The whole Free forum is about giving things away. Some types of items already have a dedicated thread. Aside from the redundancy it is amusing to see someone spend more time and space enumerating their "Rules" for posting than explaining the need for their great insight.
Was this idea even run by the mods before posting? With the "List of sites to avoid" thread started by digelt, this was run past a moderator first. People also expressed a need for that thread, i.e. regarding discussions pertaining to the FAQ and other issues. I haven't seen anyone expressing a need for this thread, and as zunguri said above, much is redundant due to threads already existing. People have posted RAOK threads, for items for which there is no existing thread, and some giveaways fall under the issue of self-promotion. There was a thread discussing the very issue of random giveways in FW forum, and FW's self-promotion policy, which I tried to search for, but the search isn't co-operating with me now.
pdxmom
Member
posted: Oct. 5, 2008 @ 8:23p
This whole post by the OP was copied word for word off of SD. This was never addressed to the mods here. The OP put in FW instead of SD to make it look like an original idea.
SweetestDeals
Member
posted: Oct. 6, 2008 @ 12:39a
pdxmom said: This whole post by the OP was copied word for word off of SD. This was never addressed to the mods here. The OP put in FW instead of SD to make it look like an original idea. Absolutely not true. I copied most of it from SD because I liked the idea of having a giveaway thread here as well. I also added several parts that were entirely my own.
I can't figure out why everybody loves the idea at SlickDeals, but hates on me for posting the same thing here. I understand that giveaways already have their own threads in the Freebies and Contests & Sweepstakes forums, but from what I've seen those are all put on by companies and whatnot. This thread would be for individual members, like myself, who have things they want to personally give away... What gives??
pdxmom
Member
posted: Oct. 6, 2008 @ 2:07a
Exactly what was your original idea that you posted? I went back & read SD's & every word is copied straight from there. Anyone can go to SD & read it themselves. Even the title of your post is the exact same title from SD's.
IH8ZITO
Member
posted: Oct. 6, 2008 @ 9:56a
So if I have magazines to give away I should post here? Or in the magazine giveaway thread?
SweetClover said: There was a thread discussing the very issue of random giveways in FW forum, and FW's self-promotion policy, which I tried to search for, but the search isn't co-operating with me now.
SweetClover, is this the thread you're thinking of?
SweetestDeals said: I can't figure out why everybody loves the idea at SlickDeals, but hates on me for posting the same thing here. - As others have mentioned, it's incredibly redundant, and is likely only going to cause confusion. Exhibit A. - I think the extent to which it was c/p'ed from the SD forum puts a bad taste in lots of people's mouths. - It's touted as "official" and it's worded in such as way as to imply that you speak on behalf of the mods, but as far as anyone can tell, the mods were not involved in the posting of this thread. Meanwhile, the post it was lifted from over at SD was posted by a mod.
digelt said: - I think the extent to which it was c/p'ed from the SD forum puts a bad taste in lots of people's mouths. - It's touted as "official" and it's worded in such as way as to imply that you speak on behalf of the mods, but as far as anyone can tell, the mods were not involved in the posting of this thread. Meanwhile, the post it was lifted from over at SD was posted by a mod.
IH8ZITO said: So if I have magazines to give away I should post here? Or in the magazine giveaway thread? Please don't let the title of this thread fool you. If you have magazines to give away, it should still go in the actualofficial magazine giveaway thread that's been around for over 4 years and is 121 pages long.
Thanks for the idea, but making up your own rules and expecting us to enforce them isn't going to happen.
SweetestDeals
Member
posted: Oct. 6, 2008 @ 4:13p
MVP9596 said: Thanks for the idea, but making up your own rules and expecting us to enforce them isn't going to happen. So you're saying there shouldn't be any rules? I can delete them all if that would make everyone happy. I was going for "helpful"--not "bossy".
SweetestDeals
Member
posted: Oct. 6, 2008 @ 4:17p
pdxmom said: Exactly what was your original idea that you posted? I went back & read SD's & every word is copied straight from there. • This is NOT a request thread, so please do NOT request an item that you want. It's only for members looking to generously give away things that they do not want or need. • Try to be generous, respectful, polite... and have fun!
pdxmom said: Anyone can go to SD & read it themselves. I wasn't aware that every FW member knew about SlickDeals. Nor was I aware that every SD member knew about the giveaway thread. I've been a SlickDeals member for almost three and a half years, but only discovered the giveaway thread about a year ago.
pdxmom said: Even the title of your post is the exact same title from SD's. First of all, I liked the title. Second, I changed it to say "unofficial".
SweetestDeals
Member
posted: Oct. 6, 2008 @ 4:37p
digelt said: SweetClover said: There was a thread discussing the very issue of random giveways in FW forum, and FW's self-promotion policy, which I tried to search for, but the search isn't co-operating with me now. SweetClover, is this the thread you're thinking of? If that in fact is the thread, then it's not an issue. That thread talks about selling something to another member, while I'm talking about giving things away for free.
digelt said: SweetestDeals said: I can't figure out why everybody loves the idea at SlickDeals, but hates on me for posting the same thing here. - As others have mentioned, it's incredibly redundant, and is likely only going to cause confusion. Exhibit A. - I think the extent to which it was c/p'ed from the SD forum puts a bad taste in lots of people's mouths. - It's touted as "official" and it's worded in such as way as to imply that you speak on behalf of the mods, but as far as anyone can tell, the mods were not involved in the posting of this thread. - Meanwhile, the post it was lifted from over at SD was posted by a mod. (1) I added a clause in the OP regarding that. Thanks. (2) Only four of the seven "rules" were copied from SD. I truly am sorry if that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but I liked them. (3A) I changed the title to say "unofficial" because you guys are right--it hasn't been endorsed by a moderator. (3B) He originally started the thread before he was promoted to moderator.
SweetestDeals
Member
posted: Oct. 6, 2008 @ 4:42p
J3T said: Your "iTunes "Pick of the Week" Giveaway" belongs here. So how do I search for the threads with giveaways by members instead of airlines, restaurants and the like?
SweetestDeals said: I was going for "helpful"--not "bossy". Actually, the tone (however inadvertently on your part) is set in the title, with the instruction to "keep off-topic chatter to a minimum".
And the clause you included in the OP regarding magazine subscriptions does address redundancy specific to that particular issue. However, as J3T pointed out in this comment, almost every aspect of what you're suggesting be discussed in this thread already has either its own thread or its own entire forum.
SweetestDeals said: J3T said: Your "iTunes "Pick of the Week" Giveaway" belongs here. So how do I search for the threads with giveaways by members instead of airlines, restaurants and the like?
dear op, some of your...errr... kel_be's "ideas" could be useful on FW but not in they way you presented it, in the future please become familiar with the site before posting so you do not suggest ideas that we already have solutions for. your rules did come across as "bossy," again, plz take some time to familiarize yourself with fw and you will learn that fw does not need a long list of rules, we are a self moderating community. i am supprised that mods havnt deleted this thread yet as there is still nothing free in here. keep up the positive thinking op, the idea of airlines, restaurants etc might very well be able to survive in there own thread. i believe this thread is a lost cause though.
pdxmom
Member
posted: Oct. 6, 2008 @ 6:29p
SweetestDeals said:
• This is NOT a request thread, so please do NOT request an item that you want. It's only for members looking to generously give away things that they do not want or need. • Try to be generous, respectful, polite... and have fun!
Actually Kel_be from the original SD posting of this thread said " Try to be generous, respectful, polite..... and have fun." so, that was copied as well & you didn't originally say that and Kel_be also originally said " This is for giving away free stuff that could be private messaged or mailed in a SASE (codes, GC's, movie tickets, free product coupons, etc.) DO NOT request codes, coupons, etc." so you changed her wording around a bit. That doesn't make it original, you just rephrased what she had posted.
One of the reasons people are upset with you on this topic, besides the redundancy of your post, is because you didn't give the originator of this thread proper credit & you tried to pass their hard work off as your own. I know that all of the freebie boards pretty much have the same posts, but I have seen where people have posted another person's post & given them credit for it. It's not right to assume because you thought that no one on here knew about SD that you could get away with posting someone else's post & getting whatever credit comes with it. SD, FW & HCW are pretty much the top freebie boards that people know about & visit frequently.
digelt said: SweetClover said: There was a thread discussing the very issue of random giveways in FW forum, and FW's self-promotion policy, which I tried to search for, but the search isn't co-operating with me now.
SweetClover, is this the thread you're thinking of?
Yes, that's the one. While the OP's situation in that thread, isn't the same, the replies by others show the domino effect of allowing sales, which can also apply to trades and giveaways. I recall a time when FW did have a forum devoted to members selling, trading, and even giving away items. The forum ended up being abused and misused that it was shut-down. FW felt that it did not fit in with their model and mission. One of the things that happened, is that people would register just to post a giveway, which was really a front for self-promotion, therefore circumventing the FW advertising clause. This thread, being non-specific, also opens itself up to the same kind of abuses. What's to stop anyone frrom using this thread as a means of promoting by way of a 'freebie'? Nothing, that's what.
We already have a problem with spammers doing this very thing in FS as it is, why invite them with a thread devoted to random giveaways? Some of the arguments made in that self-promotion thread regarding sales, can equally be used against giveaways. As it is, we have existing threads for Coke, Pepsi and magazines. Grocery and other similar coupons are already covered in the Grocery Coupon and Deals Forum. Plus, PayPal is allowed to be used there in coupon trades. All of the other things the OP listed; coupon codes, gift certificates, contest wins (MP3's, ringtones, etc); are allowed as RAOK threads in OT. Sometimes RAOK threads get posted in FS or HD, but are roundly negged when they do. The point the OP keeps missing, is that FW already has existing venues for giveaways, FW is not SD, so not everything that works in SD works in FW. They even have different definitions of what does, and does not, belong in a particular forum.
SweetestDeals said: I can't figure out why everybody loves the idea at SlickDeals, but hates on me for posting the same thing here. I understand that giveaways already have their own threads in the Freebies and Contests & Sweepstakes forums, but from what I've seen those are all put on by companies and whatnot. This thread would be for individual members, like myself, who have things they want to personally give away... What gives??
Maybe because SlickDeals uses it as a master thread, and doesn't have individual threads, and/or rules for RAOK posts? Maybe because this is FW, not SD, and just because SD does something, doesn't mean FW should? And maybe, as has already been pointed out to you many times, there are already existing threads, forums and RAOK rules in place, already covering this. If you looked at page 1 on FS, right there in the stickied threads are Coke, Pepsi and magazines. Grocery and similar coupons are covered by the Grocery Coupon and Deals forum, which does allow PayPal. Coupon codes, gift certificates, contest wins (MP3's, ringtones, etc), are posted as RAOK offers in OT. If you bothered to familiarize yourself with FW during the almost 1 year you've been here, you would have realized that the SD copied post, is redundant.
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