I say thats resolved now.

 

only if people follow the new AUP

 

Ian, hopefuly things will change now the issue has been removed.
I for one couldnt be bothered mostly due to one issue, and obviously the reasons i mentioned in a previous post.

 

I think we are all interested in the new changes Bob!

From a personal POV,, very much so!

 

For what it's worth, I as a relative newcomer perceive ZG as a more formal, techie, DIY-friendly forum. HFW and PFM have more traffic and banter outside the specialist topic.

 

My two penneth
I regularly post on a completely unrelated forum where a number of professionals regularly and freely post. The moderators' attitude is that, so long as they genuinely contribute (a personal view, not a democratic one), they are free to go right ahead including posting ideas and asking for feedback to see if anyone thinks this product or that would be of interest, not to the forum but to the world that the other members are a part of.

It works fine. If they overstep the mark, the moderators wag a finger and it stops. But the pros rarely misjudge and clearly take some care in their posts. They are contributing to and benefiting from the forum - just like any member. Their input has high value and is pretty much always taken seriously. To prevent them from using their professional knowledge and experience relatively freely would not serve anyone.

The spammers get the usual spammers treatment :JOEL:.

Oh, and hello

 

yeah, I think the mods work well on here - allowing threads to flow - that said, some disruptors have maybe got away with too much for too long...

but compare that to avforums where a thread is blocked and a member banned before anything starts to kick off - I know which I prefer...

 

I'm not too sure, Mr Cat!


lol


only kidding.

 

Exactly my view to. There are some helpful members on here, but unfortunately a few unhelpful ones current and gone. I think this could be the best forum on the net as long as we dont get those people with negative views and attitudes.

 

Are they now?

Sorry, perhpts I've been looking in the wrong places.

Just want to be clear on what is acceptable and whats is not?

I've just reaad a note that traders are not permitted to advertise there wares on the forum.

 

Mark the site admin is currently sorting it. But there's th current trade room available for use.

 

Any chance of a colour scheme change while your at it?
Very dull dreary 'n' drab me thinks.Like an overcast day in Manchester;-)

 

The blue colour scheme makes it a little better, but not much. Still it is better than the grey.

 

Its alright!

At least its easy to read (unlike some forums (IMO))