POS - Property Online Sharing or Point of Sale?

According to Jan and Ian Somers:

The role of this forum is to provide a way that property investors can learn about property investment from fellow investors. To this end the forum is a place for investors to:

  • Discuss property investment issues in general
  • Share reviews and recommendations on a wide variety of investment resources and services (everything from events, books, software, websites, sources of finance, property-accountants, etc).
  • Help each other evaluate property investment opportunities
  • Keep abreast of important education events (courses, seminars, workshops, etc)
  • Keep up to date on the latest innovative investment techniques
  • Make friends, keep in touch, motivate, support and mentor each other


And, they go onto say:


In fact, the forum is not meant to be a place for classified advertisements. However, there may not always be a clear line between sharing information on investment opportunities and using the forum as a place to simply market products and services. If you think that your post might be interpreted as spam, don’t post it. Furthermore, self-promotion should be by way of deeds not ads. We recommend forum members make their own assessment of what industry professionals have to offer based on the utility of their contributions to the forum. [emphasis original]

Doesn't that sound like good clean fun? :)

It is, but it begs the question, how the bloody hell did we get to where we are today?

What I am referring to is what I consider to be a disturbing trend in the content of this forum.

Unfortunately this trend is not a new one - but that doesn't make it ok.

As far as I can tell, this trend started even before I first arrived here in mid-2003.

I believe that a certain member (who no longer posts here) was given far too much freedom in promoting their services. And this went on for a while until people started to question his modus operandi (a lot less than some others have been questioned, might I add). Eventually it culminated in this particular member ceasing to post on this anymore, asking for several of his posts to be deleted*, and then establishing a rival forum.

Gradually, bit by bit, post by post, other goods and services began to be promoted - after all "if he can do it, why not me?".

And, you know, that is a fair and reasonable question. What is good for the goose, is good for the gander (as they say).

Well, no.

Not if the goose ought to have been turned into roast dinner and feather down.

At this point we need to remind ourselves people - this forum exists only for the continued financial support of Jan and Ian Somers, and the considerable time donation of a small group of administrators and moderators.

But make no mistake - it is not a democracy.

This is a dictatorship and Ian is the head honcho. He gets to call the shots because he signs the cheques.

There are rules as to what can be posted.

My personal opinion is that there are a small group individuals who are consistently making posts that either breach the rules or are most certainly against the spirit of the rules.

Call me old fashioed, call me protective, call me whatever you want - but I, for one, have been prepared to take a line in the sand on this one and call a spade a bloody shovel. Perhaps my posts too have been contrary to the spirit of the rules - but at least I am mature enough to admit that.

I think this forum was a better place with less, not more, informercials. There's enough paid (and unpaid) advertising in this world already and there are certainly forums where it is welcomed - so do we really need anymore?

Can't this place be what Jan and Ian set it up to be - a place to share property investment information?

Can it please not be a point of sale!

This is all my opinion of course (but the rules are a matter of fact).

Mark

* This was, apparently, permitted under the forum's terms of use at the time (which have now been altered to make it non-allowable).
 
This forum is the ABC network equivalent of the property forums. Having so many experienced property investors posting, who do not stand to gain financially through the advice or opinions they offer, is the strength of the forum. Once that goes we might as well move to PI.com.

So I don't have much to add to what Mark has posted other than to agree. :)
 
Mark

I think you are spot on and I for one am very grateful for the financial support of Jan and Ian. I have made great friends on this forum and during my time of need they helped me with words of support and encouragement. My only regret is that I did not find the forum earlier!

If we want advertising then as experienced investors we know where to go, and newbies need only to ask where will they find such information and we will all happily assist.

I agree there is a fine line between advertising and information relating to seminars, conferences, books etc.

The free advice given by our members is fantastic. We have such a wonderful range of members from all walks of life and professions, with various hobbies and life experiences that they so freely share with the rest of us.

Chris
 
I can't really add anything other than nod in agreeance (is that a word?). It really gets up my nose if a forumite is flogging their services, rather than being an active member.
 
Firstly, I would like to thank you all for your support for this forum.

The forum exists because of your collective support, but even more importantly, because of the dedication, time and effort from the group of honorary moderators and administrators who try to keep some semblance of order within it. The financial contribution that Jan & I make is trivial in comparison.

Yes there are rules and yes it is true that we do hope to ensure that the blatant advertising is kept to a minimum and that the discussions and contributions are credible. But just as importantly, you should all treat other contributors with respect. There can be no excuse for personal attacks or raising questions of proprietary. If you consider a member’s post to be outside the rules or spirit of the forum, you are welcome to bring it to the attention of the moderators. That is not to say that you cannot express an alternative view on a subject, but please keep the interactions civil and make the forum something for which you can all be proud.
 
Hear Hear Ian. It is a very difficult line between education and spam - it is after all a matter of opinion. And this forum is coming from a wide and diverse platform of contributors, lets not stifle it.
To me strategy is what stimulates great debate and interest. If we are to assess each others strategies, sometimes its hard not to post something that imitates spam. We all like to hear of each others success and most importantly, the how of the success, the strategy.
IMHO, this is a well run forum that handles itself very well. It is a credit to Ian & Jan Somers and is the obvious benchmark in Australia. Keep up the excellent effort.
 
Personally I'd like to see an end to web sites being advertised in peoples signatures. Keep them in the public profile, but ban them from signatures.
 
Personally I'd like to see an end to web sites being advertised in peoples signatures. Keep them in the public profile, but ban them from signatures.
Hi Twitch,

My profile is set so that I NEVER see anyones sig (or avatars).

And I think now is an excellent time to BUMP this thread.

KJ
 
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