WARNING!!!

[WebSlave]

The whole idea of the structure of the BOI is to be able to provide an easy method for someone to check on someone or some business that they are interested in doing business with.  This also applies to people wanting to post their experiences about such person or business.  The harder it is for someone to find what they are looking for, the less likely they will expend the effort to do so.

Having umpteen different threads (topics) about this person or business greatly complicates the ability of someone to be able to easily determine the general consensus about this person's business practices.  Certainly I don't think it would be hard to understand how having EVERYTHING about this person posted in a single thread (topic) would be in everyone's best interests.

I am seeing a huge number of new threads being started when an existing thread is no more than two or three lines below the new one.  I believe I even have something about this in the rules, which I hope new posters will be taking the time to read.

This message board does not give me the capability of copying a message from one topic to another, so my only recourse is to DELETE those messages beginning a new thread, which I feel could be better serving the readers by being addendums to an existing thread.  Yes, I know this is harsh punishment for those people spending the time to type in those messages, but I am open to suggestions on how best to accomplish what I need to do here.  And no, I am not about to email each and every person beforehand about the problem.

Consider this fair warning.  The excuse "I didn't know!!", will carry no weight, and I will not respond to queries from people asking me why their message was deleted.  Nothing is deleted from this board unless there is darned good reason for it, based on the rules I have established and the goals of what the BOI is trying to accomplish.

If necessary, I can certainly make the creation of a new topic subject to review before being accepted for public display.  My only fear is that this may be viewed as a form of censorship, when that would not be the intent.  But this nonsense of having three or more new topics all about the same person visible just on the first screen HAS got to stop.

How about trying to make my job here a little easier, people.

Arguments for and against are welcomed.

 

[ReticEd]

Dittos!

Maybe you could highlight the very useful search button.

I use it before I post and when I am looking for info on particulars.

 

[Seamus Haley]

Hope this doesn't post twice, if it does, just remove the  extra, I got a "cannot  find  server" message when I sent it.

Since multiple threads about an individual tend to end up all relating to the same issue anyway, it makes a great deal of sense...

The only reasons I could really see posting a new thread  would be:

1)  Any existing threads are very old, the experience was recent.... Obviously not the issue with these multiple threads two lines apart on the screen...

2) I could see someone who wishes  to create a bad guy OR good guy post creating a new one if the topic title of the last one does not convey the attitude they wish to get across... If the topic description reads "Seamus  Haley, greatest human being to ever live" and I want to  write about what an egotystical, lying jerk Seamus Haley is... I could see creating a new post in order to  ensure that it's read  by anyone seeking info. Especially if the post that exists and does not convey the desired  emotion is longer than  a page or two.  Many people might not read further along a thread after a few pages of responses one way or another and all in agreement. This should not be abused by people who are trying to stamp out bad guy posts about themselves however...  Either by posting themselves on another name or by having their buddy do it... That could be added to an existing thread  without continuity problems.

Making more threads to no real end will just eat bandwidth and force the  site to start charging more for ads... or start charging period for the classified use. Again though... This is not those threads seperated by weeks or months but then... I don't  think those  were the posts you were  talking  about.

 

[Darin Chappell]

As I stated in the thread I started about Derek Roberts, I seriously considered placing that post in the previous thread.  I did not know you could not move it from one thread to another, Rich.  I'll be happy to copy that post to the other thread, and you can then delete my thread if you want.

Sorry if I caused more problems by doing what I did.  I just thought the other thread had begun to be about someone else and didn't want a good guy report to get lost in the shuffle.

I'll go ahead and copy that post to the other thread, and you can delete what you want, or not.

 

[Adam Block]

Well, I feel the flaw in this board as I mentioned before is as follows:

1) You said yourself the board is here for people to find information.  This information gets extremely lost, lost to the point people don't even read the whole thread and drama.  Posts should be limited to say 500 characters.  This would force people to get to the point and allow this board to be an informative as opposed to a debate forum.

2) Come up with a rating system more like what you're trying to do.  With the post on me, 3000 views and 8 pages of debate is a lot of junk to deal with just to find out I'm behind on my shipping, something I openly admit and point out on my site.

3) The board for the most part is there here on part because of disorder.  If something good is posted on somebody many times there is no response.  People that know nothing about the person say nothing.  On the flip side if something bad is said the post is flocked to and the post, opinions and accusations flare.  This is human nature however, the board is designed to bring out negative and being a person who looks at the positive side of everything that makes it hard for me to use.

4) Due to what I said it three I think it would be wise to post the recourse people can take before posting.  This would keep the redundant posts about who to contact if you’ve been ripped off down.  eBay is structured very well and keeps the BS down.  It’s done like that for a reason, so people choose their words wisely.

5) Lastly, structure is what I think is needed most.  There are many people on here and opinions and egos get in the way of the point most of the time.  I think this board is a good idea but allowing people to say whatever they want as long as they want no matter how far off topic is not wise.  It may be good to limit the number of posts to two per topic.

As things site now this post is over 1700+ characters and 350+ words.  As you can see that’s far too many.  I would focus on structure and how to keep people focused and on the topic.  I for one refuse to post anything bad in here.  If I have a good dealing I will post it and I will try to help people.  Too many devils and not enough devils advocates as it is.

Remember, always two sides,
Adam Block
Impactreptiles.com

 

[HerpVenue]

500 characters and two post limit?
What happens when someone has to copy and paste an e-mail?
What you are suggesting is NOT feasable.  If the posts were limited to two replies to every thread.....You would not have been able to post your 1700+ character and 350+ words.

As far as the reting system.
What is there to stop people from just Rating someone as Bad.
If there was a rating system....I for one know I would get one from Jesse underhill and also each and every single spuedopersonality he has.  that would mean at least twenty  (20) bad ratings from a known thief and liar. .

 

[Adam Block]

I hear ya, but this board is so far from fair as it is that limiting it to a rating scale would help to keep that in check.  You're correct in saying I by my rules wouldn't have been able to make my post.  Are you trying to say that's a bad thing?  I just skip posts as long as mine on an 8 page thread anyway.  You've shot down my ideas and that's fine but what are yours?  This board from a new users standpoint is lost in a mess of he said she said and opinions.  And so what if some idiot posts 10 different times about you.  To be honest I've found the BOI to have little effect on business.  If nothing else it gets a lot of attention to a person and you know what they say.  It doesn't matter if they're talking good or bad about you as long as their talking.  I don't care how many posts I get in here about being a slow shipper.  I've always told people that flat out.

Bottom line is the fat needs to be cut off this board.  There are 5 people making up 50% of the posts and 5 people have their noses in every thread.

That's just a joke!

Adam Block

 

[Seamus Haley]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Bottom line is the fat needs to be cut off this board.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

Actually...  "Bottom  line" is that this is a website that offers FREE information, FREE classifieds and reasonably priced Banner  Ads...

"Bottom Line" is that this website attracts a  much more involved, experienced group of people than say... Kingsnake... The people who will buy your entire inventory for five figures and up... They read this board.

"Bottom Line" is that if you dislike "the fat" on this board...  You're under no obligation to post here. And since you never paid anything for the ability to do so in the first place, you really have no right to complain about anything.

Adam,  you seem to be hell bent on  destroying the  reputation of this board and web-site because you've been called out as a crappy shipper. You say you have no problem  with this, but it's evident you do... Otherwise you'd dissapear if you were so upset.

The BOI offers something that can't be found anywhere else in the industry... the ability to post just about anything you like, without being overly vulgar and stupid, and to have your statements judged solely on  the merit of your words. If you make a  good point, provide a few substantiating facts, people can form a favorable opinion. If you make yourself look like  someone who doesn't care about their reputation... No matter How many people may be seeing it... and you  avoid answering questions and generally act like a child or a crook... People can decide that as well. There may be a signifigant consensus by a number of posters, some  may post more frequently than others... The consensus  is  simply due to  overwhelming evidence and logic, the people posting simply has to do with how much time any given individual has avaliable... You critisize that, stating you're working (while not  driving to the post office with shipper tubes?) but to be honest, who wouldn't want the free time to meander  onto  a website and post some pretty valuable and worthwhile opinions to interact with your peers?

You happen to be, directly or indirectly responsible for THIS thread by asking your buddies to come try and erase a seriously involuted bad guy post where you showed a total lack of proffessionalism and poor buisness practices, stated you didn't care about your customers and generally  told a number of people that you didn't want their money. Don't whine about it after the fact and try to badmouth the system just because  you didn't make it work  for yourself and are hurting your own ability to generate revenue and frightened off potential customers.

Essentially... This board is a free service. If you don't appreciate it... Don't Post.  

Don't Post,  don't read the board, don't talk about it and delete e-mails sent from it. It's your descision as to how you choose to utilize or not utilize this board, it's even your choice  to be a hypocritical, lying, whiney little toady who operates and speaks under false pretenses...  Just don't start crying when people see you for what you chose to represent  yourself as.

 

[Neil Gubitz]

Adam.... that is one lousy attitude, boss! This board is an excellent way to avoid being ripped off.... your one statement....

START OF SNIPPET....
....I don't care how many posts I get in here about being a slow shipper.  I've always told people that flat out....
END OF SNIPPET....

No matter how nice of a guy you are.... no matter how nice your animals are.... no matter how low priced you sell your animals for.... if you EVER told me what you just wrote.... I wouldn't do business with you, EVER!!
I can almost bet that if someone's payment to you is late... you'd be all over him like white on rice! Once someone sends you their HARD-EARNED money... you HAD BETTER get that animal shipped no matter WHAT your petty excuses are!! PERIOD! Even though you tell them up front.... that just don't cut it! You should really re-evaluate your priorities....
....Neil

 

[Adam Block]

Case in point!  You're all way off track and long winded talking about what I have no right to do.  I know you're all able to see only one side but if you've noticed Kenn himself started two threads about me.  There are two about the venomoids, Derrek Roberts and mony others.  I'm not the reason however I may be part of why this is here.

Assumptions,  Assumptions, Assumptions...  Do you all have any other skills?  There is a link to this board on my site and I've always endorsed it to the fullest.  What I think of Rich as a person has nothing to do with what he's done for this hobby.  I'm not sure who's fighting you with any of that but you cause may be lost as I don't see anybody on the other side.

You know what's dawned on me.  I get 100s of emails from people that want quality, low prices and 100% customer service.  I don't do business with people like that.  So all of you people that "wouldn't do businees" with somebody like me.  That's okay on my end as I sell out of everything every year as it is.  My reputation isn't being harmed, nothing has come out that I don't admit to.

So get a grip, buck up and get over it already.  It makes little sense for me to waste so much time on this.  For you to waste time on it is just idiototic.  Get on with your business already and don't forget to read the fine print!  I get no less the 50 people a year that say the money is on the way and it never comes.  I don't post it in here, people can change their mind.  The worlds full of choices, if you read my fine print and don't like it move on.  If you're too stupid to read it then you have only yourself to blame as it's blazen in all my ads.

I'm done, have fun and let your twisting begin,
Adam Block

 

[HerpVenue]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">And so what if some idiot posts 10 different times about you</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Let me see.
Lets say I have done business with ten people.  And they all rate me good.  Then some bad guy from the past that I helped expose decides to rate me under his ten different accounts.
That would be ten good and ten bad.  I would not do business with someone who has half of his ratings as bad ratings.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">You've shot down my ideas and that's fine but what are yours?</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>I like it just the way it is.  It helps restrict people from posting anonymously.  Go read a jess underhill thread.  You will see how many personalities and how many accounts he has.

He has gone as far as posting good about himself.  The only reason he was caught was because of the post.  He would not have been caught under a rating system.


A lot of the bad people have been exposed because people are able to reply to posts.
If replies were restricted to two per thread.  I know of at least three different people that never would have been caught.


See you do not care about exposing a bad guy.  All you care about is stopping people from talking about you.  As for me I have done nothing wrong to ANY of my customers.  So I do not worry about people talking about me.  I just worry about taking out the bad guys.


Bottom Line...in the end it is all aobut money
Less Bad guys = more customers willing to buy over the internet = more customers willing to buy from me.

 

[HerpVenue]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">It makes little sense for me to waste so much time on this.  For you to waste time on it is just idiototic.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
But I can bet you will be back.

 

[ddr]

I hope nobody every posts anything bad about you or you get mixed up with someone who posts something negative about you prematurely.  Only then will it occur to you why people get defensive about being talked about unfairly.  It is a shame that people cannot work out think like that in private.  I understand that if someone is ripping someone off that they should post it.  But for the love of God, please think before jumping the gun.  You are either going to be exposed for a worry-wart that no one would want to deal with, or the person whom you are posting about is going to get all the negative publicity he/she can handle.  Count your blessings, Rich, and be thankful you have not done business with someone with an itchy typing finger.  Derek Roberts

 

[Casey Hulse]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"> Posted: Sep. 21 2002,21<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>8    

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello, Since no one has replied I will tell my story.  I decided to breed some rats to help out on the grocery bill. I started on a rack system and found Adam Block's ad on Kingsnake sipper tubes for $1.00 a piece. I e-mailed 2 times for availability and sent $50.00 Money Order Aug.10th (he said to allow 2 weeks after receipt of the money order). Labor Day Weekend I e-mailed for status of order(do not have this e-mail)He replied that I should receive order by the end of the week well no tubes. E-mailed again around the 7th or 8th of Sep I got reply the 11th                                                   (Sorry it took me so long to get back to you I've been having some troubles
with my email.  I think they were shipped but give me a day and I'll let you
know for sure.  Just to remind me what type did you get?

Thanks a lot,
Adam Block)                                                                             I e-mailed the info he asked for and told him I was not happy with the service I was getting from him. He e-mailed me on the 13th his reply was;;
(Well, I am sorry for the trouble.  There was a delay in me even getting your
money order and that's been the hold up.  My wife thought that they were
already shipped to you and discarded your address.  I again very sorry for
the trouble, I can keep on top of the snake shipping but she handles
everything else and with three kids sometimes ends up forgetting or loosing
track.  Send your address again please and they'll go out today.

Thanks a lot
Adam)
So after telling me twice they were shipped,he did not even have my address and it was my fault because the money order had been delayed supposedly. Well I sent my address again asking politely that he e-mail me when he shipped.Now it is the 21st and guess what no sipper tubes and he will not reply to e-mails all this BS for $50. So now my question is what should I do next?? Hope this all makes sense my typing can not keep up with my thoughts!
Thank You for listening
Ken Town  

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

</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
This is Kens post from nearly a month ago that started all of this. I am not going to count them, but I see several LIES told by Adam. Are you defending this guy Derek? He is an ego driven idiot. How can he say these posts are not hurting his business? The post just started a few weeks ago, and now Adam is posting daily, showing everyone what kind of a guy he is.

 

[ddr]

I am not defending Adam, I am defending me and people like me who have had people post "possible rip-off" post about them for all the world to see way before it is pertinent to do so.  I am just warning all of the people who seem to have an opinion on someone's ethics, before they have all sides of the story, to be careful and think about what they would do if someone posted about them as possible rip-off artists.  It just seems to me that this is getting a little out of hand in all areas, not just Adam's.  There are ALOT of good people out there to deal with.  Some of them may not be perfect and get your order out when you want them too.  But this in no way is grounds for slandering someone or accusing them of being bad business dealers.  Derek Roberts

 

[HerpVenue]

That is why I am all for posting.
I do not think limiting the replies would be good.
That is why I am not in favor of the rating system.
Because someone can have an itchy typing finger and not tell the story of what is really going on.

The guy you are "not defending" had the supplies on hand to deliver to the person who has been waiting for longer than a month. _Instead he purposely "spitefully" decided to ship to someone else.
That sir is bad business practice!
I do not have to accuse someone of it. _It is right there in black and white. .

 

[ddr]

<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>  Where in any of these posts was I talking about Adam???  I was simply(I guess) trying to say that NOT EVERYONE WHO HAS A BAD POST AGAINST THEM IS BAD.  AND THAT IF YOU JUMP THE GUN ON POSTING PUBLICLY ABOUT SOMEONE, THEIR REPUTATION IS AT STAKE.  A rating system would be fine if IT was not abused as tis BOI is sometimes.  Unfortuantely that would be another platform for all of us on this board to get together and argue and bicker about mundane crap that in a few weeks is going to be forgotten.  But how else are we going to air our differences and weed out the scammers?  This board is fine the way it is, I just think that it tends to be WAY one sided sometimes and that can be detrimental to the long term "health" of this forum.  Derek Roberts

 

[WebSlave]

And in a polling system, what is to keep someone from packing the votes in their favor?  Certainly there is the possibility that such a thing may cancel out the packed negative votes.  But the poll is only one tool in the arsenal for someone to inquire about someone.

Yes, I do recognize the opportunity for abuse, but it is no better nor worse than anything else that is being done.  The reason I am waiting to go to the new message board system before I implement this is because the new system will allow me to audit the voting to make sure that I can keep closer tabs on this potential abuse.  Voting will NOT be anonymous to ME.

I will be the only one with the ability to set up a new thread, so it will dramatically cut down the multiple threads about a single person/business. Something that has been a continual problem here.

I am toying with the idea of having the poll and an open thread for comments, so it is possible that this will eventually replace the BOI as you now see it.  Each thread would have a poll PLUS have the ability to enter comments as you now can, perhaps having the best (or worse) of both worlds.  In effect, it would be like the present BOI but with a poll added to the thread.

But if it doesn't work or I feel it is ineffective and just distracting, I can always pull the plug on it.

The BOI is now two years old, and from day one there have been doomsayers stating that it will not last, or is going downhill, or is a sinking ship.  With new members being added every day and traffic increasing steadily (besides the fact that I have NEVER advertised this site), I just don't see it happening.  In many cases, I believe the people saying it are people whom just WISH that were the case.

 

[Rob Hill/Geckos Anonymous]

Personally, it sounds like this new idea would take a good bit more work than the BOI in its current incarnation.  Everyone is going to be sending you threads/posts for you, Rich, to consider, read through, and decide whether or not to post(if I am understanding the new system correctly that is).  And on top of that, you will have the polling system as well which you will be monitoring to keep check on who is voting for themselves as good guys or the people just anonymously voting in others as bad guys.  As many headaches as you have with the BOI now, I think they will be multiplied time and again by this other system(assuming I am even understanding it right).  At least here, if something isn't appropriate, you just delete it and go on(and maybe deal with a couple of lawsuit threats lol), but the other way sounds like more of your time will be taken up with reading through all the hundreds of threads and posts people want to put up and then deciding what to do with it.  
Well, either way, the BOI will just keep on rolling like it has the last couple of years!
Cheers!

 

[Neil Gubitz]

Rich.... admittedly, I'm a computer neophyte! but.... is there a way that when somebody posts a thread on someone else, the SUBJECT'S NAME ONLY of that thread is put on a "separate index page" so that when a NEW thread is started, you are automatically forwarded to that "index" page, to see if the person or company you want to write about is already there?? I'm not sure if I really made myself clear, considering I have no clue what I'm talking about.... I'm just hoping that you understand what I'm getting at.... HOW it would be done, would be up to you!...duh ....Neil