Helpful Hints For Freebie Posters (PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST)

[bcteagirl]

bump, and a random emoticon!

[Prue]

Its so cute!

[bcteagirl]

..

[Prue]

Please read cndlady's first post in this thread, thanks!

[alajen]

Bump! An extra tip about searching for duplicate posts... Sometimes an existing post will be missed because the original poster made a spelling mistake (gasp! - how often does THAT happen?) But the web address is usually the correct.

I find that searching using a keyword from the web address works pretty well. For example, for the Child safety kit, I searched "safekids" which is a keyword from the web address www.safekids.org. That pulled up three posts that had already been posted for this item.

[bcteagirl]

Moved the two reposts out, thanks for the tip and for pointing them out to me Alajen!

[cookoo]

I think placing a penalty system could stop people from reposting freebies. Moving reposts into expired deals only makes the post disappear from the main freebie section, but does not cut down the poster's candies. Knowing that, the posters will constantly do it again and again, after all, they ARE getting the candies and receiving some reprimand does little harm.

[bcteagirl]

I was not going to come back onto SC until lunch time (am at the university) but the more I think about it, the more I agree with Cookoos post...Messaging both on board and PM'ing is not working.

Reposts will not stop so long as We are *rewarding* people for making reposts! We are rewarding them for refusing to search, and eventaully Boo willl have to use his funds to *pay* them for reposting (I think some reposts come because they get more candies for it?). I think this is unacceptable....

I think it would be a good idea (and forgive me if it is a complicated one to carry out, what I know about computers could fit in a commodore) if there were another button for moderators, where the Candies for a particular post can be removed if it is a repost. I would however be interested in hearing others views on this.

[Prue]

I think that is a fabulous idea! Reposts should not be rewarded whether they are done occassionally in error by a member or whether they are done repeatedly by someone who has been asked multiple times to search! Personally, I would gladly return candies I had earned should my post turn out to be a repost.

[bcteagirl]

Thank you! Exactly, there are a few reposts of my own I would be willing to go through and give up candies for. Any other thoughts?

[cookoo]

Some suggestions:

First time: delete the repost (but keep the candies) AND give First-time warning

Second time and on: delete the repost AND penalize by deducting candies (say 2 or 3 times of what a thread is normally worth: a 4-candy repost will cost the person 8 or 12 candies, a 20-candy repost would then be -40 or -60 candies)

[Boo Radley]

I think the best solution to this problem is rewarding candy based on rep points not the number of posts

so if you make a good post you get loads of candy
if it's a repost you get 0

there are a few problems with this
- it's hard to implement! I hate technical geek work
- people can give an infinite number of reputation points each day which can make things go out of hand and people will end up with too many candies. I have to be realistic to make sure this system continues to function properly and people get redeemed as soon as they request a gift card.

[bcteagirl]

Some suggestions:

First time: delete the repost (but keep the candies) AND give First-time warning

Second time and on: delete the repost AND penalize by deducting candies (say 2 or 3 times of what a thread is normally worth: a 4-candy repost will cost the person 8 or 12 candies, a 20-candy repost would then be -40 or -60 candies)

I agree with this.. I would even give two warnings, one on the thread, and then one through PM.

[bcteagirl]

I think the best solution to this problem is rewarding candy based on rep points not the number of posts

so if you make a good post you get loads of candy
if it's a repost you get 0

there are a few problems with this
- it's hard to implement! I hate technical geek work
- people can give an infinite number of reputation points each day which can make things go out of hand and people will end up with too many candies. I have to be realistic to make sure this system continues to function properly and people get redeemed as soon as they request a gift card.

Yes, things get complicated very quickly!

[cndlady]

Bumping it up again because there have been a lot of repost of late