Request regarding signature rules.

[propsfan 52]

Hi all,

 

I've just served the waiting period for new accounts and have been reading the terms of service and the signature rules. I understand that my responsibilty is to obey the rules, I understand that Avsim is not a democracy and that it is run by a three person board of directors (unless I've misread postings over the last few days) and it is to these three that I would like to appeal for a change in policy.

 

Avsim is apparently the biggest flightsim site on the net and as such has outlined the responsibilities of it's users in the manner it sees fit however it is my belief that with great power comes great responsibility. I believe that just as much as users have responsibilities to Avsim as outlined, Avsim has implicit responsibilities to it's userbase. Avsim advertises itself as a community website but it is my belief that in a particular area they are only technically fulfilling their responsibilities to their users and could do better. This area is their signature rules.

 

Avsim allows no advertising and I understand this in relation to flightsim products as Avsim has to make a buck through its own advertising which is perfectly reasonable. However, it is my belief that as other major flightsim community sites allow, Avsim should allow bit players such as myself and all those others who run virtual airlines, FS news websites or other kinds of flightsim related websites to use images in their signatures linking to their websites. Not allowing this to my mind constitutes an abuse of their dominant position and goes against the community ideal. Are we the community we suppose to be? If so, should the big player not do it's best to help the little guys? I see that there is a links section which technically fulfills this responsibility, a responsibility that is acknowledged by Avsim by the very existence of this section but who actually goes there? This amounts to tucking the links away where there is no danger that they will actually be seen which serves to preserve Avsims ultimate dominance and effectively actively seeks to keep the little man down. This does not seem a very community minded position, indeed it seems contrary to the spirit of the community.

 

So it is that I appeal to the board of directors to open up the signatures to allow links and links using images to users websites. I believe this conforms with the spirit of the community and would allow the community to thrive through promoting diversity. A healthy community allows all the opportunity to thrive.

 

I hope this appeal will be met with kind consideration and approval.

 

 

 

 

 

[sauviat 137]

Go through the forums and you will find that there are external links to other websites where the person has an interest. Just don't expect to be able to place your external link on the 'home page'.

 

News, Forums and Library are the most used aspects of AvSim. Become active in the Forums and it will not take long for your external link to be noticed!

[propsfan 52]

Okay, in the past few days there seemed to me to be a marked absence of the kinds of links to which I'm referring. I do intend to become active and will create my signature shortly understanding that it will only be seen with activity. Thank you for your reply.

 

I would still like to hear from management, are these types of links allowed?

[Jim Young 2,356]

FS news websites or other kinds of flightsim related websites to use images in their signatures linking to their websites. Not allowing this to my mind constitutes an abuse of their dominant position and goes against the community ideal.

 

Links to commercial websites in signatures will not be allowed.  Banners supporting an add-on are allowed but you cannot have a link to a commercial website when you click on the banner.  If you want to have images linking to a commercial website, then submit a request to our advertising department.  This is the only fair thing we can do.  If I allowed you to link something, then what about our other commercial add-on developers.  AVSIM needs to have a source of income and that's through advertising.

 

You can have a link to your favorite website though as long as it is not considered my me or the other moderators as advertising.

 

I cannot believe your request after just joining five days ago.  Usually one joins a forum and it takes some time to look around and see the rules and policies and you jumped right in and read them and began your interpretations right away.  In any case, the late CEO and BOD's have spoken and the policies and rules currently in effect will not be changed.

 

Best regards,

[propsfan 52]

I'm sorry I didn't realise I had to be a member with a certain time served to be allowed to ask simple questions or make simple appeals, isn't that what forums are for? I'm not trying to be smart here but aren't we all adults? How long do I have to serve my time before it is allowable for me to be considered capable of making a request and where is this stated, maybe I missed that bit? Whether or not that request is considered and how it is considered is up to those doing the consideration.

 

What exactly is wrong with reading the rules and drawing conclusions based on my interpretation of those rules? Isn't that why the rules are there in the first place? Is that not what users are supposed to do first when they join?

 

I was not, I should stress, talking about commercial websites but community sites proffered freely by members of the community to other members for no commercial gain of any kind. Would imaged links to such websites constitute advertising? How would one know if not to ask?

[Jim Young 2,356]

If they are not commercial websites, you can have a link in your signature.  If they are commercial websites you cannot have a link and we will remove the link.  We also have at the top of this forum in the menu a "Link" tab where you can add commercial and non-commercial websites for our members to check out.

 

Hope this helps.

[propsfan 52]

Thank you Jim for your consideration of my post and your clarification.

[Kuragiman 227]

I have been here for a few years and never received a compliant on signatures.   I advertise Southwest Virtual VA all the time below and my own YouTube flight blog as you can see below.   As Jim said, you are good to go on most things but commercial stuff you have to follow the above procedures.  Welcome to the community!  It's a great place!

[propsfan 52]

Thank you kindly Sir!

[~Craig~ 10]

I'm sorry but I think your attitude is way off.  Are you aware that AVSIM's founder and CEO only passed away a matter of days ago?  There's a total lack of respect and humility in your opening posts, and subsequent posts.  You 'set out' your expectations and communicate in a way that suggests you should be entitled to have things your way.

 

As someone else suggested above (more politely than I), why not do what everyone else does who joins AVSIM - get yourself around the forums, get integrated, get known, ask for help where you need it;  and offer help where you can.

 

When you are even slightly known to people, your requests to start changing things around so that they suit your needs may be slightly easier on the palete.

 

I'm clearly not speaking for AVSIM here, but as a 'standard Joe' member that just finds your whole introduction and 'entrance' here...well... a bit off.

[n4gix 4,947]

Please do keep in mind that all of us are still reeling from the devastating event of the past week, so if any of us seem a bit off our game as it were...

 

Anyway, welcome to the AVSIM family!

[propsfan 52]

I'm sorry but I think your attitude is way off.  Are you aware that AVSIM's founder and CEO only passed away a matter of days ago?  There's a total lack of respect and humility in your opening posts, and subsequent posts.  You 'set out' your expectations and communicate in a way that suggests you should be entitled to have things your way.

 

As someone else suggested above (more politely than I), why not do what everyone else does who joins AVSIM - get yourself around the forums, get integrated, get known, ask for help where you need it;  and offer help where you can.

 

When you are even slightly known to people, your requests to start changing things around so that they suit your needs may be slightly easier on the palete.

 

I'm clearly not speaking for AVSIM here, but as a 'standard Joe' member that just finds your whole introduction and 'entrance' here...well... a bit off.

 

I apologise if I've come across as disrespectful, that was not my intention and I cannot help how you interpret my posts. I clearly stated that "whether or not that request is considered and how it is considered is up to those doing the consideration." I am not expressing any entitlement. I am a very straightforward man by nature and tend to get to the point rather quickly.

 

Please do keep in mind that all of us are still reeling from the devastating event of the past week, so if any of us seem a bit off our game as it were...

 

Anyway, welcome to the AVSIM family!

 

That's perfectly understandable Fr. Bill you and all concerned have my condolences. I did not know the man but I understand the esteem in which he was held. I meant no disrespect but acknowlege my lack of consideration and apologise. Thank you for your welcome.

[Glynn 405]

I am a very straightforward man by nature and tend to get to the point rather quickly.

 

You will fit right in here then   :smile:

Welcome to Avsim

[propsfan 52]

Thank you Sir! :smile:

[Chuck_Jodry-VJPL 663]

Hello Matthew, Avsim policy has two elements regarding Posts and News Articles that are related , Advertising and promotion of Competing Websites.

Commercial members are permitted to send press releases detailing a new product or service , but they cannot post that information in the general forum with links as that would be advertising , equally an operator of a Competing Website with content essentially the same as Avsim would not be permitted to advertise their Services with a Big Banner added to the end of each of their posts, this is termed fishing , most of the major forums do not permit this kind of signature.

 

This explanation might better fit your questions intent , being permission to do just that i believe .

 

 

Signed C Jodry

(one of the three you mentioned)

Managing Editor

Avsim.com