What are your thoughts on Don Willis enforcing the PCGS forum rules?

[coinsarefun]

Quote from CU.......Don Willis......US Coin forum


Rule 1) This is not a public forum. This is a PCGS forum paid for by PCGS and provided for PCGS customers to exchange information regarding collecting US coins. We make the rules. If you don't like it go somewhere else.

Rule 2) Anyone posting crude or vulgar pictures or language will no longer be allowed to post. No more warnings.

Rule 3) Anyone attacking another poster or making disparaging personal remarks will no longer be allowed to post. No more warnings.

Rule 4) Anyone making slanderous remarks concerning any individual, any company, or any other entity will no longer be allowed to post. No more warnings.

Rule 5) If you have nothing to contribute to an OP then do not post. Snide remarks and other negative comments will result in your losing your ability to post. No more warnings.

Rule 6) This forum is about US Coins. If your post is not directly related to US Coins then this is the wrong forum. Do not post it or your posting privileges may be removed.

Rule 7) This is a PCGS forum. Posts relating to other grading companies or service are not allowed. Those posts will be removed and your posting privileges may be removed as well.

Rule 8 This forum is provided for the education and sharing of information. Not as a personal soapbox. If you want to learn and share information about US Coins you are welcome.

Rule 9) If you don't like any of the rules outlined above see Rule 1.

[FilthyBroke]

If I recall correctly, these rules have always been in place.  Enforcement of the rules is going to be the real issue.  There seems to be a situation over there where some folks get a lot of slack and others only a little.  We'll see how it plays out, if the enforcement is fair and even, or if the post was just meant as a reminder.

What do you think of it, Stefanie?

[coinsarefun]

Yes, they.......for the most part have always been in place.
And, with every forum you will have your smarty pants replies from people

But to have an ABSOLUTE coin forum with no small joking around makes  for a one
dimensional forum.

People have many dimensions to them. Collectors are even more complex and I think its ok to vent a little, talk about personal matters once in a while. That's why I do not censor on this forum.
And that's why I have an open forum section.....to discuss other things.

Forums tend to create close internet friendships and friends do discuss other matters.

Now, Collectors Universe is owned by Mr. Willis and he is the boss so he needs to run his forum as he sees fit, but I think if the rules are strictly enforced and makes the member PAY to belong he may lose
many important members that really add to the forum.

[Scottishmoney]

To enforce the "rules" after letting them slide for so long will be negative in the long run. It is a PCGS forum and Don Willis can do what he wants to do, which will effect bad will for PCGS if you make people pay to post.

For this parsimonious Scot exiled to Ukraine, I won't pay to post.  I can nix it and forget about it.

[FilthyBroke]

I see now where he has suggested that membership could be required for access.  I will not be paying for access, nor for submission privileges any more.  It seems like just another attempt to squeeze money from the collector, like they want to do through CoinFacts.  I agree that they are free to do as they please, but I see little good coming from their suggestion to limit membership.  I'm interested to see how it plays out.

[walmann]

Hobbies and their associated forums can't be all "business". There are serious aspects to every endeavor, but one to the primary goal for most collectors is enjoyment.

Most of the posted rules do not really impact enjoyment and light hearted banter, but if taken to an extreme can and will kill the "atmosphere".

The issue of permitting paying members only to access the forum, at least in this case, would be a short sighted business move. Any increased revenue would be negligible, and the resulting bad will, coupled with the loss of people that become interested in memberships via participation in their forums, would quickly result in diminishing returns.

[bear]

The tone of the Company official was rude, insulting and demanding.

American since the founding of the Republic have resented being spoken

to in such a manner. A a veteran,I do not take well to it at all. I do not address

other people in such a manner and will never accept such in return.

[FilthyBroke]

The tone of the Company official was rude, insulting and demanding.

American since the founding of the Republic have resented being spoken

to in such a manner. A a veteran,I do not take well to it at all. I do not address

other people in such a manner and will never accept such in return.

Well, this isn't surprising as he made an appearance in the World Coin forum by removing the BST and scolding everyone for starting it......nevermind that the World Coin BST was started and agreed upon by the mods a LONG time before. 

I hope everyone knows about Stefanie's forum, as I don't think we could post a link over there under the rules.

[coinsarefun]

Well, if you guys can pm people about our site.
More would know about this place 

[Billy Kingsley]

The rules I can live with, even if they are harsh and uncalled for. Afterall, they were in place before I joined. Not allowing ANY posts that aren't 100% about coins is stifiling (probably spelled wrong) and just this side of censorship, however.

BUT...I won't pay to post. Not a chance. I already check three numismatic forums daily, there, here and Coin Talk. I could surely live without that one. I imagine if the PCGS forum does become pay to play, you will see it become a ghost town within a month. The majority of people are not paying members, and when/if they get banned, the few people who do pay to play will realize that there is nothing going on, and will also move to whatever forum becomes the place to be when the CU forum shuts down.

The way I see it is that...they need us...we don't need them.

And really, I don't like graded coins. I never have, I likely never will. I think PCGS has the nicest looking holder, however, if they ban me and so many others just because we won't pay them to allow us to use something that is available elsewhere, on a more user-friendly interface for for free no less, well...there will be less PCGS coins in the world, I can assure everyone of that. Coins have been "raw" for thousands of years before grading, and mine will be, at least for the time I have them, as well.