For starters, if it wasn't for those pasta strainers, I'd have to read the really tiny engraving on my drill bits that have all seen better days...so I welcome the "freebies", and choose not to participate in the power tool test drives.
Since I have several of the very rare black strainers put away in my bank's vault, I can't complain too much as some day they'll be worth big bucks.
Secondly, being in sales and marketing myself, I give props to him for trying to do something different (and get noticed) and I'm personally not offended when someone who has something to sell me tries to sell it. Do you think the vendors hang around the forums because "they're one of us?" (I do... so I respect them if they try to do something creative and generally "good" for the community)
I put up with advertising as I well understand that the money it generates enables me to receive content that I would otherwise have to pay for. Nor do I have an issue with anyone trying to promote their business. Neither circumstance is the real issue here. If Mr. Johnson's business is struggling, as many dealing in wood are, he needs to find ways to fairly cut costs and become more competitive. That is, as always, how to succeed in business.
With all of the Viagra ripoffs and Nigerian bank scams, you'd think that we'd have bigger fish to fry...
If and when they attempt to post on this Board, they too should get an appropriate rise from the members.
I won't enter, and I don't buy from the guy (I don't really buy wood from anyone... it grows on trees here...but you know that ;-) )... but it doesn't bother me one little bit if he holds a contest and donates prizes from his business...nor does it bother me if he announces/advertises either one here.
I don't buy wood either (yeah, I read about that "tree" thing somewhere). I don't know Mr. Johnson from a fence post, and am not singling him out for special treatment here. But when I see a pretty thinly veiled advertisement pop up here where ads are prohibited (which might be an questionable policy) I raise the issue, and the thinner the veil, the more it deserves being called out for trying to get something for nothing while others, like those listed in the AAW Journal, pay for that exposure. Personally, I think the AAW should implement a new policy for ads on this board, perhaps coupled with those companies who pay good money to advertise in the Journal. That could raise real funds for the organization.
Consider it a lead for the AAW advertising people to follow-up on.
Great idea, but if someone tries to get ad space for free, how likely is it that they'll become a paying customer? I'll grant you, with all the restrictions being put on wood vendors [quarantines, embargoes, etm.] it's getting tougher for them to turn a profit and they need to reduce their costs to a minimum.
As Al said, Mr. Johnson passed his post by the volunteer Moderators ahead of time, and it's their call as to enforcement of the rules. However taking on page-view ad charges might well cover the costs of running this website, so this thread becomes an opportunity to address the issue. Giving Mr. Johnson the benefit of the doubt, might he, as a honest person and member concerned with the welfare and success of the AAW, not feel better using a straight up ad for a straight up fee than trying to come up with tongue-in-cheek contests under the silly banner of a "National Championship" and expecting everybody not to notice what he's actually doing? Lets give the target demographic a bit of credit for having an IQ over 60, shall we?
