Cobra & other commercial posts

Zip-Lock · 01-11-2003, 04:23 PM

If you were not all ready aware Cobra has now gone commercial (Carplayer) at the expense of this forum and the donating members of this forum who generously contributed to the Cobra media player effort. I see no reason to continue to support their commercial efforts and I have removed the Cobra forum.

I would like to remind everyone that this is a hobby not a commercial operation. I don’t like how some members are using this forum for free advertising. I understand that some members are making specialty products (shutdown controllers, power supplies, etc.) I don’t have a problem with that as long as it serves in the best interest of this community.

I few things have seen around recently which I don't like:
1. Those who register with a username that is a commercial website
2. Putting a phone number in the custom user text (which displays under usernames) for sales purposes
3. Putting commercial contact information and/or pricing information in the signature of posts

I wish to maintain hobby culture of this forum. Please don’t abuse it.

mprover · 01-12-2003, 12:34 AM

Even though I havent done **** with mp3car stuff latlety as I have purchased a new vehicle , Id like to take this time to thank ABCD for his work on the project. Best of luck !!!!!!

magnetik · 01-12-2003, 03:15 AM

zip-lock I fully agree with your statements..... this forum is all about helping each other out.... and enjoing the hobby...

lets keep it happening that way... yay!!

felix99 · 01-12-2003, 04:29 PM

I agree 2 with you Ziplock

ddt · 01-12-2003, 05:58 PM

I don't have a problem with (and this is just my .02) people like Armen selling their stuff here. I've seen the exact same products he sells on his site for 70-100% MORE on other sites. That's a benifit to the community for sure as a lot of us are working with limited budgets.

EDIT - Oh and as far as the Cobra forum goes... good riddance.

outragis · 01-12-2003, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ddt
I don't have a problem with (and this is just my .02) people like Armen selling their stuff here. I've seen the exact same products he sells on his site for 70-100% MORE on other sites. That's a benifit to the community for sure as a lot of us are working with limited budgets.

EDIT - Oh and as far as the Cobra forum goes... good riddance.

Amen Brother!!!

Dex4now · 01-12-2003, 08:10 PM

While I agree somewhat here, that there's no need for this forum to host a commercial product, I don't see any harm in people who represent commercial interests to post here, and to make it known in there post, or signature their affiliation.

There are several magazines I subscribe to, where the ads are worth more than the content, to some degree. What is important, however, is that anyone posting who does represent a commercial venture, make that association known upfront, so folks can decide for themselves the bias one might bring to a recommendation or suggestion.

Stavros · 01-12-2003, 09:18 PM

Personally, it should be done on a case by case basis. This forum is not a democracy, and that is why we have admins. If they feel that someone is exploiting the forum, then so be it. If they don't, its their call. Thanks for all the help in the past mp3car.com'ers!

albysure · 01-12-2003, 09:40 PM

i do agree that this forum shouldn't be used for commercial profit. there should be some sort of line to stay behind before you are considered a retailer. people like mastero are fair enough in their pricing that they are really helping the "hobbyist" here. and thats what its all about!

CrazyLittle · 01-14-2003, 07:26 PM

I remember a certain backlash when I jumped at digitalww for his commercial dealings here in the LCD and for sale forums. Once Digital established that he would be an active part of the community, that's when he became accepted.

Zip-Lock is right on this call. People don't come here to get spammed by dealers looking to make a buck here. We came here to share what we know about building computers in specials setups, and to recieve info on anything that we need to finish our projects.

C4M · 01-14-2003, 07:32 PM

How about this?

If people are interested in advertising their goods for sale on our forum, then we have a little shopping cart setup built, and sellers are able to peddle their wares there, and advertise/discuss them in a specific forum.

In order to sell stuff using that shopping cart, vendors must be willing to donate a percentage of the cost of the product to the forum as a cost of advertising. As a start, I'd suggest something like 5%.

We're a pretty specific and knowledgeable little market here - we all know what we want, and know how much stuff costs.

This would enable us to control commercial vendors, and cover some cost as well.

C!

ShinkunoNamida · 01-14-2003, 07:32 PM

I have a couple ideas on this topic.

1.) Guys like Armen (aka digitalww), dscustoms, and the Opus fellows have been posting on here information reguarding their products, but they also have done a great service by providing direct tech support to the members of the board. dscustoms has dropped out of the picture it seems, but Armen has been providing most of us with great service and has responded to our desires and input quite well. These guys also offered us special rates that they don't give to their other customers. Were they to be denied the priveledge of posting here it is unlikely that they'd return that kind of favor.

2.) What might not be unreasonible is to ask these retailers for a regular donation of money in the lines of an advertising fee to sell stuff on this forum. Both sides win.. Ziplock, you would not have to worry so much about service fees, and the retailers can write off the expense anyway.

Althoug this would be something like a fee, it should be treated more like a comercial entity providing a donation in the way of monitary donations to a not-for-profit hobbyist site.

Many automobile hobbyist sites do full out advertising, I don't feel this detracts from the site in anyway, instead it encourages the commercial entities to become an active part of the community and provide the members of the "club" (for lack of a better word) with unique services and the opportunity to purchase products that may not be available to other end users, and most often a generous discount to the members of the "club" for their products.

----------------------

In other thoughts.. I defended Charles (aka abcd aka cenwesi) and his product, but now I feel as though that he may not have deserved it. The point I was defending was true.. that he was developing the product, and people need to calm down and stop attacking him for having not released it.. but now that I know that all along the product was going to be expensive, and profit at the expense of the donations of those who believed in him, I feel that those who treated him poorly may have been doing so justly.. they just didn't know the real reason why it was justified.

I'm utterly disappointed that this forum was taken advantage of in this way, and I appreciate the genuine feeling I've gotten from dscustoms, who I dealt with directly, and Armen and the opus folks who have been very open and honest about their opperation, and have been very helpful to many of the folks here.

§w|tch · 01-17-2003, 06:54 PM

I recently posted a thread in the classifieds that gave the link to our website, as well as our community... before I read this.

I plan on being an active member of this community, as I can forsee the advantages of offering the information that I have, as well as reading what others have done, tried, failed, and succeeded at.

My thread received one reply which I was about to answer, however it was locked. I apologize if I've offended anyone.

I still plan on being an active member of this community, and any support or questions that I can answer I will do so freely, as it all helps everyone in the end.

I hope I can add something to this community, as well as host a fine marriage of being able to notify people that we do offer products/software/accessories that relate the interests of this community.

Had I read this earlier, I certainly would have posted differently.
Thanks for the time here. I'll be around.

C4M · 01-17-2003, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by §w|tch
I recently posted a thread in the classifieds that gave the link to our website, as well as our community... before I read this.

I read the thread on your site - somehow mp3car.com was mistaken for a commercial site, probably based on the nasty stuff that is offered for sale off the main page.

Does the website make anything from this? Does it help to cover the costs? I've never heard of anyone here buying anything.

Do we need to have that for sale section? Is it sending the wrong message?

I was amused that 5speed thought the products on that page were 'proprietory' - Gnet, which is practically the same thing is there!

C!

CrazyLittle · 01-17-2003, 08:02 PM

The real problem is that our beloved webmaster Moon is MIA.

That's why the front page hasnt' been changed in ages, etc... that's why the content there is dead.