Stevie and Az'lin and Dale - Oh My!

Whistle
1

Lads and Lasses, I’m a relative newbie to this board, but I’ve been on the Internet before it existed formally as such - how many have heard of ARPANET? (Okay, old dude, get on with it!)

This flamefest on C&F is nothing new nor particularly remarkable. However, I would like to inject a few pennies of hard-won wisdom, learnt from having myself participated in such (to my shame), on various newsgroups.

First, to Dale - Bounce anybody who blatantly advertises more than once, period. A .signature of no more than 4 lines with a URL and a few words about their business, at the end of an on-topic post is quite enough advertising.

Azalin and Steve - You are both wasting my time and that of others on this board. You are using bandwidth that could better be put to use discussing whistles - not how much or how little one shop charges for them, and not threatening (or responding to threats of) specious litigation. It is stupid and childish in the extreme, and I’m really tired of finding posts about it. Grow up, the both of you!

Steve, specifically, (and I know you’re lurking) - Taking your toys and stomping off the field is not a proper response. You charge what you feel you need to, for your wares. If someone disagrees with your prices, that is their prerogative. If they castigate you in public, angry replies are only going to add fuel to the fire. Tell 'em they’re entitled to their opinions, and drop it. Trolls don’t work when they’re ignored. Further, it is bad “netiquette” to blatantly hawk your wares on a discussion group. Stick your URL and a one-liner in your .signature, answer or assist someone, or ask your question, and leave it at that. Dale provides links, which goes far beyond what the usual discussion group does. Be happy with what you get free, without antagonizing your clientele with gratuitous commercials.

Azalin - You said your piece. You posted your opinions. Be mature enough to do it once, only. Quit picking at the damned scab. It does not make me any more sympathetic to your position. I happen to like Steve and his business, regardless of your opinions. I happen to like you, as well, when you’re being reasonable. You have much positive to offer. Please do so.

The rest of you - stop encouraging it!

Now, can we please get back to discussing whistles and whistling?

Thanks for your maturity,
Bill “Serpent” Whedon
Serpent Music - Lovely Rustic Whistles
http://www.serpentmusic.com

2

Actually, I find advertising in sigs quite offensive - this isn’t a newsgroup, it’s a message board. Dale’s gracious posting of links on the main website should be more than enough free advertising, and having one’s business plastered all over every post only encourages commercial participants to post as often as possible in an effort to get more free advertising. IMO, that’s what the message board’s www link is for, and until just recently, that’s what everyone has used and it’s worked out just fine for all involved.

Dale, it’s bad enough that we have to kill a hundred advertising pop-ups a day on line, is it unreasonable to ask that we not have to look at advertising in individual posts (by way of business sigs) as well? My main grip here is that as a message board reader/participant, I have no way to avoid this advertising: If I click on thread that Bill or Roy (of Roy’s Custom Knives?!?) has participated in, but hasn’t started or been the last poster, then I have no way of knowing they’ve posted until I come across their spam.

Isn’t it enough that you provide reviews and links on the main site, that there’s also the www button they can use to hot link to their business, and that the message board itself provides a fair amount of business just by virtue of the fact that it provides a forum for makers and vendors to have their products discussed? Must we also be subjected to these obnoxious, unavoidable sigs at the end of every post?

Loren

3

Perhaps the best thing to do would be just to let the whole topic die, do you think?

While I agree with what Bill has posted, I think the timing may have been unfortunate.

Best,

–James

4

So, Bill, you think your own form of free advertising is acceptable, but that everyone else’s is wrong and should get them “bounced” from the board? I think you need to examine your motives.

5

Serpent,

I think that if you really want us to drop the subject, you should be the first one to do so. Also, thanks for calling me a “troll”, I feel honored.

Now, saying that some threads are a “waste of your time and bandwidth”, that I have heard before. I always have the same reaction to that: don’t READ it! If you see a thread that says that someone thinks a buisness is expensive, don’t left-click on the thread, yeah, that’s a feature that comes with your mouse…

6

YA-HO!
You’re right! Like I said, I’m a newbie to this board. And, like all newbies, I have much to learn, and you’ve given me a lesson! Thanks to Loren, et al!

Since you find that single line clickable intrusive (though if you think it constitutes “spam”, you’ve obviously never been really spammed! :slight_smile: I shall now go forth and RTFM! (Dale, kin ah puhleez git a link?)

Cheers, all,
Bill “Serpent” Whedon
Serpent Music

7

On 2002-09-17 09:14, Azalin wrote:
Serpent,

Also, thanks for calling me a "troll", I feel honored.

Now, saying that some threads are a “waste of your time and bandwidth”, that I have heard before. I always have the same reaction to that: don’t READ it! If you see a thread that says that someone thinks a buisness is expensive, don’t left-click on the thread, yeah, that’s a feature that comes with your mouse…

It’s a lot easier if you just don’t WRITE it in the first place. Then nobody has anything to ignore, you don’t take up space bashing somebody and both of you getting people pissed off, and All The Universe Is In Harmony! If you don’t like Steve’s pricing policy, the proper and simple response is to just not buy from him. If you’re really vehement about it, send him an email. Why drag the rest of us into your collective venom?

Now. Tell me something about whistles and what you like and don’t like, why, and what sort of music do you play? I tend to lean toward airs, as I’m not very fast yet, and my sight-reading sux. Do you have any tips to help me speed that up?
Cheers,
Bill “Serpent” Whedon
Serpent Music

8

By way of clarification:

My post was not intended to single you out Bill, as others have also started doing this lately. My hope is that Dale will consider the issue and provide some clarification, one way or the other, as to what is/will be acceptable going forward.

As for the other stuff…I’m staying out of it.

Loren

9

On 2002-09-17 09:46, Loren wrote:
By way of clarification:

My post was not intended to single you out Bill, as others have also started doing this lately. My hope is that Dale will consider the issue and provide some clarification, one way or the other, as to what is/will be acceptable going forward.

As for the other stuff…I’m staying out of it.

Loren

No, no, no! No problem, Loren! I honestly didn’t even notice the “www” button thingie until you pointed it out! I clicked it, and was magically transported to my site, and that is very, very cool, indeed! I am sincerely thanking you for pointing it out, is what I’m doing!

Great board software, Dale!! :wink:
Cheers,
Bill “Serpent” Whedon
Serpent Music

10

Serpent, troll, and collective venom. If you keep on going, you’ll be writing up a good fantasy book! I used to love Dragonlance by the way, the good old time…

11

I don’t know Steve or Azalin (and don’t care to, from what they’ve revealed on this board of their respective personalities).

They remind me of the clowns who got in a urination contest on rec.music.makers.guitar that lasted for years and basically ruined that newsgroup for everyone else.

It’s the relative absence (until now) of such idiocy that makes boards like this one an attractive alternative to Usenet.

I will say this much – Steve, after Azalin’s post I wouldn’t have hesitated to purchase a whistle from you if you had what I wanted at a price I was willing to pay (and I would decide what I’m willing to pay, neither Azalin nor anyone else would decide for me).

After your initial reply to Azalin I would have been extremely hesitant to purchase anything from you and now, after reading your ridiculous rants for a few days, I wouldn’t order from you if you were the last whistle shop on earth! That’s right, I would stop playing whistle before I would purchase one from you.

I’m sure there are dozens of others on this board who feel the same and, Steve, that’s all your doing, not Azalin’s.

So, I guess you’ll just have to add me to the growing list of people you’re going to sue. (anybody got a “smiley” finger?..)

'nuff said,
John

12

Ye Old Ballad of Steve and Azalin

Steve was a man of Shanna Quay,
Of Shanna Quay was he.
He sold his whistles on the Net,
And threw the pouch in free.
And threw the pouch in free.
And threw the pouch in free.
He sold his whistles on the Net,
And threw the pouch in free.

But Azalin did not like Steve,
And hated him for sure,
He raised a stink on C&F,
Which Steve would not endure;
Which Steve would not endure;
Which Steve would not endure;
He raised a stink on C&F,
Which Steve would not endure.

Ole Steve began to rant and rage,
And 'lowed he’d litigate,
And sue ole Az’lin’s britches off.
With that he sealed his fate.
With that he sealed his fate.
With that he sealed his fate.
And sue ole Az’lin’s britches off.
With that he sealed his fate.

He lost his link from C&F,
A link he held so dear,
A link the Undisputed would
Put back when suit-threat cleared,
Put back when suit-threat cleared,
Put back when suit-threat cleared,
A link the Undisputed would
Put back when suit-threat cleared.

But Steve, who vowed to leave the Board,
Brought joy to hippies’ eyes;
For their philosophy deplored,
Commercial enterprise,
Commercial enterprise,
Commercial enterprise,
For their philosophy deplored,
Commercial enterprise.

13

yer killin’ me. HA!

14

Hey, at least somebody was constructive about it.
Walden you are a true poet.

15

walden, you’re amazing.:slight_smile:

16

And with that ballad ye brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes

A smile to my face and tears to my eyes
A smile to my face and tears to my eyes
A smile to my face and tears to my eyes

…Absolutely brilliant Walden!

17

Walden:

You da Man!!! :slight_smile:

Can you email me the ABC for that? Surely its sung to a tune?!? :slight_smile: I thought at first it would go with the Ballad of Gilligan, but I dont think that works. Maybe to Bonnie Wood Green?

[ This Message was edited by: DazedinLA on 2002-09-17 17:33 ]

18

Bill, actually ARPANET was in the news a couple years back during the presidential campaigning. If I’m not mistaken, Al Gore took credit for developing ARPANET.

19

On 2002-09-17 17:29, DazedinLA wrote:

Can you email me the ABC for that? Surely its sung to a tune?!? > :slight_smile: > I thought at first it would go with the Ballad of Gilligan, but I dont think that works. Maybe to Bonnie Wood Green?

Any CMD tune will work.

To use Gilligan’s Island, just knock off the last three lines of each stanza, which are repeats.

Adjust the repeats to fit any Common Meter tune you like.

20

Okay, Walden, where’s the score - or at least the ABC?

PS: Sorry 'bout that - I didn’t realize there was a second page to the thread until after posting.


[ This Message was edited by: Chuck_Clark on 2002-09-17 21:11 ]