Please Explain To Me How This Is support To Work

[TheMadMachinist]

I recently started a thread with the title " Reproduction Window Stickers" In it I posted a pic of the product I had got from someone that is not a site supporter. I gave his name and email address along with what he charged me. I started this thread so that if someone else wanted a reproduction window sticker in the future. A

[City]

Not to flatter Plum, though he's right there as one of my BFF's, but forum moderation is a major PIA and his decisions are well considered. NO ONE enjoys having their expressions of thought, opinions and interest edited or deleted. As part of our moderator group, we are KEENLY aware of this, which is why we seldom touch posts (that and our being lazy ... well maybe not Viper Girl so much). Anyway, some forum rules are easy to enforce, but others all fall into a vast "gray" abyss of uncertainty. You should know that all the moderators here on our VOA forum have extensive experience with this linguistic and opinionated nightmare of expression.

It almost always comes down to determining the logistics of compromise. IF we accepted your opinion and utilized your position, I'd ask you how many threads would be rendered useless with links to all kinds of suggested and "recommended" (suspect) products and services; none of which would be available via VOA trusted and accountable sponsors. How should we then deal with the many members who come to the forum to publicise their disgruntled dealings and demand reconciliation through the VOA? How would we continue to grant some value to our sponsors?

I'm not suggesting we have all the answers nor am I/we perfectly comfortable deleting links to what often might be valuable and helpful Viper sources for info, parts, services, etc. But, we are charged with managing an "internet car enthusiast forum" and MUST therefore find and enforce certain guidelines. Most often we discuss our options before we act and virtually all of those discussions don't begin with any consensus. Nonetheless, we have to (and have been for 3 years now) enforce the "forum social culture" of the VOA, which we believe has been quite successful.

I understand that (outside the secret mod and president's circle) our efforts may seem like a simple thing, but we mods really do live in this realm and see it all. I'm not pleased that we edited your post.

Honestly, we never are pleased with enforcement (OK, I will admit there are rare occasions when it IS pleasing) and always seek to minimise our impact and visibility. But, our website and forum remain successful because of the work, the rules in place and the contributions (including tolerance) of our forum members and sponsors.

Hope the previous helps.

[LifeIsGood]

Plum sucks!

[Viper Girl]

In this particular case theres another issue with the Window stickers. The copies are likely a violation of the Dodge, SRT, Viper copyrights & trademarks.
At one point we did have a discussion with the maker of these reproductions about being sponsor.

As far as I know, the copies are being made without the permission or licensing by FCA. Which if someday Dodge/FCA decided to legally go after the numerous creators of unlicensed products for sale on the web. We wouldn't want to be stuck in the middle.

As far as other links in threads, those shouldn't be happening either. Our General Forum rules doesn't allow those links.
Which is a similar policy used by many other forums on the web.

[City]

Plum sucks!

That was perfect! Too funny. Damn, that should have been the last line of my post!

[Viper Girl]

So what you are telling that is if someone finds lets say a plastic push pin that holds on hood vents for $5.99 per 50 pcs. And Dodge wants to charge $1.35 each for the same part. Said person can not share this info with others freely.

Seriously? Push pins don't = unlicensed intellectual property...

[Viper Girl]

You're trying to make this into something I didn't say or mean.

We did reach out to the man making these... BEFORE we realized there was a potential conflict with licensing, and wouldn't be able to offer his product anyway.

As a machinist, I'm sure you already understand you couldn't expect to make copies of a logo/item that you are not licensing from the owner of the copyright... Then expect that owner/manufacturer to look the other way.

[Viper Girl]

As a machinist I should understand this but you as VOA Social Media Director didn't not and reached out to this person "BEFORE" you realized this.

Seriously?

If you MUST know, I wasn't the one who personally reached out to him for sponsorship... there are a lot of other volunteers here...

[City]

I was hoping that this wouldn't grow into an argument of this nature. You asked a sincere question and made a cogent argument. Unfortunately, we (the moderators and the national officers indirectly) disagree with your assessment of our guidelines and our enforcement of same. We simply can't please everyone and having this discussion get salty serves no one's interest.

Please try to understand and accept the policy we're enforcing. Again, I'm not suggesting we're "right" here (nor that you are wrong), but rather that we completely understand your argument and opinion, but disagree as to the ramifications of its implementation.

I'm hoping (again) that we've now exhausted both the discussion and the associated angst. Pretty please?

[plumcrazy]

this is typically more of a winter spat, not middle of driving weather..lol

and im sooooo gonna ban LIG one of these days

[City]

Plum sucks!

Hey you!

[City]

Well thank you for the sincere and cogent comment of my question. I have been called a lot of thing over the years but I have to say cogent is a first for me and I will wear it as a badge from now on. But salty.... Now you have crossed the line and the gloves are off.lol

Pleased I got an LOL after all this. Now I need to get on annoying all the forum members once again.

[Viper Girl]

We have a few club members that make parts for other viper owners... The center cap guy comes to mind.

From the General Forum Rules https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...al-Forum-Rules

• Advertising and offering parts or services in the forums are permitted only by VOA members and only to the extent that such offering is not "commercial" in nature (such determination shall be at moderator discretion). VOA members must also place a classified ad which must be linked to their forum post.
• Advertising and offering parts or services by non-VOA members is permitted in the classified area only.
• Classified advertisements will be limited to 5 ads for any single VOA member and 3 ads for Non-VOA members at any one time.

[venom700]

does that include me, advertising for recreation of kits for Vipers? LOL I don't know why I'm in this thread actually, just got curious about all this discussion

[Fatboy 18]

So in a Nutshell, if a Member finds a good product or offers a low production product that a Sponsored Vendor is not selling, they could post picture of said product and then other web users could PM that member for more details

Technically then, no rules are broken. So long as prices and direct links are kept off the forum?

[Viper Girl]

Your thread has been re-instated Venom700...

[luvboost]

So in a Nutshell, if a Member finds a good product or offers a low production product that a Sponsored Vendor is not selling, they could post picture of said product and then other web users could PM that member for more details

Technically then, no rules are broken. So long as prices and direct links are kept off the forum?

Boom!