Am I spam?

[ibenick]

EDIT: Thank you for participating in the poll, I will not be posting the trip report excerpts anymore. No need to beat the horse any further.

It has been brought to my attention that some might consider it to be spam to post a short excerpt of a trip report followed by a link to continue reading it on my personal, non-commercial blog.

Kind of like what I did in these two threads:

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...s-Lakes-Uintas

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...ENM-March-2009

So what do you think, is it spam? Personally I think it is still valuable to have the trip report linked here on Bogley so people can use it and so it can be included in the trip report indexes for when Bogley members are planning trips, etc. But that's just my opinion, what do you think?

[Don]

I wouldn't consider this spam. The location can be indexed as though it's a Bogley TR which makes the information, even if it's on another site, useful to Bogley users. Maybe you could include a few more details similar to the example below but I don't see your TR as lacking or spamming the way it is.

[Trip Report] Goblin Valley (04/25/2010)

When: 04/24/2010 - 04/26/2010
Where: Goblin Valley State Park, Utah
Nearby City: Hanksville/Green River or 30miles north of Hanksville or 49 miles southwest of Green River
Weather Conditions: partly sunny all days, Mid 70s, No precip
Hiking Mileage: 2+ miles (no destination)
Time: 3+/- hours (depends on the person and how long they want to explore)
Source of Beta: self (=exploration), or Website (like Climb-utah.com or Zionnational-park.com, etc), Book: Kelsey '98: exploring the Swell, or Secret, etc.

[oldno7]

I don't consider it spam, but I rarely click on a link to another site.

[ibenick]

I wouldn't consider this spam. The location can be indexed as though it's a Bogley TR which makes the information, even if it's on another site, useful to Bogley users. Maybe you could include a few more details similar to the example below but I don't see your TR as lacking or spamming the way it is.

Good idea. Thanks Don.

I don't consider it spam, but I rarely click on a link to another site.

I totally get that and I figure that a lot less people will end up looking at them for that reason.

[denaliguide]

i rarely click on links to view photos. i find it annoying. don't consider it spam either. you aren't trying to sell me anything.

[ibenick]

Too bad I can't add options to the poll. Sounds like "I don't click on links" and "It's a little spammy but okay" would have been good choices as well.

[DOSS]

Not spam... but I don't click on links for trip reports :)

[ibenick]

Judging by the statistics I would say a lot of people don't click on the links. For the two TR's listed above I have about 3-4 times as many views on Bogley as I do on my own site and thats considering some have come from other sources. I'm actually pretty happy with having less views especially if those that really want to see it still can. I figure if someone isn't interested enough to click on a link then they probably wouldn't have found it worthwhile anyway. I really just wanted to find out if the cross posts are welcomed or not.

[trackrunner]

1100+ posts before you started this. clearly you are a contributing member of this form and not just trying to drive traffic to your blog or website so not IMO.

if you wanted to get people to click you could provide some of the best photos and a short write up to give a good idea of the blog post. those that don't want to click you blog link can still enjoy some of your TR.

[accadacca]

Looks like there are a few other Bogley snobs on here too.

I rarely click on links (TR's, Photos) outside Bogley too. It's just a pain. It really depends on what your objective is. Do you want people to see/use/share your pictures and information. Do you want to generate clicks/sales on your Amazon ads.

If its participation your after, you'll get more by including the full report on Bogley. Other members with blogs do the same thing. They let Bogley users participate on Bogley and their blog friends or those on the blog network participate on the blog. Once you create the post on your blog it's really just a copy and paste of the code and post title.

I thoroughly enjoy your TR's and I'll personally be torn on my snobbery if you start posting teasers.

[ibenick]

It really depends on what your objective is. Do you want people to see/use/share your pictures and information. Do you want to generate clicks/sales on your Amazon ads.

I wouldn't have Amazon ads on my site if I didn't want people to buy stuff through them but it's not at all my primary motivation. For the most part I just like posting trip reports, especially when it leads to new friends to go on trips with. I also like the community here on Bogley and I want to stay involved and contribute. I just don't want to post my full TR's here any more. It's a combination of things... the main driver was how Sombeech behaves in the Political Arena. If he were anyone else it wouldn't bother me much but since he is one of the primary owners/operators of the site, it inspires me (and others) to not support the site with content. Nothing personal against him, it's just the way he likes to troll those not like him. The second big reason is what has happened in years past when some other bogley users decided they wanted to remove their content from the site. Apparently that's not allowed?

I had actually decided for a week or so that I wouldn't post anything at all on Bogley anymore, that I would just become one of the many people who take from it and never contribute anything. But I like a lot of the Bogley peeps and I like participating and interacting with them, online and in-person, hence why I am back.

So I think I'll keep posting the abbreviated TR's with the link if people appreciate it, if not, it doesn't bother me to only post it on my blog. I don't really care if I get 100 views on it or 1000. Honestly, I think I would prefer 100.

I will say that if I were the owners/operators of Bogley I would try a lot harder to encourage people to provide real content and create an environment where people want to post their TR's because that, in my opinion, is where it's at. </soapbox>

[accadacca]

Sorry to hear that you've been frustrated. You do own your content and have the ability to edit, delete, etc...just like you've done. Bogley is simply a vehicle for sharing it with others. Bogley is about sharing information, meeting new friends and planning trips in the great outdoors. That is the reason it was created...straight from the horses mouth. It will continue to serve that purpose for those that choose to use it for it's intended purpose.

Its sad that some get distracted from that purpose and I am really sad to see you in that group. It's happened before and it will happen again. At the end of the day you have to do what makes you happy. You know the old saying, YOU choose to be upset or unhappy. I really believe that. Your choice.

[ibenick]

Its sad that some get distracted from that purpose and I am really sad to see you in that group. It's happened before and it will happen again. At the end of the day you have to do what makes you happy. You know the old saying, YOU choose to be upset or unhappy. I really believe that. Your choice.

Actually, I think the political forum is a blast and I don't mind getting into it with people in there. I'd be sad if it went away. I just think Justin goes way over the top considering that he runs the place, that's all. Maybe he needs a new alternate identity that no one knows about, MoBro perhaps? Then he can stealthily go down there and tell me what a retarded, immoral, gay-loving atheist I am and it wouldn't bother me a bit.

[Sombeech]

Wow dude.

[tanya]

I don't usually click on links, but made an exception for you. You are a real member of our group and post often!

Scott likes to use Summitpost. I usually put my link after I do a short trail report with photos. Your site is who you are and what you like to share.

You can't do polls? Is it only moderators? I thought anyone can.



You boys all need to stay out of the BASEMENT!!!!!

I have one debate groups left, use to have 4 of them and it's not fun to moderate at all! If you think its bad to be moderated guys, it's far worse to have to play moderator. Trying to use alternate ego's would just end up in embarrassment the first time you mess up. Everyone here is adults. It's a shame that kids never grow up except in fairy tales or we would not need to be moderated.

You guys can make up some robot moderator. Total set of rules and it will zap you each time you mess up. No human emotions involved. lol

[ibenick]

I don't usually click on links, but made an exception for you. You are a real member of our group and post often!

Scott likes to use Summitpost. I usually put my link after I do a short trail report with photos. Your site is who you are and what you like to share.

You can't do polls? Is it only moderators? I thought anyone can.

Thanks. I was able to make the poll to begin with, I just can't seem to edit it after the fact. Looks like the spam votes are starting to catch up so it may not be necessary to edit.

[ibenick]

You do own your content and have the ability to edit, delete, etc...just like you've done. Bogley is simply a vehicle for sharing it with others. Bogley is about sharing information, meeting new friends and planning trips in the great outdoors. That is the reason it was created...straight from the horses mouth. It will continue to serve that purpose for those that choose to use it for it's intended purpose.

I should also mention that I'm very happy that this is the new policy here on Bogley because when I read what Sombeech wrote in this thread from a couple of years ago, it made me think you'd have to be an idiot to post anything substantial on here.

Unfortunately at the time, he started deleting all of his Trip Reports, and we just can't have that. It left a lot of threads partial, with a lot of comments and replies. So, rather than deleting his account, we just put it on "hold". He can't log in at the moment. I thought he would like to come back eventually, and start back where he left off.

He has our email address, and at least the admin@bogley.com ... None of us have heard from him though. I'd like him back, and if anybody has contact with him, please talk to him and let him know we'd like to have him back.

Now, on the subject of deleting a member; it's useless, it's a waste of time, and deleting a member's complete content is kind of disruptive to the flow. You have to accept that if you use our services here for free, we technically have the right to your content that you post here. Even if you paid for a membership, we would still be able to control your content. You may think we're getting greedy for content, but we all know the rewards for having a place to post our photos.

Now we're not going to be jerks about it, and we've deleted members in the past, but we're getting too old/busy/tired of going through a member's every post and deleting their stuff. If you want to leave, just change your email address so you won't see notifications from the forum. You also have the choice to not log in anymore.

[tanya]

just throw a few photos up from the trip report and link to your blog at the bottom for those that want to read more. Most of us just look at the photos while working. I think you just put one up, but 3 makes us happy. lol We are a hard lot to please.

If that is spam guys... can you tell me why?

[accadacca]

What year was that posted? It must have been on our old software. It was a major pain back then to go through and delete specific posts just because somebody got mad. We had that happen a few times. Somebody decides to let someone influence their attitude and then they come to their senses and change their mind after a couple weeks. We just didn't have the time to delete stuff for them and that post was probably out of frustration. We had some crazy requests back then. It does muck up the threads for everyone too. We have full time jobs and burning the midnight oil on this kinda stuff ain't my cup of tea.

I certainly don't have the time to babysit on Bogley. Its a thankless job for the most part. Kinda like being a cop...you only hear the bad, even-though everyone is benefitting from your service. I come here to relax and kick off my shoes. That's why I avoid the drama and stick to reading great trip reports.

[Scott P]

Not a complaint, but an explanation (since you posted on one of my other threads):

Once you create the post on your blog it's really just a copy and paste of the code and post title.

Well, no. It used to be, but no longer.

The problem is the time consuming way of adding photos. In the past all you had to do is cut and paste from another forum/site and surround the images with image tags (if they haven't been already). Now you have to reload each one individually.

I usually add my TR's to SP first because it's the forum I used most often. In the past, I could simply cut and paste them to either 14ers or Bogley. The only thing that had to be done is to surround the photo url's with image tags. Once I did that in either site (14ers or Bogley), it was just a 30 second cut and paste from one to the other. Now you can't do that. All photos have to be re-added individually to the Bogley report. It has made a 30 second task into one that could take up to an extra hour.

For me, it's just easier to write it in one site and link it to the other rather than have to go through all that twice.

I sure wish it was possible to bring back the simple image tags rather than the current "insert image" function.

Once again, this is just an explanation on why I switched to linking reports rather than posting them and not a complaint. Eventually I'll have the past ones posted in Bogley format, but it will take a while.