Well it depends what the link is. If it is a link posted by a member about research or an article that is usefull to members and news too then no it is not harming this wbsite. If it is a link to another website that has been created by someone whom only comes here to display that link then yes it is harming GS. Just recently there have been 5 links posted by people joining here just to post links to their wordpress websites. They want one thing and one thing only "You" . They want you to log in and contribute to their site , it is their sole purpose for joining here. They do not interact with other members or contribute to the forums they just place links. Do that on another website and the link is killed and member blocked , GS is just an easy target for them.

How about charge them lets say 200 Dollars for placing their link! Do you know what would happen? No link because it involves parting with cash. I have made it clear to them my feelings on what they are doing and taken a few verbal insults from them but , that is what happens to me speaking out about a wrong.

They are just freeloaders who do not care about you or this website and I tell them just that. Hey it is me here and I say what I feel. I have been cited as a reason for a few members leaving here but if they cannot handle the truth it really is not my problem. Now when I log in here and pre log in I get an advertisment for a dating site. It is a banner and bears the name TAT. Tat here in the UK means trash or crap and rubbish , a very apt name for such websites. I clicked on the link to see what was there. As a basic member you get 2 messages per day. You can view 2 conversations per day! Yes view no participate. To join as a full member is less than 20 Dollars for a years membership. It is not a good idea to have such adverts here as members who have no appreciation for GS will just go there.

If this continues this will harm GS , it is called shooting yourself in the foot. If I handed out business cards of my opposition instead of my own I would go broke. This is exactly what is going on here , giving the opposition a chance to take away members from GS. Why am I posting this?. Because I have made some good friends here over the years and a few ememys.

I owe this website a lot though , I have only ever been a basic member for 2 days and that was only to come back to defend myself. Kill the external links or make them pay. External links to other websites or personal Wordpress websites are only good for one thing! Taking members attention away from here. There is no need for them anyway everything is here so why have the distraction?.

Take care xx

Julia...I think your idea of paying to place external links is brilliant!!!  

Thnx for being you...(smile)

Traci xoxo

They would not pay Traci , this website is far to soft on them and they know it. As I stated everything is here so the links should be removed and if placed again then the member is blocked , problem solved.

Take care xx

Hi Crissie.

You know you are appreciated here for all you do and the other Mods that log in too. This is how it looks to me and it is actually the way it is.

A person joins here and the first thing they do is post a link to their Wordpress website. If any member here clicks on the link it is in actual fact opening a new window so there for taking attention away from GS. Any member that clicks the link is showing that they are online on GS but in fact they are looking at another website. It is a distraction and I have yet to find one that actually participates here on GS. I can exclude Crissy from that when she was here but even she kept asking me to contribute to her website. She did list me as an author! I wrote a 4 or 5 line comment and that makes me an author. If I ever need a job I will put that on my CV , I am an author . I can imagine the employer , oh what have you written? . Well I wrote a comment , employer says , is that a book? My response could be yes a very short one and I am thinking of turning it into a short film "A very short film".

You personally witnessed a response I got from one wordpress site link poster. I told them they bore me and a few other things and a comment was made back  referring to me as a male. That comment was coming from someone who admits they live as a male and have no clue what real life is all about. I respect and show respect to members here whether are CD/TV/TS unless they give me good cause not to. I am not being referred to as a male here by "Anyone". It just shows their lack of respect for this website and all it stands for.

Take care and thank you xxx

I cannot find another website that allows links to external personal websites that run the same theme. The reason for that is they do harm any website that displays them. The links are removed and the member blocked. I can very easily send very unwanted traffic to "Any" Wordpress website and enough to cause it to crash.

I have stated above that these people do not participate here. They place their links and go untill they come back to do it again. If that is what being a member here means then someone here needs to lay down some rules. Pay or go away would be a good start and post proper forum threads not just links to your website.

It is time to put an end to this. I am not paying to help keep this website going to allow freeloaders to continue posting their links. That means I cannot be here anymore because I cannot use this website without contributing towards its running costs.

My subscription is now going to be cancelled and I will never return here untill someone here see's some sense.

Take care x

And I did cancel my subscription and also tried to delete my account. I feel that this website is far to soft on "Any" person who comes here and places links to their own personal websites or blog sites. I would like to see such a unique website what is here stand alone above all of the others and back to how it was. The traffic that comes here meaning new members very rarely stays or returns.

I cannot say it is external links causing that but I am sure it does not help. When a member joins here it should be to join here not get taken away by a link posted by another member. We post links here at GS but they are for usefull information to other members. The link is read and that is it and if it helped someone then it has done some good and the member closes the tab and no harm is done. The harm is done by continuous forum topics that are just leads to open up a new window and taking attention away from this website. Any forum topic can be typed just as I am doing right now or copy and paste which I never do. Minus any link the topic in type format creates debate and that is what needs to be considered here at all times. A forum base that is here for everyone to use and to come back to for information and support. Those are the things that makes this website unique from others. Allowing others to take that away will one day rip the heart out of this website.

Take care xxx

Edit: I did put my account back to full member. This website gained double money from me because I cannot and will not use it for free. It means to much to me.