Hi,

I run a fairly tight set of SPAM filters but do check the collection before deleting. So I was somewhat surprised to find:Understand this is an initiative by our sponsor's, Internet Brands, and it goes along with their recent improvements. Too soon to tell, I don't know how it will turn out. I do notice more emphasis on "Hypermilers" but otherwise, nothing that really sent me one way or the other.

I was a little surprised that none of the membership had made a comments so after making sure I wasn't 'the first one,' I thought I'd ask you' all had any thoughts?

My only comment is I know how hard it is to keep up a newsletter. We'll see how it goes.

Bob Wilson

 

Yep, it was in there all right.

I don't check the SPAM on my corporate mail server except about once a week -- when I am in town and at my office, which is not often.

 

I did not get the newsletter. I bet my ISP (Time Warner's Roadrunner) trapped it as spam.

 

At first glance, to me it seemed like a "remember us, please come back and visit" notice for old members. Anybody that visits this board regularly probably has already read/discussed the content it provided.

 

I got it and "unsubscribed" it. The newsletter was unsolicited and has me pondering my future on any InternetBrands-owned forums if this is the kind of liberties they will take with the membership data.

 

I think you have it right. Ordinarily, we want to 'opt-in', not to have to 'opt-out.' I have found 99% of all "opt-out" lists don't have the quality to justify continuing to receive them.

IMHO, a better approach might have been to start a forum called, "Newsletter" and if someone reads one and wants more, they can click on the "Opt-In." This also solves the problem of new members who would otherwise have no access to earlier versions ... not that this first one was a "barn burner."

Bob Wilson

 

There is an option in your User CP to toggle whether you'd like to receive emails from the administrator. spinner, at what is this set? If IB ignored this setting I'll certainly have a talk with them, but this is usually where members disable newsletters and things of this sort.

 

E-mail are one thing and generally speaking, these have been OK. They are rare and to the point. A newsletter, however, promises a steady stream.

Again, I'm not saying they are a 'bad thing,' but it would be helpful if there were an archive of the newsletters, say a forum. Then as the quality improves, folks could go back or more likely, new members, and see some of the historical stuff.

Still, to me the newsletter is an experimental thing and I'm ready to give it a couple more tries. Having edited a newsletter in the past, I know what dog-long and unrewarding it can be.

Bob Wilson

 

I'd be happy to hear everyone's thoughts regarding the newsletter, but let's please not dwell on the possibility of op-in. This is not going to be on the table, frankly, so the best thing to do is make peace.

 

Mine is and was turned off.

Thanks for looking into it!