I was on the old board, but still can't post a For Sale Ad

[cabrams755]

I don't know if I had 50 posts over there, but I did post, and had posted FS items in the past. Now I can't do that until I have 50 posts here. This doesn't seem right. Am I supposed to just respond randomly 50 times?

[Cindy in NY]

I think the intent of the requirement is that someone who has posted at least 50 times is a member of the community and people feel more comfortable buying from someone that is "known".

I was a rare poster on the old board but had lurked for years. Posting feels very foreign to me, I am just not good at expressing myself in soundbights.
i have things to sell though, and i do feel like I know everyone here, so i forced myself to chime in on the rare post i felt i had something to say.

It is actually nice. I resented it a little at first, but now I do feel more like a member and i will continue to post as i can contribute.

All that said...try it, you'll reach 50 posts in no time and your opinion or experience may be just what someone needs.

[JFS in IL]

Just go tot eh general board once or twice a day, scroll down and select "sort by new threads" and skim to see if you could comment on anything. I just did that, and found a thread on new puppies I was able to contribute to. You should be at 50 posts in a week or so if you aim to make at least 5-7 posts a day.

It is really all a plot to make folks addicted to these boards!;)

[cabrams755]

Cindy in NY,

I see you just made your 50 recently! I understand the point about trusting people, but it's still time away from more important things I need to be doing. I could get lost on forums and reading blogs and such. The computer and Internet is a temptation I need to control. Hopefully I'll hit my 50 soon.

Chris
#5 or 6 and I lost count already

[cabrams755]

JFS in IL,

I'll try once a day, as that's all I have time for. Yeah, like I said, blogs and forums are a temptation to me, and it doesn't help that they want to make you addicted! I just wish it was easier, like over at Vegsource. I've never had a problem there.

[Robin in Tx]

Chris, it's just a way to ward off spammers and the like. They are "hit and run" abusers who won't go to the trouble to make a prerequisite number of posts. That was a huge problem on the old swap boards, especially with porn.

[Cindy in NY]

I agree that it can suck you in. I tend to go in spurts. I'll be a bit obsessed for a while and then months may go buy that I don't check the board at all.

Right now I am in the obsessive phase as i plan for next year, but I should settle down soon. I hope!

[dixiemaiden]

I don't care for the new 50 posts rule either. I usually just "lurk" but, as I have a set of books I want to sell I guess I will have to make 50 posts. :)

[benjabber]

I agree with this as well. I have gleaned so much information on the old boards & here. I rarely walk away from here without a new insight or something new to ponder. Even though I mostly lurk, I still consider this to be a "home" for my home education efforts. However, I have to set limits on how often I come and how much time I spend here so my priorities don't get out of balance.

I am also a little frustrated that I can't post for sale items, but I understand the intent. I too will have to work on posting more. And maybe that isn't all bad - perhaps I'll be able to help others along as some of the old-timers have helped me along.

Jennifer

[Linda in Oregon]

I feel irritated by this as well. I have sold so many things on these boards (old board and new board) until this new policy came out. It would be nice if there was another way to way to substantiate one's worthiness.....like the rating system on ebay. This would certainly be a better way to know if one is trustworthy/provides good service, etc.

When one posts on the WTB board, certainly anyone can reply to their post and offer to sell their curriculum to them without ever having posted before.

Seems like a good use for the otherwise ridiculous rep system.

Until something better comes along, I'm just randomly posting until I reach 50 posts....

[MerryAtHope]

I'm just a visitor, trying to become a larvae I see!
Can't wait until I'm a worker bee!

(Hey, that rhymes).

Merry :-)

[Bells]

I'm working toward 50 also - long way to go and the sell pile is growing...
Bells

[Eliana]

When one posts on the WTB board, certainly anyone can reply to their post and offer to sell their curriculum to them without ever having posted before.


There was a post about this on the general board - someone had gotten a response to her WTB ad from a newly registered member without posts. She wasn't sure she was comfortable buying from this person, and the responses supported her wariness; she decided not to buy from an unknown person.

The Sale boards are a service for the community, they are not intended to be for the general public - ebay, Amazon marketplace, and craigslist (does vegsource still have same boards?) provide that kind of opportunity. I think the posting threshold is intended to provide a little protection for that intention.

I know people can still circumvent that intention by randomly posting, but not only is that, imho, not a fair thing to do to the owners of this space or the other community members, but it might end up being a waste of time - the Admins reserve the right to remove posts clearly made solely to boost one's number of posts...

I hope you find a happy balance, and can find a thread or two which interest you and will share some of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with the rest of us! I don't read most of the posts - I glance over the titles and read a few that catch my eye, and respond as the mood strikes me and time allows... I miss a lot, but that is the only way I can do this at all! So, I understand how you feel...