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GE13579

Should forum members be able to buy and sell services?  

71 members have voted

  1. 1. Should forum members be able to buy and sell services?

    • Under no circumstances
      42
    • It could work if handled properly
      20
    • There should be no restriction
      9


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I've just noticed the PayPal button availability in the User CP profile area. I would like to open a debate as to whether this option is really suited to the site, or whether it is more likely to upset visitors who are happy to give their time freely to contribute to the site. Over time, will this lead to the demise of CADTutor? This site is tagged "The best free help for AutoCAD on the web", what kind of message are we conveying with this?

 

An unnecessary update in my opinion.

 

Let battle commence... :)

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  • GE13579

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I dont agree with the PayPal option YET because, as you said "The best free help for AutoCAD on the web"

Also we arent allowed to advertise or sell on the site so why should you be allowed to buy??

BUT, i said in the first sentence "YET" as i am willing to give it a chance to see how it prevails with other users as a benefit. just because i dont agree with it, doesnt mean its a bad thing. i'm sure it has a perfectly valid reason to be there and i totally respect CadTutor in its decisions. afterall it is still a great site!

 

You could maybe add a poll?

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You have the option.

 

If someone helps you out on CadTutor you can take it for free.

If you feel that that person has offered you a life saver you can DONATE as a way of saying thanks.

 

It's not forced upon you to pay for the help.

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Don't get me wrong, I'm not disrespecting CADTutor by this, I just don't see how it can be advantageous. I can see plenty of ways it can lead to issues across the site, but I would be interested to know how it can improve a site that has successfully grown by it's own merit over the years it's been online.

 

A couple of examples as to how it could reflect negatively-

 

It will encourage people selling information as I suggested previously,

 

It could lead to piracy issues. Copywritten material could be easily be sold via PM's. I know the site is well moderated so please don't misinterpret what I'm saying.

 

The purpose of this debate is for me to find out what benefit this is over possible dangers?

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Stev- the option to donate to CT has always been there- I'm all for that as it's a way of keeping the site running, but why is there a need to donate to people who offer their help for free and don't incur cost of maintaining the site? If you are here, it's probably because you needed an answer to something CAD related, to me, the point of the site is that it grows with people receiving an answer to their query and repaying the site by offering their help elsewhere. My concern is not how the site is now but how it might evolve in the future.

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"The best free help for AutoCAD on the web"

As I see it, the inclusion of a PayPal button probably stems from quite a few members (lurkers?) that never contribute anything substantial nor ask for advise on how to write a bit of code, but continually ask/demand for entire lisp programs written specifically for them (usually followed by gripes and no Thank yous). I always thought the premise of this site was described in its name CADTutor - "to teach CAD"; not LISPBenovolance.net, a one-stop clearinghouse for free stuff. And it seems over the years I've been visiting this site, it seems to be getting worse. Maybe the request for a donation to make someone's job easier/more profitable will help stem this.

 

Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you will not have to listen to his incessant whining about how hungry he is. ...

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lpseifert- I see your point, and agree that if someone is here to get someone to do their work, then perhaps a sister site might be a better way to resolve such an issue where services can be bought and sold?

 

I don't spend much time in the LISP section so don't have a good handle on what goes on in there.

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As I see it, the inclusion of a PayPal button probably stems from quite a few members (lurkers?) that never contribute anything substantial nor ask for advise on how to write a bit of code, but continually ask/demand for entire lisp programs written specifically for them (usually followed by gripes and no Thank yous). I always thought the premise of this site was described in its name CADTutor - "to teach CAD"; not LISPBenovolance.net, a one-stop clearinghouse for free stuff. And it seems over the years I've been visiting this site, it seems to be getting worse. Maybe the request for a donation to make someone's job easier/more profitable will help stem this.

 

Although i agree with some of what you are saying, i disagree with the "quite a few members (lurkers?) that never contribute anything substantial nor ask for advise on how to write a bit of code, but continually ask/demand for entire lisp programs written specifically for them"

what if people are beginners who come on this site to look for help to improve their knowledge. they cant give substantial help, and are not always capable/ready to write codes. - its hard to get the correct point across in words here so forgive me if its not clear- also by the quote i have in this post, is this saying that if you haven't helped or given much advice then you cant ask for help?. i think people should be allowed to "lurk". what do people do when they need help on other things? they go on google or bing or whatever and lurk about sites for help.

sorry for getting a bit sidetracked.

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Maybe "Lurkers" was a poor term...

I could tag quite a few threads to substantiate my point; but suffice it to say that is how I see it...

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i agree. i have seen some threads too but i dont know a forum where that doesnt happen.

If i offended you in anyway lpseifert in the last post it wasnt intended. sometimes its hard to put the words together to get a point across :)

dont want a heated debate. all is good :)

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Don't get me wrong, I have received alot of help on here in regards to learning more about Cad and lisp.

But surely in these hard times some people are living on a hardship trying to earn that extra buck.

I personally have no gripes about how people earn money, we all have mouths to feed, so to speak.

I'm not one for bickering either, but I assume that you are employed and therefore do not require that little helping hand?

I won't be donating to anyone, but that's just me.

 

I didn't like it when I first saw it, but I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt because I can understand some peoples financial situations at this present time.

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If i offended you in anyway lpseifert in the last post it wasnt intended

 

Nuff said - I took no offense at all

 

But, it wasn't my contention to charge people for asking for help on learning, but when people ask for customized applications... maybe somebody should make a few bucks.

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I didn't like it when I first saw it, but I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt because I can understand some peoples financial situations at this present time.

 

I totally agree Steve.

i too, wont be donating, and again that is just me too.

however i do think that credit should be given where necessary and mioney is a form of credit :)

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...I assume that you are employed and therefore do not require that little helping hand?..

 

I am employed. At least for the next week... we are currently in a consultation period and we are due to find who is at risk by next Tuesday. That is really beside the point- I will probably visit the site a bit less if I'm looking for a job, but certainly won't post here expecting people to pay me for it whether I'm made redundant or not. I am where I am now with thanks to this site and so my contribution, albeit rather less than many, is my way of paying back the site for what it's done for me.

 

My concern, which is really being overlooked, is the possible negative impact on the future of the site. It's good to hear the other argument, but do any of you have any thoughts on the potential negative points I raised? Does anyone else share my concern? Perhaps I'm just being silly and such things will never happen?

 

And do remember it is only a debate, no bickering required.

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i see your poiint in the negativity of the websites future.

i also agree with it. right now i would say that CadTutor is almost flawless! i think there are a few bits here and there that could be different but thats my opinion. and i would say that out of the few things that could make the website better, this is probably one of the main ones that could potentially put the future at risk. so Gary i am with you on this one :)

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I think you guys misunderstand. The Paypal button is for donations to CADTutor to help pay for the cost of running the site. It is not for payments to individual members or to allow buying or selling of products.

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CAD64- I am aware of the donations button to CADTutor as I mentioned earlier, but there is now one in the User CP below the Computer Details section, which as far as I can tell is for individual users.

 

...the option to donate to CT has always been there- I'm all for that as it's a way of keeping the site running...
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I think what cad64 was trying to say is that the one on the user page is also to donate to cadtutor. Easy way to check is to click it and see if it directs you to the same place as the donate button on the bottom of the page

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I think what cad64 was trying to say is that the one on the user page is also to donate to cadtutor. Easy way to check is to click it and see if it directs you to the same place as the donate button on the bottom of the page

 

it doesnt. in the USERCP it gives you the option to enter YOUR paypal details so people can make donations to you

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