Yes, fair point.

Can't exactly insist on links to SRS prices only

I think maybe what I'll do is just stick a line in any classified I post, saying something like 'please feel free to PM me if you feel I've priced this unrealistically' or something.

If people start sending me links to dodgy scammers, it'll help me decide who not to sell to, after all

This is why I raised it - posting a link to a lower price - especially for new goods, I would argue is harmless, and also imparts useful information that is beneficial to the selling process.

More useful, arguably, than 'PM Sent', which I don't understand the point of.

Yes, I completely see the point. It's not that I don't understand why the rule is as it is, even if it isn't always applied consistently.

The thing is, who's to say which is more public spirited - PM the seller, or warn potential buyers by posting a link to the lower price?

I understand the whole caveat emptor thing, too.

If forcing it to be like an actual ad (rather than a pub conversation) is the position, why even allow posts like 'PM Sent'? If the seller can offer an item at any price, and sell it to any buyer based on negotiations that are entirely private, it's entirely irrelevant to announce one's interest to the forum at large.

Perhaps the rule should be that only the seller can post to the thread.

Ok, rules is rules, I understand all that, but on the F50 classified there were two contrary views expressed, before it all got tidied up.

One is that if someone posts an ad for something at a price that others think is too high, it's not ok to post a link, showing evidence to that effect.

The other is that it is not only Ok, but positively helpful.

As it happens, I take the latter view, since if I try to sell something at a price that's too high, I would very much appreciate being told where it's lower, so that I can reprice my item or withdraw it from sale accordingly.

That way, I'm likely to make a sale, rather than forever wonder why my item's not selling. I realise I can gradually lower the price, as many do, but that is a big waste of time if it starts off completely unrealistic.

Now, I understand that cluttering up an ad with a load of discussion is viewed as a Bad Thing, and likely to get moderated, so here's my question:

Is it permitted to post a separate thread for said discussion, with a link to the ad in question?

Right, I'm drinking coffee, and I'm not in the mood to be much more diplomatic than I was last night

I've had another look at the site, and another look at what I wrote, and I pretty much stand by it.

What I said was in no way intended personally - it was an honest expression of the way it struck me, and as such, given that the OP seemed to be looking for honest feedback, that's how I couched it.

I'd make a couple more observations.

Firstly, the OP's stated intent was to professionalise his photography. Not to create a personal expression site, for poetry and images that would appeal to kindred spirits. If someone wants to express themselves with their own style of poetry, that's perfectly fine, and though I may find it a bit yucky, it's basically none of my damn business.

However, for a money-making site, it's a bit different. You have to be prepared for some people to like it, and for others to think it sucks. It's then down to you to decide whether appealing to the ones that think it sucks is important to you. It may not be, of course, and that's perfectly fine too, and entirely within your right.

Finally, I'd say this:

If I ask for feedback from someone I'm not paying, and they generously give of their free time to consider what I've submitted and take the trouble to write something, then whether I agree with their view or not, or like the way they express their view or not, I should at the very least appreciate the fact they've bothered. They've done me a favour, even if I didn't enjoy it

I do, of course, wish Matt the very best with both his site and his business - I said I like many of the images, and I stand by that too.

In the morning, I'll be too busy to bother waiting for the images to load.

I don't like what you call poetry, it strikes me as pretentious.

I do like many of the images, but the time it takes to get to them is a serious obstacle.

People's views vary. Sometimes I'm in the mood to express mine diplomatically, tonight I'm not. Tomorrow I may be, and you're free to pay attention to them or not as you please.

I have no idea.

If strong views, honestly expressed, are enough to send you away from the site, despite all your

... then I'm not sure why you bothered asking for an opinion.

Your site evoked strong negative reactions from me. You have the choice of taking my comments on board or not, as you please.

Why that should mean you have to abandon the site is beyond me.

I'm not asking you to agree with me, and you're free to disregard what I say.

Let me rephrase...

Didn't like it much, not really my thing.

Better?

Very nice indeed. Speaking as an old git with the experience to know, you're more beautiful now (or at least for the next 5-10 years!) than you ever will be again. Don't make the mistake that I did when I was your age, of torturing yourself with every flaw you can find with your appearance. I didn't like the size of my nose, my height, my hair, the weird sneer that my lip does when I smile. I stressed constantly about whether I looked Ok. And spots.. don't talk to me about spots.

And I'm a bloke! You girls don't have a monopoly on vanity, you know. Little did I know at the time how pointless and trivial all that worry was.

None of that has anything to do with whether or not it's Ok to do a bit of photo-editing. That's entirely down to personal taste, and that varies.

If I take a picture of myself, I improve it a bit. If I take a picture of a woman, and the picture reveals some temporary imperfections, I may remove them on the computer, so that the end result more closely matches the image of that person that is the composite of many different memories of her.

So don't take it personally, and let the photographer make you look as good as (s)he can, and as you want.

Given that you categorise yourself as

... try them both, see which you prefer.

I have FlashBlock switched on in FireFox, so when I clicked the link and got the little arrow, my heart sank. Against my better judgement, I clicked it.

I hate 'enter site' links. I've already clicked a link, so why do I need another link to click, to enter a site I've already entered?

Then there's a load of pretentious wordy stuff to get past. I hate that sort of thing. Show me the photos, wontcha??

Then the photos. I lose the will to live just waiting for them to slide into position and get focused. There's no convenient next/previous control, or at least one that I can be bothered to find.

Then there's more wordy awfulness. Australia is your womb, is it? Ugh. OMG give me a bucket. If you have to do this sort of thing, would you please sort out when to use apostrophes. I didn't think Aussies did this sort of crap.

I just about managed to look at a few of the photos before I lost consciousness, having slit my wrists a few seconds before.

They were quite nice, but for the sheer nasty vileness of the user experience I haven't seen anything to compare with this for a long time.

I've had a few glasses of wine tonight, apologies for the unexpurgated nature of the honesty of my reaction.