the unofficial Cosina-Voigtlander User Community

So I logged in to the RFF today and recieved a private message from Mr. Gandy informing me that I may no longer post links in either the RFF or on the CVUG list to this website or any of the articles within. Specifically, he pointed to this rule in the RFF FAQ:

QUOTE:
Rule No. 5 - No Self-Promotion
5) You will not post any messages anywhere on this site that are primarily for the promotion or advertising of any website, forums, email address, business, MLM, activity, or other entities that you have an affiliation with (ie. no self-promotion). No exception, additionally Self-Promotion links will no longer be allowed in your signature. This is intended for commercial establishments that try to advertise on RFF without going through the proper process. Individual members can pretty much ignore this one.

He said that I violated this rule as this website is a commercial entity.

Is it? And if the answer is "yes", then what is commercial about it?

No flaming, please. I'm just curious.

I guess, you ultimately have to ask Mr. Gandy how this site falls under the commercial status. I have not looked at every page of the this site, but I can find no reason to call this a commercial site. You are actually giving him and Cosina free advertising. He thought he would appreciate that.

Personally, I think he is over-reacting.

I have asked him and hope to have a reply soon. In the meantime, I have fully complied with his requests. His house, his rules after all.

The request that I remove the link from my sig and post no further links to this website (reviews, DIY, whatever) doesn't really irk me as much as being it referred to as "commercial". The closest thing to "commercial" on this website are the links to CameraQuest!

I do have a PayPal donate button on the main page and however nice it would be to cover hosting and time costs I don't even actively seek donations beyond the single button on the front. And since no product is offered in exchange for the a donation (beyond my deepest thanks, which I would prefer not be called a "product&quot that can't be considered commercial.

I'm going to bed.

I wonder if nelsonfoto got an email, too. It seems that the rules at rff are not always applied equally. The recent purge of "undesirables" shows that.

That's a bit crazy. Is Stephen Gandy really familiar with the content of this website? Enthusiast websites actually promote his CameraQuest

I have experienced a similar situations in a car forum where I moderate. It is FordEurope.net and it is run by enthusiasts of European Ford vehicles in particular and Ford vehicles in general. We even have people on Ford's payroll as members. Every so often the site owner gets an angry letter from Ford's lawyers about some legal matter - usually it deals with copyrights/trademarks infringements and the domain name. I find it strange that a business picks on the enthusiasts when the natural effect of enthusiasts gathering at a place such as this is the promotion of the brand/product whether it is Ford or Cosina-Voigtlander.

On second thought, you have links to vendors on this site. Perhaps you should remove the link to his site.