Quote from: sas on January 16, 2014, 08:22:15 PM
As well if you are looking for a private breeder please post an ad in the looking for section (as per the forum rules).
Don't want to seem picky but this has been the second time in the past week that someone has brought up the forum rules in this manner. Both times it has been directed to a forum user who is "able to view and respond to an ad but cannot post." It seems kind of misleading.
The reason the replies have been worded in this way is because these are new posters and they may not realize
that posting in the general forum in the form of FS, LF etc., is not allowed.
And sadly due to people abusing the classifieds they were closed to only members.
By responding in this way newcomers are politely told of this and they still have the option to read and respond
via pms' to the ads or our sponsors.
Some sites do not allow the general public to even see classified listings.
Membership does have a few perks.
OK, let me try to elaborate on my reply.
It appears as though the OP is not an OVAS Club Member (Maybe they are and their profile hasn't been updated yet, I don't know but it says Hatchling under their moniker). As per the forum rules, "The OVAS Classified boards are provided as a service to OVAS Club member users. All other forum users are able to view and respond to an ad but cannot post."
So if someone is posting a LF ad in the forum and is not an OVAS Club Member, then IMHO it's misleading for a mod to tell a "newcomer" to put up a LF in the Classifieds when they cannot.
Like I said, it's been twice now that a mod has replied to a "newcomer" in this manner (no mention of needing to be an OVAS Member) and if I were on the outside looking in, I would find it misleading and be frustrated whenever I try to post a LF ad and could not. It's obvious that many don't refer to the rules so with that being said the mod(s) need to elaborate on this and advise them that they need to post a LF ad but they can only do so once they become a Club Member.
This is a good point, I know the exec. had looked at this at the very first Exec. meeting this season & maybe addressing it as we speak.
So let`s hang in there until we hear from them.
Regards
Quote from: lucius on January 17, 2014, 08:27:08 AM
OK, let me try to elaborate on my reply.
It appears as though the OP is not an OVAS Club Member (Maybe they are and their profile hasn't been updated yet, I don't know but it says Hatchling under their moniker). As per the forum rules, "The OVAS Classified boards are provided as a service to OVAS Club member users. All other forum users are able to view and respond to an ad but cannot post."
So if someone is posting a LF ad in the forum and is not an OVAS Club Member, then IMHO it's misleading for a mod to tell a "newcomer" to put up a LF in the Classifieds when they cannot.
Like I said, it's been twice now that a mod has replied to a "newcomer" in this manner (no mention of needing to be an OVAS Member) and if I were on the outside looking in, I would find it misleading and be frustrated whenever I try to post a LF ad and could not. It's obvious that many don't refer to the rules so with that being said the mod(s) need to elaborate on this and advise them that they need to post a LF ad but they can only do so once they become a Club Member.
Well the alternative is to remove the post and warn the user, who is brand new to the forum, and then have them toss in the towel because it's too restrictive here and stop coming back. We know because it's happened in the past few months. The last time we responded the way you reference above the user got the information they were looking for and then bought a membership.
It's all a moot point anyway because the exec has debated this since your post last night and we are pretty close to a decision about opening the "looking for" part of the classifieds to everyone on the site.
Thanks for your input Lucius, it's greatly appreciated.