Proposed change to Classified Rules

[n2sooners]

Heh, the post count intimidated me when I first signed up, but I've found it easier to post here than I thought and it helped that I'm not really worried about posting in the classifieds as I have nothing I want to sell right now.

I agree with the not so drastic increase in post count along with a time requirement.

I don't agree with hiding the classifieds though. If I remember correctly, I found this forum through a web search that lead me to a post in the classifieds.

 

[Shadowrider]

I think it should be 60 days and/or 60 posts. Or some variant of the two (increase one/decrease other but definitely add a time parameter). Also what dustingaunder said about making them invisible.

 

[Stephen Cue]

I see posters on here with thousand of post that haven't contributed much of anything and I see posters with 2 post that both were meaningfull.

There is truth to this.

I'd say to keep it at 20-50 posts, but make the wait 6 months. If someone is interested in the site and does more reading than posting, then they won't mind the wait. To someone who just wants to jump in and start buying/selling, they can go to Arms List or Gunbroker.

I like the idea of keeping the classifieds invisible to non-members and logged-out folks (which keeps things in the classifieds as well as transactions out of view of non-members and visitors). Maybe let new members view the classifieds after 3 months, but they can't post anything in the classifieds until they hit their 6-month mark (they can still buy via PM once the classifieds are visible to them).

Hell, I'm even for a paid membership to view the classifieds. That's how it is on several other message boards work. Also, for folks who buy/sell a little too often, force them to pay for a dealer-membership (or at least limit the number of transactions someone can make before paying or upgrading).

Also, a Reputation/rating system can be put into place for members to rate other members. This lets everyone know what the other members think of someone. A member might be a little less reluctant to sell an AR for 5x the cost that they just bought from this board (and asked for help in choosing parts / putting it together - it's happened at least twice that I know of in the last month) if they know they'll get a bad rep for it.

I like everything Andy said here.

 

[Old Fart]

How about just doing away with the classifieds?

 

[smax]

Length of time seems to b e the consensus so far. 50 posts plus 60 days or 90 days?

I think 50 posts and 90 days is more than fair.

I really don't see how a post count makes you more or less a member of the "community". I've been here a good while now and I don't have a huge post count. There have been some occasions when a member has posted that they needed help with something and I have sent them a pm offering whatever assistance I could. Did I make a post about it? No. Does it make me less of a member of the "community"? I personally don't think posting every thought that goes through your head makes you more of a contributed member.

 

[Istandalone]

Make posts in general discussion forum not count toward total, thereby insuring that the posts are meaningful.

"meaningful posts" means more work for moderators - make people apply or contact a moderator before being able to post in classifieds - If not done already.

 

[Keyser328]

Speaking as someone who has administered forums in the past and chooses to not do it now (with huge kudos and thanks to our mods that deal with it), the idea of judging the "quality" of people's posts is a nightmarish concept to broach. Doing something like that would be a near full time job and would make the mods miserable, so based on that issue alone, I'd veto that idea.

If the forum software supports a minimum time as well as a minimum post count, I think that would be sufficient. Hiding the sale forums from non-logged in persons is a no brainer, as that will keep bots from indexing it, etc.

Again speaking from the position of a former forum administrator, I understand the purpose of the rules and desire to keep "in-fighting" as non-existent as possible, but having been a member here for some time, I also recognize that the community is composed of generally level headed and well mannered people, and I believe they can help cull much of the "politically inflated" market manipulation that may be present, given the opportunity.

 

[perfor8]

We are doomed. Even on a red-state gun forum we have people calling for more regulation. I don't need "protection" from a classified ad.

CAVEAT EMPTOR.

 

[Perplexed]

I think we should have a minimum post count of - one second, be right back...

6006 posts.

Kidding In all seriousness, I like the number 50/50, and I agree with the classifieds being invisible to folks who haven't yet met the requirements. I've gotten PM's from one-post people who wanted to buy something I had for sale, and it's a chancy thing to meet someone for a firearms deal who has zero feedback. I've done that once or twice and it turned out fine each time, but who's to say it'll continue? I'd also suggest one of those sign-up scripts that require a new user to type in the alphanumeric characters they see in an image, in order to cut down on the fly-by spammers.

 

[zerotonothing]

I agree with looking into a minimum membership timeframe. Maybe 3 months? This will stop the trolls who just use our site to sell their goods and split.