Ahoy, gang:

I propose the following policy re the use of biographical (advertising) text in signature lines (the stuff at the end of a posted message):

Your signature line may contain your name, the name of your firm and contact information (e.g., a web address, an email address, a street address, a phone number). No other text concerning your services is permitted (because this generally would constitute a commercial advertisement, which is not permitted on the message boards in the text of messages). Use of such text after being notified by an administrator is grounds for suspension of posting privileges.

Good.
The shorter, the better.

Sounds good to me.

You've got my vote!

That should not be just a signature line policy, though, but should apply anywhere in a post.

I am supportive of this policy.

Works for me!

I think it even sounds too generous. People have profiles and the "About Me" page where they could put their information, then if others want to check them out, they could, and the rest of us wouldn't have to see it all the time. But I'm mean.

I agree. There is a little drop-down menu when you mouse over someone's name. Their information can be in there.

Signatures should be for witty and humorous quips and quotes.

Like this:

I don't disagree with you orie & BG, but that information isn't available to the many non-members who look to the Board for information and guidance and who never post. And, my understanding is that the Board is not only for professionals to have an opportunity to explore questions with other professionals and to learn from each other, but it's also for non-members to use as a research tool. It wouldn't be counter to that approach, I don't think, to allow members to put contact info on their posts if they wish (and currently, most do not wish to do so).

Ah, I didn't realize or think about that.

Sounds good to me. Will Lance Wallach get an exception?

I agree. How about a policy that messages only are posted to the message boards, and articles are posted to the articles (or news or press release) section?

Two thumbs up!

Great idea, Dave! Can you make it retroactive?

Excellent and fair policy.

OK as long as it does not eliminate the disclaimers, which are good for non-members and members to consider, and continues to allow the brief witty and humorous quips and quotes, like BG's, which I would miss.

But what problem does this solve? Won't he shorten his signature line and continue to advertise in his excessively long posts?

Thanks for your comments!

I have asked that no further articles be posted. Breach of that policy by him or other members will mean temporary suspension from the board followed at some point in my discretion by permanent suspension. I hate to need to be that strict, but the problem seems to me to be one that many members object to strongly, so my role as the 'administrator' is to follow the dictates of our community wherever possible.

David

Sure can, in the sense that it is part of the new terms of service. So any message on the board would be subject to the new terms of service. That's how I'll apply it, anyhoo. I'll find out if the software provide an easy way to change a signature line with respect to already-posted messages.

Not following you; are you referring to an articles section on these message boards (or news or press release section)?

We have news at http://benefitslink.com/news and press releases at http://benefitslink.com/pr -- wonder if that's what you mean.

David

He's talking about VEBAPLAN posting and re-posting his own articles, and following up with dumb remarks. I imagine you have an advertising policy and this violates it, although most of the stuff is kind of random and it's really hard to figure out what he's getting at.

Dave,

What I meant was ... if a member wants to post and repost articles, the already-existing news or PR section of the site is a more appropriate forum than this discussion/message board. Entirely agree with Bird's previous post. Thanks.

PensionPro

Thanks for the update, Dave. We (with one possible exception) appreciate your actions very much.

In my experience with forum software, the signature is not a static part of the posted messages, it actually pulls from the current signature each time a post is viewed, so updating the signature will automatically change it on old messages.

Looks like both oriecat and I played w/ this... I can confirm that sigs on older posts are dynamic, meaning current changes to sigs are reflected on those already existing posts (and not just on future posts).

It appears that there has been a recent influx of new posters who are making semi-legitimate comments for the sole purpose of gaining exposure for a link in their signatures. (Bestprice, paulfinn31, vijendrasnv, for example). While it is possible to simply delete these posts, there might be some cases where the new posters are on the up and up. Should there be other restrictions, or is this not really a big deal?

On that note, I've wondered if this forum makes adequate use of the "! Report" button in the lower left of each post which allows a user to flag a post for review by a moderator. I've tried to make use of that when a post has a commercial link hidden in a signature. But results (ie a moderator having taken a visible action) have varied.

I also use the Report button to report obvious spam posts.