Inter-Forum Links…
As it is said, “Knowledge is power.” The beginnings and formation of the Internet is based in these words. It is well known that in many cases the open and free sharing of information can spark and accelerate understanding and new ideas. Just as in brainstorming, the thoughts and POVs of a few can be leveraged 10 fold. The synergy of sharing is awesome.
A forum can create such synergy as well. It’s a wonderful venue to explore, learn and contribute to. Still, it can be much more if forums of a feather inter-link. To share information across site boundaries is truly using the power of the Internet.
Unfortunately, many forums come at a cost. To operate, maintain and manage a good size site requires money and few will do this out of their own pockets. Many have a profit motive and because of this are possessive of their guests and members. They would prefer to keep them in a bubble, ignorant of other comparable sites. Consequently, some to most forums ban inter-forum links. Some forums go so far to ban even the mention of another forum’s acronyms. They will rationalize, “Why go elsewhere when everything is here.” Some will edit out information where light is being shined in places where the forum doesn’t want you to know about. How are you to know this?
Such forum’s management will argue that such bans or suppression are reasonable. Why would a store want to advertise a competing store’s wares? This is true and that is the rub. Such fourms are businesses… not the free and open cyberspace that they may represent themselves to be.
This is why we support those sites that are not profiting off their members and guests. They have the greatest potential to not restrict the free flow of information. Those Western Men that are searching for Russian brides deserve to get the whole story. They will be dropping big bucks and should not have blinders on when doing this.
advocateLast edited on Monday February 18th, 2008 07:22 pm by advocate
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