I mean, B.org authors/authors will mention/link to a new book or article they have out, and anyone who's interested is all "Cool" CLICK, and anyone who isn't...no click.

Erin's milage is my mileage.

I love hearing what everyone else is doing. And I've never felt pressured to participate in anything...mostly because I'm grown, but more importantly because of the self-policing and positive intention aspects of the community that others have already mentioned.

asking questions about taxes when you're self-employed

please, please, please, can we have that discussion?

And I think it mostly would be, Amy.

But to be perfectly frank, a lot of business is word-of-mouth, and (full disclosure) I would want to be able to say "Dudes, check it out. OMG, I am in official business! I'm so freaked and nervous and excited. If anyone knows anyone who needs a _______, feel free to point them towards me at Me.com. BTW, does anyone know of a good template for logging phone calls and claiming them on tax write-off's?"

Discussing what to do if a client doesn't pay on time, or asking questions about taxes when you're self-employed, or brainstorming creative ways to promote yourself, or asking for a check on marketing language.

What if giving those answers is something you do professionally, is it okay to say "I could take care of that for thus-and-so terms"? Is it okay to pop up when there aren't such questions on the table and say "just a reminder, I offer blah blah services, Buffistas get a friends and family discount"? Is coming in and asking for help you don't really need just so you can mention your business okay?

I don't really have opinions how to resolve these, but I do think that counting on us to just know what's acceptable is inviting problems.

Those are just my thoughts, Erin, and my comfort level. It might be fine with everyone else.

Is it okay to pop up when there aren't such questions on the table and say "just a reminder, I offer blah blah services, Buffistas get a friends and family discount"? Is coming in and asking for help you don't really need just so you can mention your business okay?

I'll be honest, this is when I'd check out of the thread. But I'd rather only check out of a dedicated thread than have things like this happening all over the board. And it's just me personally opting out of aggressive marketing. It might work for others.

I like the idea of a thread where people have questions and advice flows freely. But maybe that's not what everyone is looking for, which is also okay but not for me.

Could we maybe start the thread with a list of what people do, and then that's it? New people could either post once when they come into the thread, or someone in the first few posts could maintain a list and edit it.

Oh, totally, Amy. And Buffistas happiness/comfort level is FAR more important than self-promo.

Anyway, if peeps are really uncomfortable with it being done formally, it's certainly happened organically in the past and has been fine. If someone's in there, and asking for links for good info on breaking into copy-editing or (random coding stuff I know nothing about), then people are going to know that X and Y are into editing and web design.

If someone pops into a discussion on what's allowable as a home office deduction and is all :Help! I need a dressmaker! Profile addy good" then interested parties could respond back-channel.

But is it inappropriate for a Buffista to be all "SQUEE! Look, I can haz business!! LINKY."

Because I know the day I go live, I will want to burble and point.

(The last items are a little mememe, but it's honestly an board etiquette question I've been pondering for a while, between blogging and starting up a business: what's polite and what's irritating? And I have ZERO desire to be That Person.)

No sarcasm, all good intents and honest questions in this post, y'all.

Regardless of what rules the putative thread has, I see no reason why you couldn't burble and point in Natter and/or Bitches or maybe even Beep Me.

Could we maybe start the thread with a list of what people do, and then that's it? New people could either post once when they come into the thread, or someone in the first few posts could maintain a list and edit it.

Dana, this is similar to what I was suggesting upthread. Not a constant nattering about what people do, but a list that is part of the thread.