rules??

Oh oh!! I'm PALPITATING here

 

Please, I have learned a tool on another forum. May I administer the "clue X 4"???
*WHACK*
Just in case it was that PC thing....
With them bunnies.

 

Quote:-Oh oh!! I'm PALPITATING here


Would you like me to get ya a damp cloth to cooool ya down

 

Too late....
Oh my...

 

Ah Oh,Could somebody bring in a mop & bucket

 

I'd like a little privacy here please

 

Opps!! Sorry I'll send in the maid latter??

 

I guess the point I tried unsuccessfully to make is that people posting their plant ads on this forum is mutually beneficial. On the surface it might appear as parasitic but I can guarantee that those threads offering plants or plant related material for sale would help generate traffic for this website.

Today at a used bookstore I found a copy of the March 1987 issue of Orchids magazine. In that issue is an excellent article on growing orchids outdoors in Southern California. I already have the issue but figured it was worth the $3 to have an extra copy. Let's say that I decide to sell the magazine at cost. Now assuming I have no ties to this forum it would be rational for me to post the ad in the other forum that does not charge for ads and incidentally receives considerably more traffic. Increased traffic increases the chances that I will sell the magazine.

So I go to the other forum and I create a thread. To help sell the magazine I type up the article index...

Spotted Phalaenopsis - Frank Smith
Paphiopedilum sukhakulii and its Hybrid, Paphiopedilum Makuli - Harold Koopowitz and Norito Hasegawa
Growing Orchids Outdoors in Southern California - Susan M. Stephenson
A Lath House for the North - Temperate Climate - Dr. J. H. Vandermeulen
Orchids in Trinidad and Tobago - Chuck McCartney
Host Trees for Miltonia flavescens in Paraguay - Arno Brune
Orchid General Illustrated - 116 - Ceratostylis - Tom and Marion Sheehan
Mauritius Issues Its First Orchid Stamps - Dr. A. M. Khadaroo

With that thread created...when people conduct a Google search containing any of the words in the index...the thread will show up in the search results. People click on the result and it takes them to the forum.

Hmmm...actually, I think that I might be presuming that most people understand how important it is to capture as many relevant Google searches as possible. Google analytics is a great free tool for keeping track of web visitors as is extreme tracker. Extreme tracker is fun because its visible to the public so everybody can understand how the process works. Once people have a better understanding they'll realize its not in the best interest of the forum to place a fee on something that will help the forum...just like its not in the best interest of a forum to delete threads.

Personally, I don't think that one well placed Google ad can be considered obnoxious.

Anyways, it's no loss for me whether or not this forum decides to handicap itself. As long as its got the heart of a champion it will always appeal to some people.

 

Hi Marni, my clarification was based on the general response to the points brought up by dounoharm. It seemed that most people perceived selling plants and plant related items on this forum to be a completely one sided affair when it couldn't be further from the truth.

I agree that differentiation is quite important when it comes to distinguishing oneself from the alternatives. The thing is though, if you are going to provide less value in one area, then it is essential to provide more value in another area. So far, I have yet to see how this forum provides more value in the other areas. Which is fine if people are generally happy with having a smaller orchid forum in terms of quantity of members. But based on recruiting efforts, it seems that increasing membership is quite important. Just like with local orchid societies, heavy recruiting without first focusing on value added, especially without considering the value added by the alternatives, will result in short term gains that will trickle away as new people realize that the alternatives provide more value.

 

Hell yes it's obnoxious, and the reason most of us won't even look at the "other" forums you're talking about. They burn my eyes.

If some people are only interesting in taking rather than participating and giving to the forum, these are the ones who the rules are aimed towards. <Someone rephrase that for me in intelligible English please. I just woke up and that sounds horrible.>

 

Sure it is. There is absolutely no benefit to the owners of this forum to have people selling plants. It's offered as a coutesy.
What some people seem to have a hard time understanding is this is not a 'for profit' forum. It's goal is not to have as many visitors as possible. It's to provide a place for orchid enthusiasts to discuss plants, share photos, and sometimes share a few funny stories.

 

Invite has been sent. I also had his myspace

 

OMG! I love you Hank! You found him, you get to invite him. Please, pretty please do it. If not for me, do it for Tracey.

 

Ha I just looked up his username on Google- what is Gaia Online anyway? Big points for Neyra if she can get him to post!

 

Curiosity might get the better of him. If he would register, I doubt he would hang out much. I wonder if he still has orchids.

Remember Mahon? Maybe Clark will invite him to join!

 

OMG...Mahon

I saw him on another board not to long ago.....let me see if I can find him :evil:

 

I thought Mahon was going into the Navy?