• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

No rules or ruthless enforcement of the rules?

No rules, or strictly enforced rules?

  • To heck with the rules, I just want to be entertained here.

    Votes: 16 5.5%

  • Strictly enforce the rules! Without them, the BOI is worthless.

    Votes: 277 94.5%
  • Total voters
    293
WebSlave

WebSlave

It is what it is, but certainly not what it was.
Staff member
Staff
Joined
Feb 3, 2002
Messages
20,509
Reaction score
864
Points
113
Location
Crawfordville, FL
OK, this is getting old. People seem to just not have the time or ability to read the rules here. The warning system makes things easier, but even that is wearing thin as just about every warning I send to someone generates an email whining about it to me.

So here are the choices:

(1) No rules will be in effect here. Basically you can all do what the heck you want and I don't care either way.

or

(2) I enforce the rules ruthlessly, just by deleting the offending messages or entire threads that are in violation of the rules, and ignore any emails I get whining about it or asking for an explanation.

You all choose what you want this to be.
 
the way the rules and warning system are handled now is a complete failure.i for 1 feel like there needs to be a major over haul in many areas and the way to start fixing the problem is through ruthless enforcement.

jim burns

j&w exotics
 
I'd just ignore the whining emails you get now. I believe through the conversations I've had with you and your posts concerning this site that it is not a large (if any) money generating venture. Your giving something of value for free, make it as easy on you as possible

There seems to be a pretty good self-policing (people point out violations etc) and from my view point the only real major violations are off topic posts (your going to get this with an online forum no matter what you do). Your warning system is to nudge people back in the right direction. If someone gets overly upset about being nudged for not following a rule, is there anything you could do to make them happy? I doubt it.

If you did away with the rules all together then there is a very good chance that the board would spiral away to uselessness. I used to follow the boards on www.inc.com (a business oriented site). They had very little monitoring and a few people spamming the boards over and over again for MLM schemes and get rich quick schemes made it useless for sharing ideas or gathering information. Of course this is what the whiners would like as then it validates their whining.
 
I think the BOI is an invaluable TOOL!

My thought are very strong, The BOI is an invaluable tool! It is the ONE thing i always consult before i do business with anyone in the herp world. In the Virtual world, where you send someone hundreds or thousands of you hard earned dollars, never meet them, and sometimes never even speak to them on the phone,,, The BOI sure makes me sleep better at night. There is no worse feeling than finally "knowing" you have been scammed. How many people has the BOI saved from that horrible feeling? I know for me it has saved me more than a few dollars probably thousands. There are others out there that copy this format, but none, that are as extensive as the BOI. I derive a lot of enjoyment from the BOI and the whole site, as i am sure many do,, But the main reason i come back day after day, is to "praise" the best in the business,, and learn who not to do business with.
The only ones who complain about the rules are those that think the rules don't apply to them,,, Every group, troop, congregation, or club has rules to follow why should this be any different,,,
I for one take my hat off to Rich as he is "charting" the waters as he works with this site to make it better as it goes on,,, And i for one would hate to know how many hours Rich has put into this site... ( i am sure it is countless)... I feel like the paying system to get back in once you have been warned, and finally removed is a stroke of genius,, as the "fools" remove themselves,, and if they come back it hits them where it hurts,, in the old pocket,,,! Plus it helps to pay for the site for those of us who play by the rules...
I want to thank Rich for what he has done, As in my eyes he has developed one of the best herp sites in the world,, and i am very proud to be part of it!
 
I feel that it is your site. You are the one that pays for us to have this valuable tool.
Yes, I have had hickups and had two (2) warning points against me. With that said, I really go try to follow the rules as I respect teh rules put forth here for me to utilize this site.
Mylast waring point was a complete failure to remember what I was doing wrong before I did so and it was 100% my fault.
Including myself, if someone does not like the rules, they can leave......plain and simple.
 
I always thought there was a $5 fine for whining? :erm:


Seriously, the rules are posted for everyone to see and when you sign up, you agree to abide by those rules. It isn't your fault they either don't read or choose to ignore the rules.

Also, we have been gaining quite a few new members and growing pains do happen. I think most new subscribers just figure it is like every other board they post on.

I really wouldn't let it get to you. After all, the $10 fine thing seems to be working very well. :no_evil01
 
i like it the way it is

even with my 7 points(can we ammend that) lol, i would just ignore the whining, although its rather difficult to completley insult someone without using inflametory, and or derogatory statements.
 
Perhaps people would be less inclined to send "whining" e-mails if they knew they would be viewed by the public on a "whiners" forum. Just a thought.
 
That is a good thought Chris. A whiners forum. Perhaps you would get less whines if they knew it would go public, especially those who violate the rules over and over again.
There is a thread for those who owe, perhaps a whiners thread is in line as well.
Keep up the good work Rich, I know you give a lot to this site. It is appreciated.
 
Please just keep doing what you have been doing! This is what has made the BOI the unique standout website that it is. I like everything about it and especially enjoy reading Webslave's comments when points are assessed! Sooooo much fun, and thank you!
 
To those members who want strict enforcement,
If the members help us out by serving as our eyes and ears, then we can do a much better job policing the forum. There is far too much volume here for us to try to read every post. Please let us know when you see someone violating the rules so that we can do something about it.

Thanks!
 
Perhaps people would be less inclined to send "whining" e-mails if they knew they would be viewed by the public on a "whiners" forum. Just a thought. As you have noticed I dont post much here but Im here (online) ALOT. The way I see it is with out rules there is CHAOS, and last time I looked we were all Adults here not Children crying because someone peed in our Cheerios.I like the fact thats there are rules here. With being new (some what) to this hobby Ive learned a hell of alot whos who and whos not.... without this site there would be alot of dirty deals and noone would be the wiser........Thanks Rich for the SITE .....Hats off to you sir I know its hard but you make this all worthwhile thanks again
 
I have not read every post here, but I for one have really enjoyed this site. It is an invaluable tool, no, a necessity when conducting business online. I believe that the rules should be strictly enforced. I must admit that I was disappointed when individuals that were previously banned were allowed back on this site. Just like driving a car, this site is a privilege! if you are so disruptive that the webslave actually went as far as to ban you, you sure as heck don't deserve to be let back on!
 
I feel your pain

I used to moderate a reptile chat, and I know from that experience that you can't please anyone.... kind of like a take off on that old P.T. Barnum axiom... you can please some of the people some of the time....

I "vote" for strict, yes even ruthless, enforcement of the site rules. If I'm guilty of a rule, delete my message and send me a warning, or give me points, or whatever is necessary to get me to straighten up and fly right. Without boundaries, there cannot be discipline, and without discipline there can be no order. (You can quote me on that if you want)

As far as Dr. Owens request for assistance; I am willing to do whatever I can to help. I would even volunteer to "snitch" on one of the forums if it would be helpful. Obviously this would be done openly, but perhaps you can enlist a few more members to help in policing the boards... I wouldn't suggest giving "power" to delete messages or assign "penalty" points, but having a volunteer moderator of sorts, who is responsible for reporting back to a "real" moderator in the event of a particularly off-color remark, might help take a little of the burden off those who are enforcing the rules.

I believe the site has taken on a mean, almost mob mentality, atmosphere.... I know that I have commented on threads about which topic(s) were none of my business, but I make an effort to be objective.... there, I feel much better..

So, I'd be happy to help by donating time, as I have more of that than I do money.... I'd also like to see the whiners and complainers held accountable for their words. My wife is a writer, and one of the sites she has been published on posts responses (childish and hateful ones) on their site. The Editor said that you would be surprised at how few nasty letters he gets these days...

Regards,

Tom Townsend
 
I agree with everyone else, The rules rule... I do like the idea of a whiners forum though it could prove to be very entertaining
 
I am in agreement. If you cannot read, or will not comply with, the rules of a FREE site, you have no one but yourself to blame when you are assessed whatever fine the site's owner deems appropriate (whether points or $10).

I also like the idea of a whiners forum, but I would suggest that it be made a "read only" portion of the site. I don't even want to think about how many pages of sniping back and forth those emails could turn into!

:2hammers:
 
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