I use Propeller, and have not had any problems in the past.  But I don't use it on a regular basis.

The problem with these Web 2.0 sites with Squidoo is two fold as I see it.

One, we have over a half a million lenses that all start with http://www.squidoo.com/ yourwordhere

So when 100 or 200 lensmasters go to any other web 2.0 place in a short time and only post one lens each!  To the receiving web site it looks like 200 squidoo spam lenses just arrived by air mail.  While this is legitimate web traffic, it would appear as spam if one doesn't understand the bigger picture.

The second problem is this:  One lensmaster finds out about a  place like Propeller for the first time, but they have build several tens of lenses so they go out because it is so easy to write a single sentence, and post a link to anywhere from 10 to 100's of their lenses all at one time!  This is definitely crossing a spam line IMO.

So I think you can see the delima from their point of view.  They need to have a better understanding of what type of animal Squidoo exactly is to be able to accurately discern what is going on.

Last week we had a huge bru ha ha over on Wis.dom on this exact type of thing, and I got involved to try and explain things to their admin.  After the situation was explained in full and a few well placed arguments stated; the whole thing was cleared up and I expect history by now.

So all of us from the Squidoo side of the world need to understand that we as individuals are a small part of a huge web 2.0 Goliath machine that makes a big foot print when it walks.  It is easy to trample the little daises out there.

All of us from the Squidoo side of the world need to be aware of how we are percieved because of sheer numbers of different lenses with the same lead in URL.

All of us from the Squidoo side of the world need to get involved in a non confrontational but understanding and firm footing to be able to intelligently state our case on the forums on those sites when issues arise that cast us in an unfair light.

So far I think we are doing a pretty good job, but there are always the unlearned that will go to a site, not knowing any better, and submit a ton of lenses at one time.

For those who read this post, I think we just need to be educated on a bigger picture to know how to proceed with any site when it comes to placing links back to our lenses.

The last point; but, certainly not the end of the story is this.  When we go out to other sites we need to participate in the spirit of the community we are involved with, and we need to participate in a relevant way with relevant links.

To go out on a different site, make a short statement that adds no value to the conversation about life in Tim Buck Two and leave a link back to a totally irrelevant lens on the cost of shoes in Disney Land; IMO doesn't say much and causes more damage than it is worth.

So in closing I would just say take a look at the bigger picture and try and make a positive difference. 

I know each and every one of us does that on a moment by moment basis anyway.

Hi,
You know what it all boils down to is that every one out here without exception literally hates SPAM!

So when someone even smells the slightest hint of it through ignorance, or just plain lack of caring.  They are quick to shoot from the hip and go off the deep end; and in doing so more times than not go way over board.

Your points on ways to handle the situation are right on!  As you pointed out Redditt has a method in place that seems fairly rational.  While others seem to want to turn into the WEB GESTAPO and totally ban anything that remotely resembles the offenders actions.

The one or two occasions out here where I have had info about someone from our side crossing a line else where.  Really amounted to an over zealous newbee that was out to promote their very first lens and only web site they had ever built!

They plastered that thing tons of times in the same forum with the same post just cut and paste over and over and over again thinking ignorantly that they were building a boat load of backlinks to their lens.

We laugh at that and realize how shallow that is, but hey, when your totally new to the web business, you are dumb and ignorant.  So what does anyone expect?  I have found that once they are corrected and given a little friendly coaching, that they never screw up like that again.

The repeat offenders are usually after a couple of warnings totally cut off from everyone everywhere.

One might say so what, they will just get new accounts with new logins.  Well maybe in some places, but most are tracking IP addresses for one thing, and two that means any work that thy have done in one place gets flushed right down the drain.

I think that the Web 2.0 thing is brand new to a lot of folks and education on web etiquette is long over due. 

I also think that we do a very good job at trying to stay pro active when we discern a problem on the horizon in mitigating the damage by quickly dealing with the problem at hand.  Some times to our own cost, but it sometimes becomes necessary to take a hit to avoid a collision down the road.

I appreciate your comments and incite.

Loyalis wrote:

You might want to try starting a blog about your lens topic at http://squidtop.com and writing an informative 'tips' post on your topic and link to your lens from there. You could then submit the squidtop URL to propeller. Just a thought. I'm not sure if this works with blogger/WP et al anymore or not...

Thanks for the tip, Cap'n! BTW, I tried leaving a comment on one of your posts at CaptainSquid.com, but the site appears to hang after submitting (no confirmation or anything, just a blank screen). I don't suppose this is the intended behavior, so I wanted to make you aware of it.