What'd you all order a dead guy for?

Jayne ,'The Message'


Bureaucracy 3: Oh, so now you want to be part of the SOLUTION?  

A thread to discuss naming threads, board policy, new thread suggestions, and anything else that has to do with board administration and maintenance. Guaranteed to include lively debate and polls. Natter discouraged, but not deleted.

Current Stompy Feet: ita, Jon B, DXMachina, P.M. Marcontell, Liese S., amych


Liese S. - Oct 20, 2004 4:36:57 pm PDT #2591 of 10001
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."

Please don't do that. That would upset me in the same ways that prevent me from getting gmail right this minute.

I'm behaving and being a good girl about not protesting the affiliate links themselves.


Gus - Oct 20, 2004 5:20:33 pm PDT #2592 of 10001
Bag the crypto. Say what is on your mind.

Liese, it was just a brainstorm.

The protest about affiliate links seems to be valid, though. The Buffistas are storing sufficient dollars against a rainy day as it is, it seems to me.

Jesse may have a better of view of that issue.


Polter-Cow - Oct 20, 2004 6:11:53 pm PDT #2593 of 10001
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

The protest about affiliate links seems to be valid, though.

I don't understand what's to be protested about. I don't see the evil.


Gus - Oct 20, 2004 6:15:36 pm PDT #2594 of 10001
Bag the crypto. Say what is on your mind.

I don't understand what's to be protested about. I don't see the evil.

Affiliate links are not evil, necessarily. The question is whether Buffistas need any additional sources of funding, or not.

Sources that might impact the reader experience, that is.


§ ita § - Oct 20, 2004 6:31:52 pm PDT #2595 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I don't see a down side to affiliate links. If you're going to shop there anyway, why not click on a different link to do it?

I'm interested in the protest, Liese, for the reason of my cluelessness.

How does it affect reader experience, Gus? What would we experience differently?


JenP - Oct 20, 2004 6:43:11 pm PDT #2596 of 10001

I don't see a down side to affiliate links. If you're going to shop there anyway, why not click on a different link to do it?

I'm curious, too. I'd love my online dollars to have the added bonus of support here (granted, I'm no bigtime purchaser. Still.)

What are some of the objections?


Gus - Oct 20, 2004 6:45:07 pm PDT #2597 of 10001
Bag the crypto. Say what is on your mind.

How does it affect reader experience, Gus? What would we experience differently?

Someone drops a link to a book purchase into a discussion, let us say. I am reading this discussion as: The Buffistas preference would be that this link would be, more preferably, a pointer to the Buffistas affiliate link to that book purchase. There would be posts related to this preference. That is one difference.

Another difference could be visual. If there is a stack of vendor buttons somewhere around the site, there might be some conflict with the concept of we being fan-supported and fiercely independent.


§ ita § - Oct 20, 2004 7:01:23 pm PDT #2598 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I'm not saying any of those things, Gus.

There is nothing implicit in the "I think we should have affiliate programs" that has to change your user experience. However, if I know there's a link on the links page that means that b.org gets a cut every time I shop and B&N? Dude, I'm sure going to use it, instead of just typing bn.com into my browser window.

No skin off my nose, and a couple pennies to our coffers.


Gus - Oct 20, 2004 7:09:12 pm PDT #2599 of 10001
Bag the crypto. Say what is on your mind.

However, if I know there's a link on the links page that means that b.org gets a cut every time I shop and B&N?

No issue with the links page. None. No issue with the links page having all kinds of hideous vendor-supplied graphics and link forms, in fact. I am easy. Just ask Trudy.

It will be a disappointment, though, if anyone every feels chastised because they have not used the One True Buffista Way of purchasing something.


§ ita § - Oct 20, 2004 7:16:25 pm PDT #2600 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

But Gus, I'm not even talking about link forms or vendor supplied graphics.

In fact, if there exists a Buffista B&N affiliate link, I would just bookmark it, and move on with my life.

I don't talk much about where I shop now, and I don't call people on where they shop. I have no plans to start.

And if you bump into the One True Buffista Way of anything, gimme a shout. I've not found it yet, and therefore can't poke at people for not following it.