A thread for Don Willis to discuss the SSP & BST issues with us
Aethelred
Posts: 9,288 ✭✭✭
Mr. Willis,
I am hoping that you will take a moment to discuss the issue of BST threads on the World and Ancient forum with us. I can assure you that we are a friendly and reasonable lot and I believe you will find any time you spend with us pleasant.
I am hoping that you will take a moment to discuss the issue of BST threads on the World and Ancient forum with us. I can assure you that we are a friendly and reasonable lot and I believe you will find any time you spend with us pleasant.
If you are in the Western North Carolina area, please consider visiting our coin shop:
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
0
Comments
-leave things as they have always been. We have done a good job of policing ourselves for the nine or so years that I have been here. I believe the total number of SSP posts has always been under 10%. If in the future that changes, we could re-visit the issue as I am sure none of us want to see this turned into a place that is all spam.
-allow us to share BST forums with the stamp or autograph people, those forums are seldom used for their intended purpose and it should be a simple matter to alter the forum title to "Stamp and World Coin BST."
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
<< <i>Sharing the Stamp or Autograph BST forum is a great idea. >>
Why thank you! This is the first kind thing you have said about me in 5 years three months and seven days (I've been keeping track).
For some reason you seem to have become somewhat unkind after I sent you a box of poisoned BBQ and gave your name and address to a religious cult in the same week back in 2004.
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
<< <i>April 6, 2004 to be exact. >>
I said I was sorry, what more do you want? The BBQ did put you in the hospital, but only for a few days and you did manage to get out of that cult before they all sold their houses to buy the "Wise Leader" a new mansion in Tuscany!
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
<< <i>and you did manage to get out of that cult before they all sold their houses to buy the "Wise Leader" a new mansion in Tuscany! >>
True, but my son shaved his head and hangs around airports now.
Perhaps we should stop this and get back on topic before YOU get in trouble.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
<< <i>
<< <i>April 6, 2004 to be exact. >>
I said I was sorry, what more do you want? The BBQ did put you in the hospital, but only for a few days and you did manage to get out of that cult before they all sold their houses to buy the "Wise Leader" a new mansion in Tuscany!
>>
We are kind of handicapped, not knowing what the problem is/was. How can we solve a problem none of us know exists?
That's not to say we need the juicy details. But rather a testament to the fact that whatever issues there were, they are minor, effect very few (or more likely none at all) and are in no need of a solution.
But while we are brainstorming...
1) Keep the Weekly Swap and SSP threads, add nothing else
We have been a self-regulating group here. On the rare occasions when spammers enter our domain, we ignore them, their threads quickly sink without incident. A separate BST thread would leave many good deals unnoticed. The best quality of the Weekly Swap threads is that they allow us to highlight our best offers each week. They are few, not overwhelming. With a separate BST we would likely have many more posts (taking up PCGS server disk space) for items that would otherwise not be worth mentioning, thus obscuring those we wish to find. This could lead to increased spam, more need for oversight from the moderators where the present situation requires almost none.
2) Keep the Weekly Swap and SSP threads, add a Darside BST
Yeah, it may draw some more scum, but boy would we love it! Keep your customers happy, right? Really, the likelihood of more trouble is very marginal and the tech issues are simple (the disk space thing is really nothing, maybe an extra $3 a year). So long as we still have our Weekly Swap threads we will be able to highlight our best offerings. But a BST would allow us to offer so much more. In the realm of World and Ancient coins that is where much of the action is - too many offer what will be successful and relegate the rest to their junk boxes, which is why we can never find that super-common type we need to complete a set. A BST of our own may help us find that, and so much more.
3) Keep the Weekly Swap, kill the SSPs and all other sales related posts
This is the situation we find ourselves in as of today. There is simply no need for this harsh action. In fact, it may prove more labor intensive for the mods. Without clear guidance (there is no repository of forum rules) people, whether newbies or yetis, will probably continue to create sales related threads. The mods will have to keep on top of these and poof them as they come - otherwise you will have many disgruntled users every time a joker gets away with a thread while those who play by the rules are left out. The biggest reason to avoid this choice is that the tradition of SSPs is one of our most protected. Those who create sales posts without warming to the forum or offering a giveaway as penance (as is the custom) are often quickly ostracized unless they prove able to engage further. This is one of the best mechanisms by which we self-regulate the forum. Those who do not follow the tradition often disappear from the boards never to return. Plus, the SSP combined with a giveaway create a closer community through the sense of sharing it creates.
4) Keep sales segregated, restrict access
I addressed this in another thread. Restricting access online never works in the intended way - it surely never contributes to revenues. Look at the newspaper industry for evidence of this.
5) Shunt all sales into the Buy, Sell & Trade - Coins forum
We've already moved past this, with good reason.
6) Go back to ignoring the WAC forum, don't get too excited over a squeaky wheel
Yeah, this is the same as #1, it's a joke
My wantlist & references
Occasional SSPs are a good thing.
"Want to buy" threads are a good thing.
Some of the best coins I have were bought through this forum. Some of these have subsequently ended up in PCGS slabs. Win-win for PCGS.
The BST forum is useless for world coins. I never go there to look for coins and I have never sold a coin on it (even though I used to post there).
The only minor irritations I see are (1) those very rare cases where an SSP or "want to buy" thread is constantly brought back to the top by a desperate seller/buyer; (2) constant SSPing by a single member who contributes nothing else to the forum (again, very rare). I think the members have policed these issues and will continue to do so effectively. In other words, I see no problem that needs to be solved here.
<< <i>The weekly BST is a good thing.
Occasional SSPs are a good thing.
"Want to buy" threads are a good thing.
Some of the best coins I have were bought through this forum. Some of these have subsequently ended up in PCGS slabs. Win-win for PCGS.
The BST forum is useless for world coins. I never go there to look for coins and I have never sold a coin on it (even though I used to post there).
The only minor irritations I see are (1) those very rare cases where an SSP or "want to buy" thread is constantly brought back to the top by a desperate seller/buyer; (2) constant SSPing by a single member who contributes nothing else to the forum (again, very rare). I think the members have policed these issues and will continue to do so effectively. In other words, I see no problem that needs to be solved here. >>
I could have written this post Wybrit!
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
<< <i>We are a pleasant and peaceful little group that rarely create disturbances... >>
I think the thread about Swiss Shooting Talers may have them spooked.