livingonanarrowboat.co.uk "guide" Is it legit?

[Barry]

Thanks for that but unfortunately I'm the site designer. Maybe I don't know myself as well as I should!

 

Oh Bugger!

[Pykebird]

I am also a member of this website and look forward to Paul's emails. To be honest, most of the information is what Iam already aware of,but then I have lived aboard for over 10 years! I would have liked to have had access to the Internet then,it would have saved me a lot.of grief.

The fact he doesn't take himself seriously adds to enjoyment. As I do a similar job I can sympathise with some of the situations he gets into!

My only complaint is I can't seem to be able to send him emails, my fault, not his.

I believe there is room for many types of websites.

[Arthur Marshall]

>> I am simply offering what is I hope constructive criticism of your site.

I'm not sure that using words describing the site such as "crap" and "drivel" really counts as friendly and constructive criticism. As a relative newcomer to this forum I've had my share of this kind of constructive criticism as well as more than my fair share of help and support. Luckily I'm fairly thick-skinned and tend to treat what people post on the net as if a lot of it needs the tone control turned down a bit, and just regard those who post in this way as wind-up artists who haven't fully mastered the use of the language. So there's no need to defend yourself against them - just pay attention to those who do have something sensible to say as opposed to just stirring it up for the fun of it.

Actually, as a language technician, I've never understood this concept of "constructive" criticism. Criticism is what it is - whether it's constructive or destructive depends on the person criticised. Usage of terms like "crap/drivel" indicates lack of thought by the criticiser as they are subjective terms and mean nothing outside the originator's terms of reference, so are completely useless to the person at the other end.

Windy out there, isn't it?

[RLWP]

This sales page is on a sub domain. The main part of the site is here. The lack of links to it on the sales page is intentional.

 

Ahh, got it. The link in the OP is only to the sales page

 

I'm afraid I don't understand why it doesn't link to your main page, your choice though

 

Richard

[Guest]

I'm not sure that using words describing the site such as "crap" and "drivel" really counts as friendly and constructive criticism. As a relative newcomer to this forum I've had my share of this kind of constructive criticism as well as more than my fair share of help and support. Luckily I'm fairly thick-skinned and tend to treat what people post on the net as if a lot of it needs the tone control turned down a bit, and just regard those who post in this way as wind-up artists who haven't fully mastered the use of the language. So there's no need to defend yourself against them - just pay attention to those who do have something sensible to say as opposed to just stirring it up for the fun of it.

Actually, as a language technician, I've never understood this concept of "constructive" criticism. Criticism is what it is - whether it's constructive or destructive depends on the person criticised. Usage of terms like "crap/drivel" indicates lack of thought by the criticiser as they are subjective terms and mean nothing outside the originator's terms of reference, so are completely useless to the person at the other end.

Windy out there, isn't it?

 

Surely it's obvious what constructive criticism is??

 

Well to me it means criticism meant with the sole aim of helping somebody improve what ever is being critiqued.

[mayalld]

I'm not sure that using words describing the site such as "crap" and "drivel" really counts as friendly and constructive criticism.

 

 

I am not one to mince my words, and if something is truly awful, it is better to say so than to pussy foot around and say "it could be improved".

 

I have no axe to grind with Paul, but leaving aside those who have leapt to defend him from an attack that never happened, the sales pitch does not reflect well on him.

[Peter Reed]

Paul, perhaps your "nom de plume" on this site speaks more about your character than your website.

[Tonka]

I would like to add my name to those defending Paul as he has always been open and honest with me

[originalsmoothie]

Paul, perhaps your "nom de plume" on this site speaks more about your character than your website.

Therein lies an interesting tale. The name originated from a soft drinks company where I was the operations director for eighteen months before it fell apart (not because of me). I found out later that one of the founders was "allegedly” both a murderer and an international fraudster who was wanted by Interpol. The company was forced to close when £500,000 raised by offering shares in the company mysteriously disappeared.

 

Maybe it's time I changed my user name!

[Arthur Marshall]

Surely it's obvious what constructive criticism is??

 

Well to me it means criticism meant with the sole aim of helping somebody improve what ever is being critiqued.

Yes, but that's just criticism - the motive, the fact that you want to help someone improve, isn't really relevant. Bad tempered criticism from someone who wants you dead (there may be an element of exaggeration there)is just as useful if it's valid and stated factually. Telling someone that something they have produced is crap just means it's crap by the teller's standards, and as the other person has no idea what they are, it's meaningless.

People generally say criticism is constructive if they like it, and go off in a huff and say it's destructive if they don't. The point is that it's got to mean something, as a lot of it on here does and some doesn't, that's all. Anyway, this is all irrelevant to the thread and I'm going to bake another batch of mince pies now.

[Guest]

Yes, but that's just criticism - the motive, the fact that you want to help someone improve, isn't really relevant. Bad tempered criticism from someone who wants you dead (there may be an element of exaggeration there)is just as useful if it's valid and stated factually. Telling someone that something they have produced is crap just means it's crap by the teller's standards, and as the other person has no idea what they are, it's meaningless.People generally say criticism is constructive if they like it, and go off in a huff and say it's destructive if they don't. The point is that it's got to mean something, as a lot of it on here does and some doesn't, that's all. Anyway, this is all irrelevant to the thread and I'm going to bake another batch of mince pies now.

Only an 'element' of exaggeration???

 

Anyway, my comment was in the context of your not seemingly understanding the term 'constructive criticism' not in relation to Dave's post.

[RLWP]

I would like to add my name to those defending Paul as he has always been open and honest with me

 

Something is going wrong here. In what way does Paul need defending? You don't see practical criticism of his website as being a way of supporting him to do better in the future?

 

Richard

[MtB]

 

Something is going wrong here. In what way does Paul need defending? You don't see practical criticism of his website as being a way of supporting him to do better in the future?

 

Richard

 

Well said. My thoughts too.

 

And given the comments about people using this thread to promote their own sites, I hope that wasn't aimed at me. I posted a link to one of my own sites purely as constructive feedback. I do not need any extra traffic!

 

And I'll second the advice to contact Starcoaster. She is a very capable web designer and understands all the issues including traffic generation, on line selling etc and not just copywriting.

 

MtB

[Tonka]

So is ok to attack but wrong to defend according to you lot

[Peter Reed]

 

Well said. My thoughts too.

 

And given the comments about people using this thread to promote their own sites, I hope that wasn't aimed at me. I posted a link to one of my own sites purely as constructive feedback. I do not need any extra traffic!

 

And I'll second the advice to contact Starcoaster. She is a very capable web designer and understands all the issues including traffic generation, on line selling etc and not just copywriting.

 

MtB

Not forgetting, a comedic wit, a veterinary nurse and a Yo bro,hard arsed biker chick.

[MtB]

Not forgetting, a comedic wit, a veterinary nurse and a Yo bro,hard arsed biker chick.

 

Yeah. Forgot all that stuff....

 

... Gurls. Bundle of trouble, the lot of thems. Huh.

 

 

MtB

[mayalld]

So is ok to attack but wrong to defend according to you lot

 

No it isn't.

 

However, given that nobody has attacked Paul, there is little need for the bandwagon jumpers to defend him.

[junior]

 

No it isn't.

 

However, given that nobody has attacked Paul, there is little need for the bandwagon jumpers to defend him.

Sorry, but if somebody commented that something I had written was "drivel" and "a load of crap", I'd class that as an attack.

 

I'm sure you're a thoroughly nice chap in real life but (to me) you come across on here as a nasty piece of work sometimes. Or a very good wind up merchant.

[deckhand]

Can you explain Bandwagon Jumper please. Is this someone who does not agree with your point of view or thoughts or written points?

[mayalld]

Sorry, but if somebody commented that something I had written was "drivel" and "a load of crap", I'd class that as an attack.

 

I'm sure you're a thoroughly nice chap in real life but (to me) you come across on here as a nasty piece of work sometimes. Or a very good wind up merchant.

 

I commented upon something that Paul had paid a copywriter to write for him.

 

I said that it was crap and I stand by that comment.

 

The content is dreadful, and Paul would do better to go with his own efforts.

 

BTW is saying " you come across on here as a nasty piece of work sometimes" an attack or not?

 

There is a difference between commenting on the content of a website and commenting on a person. I have not passed any comment about Paul as a person. Would that you had followed my example.

[mayalld]

Can you explain Bandwagon Jumper please. Is this someone who does not agree with your point of view or thoughts or written points?

 

Once one poster has posted that he is supporting Paul against "attacks", despite the fact that there were no attacks, we suddenly see a spate of "me too" posts that fail to notice that the thing they are against didn't happen.

[geehils]

Game of two halves, this one.

 

First, Paul's work is very good. Pretty simple purchase decision too, based upon convenience; do I want good the information now or do I want to trawl through forums/websites/books and sort out the wheat from the chaff to come to a conclusion, which will take time.

 

The second confuses me. I really don't understand why he has plagiarised an American email/web marketing approach almost literally and used it to promote to one of the most conservative markets in the world; the potential British Narrowboat owner. The result, as a consequence of it's unsuitability, which can be seen by many of the comments on this thread, is to raise questions about the integrity of his work and damage his image.

 

I'm sorry to see this, as over the past two years I have watched Paul work very hard to research, test, produce and package this information.

 

Happy Christmas one and all; may your canals and rivers remain clear and unfrozen

[RLWP]

Can you explain Bandwagon Jumper please. Is this someone who does not agree with your point of view or thoughts or written points?

 

It's a Christmas jumper for the guy who drives Status Quo's stage equipment about

 

Richard

[Jenza]

WOW... i never thought this thread would explode like this! I guess even as a newbie about to get her boat, Im still making waves! *ba dum tsh!*

[Wanted]

Maybe those that are unhappy with some of the content on this forum could seek to improve it? It never ceases to amaze me that some have an expectation of what they should or shouldn't see on a user populated forum.

 

I would also like to add that we have had a load of new forum members of late that are getting fully stuck in and keeping things fresh.

 

Maybe Paul could start to become a regular poster in the living afloat section?