[Mike D]

because we've had a couple situations recently regarding new members joining the site, then immediately promoting a product or service, i'd like to clarify the proper etiquette for these postings.

NYBASS strongly discourages the blatant promoting of products or services in the forums, except by a sponsor in the SPONSOR FORUM... with that said, it is OK to post in the FOR SALE forums products and services for sale.... now this is where it gets a little tricky... we do not allow multiple posts, or spamming of these posts...and i would hope that anyone using the FOR SALE forums would also make contributions to the other forums... also, it is not appropriate to repeatedly post a certain product or service for sale over time if this is your business... if you are just a "dude" ore "dudette" selling a reel or boat or something, post your item until it sells, bump it up, whatever.... if you're a small businessman, be careful.... we want to know about your product, but 1 posting is enough in the FOR SALE FORUMS... i don't think this conflicts with our sponsors... i believe it's important for members to be informed about new products or deals or sponsor tournaments etc.. .but we don't want this stuff "promoted" on the site... so for all intents and purposes, 1 posting in the FOR SALE FORUMS is not promoting and not in conflict with the forum etiquette guidelines.

the reason i think this is important is to not only keep members informed, but to give new members a chance to enjoy the site and learn what it's all about...i would hate to see a new member get turned off to the site because members jumped all over him for breaking a forum "rule"... i think the best way to deal with this is to inform the new member of the violation via email, alert him/her of the "forum etiquette guidelines", then see what happens after that...

this is similar to a new member coming on and posting a brief first post "where do i catch fish?" instead of a more detailed introduction... that new member is usually reminded by another member of the proper etiquette here(introduce yourself, yada, yada), then more often than not that new member apologizes and gets with the program.

i think this is the best way to handle these situations...now, i haven't cleared this with johnG, but i'm pretty sure he'd be in agreement given our conversations on the subject... so, john, if you have anything to add: please do.

mikeD

 

[Frank J]

Thank you Mike

 

[JOHN G]

Mike, buddy, you have said it all!!!!!!

 

[schyguy]

?

Sounds like some kind of legal matter to me...............................

 

[Marty]

this is similar to a new member coming on and posting a brief first post "where do i catch fish?" instead of a more detailed introduction... that new member is usually reminded by another member of the proper etiquette here(introduce yourself, yada, yada), then more often than not that new member apologizes and gets with the program.

I think it's a shame that a new member is put in a position where he feels he has to apologize. If someone's first post asks a question without including all the info that someone thinks should be there, why not just give him a nice welcome and ask him to supply the info that is needed to answer his question, rather than condescendingly tell him it's a "weak first post" or some such nonsense.

And if we're gonna take that first post so seriously, put the "rules" in the registration process and make the person click "I agree to these first post rules", just like agreeing to terms of use, or whatever.

I know in the grand scheme of things, what I do makes absolutely zero difference, but I used to always send guys here when I saw questions about NY waters on other forums. Now I never do, because of the rude welcome that some people get because they innocently make a post that is within universally accepted posting guidelines, but not within the arcane etiquette guidelines of NY Bass.

 

[HugeFish4]

Marty, while I for the most part agree with you, there are many that just post to "leech" information and have no intention of ever returning the favor so to speak. To your point, however, when I first joined a couple of years ago, I got grief because I didn't fill out my profile. I was simply trying to protect myself by limiting the information I posted on the web. I think we all sometimes forget what it is like to be a frist time poster, and I am glad you reminded us that we often need to be more friendly and less questioning.

:beerchug:

 

[Mike D]

marty...we will be posting the etiquette guidelines when a new member registers... frank is working on that... i also agree that existing members should not jump all over a new member when he/she posts something that conflicts with forum etiquette... we should always give that person a chance to get to know the site and appreciate what it has to offer... this speaks to the point i was trying to make.

 

[JOHN G]

I will Quote Marty:

"I know in the grand scheme of things, what I do makes absolutely zero difference"


bluntly, that about says it all......

what some people can't understand, is that WE set the policy, and we Try to enforce, it is OUR ballgame, and for the most part, hundreds of members seem to like it! And when I am at these get together and meet all of the fine people who are happy with our policies, there are no problems and everyone raves about them and the quality of people that they encounter....

we have a method that has made NYBass.com the absolutely most unique board on the internet...

there is NO ONE that has the comraderie and closeness that we have.....are we a "tight" fraternity"?

YES WE ARE!

is it impossible to crack?

NO, just requires that you are a warm and outgoing person.....

we do NOT RANK ON BEGINNERS OR LEARNERS...

but we are a friendly group, and I like to maintain that and keep it that way...

after accepting Marty, a relative beginner, with open arms and spending an hour talking to him on the phone many moons ago, he has done nothing but backstab me and critisize me at every turn, so I ask everyone to go back to the beginning of this post and read his own quote assessing himself and his importance to this board.....

may seem harsh, but this board is a success, and we cant please everyone because that is what life is all about, but we are doing a bang up job....

I will continue to demand that new posters give a little of themselves in the beginnning....MANY MANY do, and easily become part of our community REGARDLESS OF THEIR FISHING SKILLS.......



enough......

 

[Lpbassman]

AMEN John!

As some one who has ALWAYS been happy to give out information, (sometimes a little too much information), I have to agree with you 110%. I will always be glad to help out another individual with my wealth of misinformation, whether they be a beginer or a seasoned angler just looking for some info on the northern waters. I do like to have a little background info on the person I am responding to. I dont think its a lot to ask that some one who is new to the site make some kind of introduction about themselves, where they fish, what kind of experience they have...etc.etc.

This is a very friendly and close group of individuals and I find the more I know about a person, the more I am willing to extend myself for that person. (Yes, even you Joe P!) I have met some wonderful new friends on this site because of that open-ness. Lets all try to keep it that way.---My 2 cents!

 

[joe p]

cmere, Leigh....gimme a hug......LOL....

 

[Paul_M]

NYBASS strongly discourages the blatant promoting of products or services in the forums, except by a sponsor in the SPONSOR FORUM...

Can sponsors promote products other than their own?

 

[Mike D]

no paul... sponsors should only "promote" their products... they can write about anything they want... is there something particular you're referring to?

 

[Paul_M]

It's a little vague so I thought I'd ask.

 

[Mike D]

what we mean by "promoting" is blatant ads by people who work for or are sponsored by a company... we certainly don't want to discourage members from discussing ANYTHING related to bass fishing, as long as it's not an ad.

 

[Keith]

Hope I didn't step on any toes...

I joined this group about a week ago and suggested a visit to my website. It's not a commercial site but after reading this thread, I hope I didn't step out of line. I'm not sure about the introduction policy either, but here goes; I'm married with two daughters and been fishing steady for 10-12 years. I'm lucky to have another fishing buddy and he and I try to get in at least one day a week in the summer, usually on Cayuga lake. I love fishing for bass, but like northerns too!
I like your forum, and the responses I got from my first post seemed very friendly.
Keep up the good work.
-Keith

 

[JOHN G]

Keith: your thread stayed up there, so obviously, it didn't violate anything...

my take on your site is that you were offering something free to people, use of your pictures, as such there was no commercial advertising intent as I saw it.....

enjoy our site!

 

[JOEL]

MY TWO CENTS

As a fairly new member and a brand new freshwater fisherperson, I joined NYBASS.com for several reasons, which I will get to in a minute. With that being said, I've been online and a active member of many forums, lists, listserves, etc. I've even owned one.

When I joined NYBASS.com no one needed to ask me to introduce myself to the group. I just did it. Why? So that others would know who I was, and why I was asking such basic questions. It was just common sense, and the proper and polite thing to do.

Since then I've posted nearly 100 times with practically 50 of those being questions or problems that I had. I've always received detailed advice either as a response right on the forum or in a PM,and every once in a while a PM politely telling me that I'm heading in the wrong direction, or just off base. All were done with respect and with the knowledge that I just didn't know any better.

I've never had the pleasure of meeting any of the list members yet, but I've exchanged PMs with plenty of them, and phone calls when I really needed some help. Not once has anyone been rude or insulting to me. One day (hopefully by August) when my business and personal life eases up, I will have the time to get to one of the NYBASS get togethers.

 

[JOHN G]

and Tracker: you will not be disappointed! a great group of guys indeed....

 

[Moab]

I'm kind of new joined this month, I hope I did not doin anything worng.
In my post in places to fish on the bashakill in my post I have a loc bait shops info, in no way that i know the guy besides from fishing this year, and i know by me not to many mom n pop bait shops around.

A member not looking to buy or sell for now to learn for ya pro's on the boards .)
Moab

 

[Hookedup]

Hooked Up Bait Co aka BaitsWhileYouWait

Boy I'm glad I read all of this. I'll make sure I keep all my sales talk under Sponsors....I'm just a middle age guy trying to sell enough tubes to support my fishing habit...Married one son...Tony Alexander