Don't worry lads, I got an idea!

[chopper1192]

1) How about a sticky promoting good manners? It could be worded to the effect that perhaps people could have the decency to introduced themselves before wading in and demanding help?

2) Another sticky begging folk, especially new posters, to tell us the age, mileage, model and engine type when requesting help?

3) How about making certain 'premium' forums chargeable, maybe a fiver a year? Keep chat and off topic forums free to tempt folk in, but keep the techie and model specific forums chargeble - it'll keep the hoi polloi, the spambots, and the one-time-'help me'-posters-who-we-never-see-again out. Some specific model pug forums have done this in the last year and it's been very successful.

Discuss.

[bettyswollocks]

1) ok by me

2) ok by me

3) ok by me

[pugbod]

now wouldnt that be nice? because it will never happen,

1/. people lie a little and that's allowed especially on off topic stuff because that's human and spices up the discussion even though its a red herring,

2/. should be standard to give the proper advice,

3/. you mention money? why because I personally think its a site killer and seen on many sites ( that's why they advertise a donation so as not to send you looking elsewhere ) spammers/bots should be made to make a donation and it can be done!,

4/. I don't ask for help because im a mechanic and only offer help so do I get dispensation from cost? the answer is no because im here to give free advice and when I cant do that the site is useless and becomes a pay per view and lets face it there are too many of them for starters when the information is freely available on the Internet if you know where to look.

[Stubbo]

1) Wont work, unfortunately forums havent worked that way for years

2) Again, wont work because people dont think before posting most the time, maybe a popup box when you submit to ask if you have included all info? might get annoying if it happens on every post though, maybe it can be done for just new threads!?

3) Noooo, that will be a site killer, i would expect most of the community here are the ones that disagree with the chargeable option on central, forums should be about sharing free information!

As for spambots, upgrading to the latest vbulletin will help, the newer versions are a lot better for stopping spam

There is also a reputation system in place on some versions where by if you like a persons post you can vote their reputation up, thus letting other members see who is trustworthy etc

[chopper1192]

Originally Posted by Stubbo

3) Noooo, that will be a site killer, i would expect most of the community here are the ones that disagree with the chargeable option on central, forums should be about sharing free information!

It's worked very well on 107oc and 207oc websites, and PSOC have recently gone that way too with seemingly no detriment. Peugeot Central is full of wallies and 10 year olds with Bowler Wildcats and that's why they come here.

[pugbod]

bit late for me but cant sleep;

pug central isn't an option to pay ( 5 posts and you have to pay £15 ) " who gets this money and what do they do with it? " try doing that to any site and watch it die,

I don't ask for information I give it so why should I pay "they should pay me" and that's why I don't join sites like that.

[Stubbo]

Fully agree with pugbod here, I tend to give more pointers out than asking for help, so making people pay to help others is just counter productive!

[bettyswollocks]

Please vote at the start of the thread , thankyou.

[pugbod]

I didn't see the vote thing so ive voted and without doubt the no has it in the bag

[bettyswollocks]

Originally Posted by pugbod

I didn't see the vote thing so ive voted and without doubt the no has it in the bag

On till the end of the month.