LloydDobbler 2 #1 October 8, 2009 Okay, folks. I know we try and prevent spammy messages/solicitations/advertisements as posts...but what's with the ads-disguised-as-safety-articles lately? Take this landing simulator thing. On August 15, 2008 (according to the timestamp - I could've sworn it was more recent, but maybe it just stayed on the homepage for a number of months), Alexander Shyrokov posted Canopy Flight Simulation for Education. On October 1st, 2009, Alexander Shyrokov posted Landing Pattern – Landing Approach Simulation. Both of these articles read like a brochure advertising a single piece of software. And as noted in the article, Mr. Shyrokov is the president and founder of the company that makes the software in question. Call me crazy, but this just seems like blatant self-promotion. Don't get me wrong - I think the software is potentially a good thing. I just somewhat resent people being able to write up an 'article' about the wares they're selling and get it prominently displayed on the homepage. Same goes for Spot's reviews of things like the Hypeye D Pro. Don't get me wrong - it's an EXCELLENT review. But at the same time, it seems like reviews of this sort should be relegated to the reviews section, not the homepage. OTOH, I recognize the value of in-depth reviews (such as Spot's various reviews of the Tonfly helmets, etc). But it seems like if Dropzone.com is going to be posting reviews on a whim, the editors should consider adding some editorial guidelines as to what constitutes a review, and what constitutes blatant promotion. If you want to keep reviews on the homepage, then making an effort to secure a broader range of reviews would be advised. When all the reviews on the homepage have a positive note, it doesn't give the sense of journalistic integrity. It feels more like 'Hey, I liked this product, and want to help promote it.' I dunno why this is bugging me so much...perhaps because the so-called 'Safety Articles' have degenerated into a collection of product promotions. Is anyone else seeing this?Signatures are the new black. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feuergnom 29 #2 October 29, 2009 yep. the same goes for brian germains articles *puts flameproof suit on* i've been skipping the homepage for at least two years - and i guess i havent missed a thingThe universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle dudeist skydiver # 666 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #3 October 29, 2009 If you have something else that you would like to see on the front page we are always accepting new articles. Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feuergnom 29 #4 October 30, 2009 ok if you can cope with the crappy writing style of a non-native speaker. (it's one thing to hammer down a post and another to put down a longer text)The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle dudeist skydiver # 666 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #5 October 30, 2009 We are more then willing to help you clean it up and rephrase it to make any article submission easier to read if you want our assistance. Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
feuergnom 29 #6 October 31, 2009 now that's an offer The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle dudeist skydiver # 666 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
