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Changes to the Forum Rules!


Al Brookbanks

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Firstly let me express that I haven't posted this in the news & announcements forum as we don't want to knock the job advert off the top spot.

Rule number 12 has been amended since the launch of the new directory system at www.cubecart.org and closure of the forums.

Advertising of competitors products, related products or services with or without a link is not allowed. We are aware that there are many 3rd party modifications and services which are popular but no direct links may be posted to these in forum posts or signatures. We will only make one exception to this rule in that we will allow members to suggest that they may find the product service they require at www.cubecart.org with a search term. e.g. “You may find what you are looking for at www.cubecart.org. Search for 'SEO'”

If you wish to provide a link to your CubeCart powered store in your signature we have no problem with this if it does not sell related products or services.

If you have any questions concerning this please feel free to reply to this topic. Hopefully it is considered reasonable and welcomed.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Al and everybody :w00t:

I have a question about this part:

We will only make one exception to this rule in that we will allow members to suggest that they may find the product service they require at www.cubecart.org with a search term. e.g. “You may find what you are looking for at www.cubecart.org. Search for 'SEO'â€

It seems far too restrictive if it means that we cannot suggest a google search. It is written in such a way that the only searching place would be cubecart.org, while I think that web search engines like google, yahoo, msn are actually better places to search if one knows the best terms to search. I have in the past suggested that a member search google for a specific term, will this be allowed?

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If we are to help members then let's help them. I agree we should not be aiding in the potential sale of 3rd party mods but why not direct the user and let them make up their own minds. I think a simple link to cubecart.org is sufficient. They are on their own from there on.

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From a member's perspective, I can add that having someone suggest a search term is quite useful. Many times I look for something and can't find it simply because I don't know what keyword to use.

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I have posted my opinion in the moderators section and your ideas are taken under consideration :(

I also beleive that the moders and designers should complete the listings in there to make it easyer for all of us.

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I agree with and am all for anything that makes it easier on the moderators to do their jobs, as well as for the members to find what they seek. :lol:

I would just note here, that I was the first besides Al to add a link to that directory while it was in test mode, but also since that time I have not been able to log in there, and this after repeatedly working with Al regarding my account and also working on hardware, firmware and software on my end. The problem seems to be at this end, but it is a problem nevertheless, and so I am unable to add things to the directory that I would like to add. I am considering hiring someone else to add things there for me in order to make things easier for all of us, as you state.

Also, it may bear remembering that many of us have posted plenty of free help at .com downloads, then at .org when .com downloads was brought down, then at our own servers through .org when .org downloads were never repaired, and still would be happy to find some time to do so again if able to at the new .org directory.

However, suggesting a google, msn or yahoo search on particular terms seems fair and reasonable, as it gives thousands of results to a member from which to choose, while hopefully listing the most relevant near top of search results. It would be good to hear your opinion on this publicly as well :w00t:

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Guest malcolmord

Hi Guys,

I have to say I think search engines is fine. :w00t:

The majority seem to think so too. I will look at the rules today.

This is strange for me. If it was not for the 3rd party mods that are available I would not have been able to use cubecart as my choice of store and no payment would have been made.

I'm glad I came on here before these new rules as I would have stayed long!

Thats my view, I think the rule changes may loose you new customers.

Mally

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I've only been around for 9 months or so, and have seen some of the issues on the cubecart.org site, but not really seen many issues on the cubecart.com site.

I would like to know why you do not allow advertising of related products.

I fully understand the reasons for not allowing competing products, but everything that I have heard about marketing has said that allowing related products that do not compete, such as add-ons (skins or minor content or functionality mods) will help your product grow. Obviously, if a mod author has a mod to do what you (Devellion) have done a different (thus competing) way, but it seems that popular mods would be good information for you as to what ought to be included in a new version, and prior advertising would seem to be a boon for CubeCart, and a means for building strategic alliances between Devellion and the community of mod/skin developers.

Of course, if this has been abused, and competing products were being advertised as thought they were add-ons, and making extra work for moderators who had to act as censors, it make sense to just prohibit any related and competing services. However, since I wasn't arond, it might be nice to know the reasoning since it goes contrary to what I've heard in all the marketing text I've read.

Inquiring minds would like to know.

-Carl

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Inquiring minds would like to know . . .

OK, here you go: http://www.cubecart.com/site/forums/index....showtopic=13898

That post is from 2005, a short while before this change came about in these forums. The problem is that when 3rd party add-ons are allowed to be spoken of here, you get people coming in to the forums to compete with one another on 3rd-party offerings, and to prey or pounce on any members who ask for help by attempting to turn the member's needs into business transactions to profit themselves. Additionally, it becomes impossible for many members to distinguish that the company that owns CubeCart is not responsible for third-party mods that are offered here.

In short, it makes a very big mess over time, and the forum is much better off for not allowing open third-party offerings. Though there may be room for many opinions on this, those who have been around for a long time have seen the evidence and know the history - it is a fact that the forums are better off without the open third-party offerings.

Another very important consideration, there is no way to police third-party offerings without a great deal of expense and headache. If it were allowed, any johnny-come-lately could prey upon the forums.

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