Hi, everybody.
I am posting here in the hope that this forum is a genuine public forum dedicated to the pursuit and sharing of "aquaponics" knowledge.
It would seem that not all forums would seem to have the same attitude to "public" knowledge, discussion and the sharing of knowledge.
From what I can see this forum would seem to be open to the concept of pointing members to other sites and other peoples experiences via the use of url links.
I hope this is so as recent experience by myself and another member on
www.aquaponicshq.com/forums has left a bitter taste in our mouths.
The link above was placed at the invitation of the "mods" in charge on that forum who suggested that I should post it here.
I was taken to task after having replied to another members request for more information that she could reference and quote.
I posted a link, (that had led me to both the aquaponicshq site and to this site), for member "Anna" to the site
www.aquaponics.net.au which mentioned Joels Book and DVD and pointed the member "Anna" to the link in the "Trusted Links" area that linked to this site.
I also pointed out to the member that this site also contained a forum that might be of benefit to her.
Anna replied saying thanks, as a uni student that was exactly the kind of information she was looking for and she would need to quote any information she referenced.
Both posts were deleted without any indication or reason given.
After both messaging one of the "mods" we were accused of attempting to maliciously interfere and meddle with their forum and threatened with a ban.
Despite several messages from both of us asking why and what we had done that breached any rules we have yet to receive an explanation other than the suggestion by the other mod that "he had suggested that we should google for information" and that we were part of a "thinly veiled conspiracy".
Several points should clearly be made here....
I don't know the other member or her know myself, and no collusion ever took place.
Having reviewed the rules there has never been any rule advising that members were not to post links to sites or information. Funnily enough both the moderators had done exactly that in posts immediately above ours in the same thread.
No suggestion to "google" information was ever posted within the thread or to either myself or the other member via message. This is a complete and deliberate distortion and untruth.
Copies of all threads/posts and messages have been kept as it has become apparant that the "mods" concerned are quite prepared to edit posts retrospectively. If anyone wants to verify anything I have said I am quite prepared to PM them to you.
Finally and most absurdly, the very same mods link to their other sites that (at least until this afternoon) link to and advertise this site and products as a "Trusted Site" and advertise the book and dvd themselves!!!!
Today a new thread was created "Trusted Sites and Links" which included links to this site!!!
In the mean time I find I have had my ability to PM other members has been removed and any post is invisible until vetted by the mods.
Is it just me or do people here feel this behaviour is both bizzare generally and outrightly contrary to the concept of public forums and the sharing of information.
Am I and the other member that far out of line?
Apologies if I've contravened any rules here.
Backyard Aquaponics
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