What's with the soapbox posts?

[Dan]

Anyone else notice that a few members are using the forum as their personal blog? Call me all sorts of traditional, but a forum is a tool for discussion. I won't call anyone out, but it seems a few people are just posting something from a soapbox and then not even responding to comments. I'm all for knowledge sharing, but this is a two way tool.

 

[imported_animes2k]

I don't mind it, personally. If it's something worthy of discussion, people will discuss. Otherwise it just adds to the informational value of Autopia. Though it might be cool if we had an actual blog here, too, just for posts like those. Or rather that the blogs were actually used.

 

[Ben@3D]

I don't mind it, personally. If it's something worthy of discussion, people will discuss. Otherwise it just adds to the informational value of Autopia. Though it might be cool if we had an actual blog here, too, just for posts like those. Or rather that the blogs were actually used.

There is always a first person. (hint hint)



:wink1:

 

[WAS]

yakky, I think you're wayyyyy off base here. Everyone has the right to their opinion, and they should be able to post it. If you don't like it, you should ignore it. Or maybe you should start posting things yourself. *gets off soapbox*



lol, j/k of course. Seriously though, I don't care too much about the soapbox stuff, what irritates me more are certain threads that have been creeping into the pro forums trying to teach us all lessons about how to run a business from someone who thinks they're superior to us (won't mention names but everyone knows what I'm talking about).

 

[Dan]

lol, j/k of course. Seriously though, I don't care too much about the soapbox stuff, what irritates me more are certain threads that have been creeping into the pro forums trying to teach us all lessons about how to run a business from someone who thinks they're superior to us (won't mention names but everyone knows what I'm talking about).

Ummm... those are exactly what I'm talking about!!!... its not just in the pro forum though. I'm all for an informative post, but the air of superiority is a total turnoff. We all have things we can learn from each other.

 

[Dan]

There is always a first person. (hint hint)



:wink1:

Hmmm, I thought interaction was good?

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

lol, j/k of course. Seriously though, I don't care too much about the soapbox stuff, what irritates me more are certain threads that have been creeping into the pro forums trying to teach us all lessons about how to run a business from someone who thinks they're superior to us (won't mention names but everyone knows what I'm talking about).

Oh, you mean like the ones where certain people try to tell other certain people they don't have the right to call themselves professionals because they didn't pay someone to train them and hang a certificate of completion on their wall? :lol:



Sad thing is those threads sometimes do have good tidbits of information, but the attitude with which they're presented can make them less effective or approachable. If every business were the same that'd be great, but not everyone has a cookie-cutter scenario to work with.

 

[David Fermani]

Anyone else notice that a few members are using the forum as their personal blog? Call me all sorts of traditional, but a forum is a tool for discussion. I won't call anyone out, but it seems a few people are just posting something from a soapbox and then not even responding to comments. I'm all for knowledge sharing, but this is a two way tool.

It would be great if more people could bump up their participation besides doing what you mentioned and just posting Click N Brags.

 

[Junebug]

I think the problem with forums and email is that it's easy to get the wrong impression. But, if you continuely see a string of posts that have a certain slant to them, well, that's another matter.

 

[Dan]

What would you guys think of someone cutting and pasting an article from their blog and putting it up as a new thread?

 

[togwt]

What would you guys think of someone cutting and pasting an article from their blog and putting it up as a new thread?

Would you care to expand on this premise

 

[Dan]

Would you care to expand on this premise

I've seen a few people copy older content from elsewhere on the web and post it as a new thread. I personally find that a bit tacky. Then I see other people spend hours helping individuals with their detailing problems. That to me is what a forum is about.

 

[TedFred]

I have got to tell you Ben runs a pretty tight ship compared to other sites I frequent. I like that and keep coming back to Autopia becase of the good people and fair exchange.

 

[RaskyR1]

I've seen a few people copy older content from elsewhere on the web and post it as a new thread. I personally find that a bit tacky. Then I see other people spend hours helping individuals with their detailing problems. That to me is what a forum is about.

If the content is their own then I don't see an issue with that, especially if it's useful info. Some members may not frequent other forums so they would have missed out on that info if the user hadn't shared it here too.

 

[David Fermani]

What would you guys think of someone cutting and pasting an article from their blog and putting it up as a new thread?

I've seen a few people copy older content from elsewhere on the web and post it as a new thread. I personally find that a bit tacky. Then I see other people spend hours helping individuals with their detailing problems. That to me is what a forum is about.

As long as the info is within the rules, I personally have no problem with doing this & am grateful that they choose to share their info with this forum. How else would all of us have exposure to it otherwise? I don't read any blogs. But, and that's a big but, I feel it almost disrespectful for someone to post info and not answer questions people ask about it or not thank people for compliments people give them. Netiquette 101.

 

[David Fermani]

I have got to tell you Ben runs a pretty tight ship compared to other sites I frequent. I like that and keep coming back to Autopia becase of the good people and fair exchange.

In retrospect, I'd say that Ben runs a loose ship and is on semi-cruise mode. He has a great job! This forum isn't like it use to be where there was constantly drama left and right (unlike other detail forums) and needed attention from the administration. Great place to share and find information.

 

[Dan]

I feel it almost disrespectful for someone to post info and not answer questions people ask about it or not thank people for compliments people give them. Netiquette 101.

Yeah, I agree, that's pretty rude. Sort of how I feel about the copying of content, I appreciate sharing, but at times the rampant copying seems more like self promotion.

 

[David Fermani]

Yeah, if you post a bunch of info all at one time, there's a good chance that people will skip over it. And, if they do read it, they might not post anything about it. What good is that? I think the nurturing approach works best.

 

[Dan]

I think the nurturing approach works best.

I agree. I'd also love to see more media rich content. There are times you can blab and blab and a picture or even better, video will prove the point that much better. I love demo videos.

 

[WAS]

Ummm... those are exactly what I'm talking about!!!... its not just in the pro forum though. I'm all for an informative post, but the air of superiority is a total turnoff. We all have things we can learn from each other.

Oh, you mean like the ones where certain people try to tell other certain people they don't have the right to call themselves professionals because they didn't pay someone to train them and hang a certificate of completion on their wall? :lol:



Sad thing is those threads sometimes do have good tidbits of information, but the attitude with which they're presented can make them less effective or approachable. If every business were the same that'd be great, but not everyone has a cookie-cutter scenario to work with.

We might as well put this into the open, it's Bud's threads that have been flooding the Pro forums as of late and have been irritating me. I've looked at his web site, and he's a "consultant", in other words, he will have you pay him to give you advice on how to run a successful car care business, be it a wash, detail shop, whatever. To me, he's simply trying to advertise himself without ACTUALLY directly advertising. To a bigger point, he makes comments and statemens that can be challenged, and when they are, he generally doesn't answer. And to be honest, I find some of his threads rediculous. Like the thread about whether a male or female is better at detailing ? Anyways, I do understand that everyone has their right to say what they think and feel, and he does have the small tidbits of insightful information, but I find that his threads and posts don't serve any purpose here other than to cause problems with most of us. If you weight it out, I don't think the net effect is good for the forum. I generally try and steer away from his threads for that reason.