It Pays To Watch Freecycle Experts Needed

Edinburghlass_2

I think you will find if you read the rules here...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=3477034&postcount=25

that all members of the MSE team, abuse and BG's are permitted to have links in their signatures. You'll find the list of the MSE team etc here...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showgroups.html

I really find it difficult to understand how some people can be so rude to members of Martin's team be it from MSE or IPTW, sometimes it makes me ashamed to read MSE.

Broken_hearted

I hope this show shows the benfit of freecycle for helping families who can't afford things. It would be so upsetting to see anyone making a profit out of it while those who need go without.
Yes it's Martins site and we all want to help him but not by abusing other peoples kindness.

Edna_Bucket_2

TGM wrote: »

That's the 'rub' isn't it. Rules or no rules, we've been told it's Martin's site, so therefore we have to like it or lump it.

I think this raises a bigger issue actually. Is it still "Martin's" site?

I realise that might appear a daft question, since we see his mugshot hovering above it every time we come to a page, but what the MSE team and ML himself might want to address it that this site and particularly the Forums area long ago outgrew one person, whoever that person is, or whatever that person has achieved.

That's not a criticism, just a statement of fact - an example of the evidence might be the contents of the emails, which are largely sourced through contributors (and acknowledged as such on the threads, if not the email itself.)

The fact is this is now a vast PUBLIC resource, and the whole "team" (and I like to think of the MSE people as a team, not one man) need to pick up that thorny issue.

The problem is that with the momentum the way it is, if you carry on saying "Martin says this" or "it's Martin's site" there is a real danger in the future that it ends up looking like a personality cult, and the MSE Admin team just the senior cult members "enforcing" their views on others.

I hope everyone would agree that is a scenario to be avoided.

Edna_Bucket_2

Edinburghlass wrote: »

...I really find it difficult to understand how some people can be so rude to members of Martin's team be it from MSE or IPTW, sometimes it makes me ashamed to read MSE.

Then, if you feel like that, and can't take the gentle and constructive criticism that most people seem to be offering you, why not take your own advice that you rather rudely offered me the other day - don't read it!

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi again

Can I just ask why people have expressed concerns about how freecycle is going to be portrayed?

The production team is asking if anyone's been able to furnish their house thanks to freecycle. Isn't that what it's for? I'm sure those that have done so, will have equally helped others as well by passing on things they no longer need.

I said this on another thread but I think it's worth repeating, the last thing Martin wants is to show anyone in a bad light. Believe me, he is very very precious about his site users' welfare when they're in the media.

Andrea

Former_MSE_Forum_Manager

Edna_Bucket wrote: »

I think this raises a bigger issue actually. Is it still "Martin's" site?

I realise that might appear a daft question, since we see his mugshot hovering above it every time we come to a page, but what the MSE team and ML himself might want to address it that this site and particularly the Forums area long ago outgrew one person, whoever that person is, or whatever that person has achieved.

That's not a criticism, just a statement of fact - an example of the evidence might be the contents of the emails, which are largely sourced through contributors (and acknowledged as such on the threads, if not the email itself.)

The fact is this is now a vast PUBLIC resource, and the whole "team" (and I like to think of the MSE people as a team, not one man) need to pick up that thorny issue.

The problem is that with the momentum the way it is, if you carry on saying "Martin says this" or "it's Martin's site" there is a real danger in the future that it ends up looking like a personality cult, and the MSE Admin team just the senior cult members "enforcing" their views on others.

I hope everyone would agree that is a scenario to be avoided.

Absolutely...and we do, at all times, refer to our members as our most important resource. That is why we even have a This Site type board - so our members have a chance to give their views. Martin, myself and the team often respond to points raised to explain why things are done, and we always acknowledge if we think people have a valid point (Martin has changed many areas of this site based on feedback - for example the way our mortgage board now operates).

As you have mentioned we credit members when we include their posts and even ItPaysToWatch is encouraging members to get involved be it in the audience or in content of the tv show. I don't think we can be accused of ignoring this community.

However, this IS Martin's site - he incurs all the costs with running it, not to mention the very real dangers of legal threats that this forum might elicit and it must be remembered that everyone on here is pseudonyn. The only person who has their name over the door, and is accountable is Martin. Lastly, whether you agree or not, this site is about Martin - he is THE MoneySavingExpert and people who come here come here because of him.

Fran

Broken_hearted wrote: »

I hope this show shows the benfit of freecycle for helping families who can't afford things. It would be so upsetting to see anyone making a profit out of it while those who need go without.
Yes it's Martins site and we all want to help him but not by abusing other peoples kindness.

Does that mean you are volunteering?!

Edna_Bucket_2

MSE_Forum_Manager wrote: »

However, this IS Martin's site - he incurs all the costs with running it, not to mention the very real dangers of legal threats that this forum might elicit and it must be remembered that everyone on here is pseudonyn. The only person who has their name over the door, and is accountable is Martin. Lastly, whether you agree or not, this site is about Martin - he is THE MoneySavingExpert and people who come here come here because of him.

Thanks for your post but I have to say, you simply cannot have it both ways. ML has chosen this career for himself, and chosen to be in the public eye and these days now a minor celebrity too. It's all about risk/reward.

A lot of the "costs" are simply down to investing in himself and his brand, in the way we all do to a greater or lesser extent if we work for ourselves.

From where I'm standing that investment here to build the brand seems to have paid back handsomely, so let's not pretend it's anything else please.

(PS. Is the Forum area really "about" Martin these days?)

Former_MSE_Andrea

Yay, I've just managed to sort MSE ItPaysToWatch' colour so they're green like the rest of the team. I wouldn't normally blow my own trumpet but I'm rather technically-challenged so I'm quite chuffed I worked out why it wasn't working and managed to sort it :j

Former_MSE_Forum_Manager

Edna_Bucket wrote: »

Thanks for your post but I have to say, you simply cannot have it both ways. ML has chosen this career for himself, and chosen to be in the public eye and these days now a minor celebrity too. It's all about risk/reward.

A lot of the "costs" are simply down to investing in himself and his brand, in the way we all do to a greater or lesser extent if we work for ourselves.

From where I'm standing that investment here to build the brand seems to have paid back handsomely, so let's not pretend it's anything else please.

(PS. Is the Forum area really "about" Martin these days?)

You are, of course, entitled to your view and i've tried to explain it as best i can so i hope you appreciate that we do listen, and i think i'll leave it at that as we probably won't change your opinion on this. However, i can only advise that if you are that unhappy with the way this site and forum is run, there may be others better suited to your stance?