How this site got banned from Photo.net
During the past several years, I have learned significant amounts of camera-related information from internet message forums, such as those on dpreview.com, nikonians.org, and photo.net. Although they are no substitute for first-hand use of equipment (nor is this site), they are an interesting channel to simultaneously learn of multiple experiences with various camera systems, including Nikon, Canon, Pentax, etc... One purpose of gear.tompolen.com is to provide consolidated responses to the most frequently asked questions on message forums. I have learned so much from the communities. This site represents something that I can give back - with the videos being a unique way to provide a service.
Here is the original photo.net post to which I provided a response. There are videos on gear.tompolen.com which specifically answer the user's question
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This may sound like dumb questions but here it goes. I have just gotten SB800, and wondering what wireless exactly means. is it radio or infrared signal that sends from master to slave or just simply a FLASH it self triggers the slave (using light sensor on SB800)?
Thanks
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Here is the recent correspondence with a moderator of the Nikon forum on Photo.net. Email messages in sequence, oldest on top, most recent at the bottom...
From photo.net admin
Subject: Your thread has been deleted
I'm deleting your thread from the Nikon forum. The moderators have concluded that you post to photo.net to direct traffic to your tompolen.com, which has a lot of Google ads but no original content.
If you would like to help others, please post direct links to your videos.
For clarity, here's your original posting:
SUBJECT: Response to Nikon wireless is it by flash sensor?
BODY: You may find these videos helpful
http://gear.tompolen.com/popup.htm
Tom Polen
--------My email response to the admin
The moderators' assertion is incorrect. http://gear.tompolen.com is built entirely of original content.
There is over an hour of original instructional camera videos created by me and -organized by topic- on http://gear.tompolen.com. I have organized the videos on the site versus having to provide numerous links in my thread response - and yes, there are text articles, too- http://gear.tompolen.com/d50pro.htm
The original poster did not mention which camera he was using with the SB-800. I assumed it was a Nikon camera, perhaps a DSLR, since he is using an SB-800. Therefore, I linked to my main flash page containing a listing of the different cameras I have evaluated with the SB-800, rather than spamming the forum with numerous single-video links.
I have received thanks on various forums for my original videos and instruction on the D50, D70, D80, and D2x cameras. I provide objective walkthroughs of camera functionality and go further than the manuals. For instance, my "Complete video guides to autofocus" http://gear.tompolen.com/autofocus.htm instruct the viewer on "trap focus," which is undocumented in Nikon's manuals. I have received numerous emails in response to various videos, including "Thank you for providing a free resource which has been more helpful than many others, free and otherwise."
Yes, there are google ads on the site, an advertising model which is fairly prolific on the internet, including many camera-related sites. This is in lieu of a paid membership or pay-for-product structure - i.e. my videos and articles are completely free to the user. The ad revenue -partially- offsets my hosting bill for the site. The site runs at a small loss, (and a much larger loss if my time is considered), but I am compelled to provide objective, straightforward instructional content to the community of Nikon users. My only regret is not having more time to create and post content.
In several cases, linking directly to the videos does not tell the entire story... see...
http://gear.tompolen.com/fps.htm
Perhaps, in the future, a similar posting should look more like this... (however, I thought my chosen format was less intrusive and more efficient.)
You may find these videos helpful
http://one.revver.com/watch/106277/format/flv/affiliate/39913
http://one.revver.com/watch/106278/format/flv/affiliate/39913
http://one.revver.com/watch/106279/format/flv/affiliate/39913
http://one.revver.com/watch/106276/format/flv/affiliate/39913
http://one.revver.com/watch/106275/format/flv/affiliate/39913
Thank you for your time. I apologize that your moderators have misinterpreted the intent and content of my web site. Nonentheless, the moderators are free to delete my thread, and I encourage them to delete any content which they have assessed with diligence and conclude does not benefit the community of Nikon users. In lieu of their assertion, I will continue to offer my site as a free service to those who choose to browse the original content.
Happy Holidays,
Tom Polen
--------Admin Response (email)
Tom,
Ok, so you do have some original contents. But 5 out of 5 of your posts so
far have links to the part of your own web site with no original content and
then redirect people to videos on other sites. Otherwise, you have no
participation in photo.net.
http://www.photo.net/shared/community-member?user_id=598064
We do not welcome this type of participation. I have blocked any further
links to your web site from the Nikon Forum in the future.
--------My email response to the admin
I'm really not trying to push the issue- I really just sought to clarify the intent of my site.
Step 1 was to delete my thread. I have no problem with that. The moderators can act as they choose.
I respond to clarify the intent and goals of my site...
and Step 2 in response you block my site completely? I did not indicate that I would continue the illegal type of posts. I just sought to clarify that my site has original content and has received positive feedback.
What changed about my site or post between your first and second step?
You are free to run/direct your forum as you choose. I support that freedom 100%.
I am happy to direct people directly to my videos. I was really just trying to make it easier for people to get to the video that is specifc to their camera, and perhaps see the same kind of related content that people browsing a "Nikon" forum might want to see. I am truly sorry. I'll stay away.
I will try to learn better ways to help users. I appreciate the feedback that you have provided.
Regards,
Tom Polen
--------Admin Response (email)
Tom,
I first noticed your posts in late November and discussed with other
moderators back then. To date, you still have never participated in any
discussion without mentioning your own web site. Had you posted, for
example, 100 times and only in 5 of those you link to your own site, we
would have looked at it differently.
According to Philip Greenspun, the founder and part owner of photo.net, our
objective is to educate. You are welcome to post direct links to your videos
as long as they are on topic.
Happy holidays.
--------My email response to the admin
I am a "career lurker" and have been since I joined in 2002. It's true, I generally don't participate except when I have tangible, objective contributions, versus the tons of "I like my D80" responses with no actual facts or basis... generally not responses which are more opinion than educational. I am slightly concerned that 95 other more "social" posts would have changed the regard for the 5 posts which contained links which I consider educational (but others apparently do not).
Rest assured, no more discussions about me will need to happen. I'll continue to post content to my site (I'm uploading one text-only article each day over the holidays). Interested Photo.net users will need to find those articles through alternate means, as I can now post direct links to videos, but not to text articles hosted on my site.
In response to the numerous "D40 vs D50" type threads my upcoming articles will discuss the objective differences between each step in the Nikon line, much like Philip's article...
http://philip.greenspun.com/photography/canon/system
but focused on Nikon DSLR body functionality, with discussion on lenses coming later.
I'm a fan of Philip's and read his blog from time to time. I appreciate the free educational articles which he has provided over the years.
Regards,
Tom Polen
--------Conclusion
Thank you for reading this far. Do I even have a conclusion? Maybe.
- I felt bullied. First my thread response was removed (I have no problem with that). Next, after explaining the goal of my site, it was banned from Photo.net. I had not posted to Photo.net between receiving the warning and then getting banned.
- I provided a link to my SB-800 related videos in direct response to an SB-800 question where the camera in question was not identified (I assumed Nikon DSLR, since the post was in a Nikon forum). I was really just trying to help the guy out. Frankly, I hope he caught the video before the thread was deleted.
- Photo.net is over-moderated / administrated. I agree that administrators are needed to keep out the garbage.
- It is not an unethical choice for me to link users to my main site, rather than specific Revver links.
- Sometimes when you try to be helpful, some self-righteous idiot can't handle it properly.
- I'm here to participate in the Nikon community as best I can. I don't really need Photo.net for that.