# Did I make a mistake?



## patrix (Nov 21, 2006)

Before discovering this site, I was an avid user of Garden web's orchid forum. I made doantions because I believe in supporting worthy sites. When I discovered this site, I was elated. I posted the link on a thread simply stating that this was a good site for growers focused on Paph and Phrags. 

My Garden web account was suspended and I go this email-which I think is way off. I thought garden web had the interest of the gardening/orchid grower community are primary and not some silly turf war. Am I crazy?

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LINE IN ANY RESPONSE:
GardenWeb mail response mc2002162116510ec rosa

Patrix,

Your membership was suspended because you are referring others to another forum. I will be happy to reinstate your posting privileges if you can assure me that this will not happen again.

Best,

Tamara Amey
GardenWeb Community Manager


----------



## Heather (Nov 21, 2006)

patrix said:


> Before discovering this site, I was an avid user of Garden web's orchid forum. I made doantions because I believe in supporting worthy sites. When I discovered this site, I was elated. I posted the link on a thread simply stating that this was a good site for growers focused on Paph and Phrags.
> 
> My Garden web account was suspended and I go this email-which I think is way off. I thought garden web had the interest of the gardening/orchid grower community are primary and not some silly turf war. Am I crazy?
> 
> ...



Patrix, 

I'm sorry you had to experience that. GW is known for having a very strict policy to ban any advertisement of another forum. At least they are telling you now. In the past, if you were banned, they just re-directed you to the disney.com site (known as "being Disney'd" nice that Tamara included the "mad" icon huh?). You could have posted a link to a food, or dart frog forum and you would have received the same response. They simply are intolerant. 



This is one of the main reasons that Slippertalk tries to be more open. So many forums are not so....It is also the reason we do not solicit donations. Donations are great if you feel like it, but no one should feel obligated. The ST forum was created for open discussion. That will always be first and foremost here!


----------



## MoreWater (Nov 21, 2006)

happens way too often over there, me thinks. and what with all their ads, I really dislike navigating the site. One of my computers will not run Firefox, so I'm stuck with those annoying video ads. Sometimes they pop up before the post preview screen so posting literally takes time. ugh.

btw, GW has been a part of iVillage for at least a few years now - it's a pretty huge operation. I have all kinds of other issues with the way they run things, but I admit I still look over there.


----------



## Heather (Nov 21, 2006)

MoreWater said:


> I have all kinds of other issues with the way they run things, but I admit I still look over there.



No kidding. I actually only visit now to read Shady's comments on Project Runway. 


Not kidding. 



Can't we move that over here??? :rollhappy:


----------



## Ron-NY (Nov 21, 2006)

I am registered over there but read infrequently, rarely post,but they have a good exchange area.


----------



## SlipperFan (Nov 21, 2006)

Someday those forums with all those ads will become so bloated no one will want to go there anymore. Slippertalk will win.


----------



## Heather (Nov 21, 2006)

SlipperFan said:


> Someday those forums with all those ads will become so bloated no one will want to go there anymore. Slippertalk will win.




No ads here. 
Ever. 
Promise. 

(They make me fricken' crazy! I might as well have a PC! oke: )


----------



## Marco (Nov 21, 2006)

Ads are a total turn off.


----------



## bench72 (Nov 21, 2006)

Marco said:


> Ads are a total turn off.



what about that all those Jessica Alba ads? oke:


----------



## Marco (Nov 21, 2006)

bench72 said:


> what about that all those Jessica Alba ads? oke:



if any orchid forum starts putting up Jessica Alba ads I will be on that forum 24/7. I will join Jessicas fan club and ask her to model in calendars holding up alba orchids.  and be a commited forumite to that forum.


----------



## Jon in SW Ohio (Nov 21, 2006)

Marco, I think you may be onto something...

Jon


----------



## bench72 (Nov 21, 2006)

Marco said:


> if any orchid forum starts putting up Jessica Alba ads I will be on that forum 24/7. I will join Jessicas fan club and ask her to model in calendars holding up alba orchids.  and be a commited forumite to that forum.



I hope the mods are reading this


----------



## Tony (Nov 21, 2006)

Marco said:


> if any orchid forum starts putting up Jessica Alba ads I will be on that forum 24/7. I will join Jessicas fan club and ask her to model in calendars holding up alba orchids.  and be a commited forumite to that forum.



That would be the best forum ever. :drool:


----------



## patrix (Nov 21, 2006)

*Follow up from Garden Taliban*

I recieved this email and very poor analogy

Patrix,

Your account was simply suspended -- it wasn't revoked. No one said that you couldn't post again. It is simply a measure taken when someone starts posting other sites. 

While you may feel that you are 'helping' others by informing them of other sites, it is disruptive to others who have formed a community here. An analogy that may help you to understand is if you were to attend a Weight Watchers meeting and began espousing the benefits of Jenny Craig. You would certainly be asked to leave. 

Take care,

GardenWeb Staff

I responded
Sorry but if Jenny Craig offered something different that would be helpful 
to members with specific problems that WW does not address, I would mention it 
not to be derisive but helpful. Besides these 2 organizations have a vested 
financial interest in competitive exclusivity. If you do not feel confident 
that your members can make up their own decisions-such as those who are clearly 
not interested on paphs and phrags not to visit the site- do you really feel 
you have the right to censure access to information, I posted the link as an 
intended helpful service as there is very little information on your site 
ORCHID FORUM that specifically addresses the needs of paph./ phrag growers. 
Your decision to suspend my account without even the courtesy of an email 
expressing your preferences that members not post links would have been sufficient. 
Other orchid web sites allow links to vendors and even discussion of well 
run (or poorly managed) orchid web sites, I would suggest that Garden web 
reconsider its "either/or" position and evolve into a "both/and" philosophy; if 
indeed you concerns are about promoting the web gardening community, 
Incidentally, I would hardly consider the post "disruptive" , did anyone besides the 
editors get bent out of shape, immediately need to start an antidepressant or 
burst into flames-get real your site is great but it's really not influential 
enough to be "disruptive" to a well balanced mind. Best of luck and please 
accept this feedback. It is your loss of a donating member and my loss to 
access information to an once informative web site.


----------



## Marco (Nov 22, 2006)

Nice response Patrix very well placed.


----------



## Heather (Nov 22, 2006)

Patrix, I appreciate your support. I have always thought that member's verbal contributions are the most important ones. Forums would not be such without them. 

And feel free to post links here at ST to any forum, Jessica Alba related or otherwise.


----------



## Mark (Nov 22, 2006)

Disruptive? Oh, lordylordylordy. I'm off to compose an essay on the benefits of anarchy. In the meantime: For Heather et al.


----------



## patrix (Nov 22, 2006)

Thanks for all the support, I was unaware of problems other growers had with Garden Taliban but am not surprized now. For the matter of elegant sufficiency, I will put this distasteful matter to rest. I really do not believe that their site deserves any sore sustained attention from me. I am proud to be considered an anarchist (or at least disruptive). Thanks again.


----------



## patrix (Nov 22, 2006)

PS 

Jessica Alba is only 18 inches tall but has a great press agent


----------



## NYEric (Nov 22, 2006)

Garden Web. Never been there, never will.


----------



## Mark (Nov 22, 2006)

I know Garden Web, but I had to Google Jessica Alba.


----------



## Jon in SW Ohio (Nov 22, 2006)

Make sure you turn Safe Search off first! oke:

Jon


----------



## Marco (Nov 22, 2006)

highbeams!


----------



## bench72 (Nov 22, 2006)

Jon in SW Ohio said:


> Make sure you turn Safe Search off first!



oh....... I bat for the wrong team but I still thought it was worth trying this setting! :evil:


----------



## TADD (Nov 22, 2006)

Now that is funny!


----------



## Mark (Nov 22, 2006)

I had to teach our IT guy about the safe search setting today after he did a search for an image of a santa hat.

Like bench, wrong team but maybe she knows how to cook and clean.

EDIT: OK, I just edited my tagline above and am tres amused at how the site censored it. :sob:


----------

