Let's please not nit pic and act like big brother.  We are only given a few forums here in Adland. You are saying the forum owners can NOT stray from topic?  So what if your topic is about gardening.  You can never post a subject about the great vacation you and your family took to Disneyland?  If this is true......at least 1/1 of the forums should removed. I see topic change all over the place.

Please don't try to control the forum owners so much. That is like big brother entering my home.  Gees, let's please lighten up a bit.  This is just my opinion. Pat

Kenneth said: Hi Marilyn,

You ask if it's from your OWN forum would it be Spam. Reading again what is from Wiki it refers to others entering a forum they do not control and placing Spam.

If you create the topic that is about a program or service then that's the discussion topic and no other offer should be mentioned. Exception. Place your ads here thread. Then it clearly states you can place an ad in the thread.

Good question and thanks for asking.

Kenneth

Hi Kenneth,

I appreciate this information.  I recently witnessed in a forum such spam.  Dave Cottrell handled it in a way that I wish everyone would... respectful and informative.  He politely informed the spammer that what he did was spam and that he would not tolerate it in his forum.  Then lastly warned this poster that he would report his spamming to Adland officials.  Dave did this in a very polite but firm way that obviously this person learned a quick lesson.  Haven't seen any more of their spam since.  AND... I didn't have to read some ranting between a group who do not like spam and those who do not "believe it was" in that forum.  :)  It happens!

People are always going to make mistakes.  This world is not full of common sense.  There is never going to be a perfect community no matter how well the Terms of Service is worded.  It takes kind, gentle and patient mentors or teachers to help them know that what they did was not appropriate.  When I get spammed, I take the time to message this person and let them know that I am deleting their post because it does not fit the subject of my thread.  Sometimes I get an apology, sometimes not.  I have even been blocked by two who didn't appreciate me deleting their spam.  We cannot control everyone's actions.

I agree with you that the time wasted in such issues can add up, but using this time to teach others in the community would eventually create the appropriate mannerism abroad.  Doing nothing or only deleting these spams will not solve this issue.  Of course there are going to be those who don't care what you say or do.  If we all handle the spamming appropriately (warn, inform and report), they will eventually be in contact by the Adland officials and we won't hear from them ever again.

I believe the cure to this problem is being respectful to each other no matter if that person is a veteran or newbie. 

Let's don't let this eat us all up with the bad vibes.  

Hi Kenneth, Good subject. Today must be the day to address these issues as kathy has a thread going also on forum spamming.

But as I see it and have stated before. Adlandpro offers us so many ways to promote that forum spamming is not nessesary. It is rude and out of control. We have several legit ways to promote here. With up to 3 of our own forums, Offers /Request, FREE Classifieds and Many Invites from generous members to post our opportunities. Besides the Direct Contact that Is well worth the price.

The problem we have here is members posting ads on off topic threads. I get them almost everyday in my forums and I just delete them now.

Peace, Sharon

Hi Kenneth,

I get so many email ads from Adland members that I cannot keep up with them. Then I miss some that include links that would be of interest to me, because they are buried amongst the vast volume of email ads.

DonnaZ

Hello Pat,

We are not saying you, as the forum owner, cannot talk about various topics. Within a forum are thread topics. Each being the subject of discussion. Your topic of gardening is cool and then you start another thread on Disneyland is fine too. You own the forum and control it's content.

But, if I came to your gardening forum and started talking about race cars I'm in the wrong for intruding your conversation with something your were not discussing.

Hope that helps explain.

Kenneth