Its starting to feel like this place is becoming an Internet Marketplace instead of a place where we can share information on microstock and argue about iStock exclusivity.

I don't want to be peppered with photosecrets stupid teleconferences and I would really like it if Leaf could please make a separate area where we can block it from our accounts for those people who want to peddle their 'services' here.

And if they break the rules, I would want the post deleted immediately and the user banned from the forum.

I'm just suggesting this because I'm very tired of seeing this place become a SecondLife for photographers where its just advertising, not good conversation about the industry - and I'm sure that I'm not the only one.

the mob has spoken

I thought it was a good idea so a 'microstock services' area of the forum has now been created.

if you want to ignore this forum area please go to
Profile > Ignore boards prefrences > 

then ignore the boards you want.

but remember that there is also some very useful services amongst the 'spammy' ones

if they are as useful as their peddlers say they are, the reviews will filter through the users, not the peddlers, and word will get out. 

Thanks Leaf, I just hope you will be willing to police the situation to make sure no one signs up and abuses other places in the forum for this and they stick to designated area

if they are as useful as their peddlers say they are, the reviews will filter through the users, not the peddlers, and word will get out. 

Thanks Leaf, I just hope you will be willing to police the situation to make sure no one signs up and abuses other places in the forum for this and they stick to designated area

well, this area of the forum isn't meant as an open call for spam   The same rules will apply as always have.  I will try to keep a close eye on it.

the problem is, is that then people ignoring the forum area would miss all those valuable posts...

I'm ignoring all the Nigerian bankers, the Russian brides and the Ghanese lovers, and geez, missing all their opportunities, I'm crying all my way to the bank.

Wow, talk about fast action!  Thanks a lot Tyler for responding to the suggestions of a separate Microstock Services Forum. 

Ok, well a little test is underway to see if it works.

there is a forum area for 'established'  companies and paid advertisers, and one for non-established.

non established companies are ones with less traffic than microstockgroup or ones no one has heard of

established companies are like paypal and payoneer

I want a vacuum. Can I add an add on MSG asking for that (Vonkara wants a vacuum)?? Then I could choose the best spam offer from a large selection of vacuum spammer

rofl , vonkara... you made my weekend

I don't see anything wrong with having a section for photography merchandise or services as long as it's separate from the main forum. Maybe Leaf can work something out to get a percentage of the transaction since he is providing the vehicle?? not sure how that would work but I'm just throwing ideas out there.  Some might see this as spam but, others might find it useful if they can pick up or trade for a camera/lens/lighting/prop from posters they recognize. With thousands of people all buying the same gear there has to be some value there. 

Ok, well a little test is underway to see if it works.

there is a forum area for 'established'  companies and paid advertisers, and one for non-established.

non established companies are ones with less traffic than microstockgroup or ones no one has heard of

established companies are like paypal and payoneer

that's great,  and if like you said , people peddling their wares part  come on looking like they are asking questions,... well, you saw how we filtered them out, ...   we'll still be watching like ceberus at the gates of hades. jolly good show tyler !

i think a simple buy and sell fourm area is quite different that an area where people are offering microstock services.

If there is interest though, it isn't a problem setting up a buy and sell area.  it would be free though, like the rest of the forum.

that wouldn't be a bad idea too. safer than ebay!

Leaf,

It would be a bit annoying to a new user, but maybe we should make it more difficult to start new threads?  Not just posting once in an existing thread, but like having to wait one week for the first new thread?

Regards,
Adelaide

That would put new users with a valid and time sensitive question at a disadvantage.

Maybe a Report Spam button that could only be used by users who have been registered at least a month.

All great ideas guys, but are we not forgetting the main problem, "SPAM", I mean and guys don't take me wrong but (I can only speak for myself on this) this forum and the people in it are like a family to me (like the TV show Cheers, where everyone knows your name), are we sure we want to turn it into something different (like a internet marketplace), my only complain since I've being here, has been over the service spam, otherwise the site has always been perfect, I would hate to see such nice place turn into craigslist or ebay, where we sell, trade and buy...we could be opening Pandora's box by trying to incorporate so many things to a perfect site...the way I look at it is "if is not broken, leave it alone" and if it is, fix the part that is and leave the rest alone.
Just my two cents on a new possible format.

Best regards.

Manny

Manny ... my thoughts exactly.  it's more like cheers, and we slug it out all in good fun. throw good beer into each others' faces when we disagree. it's like life outside this forum, it's all in the day of coming here rubbing shoulders with ppl we know for so long. we wish each other season's greetings , birthday,etc..

sure,  we poop on each other, but this is not a personal thing or any kind of vendetta. tomorrow, i might completely disagree with you, which i think i have done so before.  It's a forum, not a vote or a place to expect us to suckle up to your deflated ego.

this current concern of yours that it could ruin our forum into a kijiji or craigslist is not unfounded. soon you will get the nigerian scam coming in too, and we will all lose interest in keeping this habit to come in to "leaf's pub". as i said before , if Tyler serves really Guinness it could be better but we sure like the company we 've kept this far.

i will be watching what you say next , m@m , so i can get my giant Batbaseball bat to hit you on the head     good point.

Hey batman, I'm all for the Guinness idea, maybe some half and half as well!!!
How about it Tyler?

ah yes, black and tan.  m@m good to meet someone who likes a good pint, esp if it's black and tan 

I don't see anything wrong with having a section for photography merchandise or services as long as it's separate from the main forum. Maybe Leaf can work something out to get a percentage of the transaction since he is providing the vehicle?? not sure how that would work but I'm just throwing ideas out there.  Some might see this as spam but, others might find it useful if they can pick up or trade for a camera/lens/lighting/prop from posters they recognize. With thousands of people all buying the same gear there has to be some value there. 

I would like to see a section of buy and sell too. I like to get that Pentax FA50mm 1.4 for less than what they offer me here on a new one (180C$). Also a pancake DA 21MM 3.2AL which is way too much for my wallet at the new price (580C$).

m@m, I am totally with you about selling chickens and vacuum cleaners on this site.
However a buy & sell section like on Fredmiranda, where you just sell/trade/buy photo equipment would be awesome and a valuable service to the MSG members. I do not think it would be "offtopic".
In fact I recently bought something from a member here and that that person was a longtime member here enabled me to trust him. It would be just an additional service MSG would offer. You can easily restrict the access to that section like for example only to full members, so that people who are new cannot post there or even do not see it until they are full members. The Fredmiranda system seems to work very well. If you hate to buy/sell/trade your gear on MSG I suggest to ignore that section, if Tyler decides to create it.