Bill,

Here's my suggestion to everyone and anyone who does not like spam appearing in the forum:

"So why not make a statement: spam is not appreciated by the forum "members" and we all "sign" it and get management to post it so anyone entering the system for the first time has to read it?

If a spammer knows that most in the forum are dedicated to NOT purchasing, and actually boycotting the product being promoted by spam, maybe they will think twice and refrain. Personally I will make a point of NEVER buying NIKE because I don't like being annoyed by spam, and I generally make a point to NOT purchase any product that is promoted by spammers either in the forum or my e-mail or elsewhere. Possibly if these companies learn they lose more customers than they could possibly gain they might think twice about allowing their products to be promoted by spammers."

I hope all will consider this at it seems the webmaster can't block spammers from posting. So, if you care please join in and lets get a notice up front spammers are not welcome.

Sounds like a good idea David,

This is a copy of a note I left in the Film forum:
----------------------------------------------
This makes so much sense, David. I wish I could just support it without thinking back on my experiences in other forums. You see, the spammers don't really care whether any of us buy any of this stuff or not. They get paid simply for placing the ads here; they're marketing companies hired by manufacturers. Incidentally, those manufacturers do NOT include Nike. Nike is an American business coming out of Eugene, OR while Nikefly Footwear Trading Co.Ltd.forthrightly makes knockoffs of Nike, Adidas, Timberland, Prada and other products with their main headquarters located at Putian of Fujian province in China. You can find their website easily enough through Google

Though posting the suggested statement might make us feel a little better, it will affect the Spammers in no way whatsoever. They're likely not reading the forums at all, but have set automated processes to place their ads in as many forums as possible.

If I thought this idea stood even a ghost of a chance of having any good result, I'd support it wholeheartedly. But the likelihood of anyone who could stop the spam is vanishingly small. Even if they did see it, they'd have no motivation to stop anyhow, since they're getting paid for posting the ads rather than by selling product.

Sorry to be such a wet blanket

Chip,

Thanks for the perspective. E-mail is from my point of view being ruined by this kind of activity. To solve it unfortunately you have to make yourself less available and go to extra cost to avoid the spammer pitfalls. Obviously my purpose is not to be less available in what I do answering e-mail questions from Shutterbug readers. It is a real dilemma.