Time for hiters to take it easier?

[Evo]

SFW..!!

[carlt]

What I do find arrogant is the self appointed grandees of the forum instructing other members on how to post, on behalf of the wider membership.

No instructions, merely opinions and requests.

[mayalld]

I could have said all that..!!! spot on.

 

Dont see the sense in the whole article being cut and pasted into a post on here - which seems to be what some are asking for.

 

I have actually met Peter a few times (we are moored where he used to moor), and I'm quite happy for him to write articles, and to draw attention to the articles that he writes in his signature.

 

However, the clue to the purpose of this site lies in its name. The key word is "discussion".

 

Discussion implies a back and forth process where somebody says something and somebody else responds to that, and a conversation ensues.

 

Links to off-site articles may well initiate discussion about the appropriateness of posting such links, but they do not promote any discussion of the subject matter at hand.

 

Now, it may not be a huge issue if one person is doing it, because there is plenty of other stuff that we can discuss, and the content-free stuff is a tiny proportion, but what when 2 or 5 or 10 people start making regular posts that are simply off-site links? Then it would start to have a damaging impact.

 

If Peter wants us to read and discuss his articles, he should copy and paste them here.

[carlt]

If you dont like Peters posts, then dont read them.

This would appear to be an instruction on how to use the forum. Does that make you an arrogant, self-appointed grandee?

[carlt]

SFW..!!

There are an awful lot of bloggers, who contribute to this forum.

 

If they all started every thread with "Read my blog, then discuss BUT bear in mind I am the best qualified to comment so your participation in the discussion is irrelevant." then I think Sebrof's opinion might gain quite a bit of support.

[luctor et emergo]

The sole purpose of posting just a link, is to get as many people as possible, to click on it, thus increasing the traffic to that site, and thus ramping it up the 'google' listing...

The fact that it is linking to a commercial site, rather than his own blogging site or such, makes it a dubious practise.

If you don't like me saying so, you don't have to read my posts.

 

(i'm using my phone, so it's difficult to check, but I'm under the impression that the majority of Peter's threads are linking back to some site or other..?)

[Evo]

Even if it is why does that bother anybody..?

 

Why do you care what his hit count is, its canal stuff, its better reading than a Dave and Phylis squabble, or yet another battery charging thread (oops I'm guilty of that one myself).

 

There seems to be some personal stuff going on here that is far more harming than a URL to some canal stuff.

 

The internet is a massive 'linked list' of information, that you can filter as you wish. This isn't some private little exclusive coffee club sitting in the middle of it all. I have linked to phots and threads on here from other forums, everyones at it. The guys not hiding anything or as far as I can see not doing anything wrong.

 

There are moderators that control the content of this forum....let them get on with it and stop whinging.

[mayalld]

Even if it is why does that bother anybody..?

 

Why do you care what his hit count is, its canal stuff, its better reading than a Dave and Phylis squabble

 

Very probably.

 

Given that it is so good, post it here so that it can form the start of a discussion, rather than linking to it which stymies discussion of the content.

[Sir Nibble]

Libraries are marvellous places where you can read for information, education or entertainment. Would they be improved by an author continually plonking his latest on the table in front of you?

[RLWP]

Libraries are marvellous places where you can read for information, education or entertainment. Would they be improved by an author continually plonking his latest on the table in front of you?

 

Dunno, what does she look like?

 

Richard

[saltysplash]

Dunno, what does she look like?

 

Richard

[Peter Underwood]

I tend to read this stuff on a small smart phone screen rather than a laptop these days and find it useful to be able to see a summary before deciding whether I want to pursue the whole thing. Small screen, big fingers and bad eyesight is also the reason for literals like hiters for hirers.

Perhaps I have made the assumption that most others have the same approach. Not a major problem to post whole thing rather than a link but at least as many seem to have no problem with the link as object to it.

I could do both?

I still object to those who want to invent motives for my rants and my methods of disseminating them. My motives are perfectly simple - I live on a boat full time, I travel the system full time and I want to be able to continue to do that and enjoy the history, variety, and people that make it one of the last true communities. When that is threatened only a coward keeps silent.

[cotswoldsman]

Peter I guess I am one of your critics at present, I do not know you so it is nothing personal. My objection is simple you start threads/topics with small post and a link and then contribute to that thread mainly defending yourself and your motives. Now I do not read every thread but you do not seem to contribute much else. A man with your experience would surely have a lot more to offer than links to your chosen websites. We get loads of posts on here from beginners looking for advice. I have no objections to links and use them quite a lot myself if I feel they would add to a discussion.

 

[stripey]

Well I enjoyed that blog post Peter.

 

As an experienced hirer, we almost always go for marathon cruises - we have been known to cruise for fourteen hour days, but I can see it wouldn't suit everyone. Our last one was a month long trip from the Midlands down to the Thames and back.

 

We are starting to slow down a bit now, as we have the opportunity to borrow a boat from friends, so we aren't always restricted to just a few short weeks where we try to cram everything in, but when hiring, we do try to make the most of the time and see as many new waterways as we can.

 

I've recently started working doing handovers for a local narrowboat hire company, and without fail the hirers are happy, keen and willing to learn. Now i get to go boating and chat to nice people every weekend...and get paid for it!

 

Janet

 

We do the same when hiring as a week is expensive but not very long. Early starts are wonderful on the waterways: the best time to travel is sson after sunrise until about noon. In six years' time we will have hired for fourteen years and plan to get our own boat - then it will be the time to slow down!