Spammers that mean well, and how we deal with them
Once in a while on a site like this, we get visitors who are excited to share something that they think is valuable with the community here. Recently, we had a person sign up to the forum and post a link to a free book that was an American interpretation of the dhamma.
It’s great that people want to share things. This is a very welcoming community, but there is still etiquette and protocol to consider.
The problem is; it’s rude to spam, no matter which way you spin it. It’s not that the content of whatever site was linked is not valuable or helpful, it’s the way it was delivered to us.
It is considered impolite–bad online etiquette, if you will–to sign up to any site and, as a first post, make a link to another site. No matter how altruistic the post or link is, it’s considered “spam”. If the poster really wants to share their content with the community that we’ve fostered and built over the years, by all means, they are welcome into our humble home. Engage. Discuss. Make friends. We encourage it!
After they’ve been here for a while, have made some friends, have become a presence, and we can be sure that they’re not here just to get visitors for their site, then by all means, we’ll let them post their links.
Communities like this are online homes. It is just as rude for you to come into my online home and paste advertisements as it would be for you to do it in real life. To me, it’s the same as those annoyingly cute precious old ladies who come to my door with pamphlets advertising all manner of noble and worthy charities.
No matter the message, it’s the method that is distasteful.
In the end, I simply emailed this well-meaning woman, and let her know that after she joined our community and engaged more, she would be more than welcome to post her link. Polite, simple, and the same thing I’d do at home. At least bring brownies or something!
Tags: Site policy, spam
You see I joined about two days ago, and in my introductory post I spoke about my blog which is a simply my personal space where I'm writing down stuff about my own journey.
I only posted my link because it's about who I am that's all so it seemed appropriate at the time.
I did not think of it, until read your post, and I see your point. With that in mind, I wonder if I should go back and edit my original introduction and save that for another day?
I certainly don't want to start on a bad note here.
ivan
It's really aimed at those whose sole purpose and pre-determined intention in registering, is to advertise some profit-making venture (in which they possibly have a vested interest) and whose only aim is to submit that self-publicising post, never to return.
You've posted twice more, and now here, too.
And what's more, you haven't added your "publicity" to your signature (although I hope you have included the information in your profile!)
so I personally thank you for clarifying and "'Fessin' up" but it's nice to have you with us, and I hope you'll stick around and post, join in, explore, investigate, ask questions, answer others and generally make yourself at home!
Ok?
It's really aimed at those whose sole purpose and pre-determined intention in registering, is to advertise some profit-making venture (in which they possibly have a vested interest) and whose only aim is to submit that self-publicising post, never to return.
You've posted twice more, and now here, too.
And what's more, you haven't added your "publicity" to your signature (although I hope you have included the information in your profile!)
so I personally thank you for clarifying and "'Fessin' up" but it's nice to have you with us, and I hope you'll stick around and post, join in, explore, investigate, ask questions, answer others and generally make yourself at home!
Ok?
Rest assured I'm here for good. I started the path to Buddha after a lifetime of waiting to open my eyes and follow what I've always known to be right and having a place like this, a global community is an opportunity and a gift that I could never walk away from.
If my passion for Classical Guitar (CG), or my involvement over at delcamp.us (a community just like this but about CG is an example of what I do when I set my mind to it, I can only state the obvious and that is that my journey into Buddhism and what it represents will be 1000 times more intense and meaningful than what I have ever experienced.
I look forward not only to learning, but to share what I learn with others as well.
Thank You!
ivan