Just to clarify, users can use up to 4 [thread] or [post] tags within their signature. We have more control over spam if the link exists within our own site. Nothing at all was taken away from members other than the number of links allowed in signatures. If reducing the number of links for members signatures is considered "selling out" then ok... so be it. I'd argue people selling links in their signatures are the ones selling out.
You can run your forum anyway you like but....... It would have been nice if some notice was given before the changes were made. (Signature links) Some concessions were made for established members (The ones that help this for grow, 3 of the members complaining have a combined total of 20,000 posts) Premium members should be given extra benefit, it looks like non premium members are set to lose out. I’m still undecided about joining the premium membership, if non premium members are going to be pushed or leave then I will pass on it. Do you plan on making this a paid only forum? Thanks Brian
No, of course not... this will never be a paid only forum. "Normal" users still have all the same permissions/rights as they have always had, with the exception of 2 links in their signatures (this was going to change regardless if premium membership was introduced or not).
Shawn, is the four [thread] / [post] tag count limited to premium members, or do regular members enjoy this benefit as well? And regardless of whether regular members do or not, if a member has any [thread] or [post] links, would those links count against their established "external" link limit?
Any member can use [thread] and [post] tags and it does not count against normal [url] tags. So normal members can have a total of 6 links (4 internal, 2 external) and premium members could have up to 8 (4 internal, 4 external).
I completely agree and empathize with the situation you are dealing with, but that is what the report post option is for.
The bad post report is definitely a major help. Keep the bad posts reports coming. When I am handling them my eyes do not see new problems in the making.
There are other ways to do this, other than offering paying options (i.e. "selling out"). One example would be to only allow members with 10,000 or more posts to have more signature links.
Or just completely hide signatures from search engines for all users (regardless of type of user). That actually was my preferred action, but I got talked out of it.
* Up to 250 characters * No more than 3 lines * No more than 2 links * Images are not allowed * Adult links are not allowed * Warez related links are not allowed aww... wonder how those who have sold their sigs feel about this..lol
Yes, DP always has the option of making *all* of the signatures <nofollow>, which would eliminate a lot of the discussion and debate.
I am all for making them no-follow. I now suddenly understand the problem. How I understand it is "People post crap in GC to get their post count up so that they can sell their "do-follow" sig links" If thats the problem then making them no-follow is a good idea.
Instead of selling the signature links, one should use them to promote themselves. Anyhow we all should obey the DP rules.
what about me, who has just spent over $200 on buying sig links from people. because my link was last added, its now first removed. so i now have to troll all my emails to find the sellers and check my links are still live it would have been nice to get some advanced notice on this. i guess the db maintenance the other day was you removing all the sig links