Forum Economics?

[Br1ck]

Perhaps someone can educate me on something. The Acoustic Guitar forum censored a reply I gave someone in the Other Instruments area. They were asking a question regarding possible upgrades. I told them they should come here and search the archives for the many threads that have addressed this question.

It seems the Acoustic Guitar Forum sent me a PM thanking me for my understanding, that competing forum mentions were not allowed. I do not understand this. Do they get compensated for hits? When things don't make sense to me I tend to follow the money.

Do they think they will be detrimentally affected by this? I would just like to understand why they would be adverse that someone seeking knowledge outside the realm of guitars should not be directed where they can get the best information for them.

Is this just about money?

[colorado_al]

Yes. Clicks = advertising $
They want you and others to spend as much time at their site as possible.
You could PM the person on the site and suggest the come here

[Br1ck]

Oh, but the rules prohibit PM reference too. Ok, at least I have a better understanding now and can vote with my clicks.

[Seter]

I'm glad we don't have those draconian rules. The overlap between here and AGF is small (some equipment, certain aspects of luthiery, and tenor guitars??) and it seems like all musical instrument forums should be able to happily coexist with their special areas of interest. I've directed people with mandolin questions at Delcamp over to here before, and I think I might have done the other way around before too.

[WoodyCTA102]

On that forum, I haven't had a problem suggesting people interested in mandolins go to Mandolin Cafe. I guess a link is what they object to. Every few days on that forum, someone asks a question about mandolins.

[bigskygirl]

Well, these forums are privately owned so they can do what they want, I quit going to that forum years ago when I discovered the mandolin. I like that Mandolin Cafe keeps things pleasant here, I don't really contribute much but visit often...a great resource and I learn a lot.

[Br1ck]

On that forum, I haven't had a problem suggesting people interested in mandolins go to Mandolin Cafe. I guess a link is what they object to. Every few days on that forum, someone asks a question about mandolins.

They can't monitor everything I guess. My post had no link, just a suggestion to get the poster's question answered for him. I'd gladly do the reverse if someone had a guitar question I thought could be answered over there. But I've been there less over time. If it's your playground I guess you can make your own rules.

[darylcrisp]

I was a moderator there for around 7 years. links to other music forums were prohibited by the ownership.
I've always enjoyed the free exchange of information on this forum, its a great learning platform. And I think we see the benefits from this freedom to exchange information, with many high caliber people with knowledge tuning in and offering info and help.

AGF is great for guitars, and it now has a lot of subforums, but the depth in the subforums for mandolin is nothing like here.

the last 2 years of my moderator term, I pretty much spent here-lol.

I love this forum. Its fun, its neat, I always learn something each time I look I log on.

d

[bobby bill]

Seems a little short-sighted. I would think cross-pollination would benefit both forums.

[Mandobart]

I've also been politely schooled by one of the moderators on AGF. At first I understood it to mean they didn't want direct links over here to the cafe, but later found they don't want us to mention any similar "competing" musical forum, even without a hyperlink. I was assured there is no bad blood or specific agenda against the cafe over at AGF. From one of their moderators:

The "competing forum" rule wasn't made with the Mando Cafe in mind. It was another large guitar forum with huge operational issues that used the AGF for years to communicate to their users. And it just got ridiculous. The Mando Cafe has never done that to us and is indeed, a very fine forum.

[Mandolin Cafe]

There's no collective location on the internet where everyone is happy and gets their way. Large communities come with huge challenges and problems brought in by members, and at the end of the day the people that run them have to make decisions they believe in their best interest. In case you think there is no criticism of how we operate, that's pretty easy to prove untrue. As far as the Mandolin Cafe now being used as a public tool to criticize another forum, you draw me personally into the fray by doing so. I don't support that kind of criticism--it's not our business--and would prefer if you wish to engage further you do so elsewhere.

Yes. Clicks = advertising $

Uh, no, it's not that simple. Clicks can be faked. The day the Mandolin Cafe relies on the forum to operate as a business is the day I shut the site down. I've said this for years and stick by it: this forum generates 5% of the income, 99.9% of the headaches.

[Br1ck]

My intention was not so much to be critical as to try to understand how these things work, as I'm a believer in the free exchange of ideas, and a desire to be helpful to questions, especially in furtherance of more mandolins players. I've pretty much learned what I wanted to learn, so accept my apology if I have overstepped the bounds of propriety.

[colorado_al]

Thanks Scott. I was not intending that remark towards mandolin cafe, rather to other locations in the internet. It is clear that you take great pride in providing a civil and extremely valuable resource to the mandolin and acoustic instrument community. Thanks for all that you do.

[catndahats]

First, I love MandolinCafe.com!

Br1ck, likewise been a member on various forums for years, and as stated some are more restrictive than others. I respect the play nice rules, but moderators change and sometimes they are not moderate. It's kinda like going to someone's house. They make the rules, and you can play or leave. Personally, that other forum has changed a bit over the years. My only dealing with new moderators chastisement and threat to ban me over my signature line that had been there for over 10 years made me take a step back. I still like the forum and read daily, just very careful what I post.
Now----if I can just learn how to play this mandolin thing