Chrisedge

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=230677

Threads like this, should not be tolerated. Reminds me of the "Free MS Mouse" awhile back. You don't allow bootleg DVD, MP3 file sharing, etc...Why allow people to promote ripping off companies...

Groucho

Pretty shocking. One guy openly brags about scamming Coke once a week!

GeoffK

thanks for bringing this to my attention

Aghama

Groucho's comment was a joke, he's been using the "assistant" line elsewhere. The original poster certainly wasn't doing anything wrong when he got the free Coke, so I'm not sure who you're pissed at.

Chrisedge

To go online and tell 1000's about getting free 12 packs of coke, by calling an 800 number and complaining, is not a bargain. It is stealing from the Coke company.

Sorry if you don't think so....

Aghama

a) I don't think golucky was trying to rip anybody off, he was just posting that Coke's customer service treated him well. Maybe it should have gone in Other, maybe it shouldn't have been posted period, but he wasn't acting in a malicious manner.

b) [mod channeling]This is what the "Report this post to a moderator" link is for[/mod channeling]

Chrisedge

I did that as well. I feel that with all the clampdowns on the other kinds of threads this one needed some attention as well. The MS mouse thread was very similar, and I feel the mods/admins should close these when they see them.

I don't think he was acting in a malicious manner either, but it probably shouldn't be posted in the first place. It just gives people ideas to do things they shouldn't (Fraud)

Gallant Pig

Where exactly does buying something from a store at discount and returning it to another store for profit and then openly boasting about it fit in?

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...71#post2717271

Jackskeleton

Hell, back in the day, I'm sure you could question about 90% of the practices posted in the bargins forum.

Mister Beefhead

I can't imagine that anyone would have a problem with that.

benedict

<small></small>Posts on that very topic have been among some of the most vitriolic I have seen! And I haven't even been around on the forums as long as you have

Static Cling

IMO, it's not stealing, it's not a bargain... like you said, it's just going online and telling people about Coke's customer service. If someone uses Coke's good customer service to scam them out of free Cokes, is that wrong? Yes, but I don't think anyone was endorsing that (seriously, anyways). The act of posting on the Internet doesn't add up to theft.

goLUCKY

I was just posting information on how well I was treated by coca cola. I did not write that thread to be a scam in any way, it was just information.

I'll choose any further threads very carefully before posting.

El Scorcho

I started the Free replacement of the MS Mouse thread. Myself, as well as many others, got a free replacement for a defective mouse. Thankfully you're not a moderator else many of us would have missed out on the deal.

Chrisedge

It's one thing to get a replacement of a defective product. It's quite another to post on a bulletin board that you can get a "replacement" mouse, without having to send in your old one, by calling a number and giving them a UPC(?) number. I'm not saying what you did is wrong, but you must know by posting in a thread that gets hundreds of views that people will use it to get free product. That is quite different than amazon.com has "this" for $9.99 on sale. That is a bargain.

My main reason for posting this is the double standards that seem to exist here. We can talk about posting ways to get "free" products (or loopholes) but we can't discuss bootlegs (SW, INdy, etc...). Or file sharing...Or many other things. It seems ok, as long as your not ripping off the MPAA or the RIAA, but Microsoft and Coke is OK?

Don't get me wrong, I love DVDTalk and admire the fine job Geoff and the Mods do. I was just pointing out that threads like yours should be deleted because you know people will use the information to rip off a company.

If they allow that type of thread, fine. But they should allow anytype of similar thread then, (MP3 sharing, DVD bootlegs, Live CDs, etc...) I don't see the difference.

And you wouldn't have missed out on the deal, you started it

Aghama

And VCRs and cassette records should be banned because you can use them to duplicate copywrited material. Now that mp3s are so prevalent, computers should be banned as well. You can use the telephone and mail service to commit fraud, so those are next to be axed.

benedict

<small></small>File-sharing can be and <i>is</i> discussed. It does not, in and of itself, <i>necessarily</i> constitute an unlawful activity: as I see it, references as to how to obtain copyright material without the consent of its owners is where the line has been drawn.

(To pick over one point in particular, I would say that it is the artistes and their record companies - as opposed to the MPAA/RIAA - who are the ones most likely to have a claim that they are harmed by the distribution of copyright material on an unpaid-for basis).

As an individual, I am somewhat concerned that - rather than stating you are against "stealing" in principle - you <i>seem</i> to be indicating that the prime reason you are against these "spot-this-loophole" type of threads is because posting about another kind of stealing is verboten here.

Perhaps I have misread you. My apologies in advance if that is the case.

Chrisedge

Number 1, I'm against stealing. However which is worse? Posting about the mouse encouraged people who did not own a MS mouse to call and claim owning a defective one. I believe this is quite different than talking about bootleg DVD's that are not available in the DVD format. Live CD's by artists that support tapers was questioned (See my U2 thread in this forum, that was never answered by a mod) but people question when I post about two threads with "questionable" ways of "warrantee/satisfaction guarantees and how to collect on them.

File sharing MP3's from copyrighted artist is less of a rip off than the above threads in my mind, because I've bought many cd from artists I've downloaded. I can honestly think of just 1 cd out of 1000+ that I should have bought, but didn't and that was one that was burned for me, not downloaded.

Lame arguement. Back to the point: If we say "Bootleg DVD" talk should be banned, why allow "Rip off this company" talk? They have set a "standard" here which I do agree with. I was just pointing out that I felt these types of threads should be "banned" as well.

The Geoff/mods obviously will do what they feel is best for the site. I have no problem with whatever they decide, I was just pointing out my thoughts on those types of threads.

Aghama

Touché!

Chrisedge

I didn't even feel the need to address it, but...There are rules and guidelines in place here, like no PAD posts, no Copyrighted MP3 discussions, no warez, etc...I posted my feeling on threads that are not "bargains" they are just ways of getting free products. You then post the brilliant idea of just banning everything. Sorry I called it LAME.

Edit to add: Banning all those things as well because people can take advantage of them (Computers with Mp3, etc...) is different than allowing a thread which isn't really just stating how great Microsofts service is is quite different. Maybe we should ban all people cause they commit crimes.

El Scorcho

Chrisedge:

I see the point that you are trying to make but I can't bring myself to agree with it. With every deal that gets posted, there is usually a great opportunity for dishonest people to take advantage of that deal. If threads were removed from the board alerting people of a deal that could potentially be abused (IMO, coupon abuse is theft), then the bargains forums would be ghost towns.

It is impossible to police what people do with legitimate information. The MS Mouse thread, I feel, was a completely legitimate thread that didn't deserve removal from the board. It was legitimate information pointing out to many people that Microsoft will replace your mouse if you were cursed with a defective one. Nothing dishonest there. However, in the coca-cola thread it was pretty much implied by the original poster that he was ripping Coca-Cola off by lieing to them and practically encouraged others to do so. I see a huge difference between these two threads and I certainly hope you do as well.

It's one thing to post a thread encouraging theft. It's a completely different thing to post a thread with legitimate and honest information that <I>might</I> result in theft by others.

hgar78

um, but aren't music/film/product execs ripping the public off EVERY DAY????? i'm against stealing as well, however, getting thru on a loophole is the way the world works these days. this is what keeps lawyers so busy and allows obese people to sue fastfood places because of it.

Mister Beefhead

No way do I see that. The following posts were different, but the first post was good information. I have had many a funky tasting soda (usually it's a too old diet soda) from a vending machine. It's nice to know that I can call in the future and the company might reimburse me.

To those who think that this sort of post is wrong - How do you feel about the obvious price mistakes that get posted here all the time?

El Scorcho

Beefhead:

I stand corrected. I was going off of memory and went back and read the post again and it certainly does not promote abuse. My mistake.

Aghama

You seem to be going off memory as well, the mouse thread was intended for people with broken mice. The Coke thread was intended for people who have gotten a bum soda. My point stands.