What's with mac-forums.com???

[fourtyoneantz]

This morning I decided to join mac-forums.com because I enjoy the MacRumors forums so much. I love discussion about Mac and technology as a whole. Anyway, I was browsing the MacBook forum and the first thread in there is called "the official post your favorite protector/skin/sleeve thread" or something along those lines. In fact, I think it's a bulletin.

I clicked it and shared my thoughts. I posted about MacStyles and stated why I liked them so much. I also included how I use a skin + a hard shell for ultimate protection. Two minutes later I got a PM saying that I had been banned forever for spamming.

I then tried to reply to that post and contact the mod because I figured it must have been a mix-up. It wouldn't let me reply. My only option was to contact the "webmaster" so I filled out a form. We'll see what happens I guess. Is anyone here a member of those forums? Have you experienced anything like this? That's not a very welcoming environment...and you'd think they'd at least *warn* someone before undeservedly banning them??

Boo to Mac-Forums, what a load of malarky. I'll be sticking to MacRumors now.

 

[iBlue]

That isn't very neighbourly of them.

I imagine they'd lift the ban if you explained yourself, that is if you want to go back. I don't think most actual spammers would take the time to dispute a ban. It's an easy mistake to make when someone's first post is promoting… whatever. Live and learn, I guess.

MacRumors is better anyway.

 

[xUKHCx]

You probably fit their profile of a spammer.

Contacting them should resolve this issue.

 

[fourtyoneantz]

Yeah I guess I could understand more if I came off like a "bot"..but I was pretty personal with my post. I mean, I posted exactly what the thread calls for? Haha. Whatever I guess. I contacted the guy who banned me. I'll keep you updated. I think it seems like a pretty snotty environment to walk into. Left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[iBlue]

Yeah I guess I could understand more if I came off like a "bot"..but I was pretty personal with my post. I mean, I posted exactly what the thread calls for? Haha. Whatever I guess. I contacted the guy who banned me. I'll keep you updated. I think it seems like a pretty snotty environment to walk into. Left a bad taste in my mouth.

Spammers are getting more creative/annoying though and actually writing things out as such. They sometimes even create multiple accounts to ask a question with one and answer with the other, then placing the spam in disguise as a useful post. These frickin spammers are putting pride into their "work" . It really is an easy mistake for a moderator to make. Promoting ANYTHING in your first few posts is just a bad idea on forums these days.

Totally understand the bad taste over it but I can't say I am entirely surprised. Don't feel bad, it could happen anywhere, including here.

 

[fourtyoneantz]

i received contact back from the guy who posted me. he tried to explain himself, part of which i completely understood and part of which i deemed as ridiculous. he asked me if i was involved with macstyles...even AFTER i explained myself in my original PM. he also said he'd "forward my message to the proper authorities" there and "get their input on the issue".

come ON. i feel like i've committed a felony, he's contacted the government, and i'm on trial for it

 

[iBlue]

That sounds ominous. Maybe they just meant the admins. I dunno but I don't blame you for being put off.

 

[fourtyoneantz]

i'm waiting for someone to bust down my office door with handcuffs

 

[iBlue]

Its OK, they'll be nice furry white ones and you may even find the person has a french tickler at the ready!

 

[fourtyoneantz]

Hahahahah!

Thanks for bringing humor to the situation I feel as if now I can only laugh

 

[fourtyoneantz]

After all of this I ended up getting a really nice reply from someone of higher authority (I believe). He sent me a really nice PM that was very apologetic and asked me to reconsider joining their community. He didn't point fingers or anything. If this guy was the one to have seen my post I probably would have had a completely different experience. Turns out it's not such a bad place

 

[iBlue]

Ah, good to hear. I thought that may be the case. I certainly don't know those forums in particular but I imagined it was a simple mistake.

No fuzzy handcuffs and french ticklers for you though.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

I got banned from that site shortly after buying my first Mac. I really like photography, I posted a photo, it got lambasted for being too soft. Then a member copied it and proceeded to edit it, post his edits, and tell me why my camera was inferior (cough....canon fanboy.....cough).

I contacted moderators, admin, you name it and asked them to remove his version of my photo (which had a copyright symbol and my watermark on it as well as in the metadata), they wouldn't do it. Then when I double checked the rules, sure enough by posting a photo there you essentially give them rights to that photo.

I wasn't happy with that, so I took matters into my own hands and asked the forum member to delete it himself, he refused and I threatened to press charges of copyright infringement against him if he wouldn't, and pointed out the watermark (which he hadn't noticed). He promptly deleted it from his post, and assured me that he'd deleted it from his computer, and I was promptly banned.

Ahh well, that site is totally lame anyway. I'm a million times happier here! Everyone's much cooler, and the topics are much more intelligent and stimulating.

SLC

 

[SkyBell]

It's not really a friendly place. If you haven't been there for a long time, it's very hard to connect with anybody, and the admin's are some of the strictest I've seen.

It's not a bad place, just very intimidating for newbies.