Custom titles for Reps?

[deacsoft]

Everyone:
One of the other Mods* has made a suggestion to me about giving the members who represent Bluff Magazine, etc custom titles that state who they are, often times, representing. Members that fit this discription frequently post in Books/Publications. It could be useful in some cases for our "regular members" to know that they're speaking (replying) to someone who works for Bluff (or some other company, etc).

I think it's a good idea and certainy wouldn't hurt. What do you all think?



*The Mod who made they suggestion may wish to remain anonymous (though I doubt it). But since I don't know for sure I mentioned no name.

[4_2_it]

Are the members acting in a manner where it might be relevant for other members to know who they are? Do the Bluff Mag members want to be specially identified? If we do it for Bluff mag, how many other 'journalists' are likely to pop out of the woodwork? What would be our policy on giving them custom titles?

Couldn't a Bluff Mag writer just indicate it in his location? How would you verify the member is actually who he says he is?

I do not know the answers, but these seem like the questions that need to be addressed here.

[Sniper]

IIRC, Mason has made it very clear to the Bluff Mag guys, that they should not be promoting Bluff Mag here...

[deacsoft]

Threads like this happen once in a while and that kind of info could be useful. It could just be put in their location but it would not be permanent and the user could change it at any time.

[deacsoft]

There have been some feuds in the past between 2+2 and Bluff. The bluff guys are well aware of the promotion policy and mainly just reply to posts these days. (i.e. somone takes a shot at Bluff and they respond.)

[*TT*]

[ QUOTE ]
IIRC, Mason has made it very clear to the Bluff Mag guys, that they should not be promoting Bluff Mag here...

[/ QUOTE ]

Mason and I and discussed the whole Bluff scenario yesterday, after that talk I feel if the wording is done properly as Bluff employee or Card Player Employee to make each individual 'agnostic" then I think this is a good policy both for the members of 2+2, as well as for 2+2's future relationship with Bluff (believe it or not Mason would much rather have a positive relationship with Bluff, Eric, and his staff). 95% of the time we discover a user represents Bluff in the Books forum, therefore Decasoft could notify the user via PM of our zero tolerance no-spam and no-promotion policy for their magazine(s) as he changes their titles so we all know who the really are. I feel knowledge is power - allowing our members to know who they are dealing with is a wise decision, but we also have the power of controlling the Bluff/Cardplayer staff posts through zero-tolerance. On a positive note 2+2 members will be more inclined to hit the notify mod button if they know a Bluff employee is getting out of line.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[Sniper]

[ QUOTE ]
Threads like this happen once in a while and that kind of info could be useful. It could just be put in their location but it would not be permanent and the user could change it at any time.

[/ QUOTE ]

deac... Thanks for linking to that thread... it is very encouraging to see that Nat's new influence at Bluff is actually having an impact on their organization.

[*TT*]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Threads like this happen once in a while and that kind of info could be useful. It could just be put in their location but it would not be permanent and the user could change it at any time.

[/ QUOTE ]

deac... Thanks for linking to that thread... it is very encouraging to see that Nat's new influence at Bluff is actually having an impact on their organization.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have spoken to Nat in private, as has Mason. Its helping a bit, but he really doesn't have any control unfortunately. Nat comes across as a good guy so far who actually has the best interest of his employer in mind as well as morality, I am impressed.

Time will tell if Bluff is still in business, but as we were picking through the ads last night 2/3rd of them are affiliate deals which are all about to dry up (affiliate ads are normally paid the same as any other affiliate deal - not a flat fee)- Bluff cannot afford to stay in business for another year at this rate so a lot of these discussions are moot points. Too bad, they have honestly become a better editorial source over time, and Eric's gossip pages aggression (I think in some ways his public spats with the Schulmans, Mason, and others were all to create a buzz) has taken a back seat to more pressing concerns. - NOTE this is for mod eyes only, I would not state this publicly because we actually want Bluff to succeed, its good for the poker if they do.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[Sniper]

TT,

Your "inside" insights are always helpful and appreciated...