Reference new signature rule posted

[KINGTUT]

Post that was posted by JohnM.

SIGNATURE RULES update
Signature Rules:
Administrators and moderators are in agreement of this update.

* No for sale items may be listed in your signature.

* No info in your signature, profile, or avatar that is contrary to the general forums rules (political, religious, etc).

* Signatures may only list info about your truck and/or other vehicles you own.

* No links to vendors or commercial sites of any kind unless you are a paying sponsor. Signatures and profiles may only contain links to your personal site.

NOTE: Webshots or other similar web sites where you have posted pictures of your truck are allowed


I responded woh dusie or something like that there is a bunch of sigs that need to be looked at. My post was deleted. I took a little "run" through the forums and found about 100 or so that were against the rules, now I did not punch the "notify" button on them since it would just be harassing the moderators, but let's get real with the rules. There is a combatant thread in the 6.4 forum going on now. Since we are down to splitting threads, no pun intended......let's focus on content and not personalities..............

[johnm]

Originally Posted by KINGTUT

... I took a little "run" through the forums and found about 100 or so that were against the rules, ..............

we will get to them asap. as you know, nothing happens instantly.

johnm

[roofeditor]

Originally Posted by johnm

we will get to them asap. as you know, nothing happens instantly.

johnm

And I think you know I'm not being sarcastic to YOU! , if someone had a link in their signature to a site not competitive to TDS what real difference would it make?

I understand links to competitive sites like turbodiesel or oilburners is not really doing this site any help but a link to say the "society of civil engineers" isn't going to make much difference to the site......or anyone on the site other than the curmudgeon.

Now how are we doing on an area that would allow, happy birthday, merry Christmas, congratulations on your son getting into Duke! ETC. Along that same subject as a little test a month or so back I posted I think 5 times Merry Christmas and it got deleted by the curmudgeon 5 times.

Calling someone that has a problem with Christmas a curmudgeon is more than fair in fact it is generous.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by roofeditor

Along that same subject as a little test a month or so back I posted I think 5 times Merry Christmas and it got deleted by the curmudgeon 5 times.

Well, so you want the moderator's wrist slapped for doing his job? Your little test was off topic, and you knew it. The moderators are supposed to delete off-topic posts, and they did. So what's your problem?

The moderators have enough to keep them busy without someone "testing" them to be sure they're awake.

There are always a very tiny minority of hibitual gripers, complainers and moaners. And TheDieselStop has had their share. But all in all, we have a very nice family here.

[cssutto]

Do I understand that it is against the rules to post a link to another site when that site has the solution to a problem that is being discussed?

For instance, we had a long discussion about adding 2cycle to 7.3's.

Do I understand that it is against the rules to post to a site that has an extensive study/analysis of the effects of 2cycle on a 7.3?

Or say maybe a site that has a thread on air ride suspensions to help someone asking questions about air rides?

And is my signature considered to be controversial?

CSSJR

If we do not wish to lose our freedom, we must learn to tolerate our
neighbor's right to freedom even though he might express that freedom
in a manner we consider to be eccentric.

[roofeditor]

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

Well, so you want the moderator's wrist slapped for doing his job? Your little test was off topic, and you knew it. The moderators are supposed to delete off-topic posts, and they did. So what's your problem?

The moderators have enough to keep them busy without someone "testing" them to be sure they're awake.

There are always a very tiny minority of habitual XXXXXXX, gripers, complainers and moaners. And TheDieselStop has had their share. But all in all, we have a very nice family here.

Smokey gets to act like moderator and admonish me as a "quasi" former moderator and I don't to get reply! Hey that's even handed. Even gets to use a word most would find questionable but hey thats OK special rules for special people.

[johnm]

Originally Posted by cssutto

Do I understand that it is against the rules to post a link to another site when that site has the solution to a problem that is being discussed? ....

REMEMBER WE ARE TALKING SIGNATURES HERE...
IN A POST REPLYING TO A QUESTION, YES IT'S OK.
IN SIGNATURE, NO.

johnm

[roofeditor]

Originally Posted by johnm

REMEMBER WE ARE TALKING SIGNATURES HERE...
IN A POST REPLYING TO A QUESTION, YES IT'S OK.
IN SIGNATURE, NO.

johnm

Back on track to the topic. I have no links in my signature so It really doesn't effect me but I notice some members have a link to say the "society of engineers" or NRA, surely not in competition with TDS, and not political or argumentative in nature and not really commercial, so does that violate the rules?

It might violate the EXACT rule but surely not the spirit of the rule, which I would think is more important. I think this is where things went haywire a year or so when one or 2 mods wanted to look for the slightest little thing not even related to what Jason had really intended.

I'd hate to see it go back that way again. The site could benefit with a little fun and levity.

[johnm]

IT IS CLEARLY WRITTEN...

* No links to vendors or commercial sites of any kind unless you are a paying sponsor. Signatures and profiles may only contain links to your personal site.

NOTE: Webshots or other similar web sites where you have posted pictures of your truck are allowed.

SO IF IT IS A NON-COMMERCIAL SITE, IT IS OK

[KINGTUT]

Originally Posted by johnm

we will get to them asap. as you know, nothing happens instantly.

johnm

Oh, I know that. I was not suggesting that. I feel for you guys having to clean all this up. Hopefully, if the new rules can be broadcast more widely folks will clean them up themselves and save the mod's the trouble. The point of my post was how widespread the issue seems to be. I don't care for signatures anyway personally, but many folks here are very particular about them. I don't want any more controversy, I am tired of it.

[roofeditor]

Originally Posted by johnm

IT IS CLEARLY WRITTEN...

* No links to vendors or commercial sites of any kind unless you are a paying sponsor. Signatures and profiles may only contain links to your personal site.

NOTE: Webshots or other similar web sites where you have posted pictures of your truck are allowed.

SO IF IT IS A NON-COMMERCIAL SITE, IT IS OK

I got the general idea but saw sites that really aren't commercial more like ORG sites like fraternal organizations which I notice many people have. Like retired police chiefs association, or retired military officer etc. I'm not trying to split a hair on what's commercial or not.

I don't have any and never did but was just wondering.

[johnm]

From American Heritage dictionary

com-mer-cial (k-murshl) adj.
1. Of or relating to commerce: Involved in work that is intended for the mass market sales.
2. Of, relating to, or being goods produced and distributed for sale.
3. Having profit as a chief aim.

and just in case;
Sale (sal)n. 1. The exchange of goods or services for an amount of money or its equivalent; the act of selling.
2. An instance of selling.
3. An opportunity for selling or being sold.
4. Availability for purchase or trade.
5. A selling of property to the highest bidder; an auction.
6. A special disposal of goods at lowered prices: coats on sale this week.
7. sales Activities involved in selling goods or services. Gross receipts.

jm

[Samuel1941]

Perhaps to add a little reason to the link in a signature controversy, I offer the following.

I am a moderator on an other site and we have the same/similar rule. Our thinking is that sponsors pay to advertise on the site and they are the only ones who should have the privilege to have an active link in their signature.

I give you an example of how links in a signature could lead to misuse. Let's say you own an air conditioning company (could be any company or business or organization-I'm not picking on A/C companies) and you have an active link in your signature. Each time you post that link is visible and basically advertising your business. If you were to post a lot that link would be seen by a lot of people.

Or an other example...you have an active link in your signature to a company you have no financial gain from, you just like them or you use their product/service. Through you through the link each time you post, they are being advertised for free on the site.

I realize air conditioning is not truck related, but it doesn't make any difference, it's advertising a business (or organization or whatever). Sponsors pay to get kind of exposure and it isn't fair to the sponsors to let someone advertise their business (or organization or whatever) for free.

A link to the NRA was mentioned...they pay a lot for advertising and an active link in your signature would give them advertising for free. (And, I'm not picking on the NRA!)

On the site I moderate, we have at least one sponsor who is not truck/diesel related. That's OK with us, we get something from the sponsor, and in return he gets the advertising.

Posting an active link in a post is OK with us as long as it's helpful to someone in that thread...but, posting the active link in several posts/threads would not be acceptable. In this case common sense would prevail...is the link intended to be info/helpful or is it (also) advertising...will the poster possibly gain financially from the link??

Posting an active link in a signature to personal stuff like pictures is OK as long as the site linked to is not selling anything, asking for donations, etc......

If you want your active link or someone else's to be seen multiple times, as in a signature, you/they should become a sponsor.

I'm not posting this to be argumentative, just to explain that at least one other Ford Diesel site has the same (similar) rule and the reason. You may think my reasoning is wrong, unfair, nitpicking or whatever...that's OK, I don't want to argue with anyone. I just thought this might help people understand the rule, as I see it, a little better.

Note: I'm not a moderator here (nor do I want to be, some of you guys are too rough), but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night!!

[roofeditor]

Originally Posted by johnm

From American Heritage dictionary

com-mer-cial (k-murshl) adj.
1. Of or relating to commerce: Involved in work that is intended for the mass market sales.
2. Of, relating to, or being goods produced and distributed for sale.
3. Having profit as a chief aim.

and just in case;
Sale (sal)n. 1. The exchange of goods or services for an amount of money or its equivalent; the act of selling.
2. An instance of selling.
3. An opportunity for selling or being sold.
4. Availability for purchase or trade.
5. A selling of property to the highest bidder; an auction.
6. A special disposal of goods at lowered prices: coats on sale this week.
7. sales Activities involved in selling goods or services. Gross receipts.

jm

Buy by the above EXACT definition a non profit organization like the red cross would by OK? http://american.redcross.org

[Packard8]

Originally Posted by Samuel1941

Perhaps to add a little reason to the link in a signature controversy, I offer the following. I am a moderator on an other site ........<snip>

Thanks, that's a logical explanation. I don't have a dog in this fight (never posted a link in my sig nor do I intend to), but yes, the participating sponsors pay the freight and it's not fair for those who choose not to pay to get free advertising. The exceptions would be non-profits like SalvationArmy.org, SaveTheWhales.org, KillTheWhales.org etc.