Did you think that was private?

[JustWood]

I thought the Professional Forums were private.

Lo Down said Mee too. Why isn't there a boundary line so we know that?

I thought they were all private, too. I was a dismayed to find out in this thread that that's no so.

The description under the Pro Forums heading states "These are private forums. Contact the administrator for access." And if clicking around while not logged in, you will see
1) "These are private forums for pros only and their discussions are considered confidential" included in the somewhat vague text message you get.

The FAQS don't cover this and once registered (and who remembers what they may have read during that process) the only way to find out what's what is to log out and click on everything.

I agree with LoDown, there ought to be a clear boundary and a clear list and clear text descriptions of what's what here.
No disrespect to the administrators and webmasters who who have put so much time and work into this site, but I think this area needs more work.

[Lo Down]

JustWood said I thought they were all private, too. I was a dismayed to find out in this thread that that's no so. The description under the Pro Forums heading states "These are private forums. Contact the administrator for access." And if clicking around while not logged in, you will see 1) "These are private forums for pros only and their discussions are considered confidential" included in the somewhat vague text message you get. The FAQS don't cover this and once registered (and who remembers what they may have read during that process) the only way to find out what's what is to log out and click on everything. I agree with LoDown, there ought to be a clear boundary and a clear list and clear text descriptions of what's what here. No disrespect to the administrators and webmasters who who have put so much time and work into this site, but I think this area needs more work.

Either Private or Public sections with NO intermingling. If something is public, it ought to be in that area............ in my opinion anyway.

[Jerry Thomas]

Lo Down said Either Private or Public sections with NO intermingling. If something is public, it ought to be in that area............ in my opinion anyway.

I'm of the same opinion. I have also started a few topics in the Pro section for discussion that got arbitrarily moved up to the DIY section. Inconsiderate imo .... if I had wanted the topic up there I would have put it there to start with. ...

[Kman]

Jerry, if a staff member considered moving a topic like you mentioned, would you feel better about it if they got your approval beforehand? Or at least asked for your explanation as to why it was put in that particular forum?

Obviously, if something was put in the completely the wrong forum (like a topic about tile that was posted in the carpet forum) it needs to be moved. But if it's simply a matter of opinion, maybe a Personal Message for the OP's permission would be okay, no?

[TFP Admin]

There is a new announcement: The Floor Pro Community - What is a Private Forum, What is NOT

I hope that will clear up any confusion about what forums can be seen and participated in by whom. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I will continue to move posts or topics, without notice, to where I feel they are most appropriate. If you object, then say something at that time.

Jim

[Jerry Thomas]

I formally renounce my membership to TheFloorPro, kindly remove my name and all personal info from this website. I choose not be associated with any venue ran like a dictatorship.

have a great day,
Jerry W Thomas

[Floorguy]

Jerry Thomas said I formally renounce my membership to TheFloorPro, kindly remove my name and all personal info from this website. I choose not be associated with any venue ran like a dictatorship. have a great day, Jerry W Thomas

Jerry, all forums and message boards, are run like a dictatorship. Different dictators have different rules. We adapt, or move on. What can I say.
We the people, didn't elect Jim. He owns the place.

I did not know the private forums were not so private.
I didn't think it was always like that.
I posted stuff, I didn't want the whole world to see, just my friends.
Labeling it private, is a little misleading.

[Jon Scanlan]

Jerry I don't know the full story but I would like of think of it as a tiding up process not a dictatorship
We like you here. You have alot of good information that can help others.
I think T does a really good job here and manages to keep 99.9% of the members happy 99.9% of the time. I know it is one of the first things I do when I get home, and often during the night, check to see what the fellow members have been up to that day

[TFP Admin]

TFP Admin said ...There is one forum in The Professional Forums that any registered member can participate in even if they are not "A Floor Pro" and that is Flooring Potpourri. I am considering moving that forum to the consumer section and having a catch-all forum for the pros to discuss floorcovering issues that are not covered in any of the other PRO forums. I hope that this is a satisfactory solution to your desire for privacy.

That came from a discussion Jerry started when this site was just a few days old. Nothing changed about that forum until today. I moved it into the Public Forums for the Pro, DIYer & Consumer category (formerly known as the Consumers and DIYers category) to avoid even more confusion.

Like anyone of you installers in the middle of a job, I sometimes am forced to make decisions on the fly. Every little thing doesn't need to be discussed with the customer and it's the same here. But just as you want customer satisfaction in your business, so do I in mine. If I move a message or a topic and later find that the original poster didn't want that, I move it back. But if you wait for days, weeks or months to complain about it, I wonder why. I am just trying to do my job as best I can.

This site has changed quite a bit since it first started in May, 2006. Many of those changes came from member suggestions and contributions. There have been many polls and votes. Yes, the final decisions are mine, but if you really want to call that a dictatorship, I guess you can. Ask yourself this: Do you let customers tell you how to do your job, or do you do it the way you see fit and professional and, at the same time, try to satisfy the customer's needs and desires? Is that a dictatorship?

I made a few changes to the forum today, just as I have in all the past months and years since it started. Today I moved a forum out of the pro forums that I prob'ly should have done a long time ago. But it's not like I have ever tried to pull a fast one on you. If you are the kind of person who has never forgot to do something or never made a mistake, then you won't have any idea why this could have happened. I can't inundate you with notices and warnings on every page you visit here. I just have to hope you remember what has been posted before, or ask questions and make suggestions that will help me satisfy what you want this site to be. If you don't do that, it doesn't make me a dictator.

Jim
PS: Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jon. It's a bit exaggerated, I'm sure, but I appreciate it anyway.

[cproader]

........we gotta remember,Jerry has just given up smokin..........

[Tandy Reeves]

I have always felt that privacy on the internet was just one click away from being public. Therefore, I put nothing on it that I want to remain private.