(Other points noted)


No no no, you've totally misunderstood me. There would be no need for heavy moderation and anyone old enough to be on this site will be able to understand it, what I'm suggesting is:

1. If someone make a post and it gets replies, fine, reply to the replies as normal, no artificial bumping.
2. If someone (anyone, anyone at all) make a post and it doesn't get replies, then they can, once only, and not until at least a week has passed, bump it *once*, as long as they also add some quality (sensibly large images worth downloading to keep) free content for forum members. Almost a tip or payment for being able to make that second post.

Would that really be unreasonable?

Otherwise those of us who aren't naturally popular, charismatic, and good at social stuff may as well give up.

I completely understood you and you made sense. You're suggesting adding a loophole that's available to less socially adept or popular folks that'll help give their threads a boost. The loophole can be applied equitably, too, since it's based on actual post responses and time intervals. I get it.

But it is not as easy as just creating a set of rules. When you make allowances like that for a few people, based on a list of technical qualifications, the level of misunderstanding goes through the roof. People do what they see others do, not what the site's updated TOS says. I'll end up moderating bump posts by people who think it's cool when they see someone else do it, and I'll be getting flags from everybody else. Even if it helps that one producer, the confusion and resentment outweighs that benefit. This is why bumping without a real response (or with withheld image sets or whatever) is consistently not allowed.

At the end of the day, an argument to allow gibberish posts is tough to swallow. It's forcing your post back up when the community already decided to push other threads up instead. All you have to do is make it meaningful and you can reply any time you want... that's not too much to ask.

Just to provide a producer perspective.... and this might just apply to me, and not others.... But the amount of responses and views I get on a post has little bearing on actual SALES. I mean, there's some correlation, but not as much as you think.

Or to put it another way: Occasionally, a post of mine turns into a conversation among 2-3 people, which keeps the post towards the top for many many days. But the scene in question doesn't necessarily sell any better. The post is about the conversation, not the original content.

On the flipside, my recent Taylor post only had 6 responses and about 2000 views (which is kinda low for me). It fell off the main page about a week ago while I was on vacation. BUT the scenes in question sold very well. I've found actual customers mostly observe without commenting, while the folks who comment regularly are MUCH appreciated.... but they're not often active buyers. (Hi Regis!)

In short: Post views and lively comments are good for the ego, but bumping doesn't serve much of a practical purpose (for me anyway) in the long run.

On that note, I just want to say that I count this thread as my (our) masterpiece:

https://umd.net/forums/stacy-and-sam-scenes-slapstickstuff-stre

Insert Regis's and Happy Camper's faces in lieu of Brad Pitt's and BJ Novak's:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfqoz89RMdg

^THIS^

This is where I think things get hairy and misconceptions arise. For instance, with some producers you'll get a post and a couple people will post/critique it. Maybe some questions are asked, but they generally have less hub bub. My experience is that these are posts from larger producers that generally respond and engage less with their customers.

Then you have producers who post something and engage the community heavily with conversation back and forth and will reply to comments frequently. The problem is EACH and every comment made will bump stuff to the top, even if your response is a meme or just intended to be a funny reply to another user.

This creates scenarios where people like Regis, Happy, Robby, Me and some others will playfull shit post because we're making fun of each other and or certain producers who are playful. Hell, Rich and Regis shit post each other all the time, sometimes on Rich's threads. Clearly it can be seen it's not a tactic for Rich to boost his sales.

I know exactly who is being thought of here, and I get it. Producers should not be found at the top of the forums with each other's 'dicks in their mouths' Aside from the fiasco last month, I don't think those being talked about are trying to throw off anyone's game. I think they just talk a lot more than some other people.

That said, "The Management" and Store Owner forums are a good place to engage them and sort stuff out before shit hits the fan.

Interesting note and aside, forum pictures are a great way to carry a conversation without bumping an entire thread to the top. I see a lot of good comments there.