A Suggestion: 50+ Posts in order to start threads?

[flashfire276]

With spammers, and people joining Talk Tennis with the sole intention to sell their gear on the Classifieds section, I think this can be an effective way to start.
I mean, I use other forums for different subjects. Some of them require you have to have an amount of posts before having the ability to start a thread.
It might be hard for those that just joined and have a question to ask, but I think this can be a helping solution.
Of course, it's just a suggestion.
Thanks TW!

 

[FedererBestTennis]

I like this idea.

 

[jigar]

The first think I look for is references.
Second, the duration of membership, like myself, almost 5 years old.

 

[SFrazeur]

TW,

I have never liked the idea of needing a certain number of posts to start a thread in general, however, I like the idea of it for the classified section. Yes. You will run into the people spamming to pad their post count.

But, it would help the problem of posters who cheat and steal in the classified section from coming back as easily. How many times have you guys banned the same person from that section only to have him come back right after?

As well, there are some guys, probably light dealers, who only come here to use the classified section. I think the classified section should be for forum members who actively participate in the community. Moreover, those who do actively participate will be more likely not to cheat and steal in the classified section. I think requiring a solid post minimum will improve the quality and security of the classifieds. After all, the classifieds are a privilege, not a right.


-SF

 

[Fee]

I agree with this idea for all forums, even if that means lowering it to 25 posts.

 

[drakulie]

It should be 5,000+minimum.

 

[flashfire276]

It should be 5,000+minimum.

You just made my day! xD

 

[XFactorer]

TW,

I have never liked the idea of needing a certain number of posts to start a thread in general, however, I like the idea of it for the classified section. Yes. You will run into the people spamming to pad their post count.

-SF

I dunno... there are some new members who don't bother to search the forums (or don't know how) that just start threads that are talked about ad naseum. Those threads make me rolls my eyes and think, "ugh, new person."

However, an un-intended consequence of having a certain number of posting could encourage new comers (or other nefarious posters) to spam the board just so they can start their own threads... Oh, you can't win.

 

[Sentinel]

Most of the new threads in GPP and Match results are being started by people who have just made an account. They are usually banned within a week.

I have often wished a post count and some minimum time period be used before a thread can be created. Or at least it should go into moderation, and be okayed by some group of people.

 

[HurricaneDominic]

TW,

I have never liked the idea of needing a certain number of posts to start a thread in general, however, I like the idea of it for the classified section. Yes. You will run into the people spamming to pad their post count.

But, it would help the problem of posters who cheat and steal in the classified section from coming back as easily. How many times have you guys banned the same person from that section only to have him come back right after?

As well, there are some guys, probably light dealers, who only come here to use the classified section. I think the classified section should be for forum members who actively participate in the community. Moreover, those who do actively participate will be more likely not to cheat and steal in the classified section. I think requiring a solid post minimum will improve the quality and security of the classifieds. After all, the classifieds are a privilege, not a right.


-SF

How do people cheat in the classified section? I am thinking of buying off someone and selling my gear. Do people not pay? Or receive payment then don't send?

Oh, and ironically, I've just reached 50 posts!

Thanks!

 

[flashfire276]

How do people cheat in the classified section? I am thinking of buying off someone and selling my gear. Do people not pay? Or receive payment then don't send?

Oh, and ironically, I've just reached 50 posts!

Thanks!

Cheat, as in 2 things.
They're running a scam, and they only care about selling their gear.
A lot of people join TT just for the Classifieds section. So when someone posts a FS/T kind of ad, a lot of their total posts are 0. They have no history, references, and so on.
This makes it a high risk for them to cheat you, because they can easily accept the payment and not send you any products. Therefore, stealing your money. This is why it's such a demand to ALWAYS look at references before buying stuff in the Classifieds section.
Also, it cheats the TT Classifieds method. This is supposed to be for members of the forum that would like to pass on gear. However, so many people sign up, sell their item, and never come back again. Those people aren't "members" by any means.

 

[SFrazeur]

I dunno... there are some new members who don't bother to search the forums (or don't know how) that just start threads that are talked about ad naseum. Those threads make me rolls my eyes and think, "ugh, new person."

However, an un-intended consequence of having a certain number of posting could encourage new comers (or other nefarious posters) to spam the board just so they can start their own threads... Oh, you can't win.

Yes. In the end there is no total win here.

However, to be clear I am for a post minimum to start threads ONLY in the classifieds section. There are a lot of guys you come to the forum to just because they want help finding a new racquet or string. That's why the other sections should be exempt from the post count minimum.

As well, this could work as a sort of filtering system. If someone wants to sell gear and they go around spamming crap to get their post count then those guys really should not be dealing in the classified section anyway.

-SF

 

[SFrazeur]

How do people cheat in the classified section? I am thinking of buying off someone and selling my gear. Do people not pay? Or receive payment then don't send?

Oh, and ironically, I've just reached 50 posts!

Thanks!

There have been SOME cases of people receiving gear and not paying or sending gear in trade. I personally trust the classified section very much. However, it's "buyer/seller beware." Educate yourself my reading through all the "stickies" in the classified section and read through all the "beware of x" threads as well.

-SF

 

[aceX]

+1 for this idea

 

[AndrewD]

With spammers, and people joining Talk Tennis with the sole intention to sell their gear on the Classifieds section, I think this can be an effective way to start.
I mean, I use other forums for different subjects. Some of them require you have to have an amount of posts before having the ability to start a thread.
It might be hard for those that just joined and have a question to ask, but I think this can be a helping solution.
Of course, it's just a suggestion.
Thanks TW!

If you force people to have X number of posts before they can start a thread you'll end up with them posting absolute garbage or ten character responses in order to get their post count high enough.

Also, have a good think about why this message board exists in the first place. It is, at its heart, a marketing tool for TW. If you impose a post count before starting a thread those people who might only want to ask one question will look to another message board. If it happens to be hosted by a rival company then there's the possibility the person will buy from that firm. End result, TW lose a customer and that is completely at odds with their reason for hosting this message board.

Finally, why would you put spammers and people who join only to sell gear in the same sentence? The first one is a definite problem but the second one is, surely, none of your or our business. This message board has a 'For Sale' section and if people want to use it, good luck to them, they're not doing anything wrong and certainly nothing to harm our enjoyment of the board.

 

[diredesire]

It should be 5,000+minimum.

I... don't even think I'M at 5K! But then again, I very, very rarely start new threads... so I guess that wouldn't affect me much!

How do people cheat in the classified section? I am thinking of buying off someone and selling my gear. Do people not pay? Or receive payment then don't send?

Oh, and ironically, I've just reached 50 posts!

Thanks!

Read the references section, and the FAQs. There's a ton of information about protecting yourself, and the references section has common scams.

Yes. In the end there is no total win here.

However, to be clear I am for a post minimum to start threads ONLY in the classifieds section. There are a lot of guys you come to the forum to just because they want help finding a new racquet or string. That's why the other sections should be exempt from the post count minimum.

As well, this could work as a sort of filtering system. If someone wants to sell gear and they go around spamming crap to get their post count then those guys really should not be dealing in the classified section anyway.

-SF

Actually, from a moderation standpoint, new thread posting limitations might actually make the Classifieds section worse! If a user is not able to post a new thread, they might start bumping old threads and "replying" to them instead. It's hard from the moderation CP to actually see this. It's agonizingly slow to approve posts via opening up all of them individually to check this.

 

[PeterPanda]

Maybe when someone opens an account. The confirmation email could have something like. Tip: search before you post. Someone might have already started a thread about this.

 

[flashfire276]

Maybe when someone opens an account. The confirmation email could have something like. Tip: search before you post. Someone might have already started a thread about this.

Hehehe.... +1!!
But my main concern is the Classifieds section. It really nags me when there's listings with people with a 0 post count, and they just leave the forum after they sell. And heck, some are just there to take money and scam some people because we work on a "trust" system.