" Baker, the spammers aren't here to debate and discuss."

Eh, I don't recall a 'debate and discuss' clause in the terms of use. You don't even have to allow comments. How many times do we hear people around here say "It's their blog, if you don't want to read it, you don't have to." Well, that would be valid here, too, right?

I don't see anything different with bizowner than someone like, Col Gene. It's damned debatable whether a bunch of people are really here to debate and discuss. Most look like they are here to declare and treat any sort of debate with animosity.

So, if you are going to say JU isn't for people to showcase their business, then Stardock's "ad"-style blogs on the front page are no different than bizowner's. If they came onto your blog and started posting unsolicited ads I could see your point, but so far bizowner seems to be just keeping a log of events for that business.

One reason to be careful about this is that many people want blogging stifled politically, because they see it as under-the-radar political advertising. We have to be careful how we characterize this stuff, because come 2008 people might be accusing us of "spamming" home-made political ads.

I mean, do people who blog about the menial details of their day and love life and whatnot intend to debate and discuss? What's the difference between recounting the highlights of your daily life, and a business doing the same?

There's no price tags on Bizowner's blogs are there? I don't remember seeing "Penis Pills Cheap!!" or anything like that. I'll go take a look at what has been posted there in the last few weeks, but I don't remember them being much in the way of advertising.

I don't think there's any rule against talking about your business on your blog.

Number one, I'm not saying he's violating the TOS, I'm just saying that I'm tired of seeing his drivel.

Number two, he's not 'talking' about his business on his blog. He's basically cutting and pasting Harteis International's propaganda. If he were saying "hey, I just started my own business and this is what I'm selling..." then that wouldn't bother me so much. But, today was the first time I've seen him mention any kind of product by name. What he usually turns out is a Fred and Linda Harteis ass-kissing fest.

I don't spend a lot of time in the business section, and no one seems to bump them much. How come you keep seeing them and I don't? Maybe I'm not observant enough.

Either we're free to blog about what we like or not. I have a feeling if someone posted this kind of complaint about the featured Stardock articles, it would be received less enthusiastically.

Take a look at this and decide if we want to start making such differentiations off the cuff. During the last election, people were trying to say that any blog that linked to a candidate's site was an illegal campaign donation. I, personally, don't relish the idea of being a 'test case' for some campaign finance reform advocate.

Best to leave blogging the way it is and let people do what they like. If a person can have a blog, a business can too. If they really spam your account, then I can see the complaint. Other than that, they are just spamming their own blog, right?

I do not like spam, I do not like green eggs and ham.

spam much like ham is not kosher and an abomination to GOD.


no offense to you heathens that enjoy ham or spam.

I mean, do people who blog about the menial details of their day and love life and whatnot intend to debate and discuss?

They aren't selling something. Other people post comments, offer suggestions and advice. Have any spammers participated in a discussion? Do they post to non-free blog sites?

If a person can have a blog, a business can too. If they really spam your account, then I can see the complaint. Other than that, they are just spamming their own blog, right?

They probably have their own websites. This is akin to telemarketing. They're coming here to tell us what they have when we didn't ask instead of waiting for anyone who is interested in their product to go to them.

There are bloggers here that don't participate in discussions. As I said above, there are tons of useless articles here at JU that were never intended to spawn debate. You don't even have to open your blog to comments. In the end, if you don't like what they do with their blog, you don't have to read it.

Someone posting something on their own blog isn't spam. If they post ads on your blog, it is spam. Telling them what they can and can't post on their own blogs just invites people even more anal than you to start telling the rest of us what we can and can't post.

Give it a couple of years. When the primaries roll around I'll bet ya a donut people will be screaming about all of our unsolicited, under-the-table campaign ads that WE call blogs.

'

"They're coming here to tell us what they have when we didn't ask instead of waiting for anyone who is interested in their product to go to them."

If you mean 'here' as in it is our site and not theirs, maybe. Last time I looked anyone can join, so they are as much "us" as we are...

Which just goes to show that there's some things we can all agree on

You spoke too soon.

lol Baker can't start his day unless he can find something to disagree with. It's like a stellar mixture of coffee, Viagra, and religion all rolled up in one.

I was actually going to check the TOU, but I keep getting a 404 page error.

Which just goes to show that there's some things we can all agree on You spoke too soon.

LOL... inevitable.

But honestly, it isn't any different than Brad's Stardock posts. I don't think there's any rule against talking about your business on your blog. Spam is unsolicited advertising. I think to make that claim about bizowner would be setting the standard pretty high

Yes there is baker...That being that "Brad" owns the site, they do not!

Whatever, no worries.

I do not like spam, I do not like green eggs and ham. spam much like ham is not kosher and an abomination to GOD. no offense to you heathens that enjoy ham or spam.

You'll never know what you are missing!