Can we cut out the "friendly bumps?"

Is there any rule against this? There is already a rule against bumping thread with useless messages like "PM'd." And it is equally useless and unfair to bump other people with so called "friendly bumps."

I say it is useless because we already have a system to leave complimentary feedback. It is called the "Trade Record." And to be a bit redundant we also have the karma system.

I say friendly bumps are also unfair. Everyone in order to get trades needs to have their thread on the front page of the Trading Post as much as possible. However it seems a group of traders has made it a policy to keep their threads on the front page by leaving cute messages for each other. When this little cabal gets going anyone not in on it will see their thread quickly off the front page, and as it is, out of the money.

We have a rule in place that only allows a person to bump his or her thread once every 24 hrs in order to allow everyone a fair chance on the first page. Why should we allow a few traders to bump each others threads and deny the rest of the community a fair chance at trades?

I'll admit that it is difficult to stay on the front page when everyone is doing friendly bumps, especially since the threads being bumped are generally the people with hundreds of TR and shouldn't really be needing help to find refs. It it terrible to bump my thread, for example, only to refresh and see that I've already been dropped down by 5 new bumps, most of them "friendly".

I have no problem with friendly bumps; I've gotten/given a few myself. But it is rapidly getting out of control, so I would agree to having some control over that, just as PM'd was 'prohibited' (although it is starting to come back into style again a little).

I'm all for friendship and helping on this site, but the "friendly bump" groups that are starting to form here are getting a little too out of hand. There are a few other problems occurring in the trade forum that are more important to break, but I also feel that the friendly bumps are getting up there on that list, too.

I've been reporting threads that I see have a lot of friendly bumps

Most of the people doing it are great people, and as there isn't an official rule prohibiting it, I haven't really bothered much with it. I think it would be most helpful for a mod to give a public ruling about how they feel on these friendly bumps, as that would give this more validity than just the common thread.

^^Amen...why i have just stop trading almost /..easier to just get a friend do do an offer and collect almost all straight profit imo

I can understand leaving a nice comment for a fellow trader that may just be getting started, but as I a just witnessed in one thread recently had been bumped 24 times in 11 days by throw away posts.

My hope is that these people will see this thread will realize the damage they are causing to others.

bump

[quotefbb8fe8143="ilanbg"]bump[/quotefbb8fe8143]


OK I LOL'ed that one

I'm guilty of giving/getting a few friendly bumps, but if a rule were to be put in place, I think it should be along the same lines as karma. You can only give one friendly bump every 6 hours, but also you're not allowed to give the same trader a friendly bump twice in a 24 hour period...or something along those lines. shrug

Why not just leave it at 24 hours period? If someone with no friends and no one giving them friendly bumps so has to keep up with bumping their thread on their own they're only going to get that one bump every 24 hours. Making it the same no matter who bumps it keeps a level playing field. I suppose you could argue that friendly bumps highlight good traders but does that make it ok?

Yeah you guys don't need to be giving friendly bumps, let the thread starter worry about that.

[quote7d83469f28="O4F-Manofice"]I've been reporting threads that I see have a lot of friendly bumps[/quote7d83469f28]

The problem with that is that there are people getting bumps who don't necessarily always ask for them.

[quote748a98fd05="skepticalcynic"][quote748a98fd05="O4F-Manofice"]I've been reporting threads that I see have a lot of friendly bumps[/quote748a98fd05]

The problem with that is that there are people getting bumps who don't necessarily always ask for them.[/quote748a98fd05]

Like you??!!!! I report all of your threads,



haha, j/k ;)

[quote2bcf78390c="Big War Bird"]Is there any rule against this? There is already a rule against bumping thread with useless messages like "PM'd." And it is equally useless and unfair to bump other people with so called "friendly bumps."

I say it is useless because we already have a system to leave complimentary feedback. It is called the "Trade Record." And to be a bit redundant we also have the karma system.

I say friendly bumps are also unfair. Everyone in order to get trades needs to have their thread on the front page of the Trading Post as much as possible. However it seems a group of traders has made it a policy to keep their threads on the front page by leaving cute messages for each other. When this little cabal gets going anyone not in on it will see their thread quickly off the front page, and as it is, out of the money.

We have a rule in place that only allows a person to bump his or her thread once every 24 hrs in order to allow everyone a fair chance on the first page. Why should we allow a few traders to bump each others threads and deny the rest of the community a fair chance at trades?[/quote2bcf78390c]

[b2bcf78390c][u2bcf78390c]When this little cabal gets going anyone not in on it will see their thread quickly off the front page, and as it is, out of the money[/u2bcf78390c][/b2bcf78390c].

Would like to make reference to this comment which I think is what happens when you don't have a group of people willing to [u2bcf78390c]friendly bump [/u2bcf78390c]and apparently reciprocate bumps in diffierent directions among themselves I understand it's not regulated therefore no one can say is incorrect, etc. but the most people who do not have the advantage get no chance at referrals or money, etc., I guess anybody can build up a "[u2bcf78390c]group of frienly bump volunteers[/u2bcf78390c]" and get it started.

Hope we are [u2bcf78390c][b2bcf78390c]aware[/b2bcf78390c][/u2bcf78390c] that sometimes without realizing it we may be unfair to others, seems to me good traders alredy possibly have a number of automatic advantages.[/size2bcf78390c]

[quote6b550410c9="O4F-Manofice"][quote6b550410c9="skepticalcynic"][quote6b550410c9="O4F-Manofice"]I've been reporting threads that I see have a lot of friendly bumps[/quote6b550410c9]

The problem with that is that there are people getting bumps who don't necessarily always ask for them.[/quote6b550410c9]

Like you??!!!! I report all of your threads,



haha, j/k ;)[/quote6b550410c9]

evil Brat !!



Here's my final opinion on this whole subject - as someone who pays very little attention to her own trade thread PEOPLE WHINE AND COMPLAIN WAY TOO MUCH !!

Just to be clear - in all the time I've been on here, I have gotten ONE referral from my posted trade thread - and that was from me bumping it myself. Almost all of my refs come from 2 sources - my offers listed in my signature, which show up on every single post I make - and (mostly) from me watching the trading post for other people and PMing them directly. None of the "friendly bumps" and positive comments I have received have earned me any advantage at all except improving my reputation in general.

If people have something tangible to contribute to someone else's thread they should be encouraged to do that. If it's just to say "friendly bump" then I agree that it's senseless.

Still, I will reiterate - PEOPLE BITCH AND WHINE AND COMPLAIN BECAUSE THEY DON'T DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, SO THEY BLAME OTHERS INSTEAD.

Hate me if you want - but truth is truth.

(I think I just blew my reputation of being sweet and helpful ( )

[quote4c982d6399="skepticalcynic"]


Here's my final opinion on this whole subject - as someone who pays very little attention to her own trade thread PEOPLE WHINE AND COMPLAIN WAY TOO MUCH !![/quote4c982d6399]

Really, then why have you edited the first post in your trading thread 18 times since April 30? I opened my thread on May 1 and have edited it 21 times, and I keep very close tabs on my thread.

[quote4c982d6399]Just to be clear - in all the time I've been on here, I have gotten ONE referral from my posted trade thread - and that was from me bumping it myself. Almost all of my refs come from 2 sources - my offers listed in my signature, which show up on every single post I make - and (mostly) from me watching the trading post for other people and PMing them directly. None of the "friendly bumps" and positive comments I have received have earned me any advantage at all [b4c982d6399]except improving my reputation in general[/b4c982d6399].[/quote4c982d6399]

I am sure all of that is true, especially the part about improving your reputation, which as you and any other experienced traders know that counts for a lot. Of course the genuine way to improve your reputation is to trade and help others, not by exchanging compliments. So when you and your group praise each other ad nauseum it inflates your respective reputations beyond what has really been earned through experience.

[quote4c982d6399]If people have something tangible to contribute to someone else's thread they should be encouraged to do that. If it's just to say "friendly bump" then I agree that it's senseless.[/quote4c982d6399]

Please make that sentiment known to some of the people that bump your thread.


[quote4c982d6399]Still, I will reiterate - PEOPLE BITCH AND WHINE AND COMPLAIN BECAUSE THEY DON'T DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, SO THEY BLAME OTHERS INSTEAD.[/quote4c982d6399]

I'm not bitching or whining and I am certainly not complaining about any lack of success. What I am doing is pointing out that there is a group trying to dominate the Trading Post.

[quote4c982d6399]Hate me if you want - but truth is truth.

(I think I just blew my reputation of being sweet and helpful ( ) [/quote4c982d6399]

I don't hate you. You are in fact sweet and helpful

[quote19c981beea="skepticalcynic"](I think I just blew my reputation of being sweet and helpful ( )[/quote19c981beea] shock cry So you are saying ... that I'm not cut out for being successful because I have a slight problem with all the friendly bumps?...Lol.

I suppose. But then again, as was stated, the majority of the bumps go to the people with 100s of TR, who already have no problem getting refs (or not as big of a problem, anyway). I dunno.

And as to the comment I left showing ... cry
J/k ... you are still a great person.[/size19c981beea]

I believe the mods are aware of the "friendly bumps" and are taking care of it accordingly.

http//forum.freeipodguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=62420

Also I think we all do what we can to be successful at what we do on here.

http//forum.freeipodguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=57402

For some reason I never follow through when I tell myself to just keep my mouth shut. I really don't know why I bother to read any of these bullshlit threads anymore.

As to being sweet and helpful - since it goes completely unappreciated, I think I'll quit that too.

You guys can all continue your whining. There is nothing and no one on this forum worth me getting aggravated over.

[quote27a2b728fc="secondjob"]Also I think we all do what we can to be successful at what we do on here.

http//forum.freeipodguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=57402[/quote27a2b728fc]

You are correct sir! I did not write that for entirely altruistic reasons, though I do mean every word of it. 8)

I pretty much BUMP my own thread. Some others did once and awhile b4...but they dont anymore. I have no friends...lol.

But i dont think it matters anyway since as soon as I bump my thread one person goes in after me and bumps 5 other peoples thread....so then my little thread is gone b4 you know it...

This was not intended to upset anybody or be offensive, but sometimes this could happen when we cannot all agree on everything stated about the subject matter.

I don't really care anymore either, with owners giving free greens left and right there will be nothing to trade for anyways.

What?! Owners giving free greens? Who are they? And can they be my friend? lol

[quote857b5967c6="Big War Bird"][quote857b5967c6="secondjob"]Also I think we all do what we can to be successful at what we do on here.

http//forum.freeipodguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=57402[/quote857b5967c6]

You are correct sir! I did not write that for entirely altruistic reasons, though I do mean every word of it. 8)[/quote857b5967c6]

ma'ma wink

Though it is hard to comprehend how something that is good and sweet and friendly can be so uncomplimentary, it can be reasoned out. "Too much of a good thing" does certainly apply here. I myself have seen it when trolling the Trading Post looking for offers to do, and get a little discouraged when I see the same trade messages on the front page each time.

This practice of "friendly" bumps, when looked at objectively, can be likened to the infamous "Denial of Service" attack at Yahoo a while back. That this group is bumping each other's posts with "friendly" or "complimentary" bumps is still not a valid reason to abuse a system. It does crowd out others having a fairs shot on the front page.

For the cynical people out there that would think that I have an agenda with this, let me say that I have not been trading for a while due to the fact that I am purchasing our home and need my money for closing costs, but it does not stop me from trying to help others, or to "put my 2 cents in".

I agree that the bump rules should be modified, but it can be simply stated, and no one would be really able to misconstrue it. It would read something like this

No post shall be bumped more than once per 24 hour period. The first reply to any post in that 24 hour period will bump that post to the front of the list, but no other reply to that post within the same 24 hour period will bump it further.

Obviously some programming will have to be done, and it is simple programming to do, but it could be done, and if the 24-hour period be defined something like "300 am to 259 am", or whenever they do their database maintenance, then all the better. This then levels the playing field.

An attack, no matter how friendly or complimentary, is still an attack. This group of traders, using compliments, firendly statements, and ego boosters, though not a bad thing in and of themselves, for the sole purpose of keeping their trades in the forefront, is an attack and should not be allowed. For those of you who think Big War Bird is voicing his sour apples, I say to you that he does have a very valid point, if you take the time to research his complaint.

What about greening for friendly bumps?