All Your Posts Are Belonging To Us

[Starbuck]

I noticed today (10/15/06) that certain words posted by members have been turned into roll-over links that point to advertisements obstensibly related to the linked words in the post. So far, words such as boat, marketing, Mediterranean, Portugal and travels have been so altered. The results (the linked commercial sites) are sometimes not sailing-related per se. It appears that a word list may be being used.

I don't mind anyone trying to turn a buck, but I object to anyone opening up my post and monkeying around with the actual text. I'm grateful for the ability to insert a link myself for clarification or illustration, or to point to someone's blog or website that has information related to my post. And if I post something that is outside the liberal bounds of decency and/or civility of this site, something obscene, for example, the moderator has every right to expunge my post, er, post haste, as it were. I'm glad there are standards here.

But editing my post is something else all together, and I'm very uncomfortable with it. My post gets changed from what I want to say into what someone else wants to say using what I'm saying. Someone getting into my post and making changes to the actual characters I've typed, including HTML, is, well, Orwellian (that link's mine). What's next, the moderator's spelling corrections? (Lord, that would keep someone busy around here!)

It hasn't happened to me yet, but I already feel used.

What does everyone else think about having his posts altered to be used as springboards to advertisements?

[hellosailor]

I wouldn't call that alteration, Jeff. This is, after all, a web site and web sites and browsers use HyperText Markup Language (HTML) which was designed, well, as HYPERtext, not plain text. HTML is a bucket of water--it assumes different shapes depending on who is carrying it, drinking it, pouring it. It can save a shipwrecked sailor, or drown a baby, all in the same bucket at the same time. That's the nature of water--and HTML.

On a BBS you would have plain text. Here, you have Hypertext and both the host (the forum) and the viewer (you) have the option of how to make the hyperlinks. Some browsers add hyperlinks. Some toolbars (!) add hyperlinks.

Personally I'm not sure what you are seeing, because aside from your own Orwellian link, I didn't see ANY hyperlinks in your text or your list of hyper'd words.

Anyway...If what you are seeing is from the site's owners, hey, they gotta pay the rent. I don't care if there are hyperlinks, I don't have to click them.

[Starbuck]

Hello, Hello,

I seem to have started twin threads with the same name. Odd, that.

Anyway, if I don't put the link in my text, but it displays with a link, it has been modified. Or my intention has been modified, if you will. Use whatever language you want: it won't be what I posted and intended to be seen.

But it's been all cleared up. Just click the longer thread with this name for the details.