Do NOT Respond to Requests for Hosting With Your Package Details!!!

I'm doing some clean-up in the Web hosting forum, and it looks like a LOT of people aren't following the BST rules laid out in this announcement.

Just as service providers may not respond just to post their rates or say they're interested in being considered NEITHER CAN WEB HOSTS!!!

If someone starts a thread soliciting Web hosting services, you may not respond with a post detailing your packages. You must PM the information to the OP. You also may not post to tell them to PM you or to tell them that you've PMd them, telling them to check their PM, etc.

If you want to post your package details / specs, then POST YOUR OWN SALES THREAD (and keep it to one - if you want to feature it, add the thread link to your sig - duplicates are not allowed!).

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As a sidenote, this forum is ONLY for offering Web hosting packages or soliciting them because you're interested in buying NOW. If you're only looking for "recommendations," (or have questions or discussions about hosting) your thread belongs in the Site & Server Administration forum - NOT here!

If someone asks for recommendations, under NO circumstances may you take that request as a solicitation to push your own services. Doing so will get you a hijacking infraction, just as it does in other areas of the community.

 

Thanks Jenn,

Great to hear this
Hard but the very very nice step to save from crap bumps.

Regards,
Vijay

 

Oh ok, thank you for letting us know!

-Ken

 

Yes, sometimes with those copy/paste offer will make the thread become too long. we need a rules like this. but how about people put the url link point back to their sales thread like

"You can see our hosting packages here http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=xxxxxxx" ?

will they get punish as well?

 

Good to see this area being cleaned up, you should also point out about no free hosting offers or anything 5.00 or under goes in freebies..

Thanks for the heads up (could have saved me a few infractions if posted earlier) I did not realize we could not respond in a thread for wanting hosting thanks...

Keep up the good work...

 

tradeya - yes, they will be punished as well. Any response regarding the promotion of your specific services or rates must be done via the PM system just as in every other BST area.

Iwhic - It was posted earlier - in the BST announcement that shows at the top of this forum, and has for quite a while now. It even addresses the issue of posting rates (which covers any kind of "package" or deal) - the OP may not ask you to post that info in the thread, and anything private must be in a PM. So technically it fell under the 7-day ban rule - I must have been feeling "generous" last night, as I was only giving out hijacking infractions for it.

 

I also got infractions regarding this, I never knew this rule,

 

i am guilty, i suck

 

Not knowing the rule is no excuse. It's every member's responsibility to read any announcement or sticky in the areas where they're posting and in the Suggestions & Feedback forum. That announcement as been right at the top of the Web hosting forum (and all BST forums) since May - not to mention that we've probably dished out thousands of the 7-day bans over those rules being broken already.

So if you haven't read stickies in a while (and if you're reading this one, you obviously know to check ) now's a good time to take a refresher.

 

I think the bigger problem is with "WTB signatures" and "WTB avatar" threads.

These threads get the most responses and keep getting bumped.

In fact, many members just post in such threads to increase their post count.

It would be much better if the offers are just PMed.

Some recent examples:

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1010514
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1010415
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1006801
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1006777

 

Your right that it is not excuse and I was not trying to make excuses i will take my infractions like a man and more on no big deal they will expire, it is not he end of the world.. but i have been reading the stickeis and the announcements to avoid getting a ban, but they apparently are a bit misleading or confusing (at least to me LOL) in the announcements here it says not to post the i am interested pm me the details and bs like that ,, and the affiliate link rules,, but nothing in regurads to posting to some ones reguest (not just this last thread last night)

For instance here it is a bit misleading

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1007675

crazy rob says one thing

"BST" = BUY SELL TRADE.

That's where people are allowed to do what you're complaining about. If you don't like it, don't venture into those forums

then you say to report the thread.

so when i read this i did not see your reply yesterday to it and thought that it was ok since it was in the bst area..

But now that this is cleared up i know not to post in any wtb threads, as I have gotten not only the one last night but others where someone asked for hosting and several people responded to his offer but then we get infractions for offering him what he wants.

As long as we can get this forum cleaned up.. and get rid of threads like this.
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1011023
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1010980
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1010151
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1008493
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1006911
that is just off the first 2 pages...

Now can we get rid of the illegal crap on this forum like warez hosting, it is illegal and should not be allowed on the forum just my opinion..

Thanks for the post jhmattern

 

Thanks for these rules and how about having NO Unlimited offers and requests or those offers which are impractical and not possible to deliver what was offered ?

 

I can't tell you why Rob responded the way that he did - that's why I also responded. Regardless, posting your rates / packages is private business covered in the long-standing announcement, meaning it belongs in PMs only. But just to clarify it:

1. Asking for recommendations does not belong in the BST area. Posts there are for actual deals.

2. If you see a thread like that here, report it.

3. Under no circumstances should you promote your own services when someone asks for "recommendations." That's hijacking. It's the same thing I deal with here in the copywriting forum where people ask if we know writers in a certain niche, and people start posting ad responses with rates and crap - not allowed.

4. If someone posts a WTB thread for hosting services here in this section (where it does belong), you still may not respond with a post publicly listing your rates, packages, link to your site or thread, or to say you're interested to get them to contact you. The appropriate response (and only one that doesn't risk you getting a 7 day ban) is to PM them with your package details - and if you see an OP telling you to post the info or saying they won't accept PMs, report it as they're violating the rules. Do not post in the thread even if the OP asks you to.


As for the threads you noted, I moved them. I didn't spend any one-on-one time today with this section (gotta spread the love around a little thin here at the moment), but I'll be sure to spend some time tomorrow afternoon or evening with more of the misplaced garbage that gets dumped in here.

As for banning other types of threads, it's not in my hands. If you see someone actually selling warez, and you have proof, use the report post button with the details (like a link to the original seller where it states they offer no resale rights), and we'll remove it. If it's just a hosting service though, it gets a bit more tricky. For now, we can control what's directly sold through this site and not what's sold on a third party site. The next time we're discussing BST rule changes, I'll try to remember to bring it up, but I wouldn't hold your breath on us trying to control what happens on third party sites - unfortunately it's tough enough trying to control what's happening right here sometimes.

And newgenservices, no, don't count on "unlimited" packages being banned here either. How they market themselves is up to the provider, and they usually have all of the limitations covered in their TOS. If someone buys the service and has an issue with feeling "scammed" that's what the sales thread responses and iTraders are for.

OK. Think I've covered everything here for now. G'nite folks.

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PS - Sachin410, missed ya the first time through. - Don't worry about the link sales area. It's been on my radar for a little while. Tackling one beast at a time. Hopefully you guys will clean up your act quickly for me, and I can get to them. I was playing in the link exchange area the other night, and man, they're a mess. So yeah... I'm trying to get there. In the meantime, report the threads and the first mod to see it in the queue will deal with it (unfortunately it does take some time as it's huge and always growing).

 

Very good step to make DP Spam free. Keep it up.

You should add more rules in Web Hosting Section.

 

Jenn,
This new rule (or old rule) of not posting an offer kills competition.
DP's BST is such a success as seller's try & beat each others pricing & thus the buyer gets the best deal.
Other forums do not allow this , & you can see how they are dying.

Also, when someone wishes to buy something , they do not like being bombarded with PMs . It is much easier to have a look at your thread to see what people are offering & decide the best.

Just my $0.02

Ishan

 

The rules are the rules for a reason. They've been discussed repeatedly (as well as long-discussed amongst the forum staff before final decisions were made months ago) and are not up for negotiation here. They won't be likely to change. Private offers and deals belong in private messages, and anyone seriously wanting to do business here will gladly accept those PMs (they're even required to). Doing business on a public forum like DP is a privilege, and one that's been abused to obscene levels. We do not need (nor will we tolerate) the constant littering of the forum with the same offers from the same people. If you want to post your offers publicly, start your own thread (and it looks as though you have). You're as capable of competing in the private arena as you are in public threads.