As clarification, I was discussing this with Martín de Madrid and did remove his thread about the mention of his website's message board because, clearly, I can't allow special treatment for some people and not for others in order to be fair. While he was most likely posting the information as helpful it was still a form of promotion and had to be removed from this message board.
Believe me, in the 4 years this message board has been operating "I've seen it all" as have many of our longtime members. People often think that, like most message boards, there's little (or no) moderation by its owner. I can tell you that this is NOT the case here. I "check in" constantly, EVERYDAY, and am always on the lookout for people trying to freely promote their websites - either directly or indirectly - or products, often in the name of "HELPING" others. Ha! What a joke. "Transparent intent" is what I call it and there's a STRONG, smelly case of that not too far from this message board.
It occurs to me that to some this "transparent intent" is not so transparent and they get sucked in and take the bait because they think that person is honestly and selflessly trying to HELP them. Ha. Taking advantage of unsuspecting visitors is NOT my idea of fair play and you'll never have that here on this message board OR on the
base part of MadridMan.com.
I ALWAYS respectfully ask those trying such things - or UNknowinly trying such things - that it is perfectly fine to put a short description and link to their website in their "my profile"'s signature file. This way, as they participate in TYPICAL, nonpromotional discussions, people can see their signature file AND THEN choose to click their link. Also, digging up old threads for the purpose of getting exposure for their signature file & website linke is a big-time-NO-NO. That's another case of "transparent intent" and it won't be tolerated here.
If, in some way, Martín de Madrid decides to someday become an advertiser on MadridMan.com, an appropriate place will be found and yes, monies will be exchanged. But you can be certain that just because he's a client (or ANY client for that matter) DOES NOT GIVE HIM PERMISSION to advertise on this message board by way of promotional postings for his products, services, or website(s). But again, no problem with a description and link in his signature file.
You know, while we're talking about it, moderators on other message boards (i.e. The Lonely Planet & EuroTrip) have actually warned ME for posting information AND LINKS to/about hostels in Madrid, those I've personally stayed at and found good. And those postings had a description and link to my website in their signature files. Apparently the moderator felt I was advertising. Well, everyone has their own policies, that's true. But then some other person on the same message board posts something like "Please visit my website @
www.blahblahblah.com" and that posting is overlooked by the moderator. I would like to attribute this to the possibility that moderators are, MOST OF THE TIME, not always present to what's going on on their message boards. But I think they're finally tightening their grip on advertising on message boards that has/had been getting out of hand fast.
This message board will NEVER be like that - not as long as I'm here and I'm reading every posting and cautious of such attempts to use MadridMan's ALL SPAIN Message Board as their promotional platform. Uh-uh. NOT goin' to happen here.
VERY sincerely, MadridMan
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