John Walker Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Nice and simple - Just three options. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Thompson Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 A big yes from me. I am part of another forum business community in another life away from photography and we have an open forum where anyone can view and join to ask a question but for more sensitive areas we have trade group section – user group members only for members who are recognised as genuine trade members, Ideal for discussing prices, costing and quite often the customers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Yes, yes, YES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 closed community, closed minds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 closed community, closed minds? Why?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 A big yes from me. I am part of another forum business community in another life away from photography and we have an open forum where anyone can view and join to ask a question but for more sensitive areas we have trade group section – user group members only for members who are recognised as genuine trade members, Ideal for discussing prices, costing and quite often the customers Yes, for all these reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan_Andison Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 A big yes from me. I am part of another forum business community in another life away from photography and we have an open forum where anyone can view and join to ask a question but for more sensitive areas we have trade group section – user group members only for members who are recognised as genuine trade members, Ideal for discussing prices, costing and quite often the customers 1+ It makes sense to keep the current sections open but there should be a closed section as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbwills Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I am just a newbie here, so my opinions are pretty unformed and uninformed... Are there not contributors, who are also customers (like on microstock) - if so the group might not be really 'closed'. For me, I would hesitate to exclude the active involvement of buyers, since I don't have near enough insight into their mindset and requirements... But all-in-all, I am a definite 'dont-know' Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidC Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Sometimes it is necessary to test the water with other contributors on matters monetary - it is never a good idea to plaster commercially sensitive information on a platform that is open to the 'other side'. The point that there are some buyers who are also contributors is not relevant - if they are contributors they already know the way that Alamy's market strategy is taking them. I'd still be very careful about what I say - it would be too easy to submit a few images and become a contributor if you really wanted to - but then I'm not really that paranoid .........am I ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikolas_G Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Absolutely YES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I am just a newbie here, so my opinions are pretty unformed and uninformed... Are there not contributors, who are also customers (like on microstock) - if so the group might not be really 'closed'. For me, I would hesitate to exclude the active involvement of buyers, since I don't have near enough insight into their mindset and requirements... But all-in-all, I am a definite 'dont-know' Cheers There really isn't much -- if any -- in the way of active involvement by buyers that I know of. However, there probably is a fair amount of passive browsing by potential and existing customers. Anyway, if there were both open and closed forum sections, then buyers could still participate (or lurk) and we could discuss sensitive topics privately. Makes sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCat Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I have wondered why this discussion hasn't been put in the section of the forum that is meant for making suggestions about improving the forum. Perhaps because, like me, people have to scroll down to see FORUM and use that section. I really haven't decided what I think about the issue. I suspect we would tend to gravitate to the private section and the public one would only be for people who have questions when they are thinking about joining Alamy. I know I read the forum for a long time before I went ahead and made my first submission. Is that a bad thing? I don't know. I would like to hear Alamy's thinking on this. Presumably they have a reason for leaving the forum open. They already limit active participation to people who are willing to have a link to their images. Maybe some of the people who left the forum because of this would come back???? Lots of questions marks for me. Paulette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 it is never a good idea to plaster commercially sensitive information on a platform that is open to the 'other side'. But morons will still do it anyway. So I've voted for Frank Lee. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Walker Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 I have wondered why this discussion hasn't been put in the section of the forum that is meant for making suggestions about improving the forum. Perhaps because, like me, people have to scroll down to see FORUM and use that section. Paulette Hi Paulette, I did start this thread in the above section as you suggest but unfortunately there was little response, probably for the reason you have given - that section is off the bottom of my page so I forget it's there. A contributor suggested I would be best to add it as a poll in the main section here. It has been the right suggestion as there has been far more response so far. I'm not sure what Alamy's take will be on this but it will be interesting to see any response from them. Surely it's better for any 'dirty washing' to be aired and discussed privately rather than in full view of potential buyers or potential new members. This is in addition to the current sections of the forum - not to replace them. Possibly it could even be extended to on be open to genuine contributors who have at least 'x' number of images on sale. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCat Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I did see it in the ALAMY section but there is actually another section if you scroll further. It is called THE FORUM. I do find it annoying that I don't see it when I go to the forum. Not really important but I suspect it will be a little-used section. Paulette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Palmer Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 FAA has a single forum but both the OP and the forum moderators have the option to make the discussion private at any time. The discussion can also be made private if several participants vote to make it private. The system seems to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Quist Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Yes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCat Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 FAA has a single forum but both the OP and the forum moderators have the option to make the discussion private at any time. The discussion can also be made private if several participants vote to make it private. The system seems to work. This sounds like a good idea. Paulette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyMelbourne Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 I am just a newbie here, so my opinions are pretty unformed and uninformed... Are there not contributors, who are also customers (like on microstock) - if so the group might not be really 'closed'. For me, I would hesitate to exclude the active involvement of buyers, since I don't have near enough insight into their mindset and requirements... But all-in-all, I am a definite 'dont-know' Cheers I agree, It would be totally impossible to enforce. I suspect that most, if not all, customers have employees who are aware of Alamy and contribute by the nature of their very own business. A 'closed' forum would only encourage a culture of bad feeling and loose talk about the very people who are buying our pictures......so it's a BIG NO from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustydingo Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Does this mean Alamy will have to spend MORE time policing the forum to make sure no one talks about certain subjects outside of the restricted section? And what do they do when someone does talk dirty outside the restricted section? Or will it be up to the red arrow brigade to bombard them anonymously, thereby beating them anonymously into compliance? Does it restrict any talk at all about the newspaper scheme? Or only some of the talk about the newspaper scheme? What about complaints about distributors? Questions about distributors but without mentioning prices? Praise for distributors, as long as they don't in the same post mention that some distributors' sales are for low prices? What about talk about slow QC times--shouldn't that be removed from public view too? Complaints whenever the percentage paid to photographers drops? Complaints about QC outcomes? QC durations? FGS, wouldn't it be easier if those who want a restricted section took responsibility for their own actions and simply stopped themselves from discussing low prices publicly, instead of passing the responsibility onto Alamy and the structure of the forum? Some things really are much simpler than many would have us believe . . . dd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 DD, If I can address your points as I see it. Does this mean Alamy will have to spend MORE time policing the forum to make sure no one talks about certain subjects outside of the restricted section? Why should it? The general opinion seems to be that there should be an additional section for private posts, with the rest of the forum continuing as is ∴ no real change as far as input/overseeing/moderation as far as Alamy is concerned? When the powers that be have seen fit, they have removed posts (indeed entire threads) from their forum. That is their prerogative and will continue to be so. Paragraphs 2 & 3: all these happen now in public. The content of the forums would not undergo any great change, surely?. No-one is suggesting that Alamy (or others) police this, simply that those who wish to would have the option of restricting their comments/posts/threads from public view. I fully understand your general points neatly summarised in the last paragraph, (and am almost tempted to agree with them!) however (!) to my mind a forum is a place for discussion where (with respect to and for others) folk can give opinion as they wish, seek advice, share tips, give each other a boost when need be. Venting one's spleen (in as polite a way as possible) is also pretty standard for most places - and we all like the sound of our own voices - so from time to time, people like to confirm that they are not alone if they feel they are getting a rough deal; they need to (figuratively) kick the cat. Getting a response in the form "yeah, me too: but I only got 25¢ [moan, moan, moan] don't worry it'll get better" or "think of the long term", etc. gives the poor cat a rest and makes everyone (concerned) feel better. OK, perhaps not professional enough? But we're all human, too! Anyhow, this is Alamy's call, and I'm tempted to believe that they won't do this - maybe I'm wrong. If I felt that it would detract in any way from their core business of licensing my images, then I would certainly not be voting for it. I would like to see a private area for contributors, but if nothing comes to pass, I won't fret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustydingo Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Danny, we may not be reading from the same page, but we're certainly in the same chapter :-) . . . I ask if this means Alamy would have to police the forum more, make more decisions about what can and what can't stay, based on the all-too-human occurence of folk continuing to post moanings about prices in the public section . . . if some are still going to do that (I have a few spare quid that says it will happen as sure as electioneering politicians kiss babies), what 's the point of a private section? Anyhooo, just set in motion a Dropbox upload to another agency so time to go and watch a bit of the cricket . . . dd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Danny, we may not be reading from the same page, but we're certainly in the same chapter :-) . . . I ask if this means Alamy would have to police the forum more, make more decisions about what can and what can't stay, based on the all-too-human occurence of folk continuing to post moanings about prices in the public section . . . if some are still going to do that (I have a few spare quid that says it will happen as sure as electioneering politicians kiss babies), what 's the point of a private section? Anyhooo, just set in motion a Dropbox upload to another agency so time to go and watch a bit of the cricket . . . dd To be honest? I'm sure I don't really know the answers! 137-5 at tea; rain on the way?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoDogue Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Right now I can see several threads that would be better discussed on a private forum. Maybe a more workable solution would be to have one public forum, called something like Getting Started With Alamy, for potential contributors, and make the rest private for active contributors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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