Is the constant use of exchanges cheating?

[Luke]

I personally view it as cheating. While I do the odd exchange every so often I personally think exchanges are well... Cheating. Why? I would rather get true members who aren't there to do an X amount of posts and then leave.

I'm not against doing exchanges every one in a while but constant use of them seems like cheating. What's your opinions on it?

 

[Hissae2]

I kind of agree with you. I am less likely to join a forum that does a million exchanges a day than a forum far less active without the exchanges.

I do the odd exchange here and there and one active for active, but I don't like forums that over do it.

Post exchanges are good for beginners, but after a couple weeks you should stop. After that it's cheating. They're not "real" posts.

 

[Luke]

I kind of agree with you. I am less likely to join a forum that does a million exchanges a day than a forum far less active without the exchanges.

I do the odd exchange here and there and one active for active, but I don't like forums that over do it.

Post exchanges are good for beginners, but after a couple weeks you should stop. After that it's cheating. They're not "real" posts.

I agree. I've only used one post exchange on AH (I believe) and it is hard to generate activity, but at least I know every post I've worked hard to get and that I haven't just paid someone to post around.

 

[D]

I have always viewed constant exchanges as cheating if they are done once your forum has established a good amount of posts, I do the occasional exchange now my forum has grown up but they are very rare.

New forums that have just started out are different, If you are new you need to get posts and content from wherever you can to draw real members in so to me they are not cheating.

 

[karoshio]

I would never call it cheating but I get what you mean.

If basically all your content is exchanges and there's no real members, it's not cheating, it's pretty pointless though.

I feel it's a great thing for new forums, just to help build some content but you must be careful with it and realize when enough is enough.

 

[Luke]

I would never call it cheating but I get what you mean.

If basically all your content is exchanges and there's no real members, it's not cheating, it's pretty pointless though.

I feel it's a great thing for new forums, just to help build some content but you must be careful with it and realize when enough is enough.

By cheating I mean... Hmmm... For example: it's like you're trying to light a fire with a two sticks which takes for ever but you pull out a lighter and start a fire in seconds. You don't have to do much work. I think that was a bad example though :lol:

 

[Fait]

I kind of agree with you depending what the forums stage is in

If its only a new forum thats needs to boost some posts before opening they would need to exchange to boost it off for a good future

But if its a forum thats been around for a while and exchange just to get fake activity then Yes this is called cheating

I know what you mean

 

[karoshio]

I would never call it cheating but I get what you mean.

If basically all your content is exchanges and there's no real members, it's not cheating, it's pretty pointless though.

I feel it's a great thing for new forums, just to help build some content but you must be careful with it and realize when enough is enough.

By cheating I mean... Hmmm... For example: it's like you're trying to light a fire with a two sticks which takes for ever but you pull out a lighter and start a fire in seconds. You don't have to do much work. I think that was a bad example though :lol:

Yeah, I get what you mean. 🙂 The word cheating just feels a little strong for me but as I said, I get where you're coming from.

 

[Ascent]

Haha, really?

It's not cheating. It's called getting content in a legit way. Whether or not it's made genuinely, that doesn't even matter. Content is content. You might as well say buying articles is cheating.

'Cheating' would be buying a pre-existing database with thousands of posts/topics and merging it into your own forum OR copying and pasting other posts/topics from other boards.

 

[Kaynil]

Doing constant post exchanges is not effortless, you are posting in other communities while they post on your own. It still take much of your time. Sure I can hear the "well you could spend it on your own forum", the thing is some do. They try to be active in their forums as well doing exchanges. Sometimes you get a block and becomes easier to have someone from outside come up with threads. Even for paid services you still need to be posting on another community. That aside, I believe this technique can get and has been 'over-used' by many.

My point, it is not a 'not doing anything' nor that much of a shortcut. More than using a lighter I feel it is like having the fire on a piece of paper, it will show something quick but the next minute it will be gone. They are passing members, almost guests. Not a real core.

Doing it yourself is like setting a fire place, the fire may take a while to light on, you can put effort for years and seem like fruitless but once you are able to get that fire, you know it will remain for a while so long you keep feeding it.

You may sit and watch but if you are not pendant to its needs, that fire will extinguish as well. A bit of paper here and there from time to time can help bring back the flame when it seems to be fainting.

---

You get what you bargain for. If it is good or bad depends on what is your goal with the community. It is cheating for your goal as it is not for some others. How come?

Some people wants to have a small hangout, like you and me, we rather members that stay longer than ten posts and do so because they feel comfortable in the place, not simply out of a chore duty and won't even get involved with other members. We want a core set of members that are constant and create a sense of belonging. They are the crew of our forums.

But that is not the goal or definition of success for everyone, many of the people using this 'technique' are looking to build a database to get profit from it. They don't care where the activity comes from, so long it looks active, accumulate statistics, etc... For them it is not cheating, it is a technique that they are taking advantage of.

As a member and sometimes packager I have realised many communities have the same wave of members into very different genres during similar span of times when you feel happy to find someone in different places you go to, only to see them gone in a few weeks, or know that you will be gone as well. As a fellow visitor member I do feel that "kind of pointless" feeling.

As for me, I have used it. It sounded great thing, it was helping and be helped, but then I found the people who will post fast and go, and realise that I was almost just like at beginning. Now I use them mostly to spark some activity that lure old core back. By seeing a new member or some activity they may feel more up to post, and if three return they can keep entertain themselves while you bring more topics, contests or something. but my goal is mostly to bring threads or insight that we haven't thought off that could spark more discussion.

 

[Fait]

Well Said Kaynil

 

[etc]

Not actually cheating because there is no violations committed by post exchange. its one way of promoting a forum which is the reason of forumpromotion.net/ existence.

 

[kavin]

If you consider it cheating, then no matter whether you do it for only 1 time or you do it often, its still a cheat.

No matter whether a person steal jewel from Jewellery or cake from bakery, he will still be a thief. 😛

There is a famous tamil quote which says, "lie will be as good as truth, if its cause is good". I would better cheat to get content, than be truthful and wait for members to post in an empty forum.

 

[etc]

If you consider it cheating, then no matter whether you do it for only 1 time or you do it often, its still a cheat.

No matter whether a person steal jewel from Jewellery or cake from bakery, he will still be a thief. 😛

There is a famous tamil quote which says, "lie will be as good as truth, if its cause is good". I would better cheat to get content, than be truthful and wait for members to post in an empty forum.

I like that quote. Learned something new. 😀

 

[kavin]

If you consider it cheating, then no matter whether you do it for only 1 time or you do it often, its still a cheat.

No matter whether a person steal jewel from Jewellery or cake from bakery, he will still be a thief. 😛

There is a famous tamil quote which says, "lie will be as good as truth, if its cause is good". I would better cheat to get content, than be truthful and wait for members to post in an empty forum.

I like that quote. Learned something new. 😀

Its from one of the oldest books in Tamil named "Thirukkural". There are 1330 such quotes in it.

http://pm.tamil.net/pub/pm0017/pm0017.pdf (The english translation is not good though)

 

[D]

If you consider it cheating, then no matter whether you do it for only 1 time or you do it often, its still a cheat.

No matter whether a person steal jewel from Jewellery or cake from bakery, he will still be a thief. 😛

There is a famous tamil quote which says, "lie will be as good as truth, if its cause is good". I would better cheat to get content, than be truthful and wait for members to post in an empty forum.

I consider it cheating when done if your community already has a post/member base, the occasional exchange when things are sluggish to get your other members involved is okay IMO.

The way I see it is if you constantly hit the exchanges forum and 99% of your posts are from there then that is defiantly cheating, but if you do the odd exchange here and there to boost activity or are new and need content then it is okay.

 

[Rick Ace]

There is a famous tamil quote which says, "lie will be as good as truth, if its cause is good". I would better cheat to get content, than be truthful and wait for members to post in an empty forum.

What? A lie will never be equivalent to its truth. If you would have to lie about something, then its cause can never be good. I fail to see an example where this quote would hold its value either. And even in your example, the cause is nothing but bad. You would be better off cheating than to be truthful? Whoa.

I can understand that members don't want to post in an empty forum. However, that doesn't mean you would have to cheat your way into it. There is a much better way of doing this. Overtime, you will develop friendships online. You can ask them to help get your forum started. In return you can award them with staff positions at milestones (ex. You will be mod when we read 500 topics). The content will be much more aimed at making your forum better.

So, I'll revise your statement... "Lie will NOT be as good as truth, EVEN if its cause is good". 😛

 

[kavin]

There is a famous tamil quote which says, "lie will be as good as truth, if its cause is good". I would better cheat to get content, than be truthful and wait for members to post in an empty forum.

What? A lie will never be equivalent to its truth. If you would have to lie about something, then its cause can never be good. I fail to see an example where this quote would hold its value either. And even in your example, the cause is nothing but bad. You would be better off cheating than to be truthful? Whoa.

I can understand that members don't want to post in an empty forum. However, that doesn't mean you would have to cheat your way into it. There is a much better way of doing this. Overtime, you will develop friendships online. You can ask them to help get your forum started. In return you can award them with staff positions at milestones (ex. You will be mod when we read 500 topics). The content will be much more aimed at making your forum better.

So, I'll revise your statement... "Lie will NOT be as good as truth, EVEN if its cause is good". 😛

Oh! I realize this is not a literature forum. But since you asked, let me give you an example.

There is a child who got a chronic disease like cancer. The doctor diagnoses him, and after consulting with lot of specialists, the child's parents found that it cannot be cured and the child will only live for more weeks. Do you think the parents should stick with the "truth" and say the kid that he will live only for few weeks? Obviously, once you know days are numbered, the kid the days would be living hell for him.
On contrary, when you lie to him that there is nothing to worry about, and he is completely fine, he will spend his last few weeks happily. So, judge yourself. Didn't the lie brought more good than the truth?

 

[Rick Ace]

I suppose you may be able to form an example where a lie brings more good than bad. However, that's not to say that I don't disagree with your forum example and even your incurable disease example.

The forum example is very unfit.

As for the disease example, usually doctors will ask parents to slowly inform their children. Although they might not inform the child right away, they certainly don't lie. Perhaps they might say something along the lines of the doctors said they can't help, but have faith. For an older child, you pretty much can't hide it anyways.

Anyways. I suppose a lie can bring good. However, the possibility of that is quite small. I certainly don't want people to start thinking that they should lie for a good outcome. It will lead to misunderstandings.

In this world, people should be more concerned on telling lies less and not justifying it.

Also, to go back to the root of this topic. My point is that even if your quote is valid (which I find kinda edgy), it certainly doesn't apply to forums. Perhaps you should elaborate on your quote? 😛

 

[kavin]

Well, when someone decide to "Not agree to something", then no matter how i try, i can't make him agree to it.
If you think, telling his disease to a child will be better than lying to him, then perhaps you never been in that situation before. Trust me, i have been in such situation before, and i have experienced how a lie can bring good.

And moreover, i don't have a problem if you disagree to it, because i'm not the one who wrote that poem. The man who wrote it died in 2nd century AD, so ofcourse he is not going to worry about it either.