Introduction Forum Reminder...

While we certainly want to encourage and promote the online efforts of our members, there are some restrictions we need to ask everyone to follow. First and foremost, do not create a post promoting your website, as our terms & conditions require you to ask permission first. Generally, it's "poor board manners" for a new member to immediately promote their website in your first introduction post. Simply tell us your interests and how you came to ATS. After time, and we all get to know you, we certainly want to know what your involved with, and perhaps even get an official link exchange going in our Conspiracy Links domain. If you have something important to promote, and have been a contributing member of the community, we can discuss ways to help you. We may allow you to author a story for our main website that references your work, or utilize an exclusive ATSNN story on what you and your site are up to. Because of our size and popularity, we need to be careful about sites we link to, and how the linking is allowed. Sites like us regularly get purveyors of porn or scams registering in the hopes of getting the link in their profile indexed by Google (only members see profiles, so they're immediately cut-off from Google). Here are some of the general things we consider: 1- Google includes sites we link to in their overall calculations of relevancy. 2- A few automated site filtering systems also use the sites for which we have outbound links in the calculations of our 'score'. If we have too many links to sites they rank low, we will also be ranked low, thereby potentially causing ATS to be automatically filtered by schools, libraries, and corporate networks. 3- And we need to mange the general perception that we stay on top of what's happening in our forums. If we allow any link to be posted, no matter by whom or to what, ATS may appear to be a "free for all". Our growth and credibility relies on just the opposite, we are far from a free for all. So thanks, in advance, for helping with these seemingly trivial, but important in the long-run, issues for ATS.

Hello all, actually he is refering to my recent posts of hello.
All I did was mention the name of my website, I didn't post a link to anything. This is ridiculous. A link is an underscored text object that when clicked upon by the mouse takes you to a site. I don't even know how to post a link to this forum. All I did was mention my interests, as is stated in the text describing the thread. Has anyone else had this problem? I am complaining to the webmaster.

Greetings bote!!

Hmm, for your information, SO *is* the webmaster, and I think the information expressed above would cover your concerns quite well?

EDIT: typo's!!

[edit on 30-6-2004 by Genya]

First, yes...there is a problem. Read the above info. There are quite a few webmasters here and we all try and play by the rules and not let this be just an advertizing space. It is a privately owned board.

Second, SkepticOverlord IS the webmaster.

Now, I have read where you posted your site as a way for people here to get to know your background when speaking with you. Well, we have quite a background ourselves, so perhaps do some research around here would be prudent before you take up arms. Learn what ATS is and who the people here are. All we are asking of you is to not come in the house with your shoes on. Once we get to know you, then maybe you can run in with shoes (well, just to the kitchen anyway). The whole matter really doesn't have to be so dramatic.

You could just acknowledge what happened and move on. Make some quality posts, establish yourself, and then...see about getting a link to your site.

I'm not sure where the confusion has crept in here.
I DO NOT WANT A LINK TO MY SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is that in any way unclear?
A 'link' is a text, underscored, and when you click on it with your mouse it will take you to a site.
What I did was mention the name of my webpage in a post, which is totally different.
I'm am truly sorry that this offends people, but seriously, most everyone in the world who works in an office environment signs every text they send out with their name and contact info. What I did was no different.
Removing a post because it happens to mention a website is a valid policy, however, if you are going to do it to my post, you should do it to every post that contains a web address, and this would make your forum's post volume very small indeed.

It seems all they want is the “Introduction Forum” to be used as a place for new members to introduce themselves to the community. They simply don’t want it to be used as a promotional tool. Easy deal….

I guess it's all in how you want to come off, as some one interested in contributing to the overall forum, or as a self serving promoter who's looking for hits on their website... it's your choice. It's also the choice of the powers that be (SO happens to be one of those powers, in a big hammer wielding, red spandex kind of way) to set the terms and conditions that we ALL have to live by while here at ATS.

bringer_of_the_exodus, that was funny.
Sanc'.

I found it interesting to read the introduction post from Simon.
In it, the only actual information he gives about himself is his website.
Let's examine this in context, and learn from the creator of this site.
I stick by his example, and will reference my business when signing letters.
My posts are not about my website, and do not attempt to promote anything further than the ideas contained in the specific post. Thank you all for contributing to this discussion and for taking the time to consider the topic at hand.

Let's look at in a different way, there are things I can do in my house that I wouldn't approve of you doing, going through my underwear drawer is right up there. So don't think that you have the same rights as the owner of the site.

Merely following his example in his house, not ruffling through his underthings. Interesting analogy though, how is mentioning your business so criminal exactly?
Why not follow the exapmle of a website's author when contributing to his site?
It is the best example you will ever find of how things should be done here.

And yet this is looking like a free for all....

Since I haven't seen the post in question here I can only guess... bringer_of_the_exodus, if you mentioned your website in relation to your interests i see no problem. If it was a blog I think it should go under the blogs section or something. If all you did was post the address with no explaination i can see where SO might have a problme with that.

But really, this is ridiculous.

Thank you so much for actually considering this topic!
I did not use the board for advertising puposes, I merely mentioned my website when describing my interests. Thank you for your post, you are totally correct.

I think our general policies and guidless have been made exceptionally clear to you. A very large percentage of new and existing members have no problem abiding by our simple (albeit long) rules that really are nothing more than a clear explanation of what are commonly accepted social manners for how to behave on someone else's website. Your response is very telling. Instead of being like 95% of the people this happens to by simply saying something to the effect of, "whoops, sorry, won't happen again", you choose the be like the other 5%, confrontational. We've seen your type over and over again, and then some. Your pomposity is revealed and laid bare for all to see now that you're unable to simply respect a few simple rules. I think you'll find few members who will disagree that this normally ends in one particular way.

Indeed, to echo what SkepticOverlord has stated, I think it is clearly evident that you just want to be rude and have no intention of acknowledging the point of the matter (which has been illustrated quite well for you), unless it fits YOUR agenda. I think with that attitude, one has no need to go to your site to learn about you. When faced with an issue, you will A) be rude and argue, B) threaten to take your ball and go home, and C) ignore anyone elses opinion unless it meets your needs.

You have been give reasons, and still you won't just move on. Personally, when faced with a matter like this...I actually just said sorry and that was it.

SO, you are entitled to feel however you like about me.
My replies indicate that I feel I am right in this instance, and that I stand behind by belief on this issue. That belief is simple, that saying where you come from is part of an introduction. That is the issue, percentages of how people respond to having thier posts removed has no bearing whatsoever on this topic. It is my hope that your 95% will learn to stand up for what they believe in, however, it's really none of my business and it is not what this thread is about.

So, you lack the ability to describe yourself without posting the URL of your website and your personal e-mail address? Sorry, you're wrong. We have policies in place for good reasons, and are part of the reason for our current size/popularity. Accept that or move on.

We can do that and follow the rules, Right?

I will, I believe ATS is just fine. Later, dude.

I have broken no rules, that is what I am trying to say. That is why I keep responding. If you can't get that from my previous posts, I'm sorry, but I have other things to do today and in each of those interactions I WILL BE SIGNING MY NAME AND CONTACT INFO AT THE BOTTOM LIKE EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET WHO WORKS IN AN OFFICE ENVIRONMENT. You can argue yourselves silly over this, but the next time you receive a fax or an email from ANYONE from ANYWHERE, expect this information to be included with the communique. What century are you guys living in? Seriously?