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Pastimes : Silicon Investor, DATEK, and broken promises -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SI Brad who wrote (35)	6/21/1999 3:43:00 PM
From: snerd	Respond to of 72

<I just hope that you will give us the benefit of the doubt> No problem with that. But just remember, like that line in the movie Angels in the Outfield, "We're always watching." ; ) Snerd

To: SI Brad who wrote (35)	6/21/1999 4:15:00 PM
From: Dan Good	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 72

Brad, I have been a member here since late '96. Back then, it was a site (as you well know) built and ran by the two brothers and Jill. It was viewed at the time as one of the few "private" sites that had quality information. You had a large following (maybe even cult-like in nature) from people that were glad to see the little guys prospering in a world of corporations. We all felt as if it was ours. And for a time, we all cheered when you told the Yahoo's of the world that the site wasn't for sale. When Go2Net bought the site, a little part of the corporate free atmosphere died. Not that you all didn't deserve what you had coming. Most of us realized that the best interest of SI was the consideration there. And were happy that you all finally got the rewards for putting the site together for all of us. And we are seeing the effects of the acquisition in the improvements. Along with improvements behind the scenes that we probably dont see. But to get to the point of this run on dialog, the "Sponsered by Datek" was another bullet in the corporate free body that we all came to admire. And that is what, IMHO, is the main problem most people have with the "ad". Perhaps if the link had said only "Datek" the uproar would have been lessened? Whatever the case maybe, I have the greatest amount of respect for the three of you and do believe that the best interest of the site is your main concern. And in that context, if that's what it takes to keep SI as the best investment site, So mote it be. Dan

To: SI Brad who wrote (35)	6/21/1999 4:25:00 PM
From: w0z	Respond to of 72

Brad, "Illegitimi non carborundum!" Don't let the bastards grind you down. Surely people have better things to do with their time than bitch about a link that doesn't take an extra nanoecond to download and that they don't need to click on in the first place!

To: SI Brad who wrote (35)	6/21/1999 7:30:00 PM
From: Tom_	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 72

To Brad and SI/GNET: Please take this as another "valid concerns" letter, from a member who cares, and who very much appreciates what you have created and have worked to maintain. But who doesn't feel therefore proscribed from submitting honestly-felt feedback. I am pleased that SI/GNET has responded publicly to the concerns of various members about the advertising issue. I am disappointed in several aspects of those responses. In the main, I feel the responses can be made more full and forthright. (I am not referring to Russell's response. It appears, to me, he walked unwittingly into a hornet's nest.) The words "bombard" and "solicitation" have been ignored, or danced around. I can understand the avoidance, because the Datek link is so obviously a solicitation to visit Datek, and the crux of this whole matter is the "promise" (your word, not mine) that "We will not bombard you with...forms of solicitation." Your position is that one small advertisement, repeated on every single member message page, is not a "bombardment." I hope you can see how reasonable people could very, very strongly disagree with that. You state, positively: "No banners. No bombardment." No mention of solicitations. I am concerned about possible plans to place "button" ads on the member message pages, in the top area where the Datek link is placed. Jeff chose to insert a reference to "button" ads in one of his reply posts. He didn't have to, but he did. And then you post saying that the space above the member's message boards is fair game for "tasteful" ads. The impression is left that button ads are an actively considered option. However, when I asked directly about buttons ads, silence. And you state "No banners. No bombardment." No mention of buttons. The Green Slime dominated the screen (I must assume purposefully so) because of its color; the eye could not help but go to it; it ignited the firestorm-reaction on the Welcome to SI thread. It's been changed, good, but I'm not sure it is at all appropriate to describe it as an "unintrusive" ad. I mention all this for the following reason. SI members have a legal right, IMO, only to hold SI/GNET to is what is posted on the homepage: "As a full member ($60 semi-annually), you can...Elect to permanently turn off advertising banners." That being the case, it comes down, again in my opinion, to a matter of ethics. My hope is that you folks will act in the future in the spirit of your previous acts and statements, which I believe to be that you will strive to minimize the intrusions of advertising on the splendid vehicle for conversation between members that you have created. That's why such responses, and non-responses, cause me concern. Thank you for listening. Best wishes, Tom

To: SI Brad who wrote (35)	6/21/1999 9:29:00 PM
From: im~ristine	Respond to of 72

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To: SI Brad who wrote (35)	6/21/1999 9:41:00 PM
From: im~ristine	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 72

RE: " I just hope that you will give us the benefit of the doubt." LMAO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA GOD BLESS AMERICA!! datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com datek.com

To: SI Brad who wrote (35)	6/22/1999 1:15:00 AM
From: ISOMAN	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 72

Put as many ads on the site as you want. Anyone who bitches and moan, tell em to short Gnet. I'd like to see more myself. In fact I tossed a couple of suggestions to SI_Bob, (Remember I get a cut) My favorite was making ISOMAN the mascot of SI. I also Suggest a french Site, so we can talk about people right on the thread and they won't even no it. Also, I suggest that you bookmark anyone who complains, and then have that member suffer Pop Up ads like Geocities, for 2 days. There is Jill Jail(Just got out myself for getting carried away) Now we can have Brad Probation. You bitched, now you have to look at eflowers.com pop ups every 20 seconds for 2 days.