Excellent message!

I for one am glad I can get out of my clownsuite for a while. After four days of reading up on things about online malpractices, mlm and seo the suit was more than ready to be tossed in the washing machine. Poor Squircky just fell asleep on my lap. We spent about 2 hours trying to untangle his tentacles. A well... all in a days work i guess.

I was very impressed by Megan's posting and I feel that things will return to normal soon. I would also like to thank a lot of people I have been in contact with discussing a wide variety of topics. Even the flaming wars on the forums and in the lens were quite fun in a really twisted perverted way. There is no need to add more fuel to the fire now I think. The Squidoo firebrigade is on it's way - they've had the badges for a long time now - and i'm sure Damon can fix some things with a mere flick of his magic wand. Squidulus Reparo

So what will happen to poor little Scammbuster and Squircky now? Nothing much for the moment. Even Superman spent most of his time walking around as Clark kent. I can't wait to add some more content to my real lenses and build some fresh ones. I somehow didn't have time to do that lately.

The Scammbuster Lens will tone down a bit. The Plexo will be removed. Scammbuster will keep reading up and posting updates on parasite seo 2.0, videosense, clickfraud and lame things like that. I've read so many disturbing things about other communities being ripped to shreds lately that it will still be important to identify and deal with it as soon as possible. I'll try to be ahead of them. Squidoo deserves better than becoming the next blogspot or myspace. There will always be a tiny  red phone on my desk and I will keep my eyes on the sky. Unless needed the knitted woolen cape remains in the closet.

I think we should prove to the public that terms like SPlenses (spamlenses) and Spamdoo were coined based on some incidents and will not become the best way to refer to our community. It will take time, effort, blood, sweat, tears and most of all content to pull that off. 

And please keep Squidzilla under the hat for a while KCStargazer.... Squircky needs some time off.

megancasey wrote:

If you're reading this, it means you're an active part of SquidU and Squidoo and a vital part of the community.

I'm important

Soren

Maybe now we can spend some time checking out lenses and leaving behind a little love? I get all giddy when I get a new comment on my lenses, so I try to leave them for others, too. Let's reward content! I'm all for that...

It's a strange situation that just happened with Gil locking down the other thread ("Scammbuster to the rescue!!!") and saying that everybody had their opportunity to express their views.

Well, the main players involved in the heated exchange had, but what about other lensmasters?

I'm sure many people have their opinions and comments - can we express them?

By the way, this censorship case is very rare and although I support freedom of speech, I would like just a little-little bit more of it - maybe in form of moderating - to avoid "phantom" Forum discussions that have only one objective - to show own links (algorithm at work?). I know, we're all sinners and everybody is trying to learn and show other people own existence, but sometimes it gets a bit too far.

So, yes, some kind of moderating I think would be good. PLUS it would help to avoid such heated exchanges that we just had here. By the way, I also think that some people forget that there are other forms of communication that can be used - like email, contact form, etc. That's what I do, for example, when I see that somebody's lens is not working or that something else is not OK.

I'm afraid that the "outside world" might have seen recently that we have a problem down here at Squidoo. However, it's so laudable that the Squidoo HQ reacted quickly with this "inspired by Margaret Schaut the People's Picks" as one of the ways to improve our lovely community.

I think it's very nice that Margaret's contribution got recognized by that because there were some people - both who have published lenses and those who don't - who were trying to discredit her and Arend-Jan who also tried very hard to show the recent activities that were (still are) so detrimental to the public perception of Squidoo and its real value.

What they did, wasn't their looking for attention, creating controversies or else so that their lenses get more traffic and have higher rankings. Lenses like "1963 Corvette Grand Sport" and "Tokio Hotel" don't need controversies to get to the 1st page of Google… They are already there! But that's why I have great admiration and respect for them for all that they did - risking wrath from established, well-connected groups. They knew that they would be thrown at with mud and false accusations, but they still did that… Why? Because they know that Squidoo concept is so unique and so useful - especially for people who maybe don't have great computer skills, but have passion and intimate knowledge about unique things worth to be shared with other people.

Now, were Margaret and Arend-Jan right in fighting those who within couple days conquered the Top 100? Well, it's up to anybody to decide, whether for example advice given in "Automating Squidoo, fresh content Daily" (by thevideosense  - http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-autopilot/) is or isn't against the Squidoo TOS. We can also look at those video lenses - how much value that kind of content adds to Squidoo - a place that provides the highest quality information and entertainment.

Naturally, there is a question if it's possible to keep under one umbrella all kinds of lenses… I doubt it as there always will be difference between profit and not-for-profit. Margaret tried in her "By Invitation" lens to separate the Squidoo lenses into two groups - commercial and non-commercial, but I think it can only be done at the Squidoo HQ level because we have Adsense ads at each lens that are important to Squidoo revenue to cover some expenses and to gather money for charities. And almost everybody has Amazon modules that also are expected to bring some money one day.

So what can be done? Maybe that new ranking inspired by Margaret will divide the lenses somehow? Did I say divide the lenses? Yes, of course - lenses, not lensmasters; we don't need another fight! But this requires a set of rules - agreed upon by the Squidoo community… Will we have any brainstorming on that?

What is important, I believe, is that everybody should know exactly all the rules and be able to apply them. It is not so now with the algorithm and people are trying on their own to find it out - spending their time on technicalities, finding the best ways to get exposure and tons of traffic. All at the expense of what? You guess it - instead of making smart, beautiful, entertaining lenses with high-quality content!

But wait a second… I remember well that there were other voices - what is all that noise about Top 100, star rankings, etc. They were saying it's not important, we should be concentrating on making lenses only, etc. I disagree… It's just normal that people want: first - to be recognized for great job they are doing and second - to be able to compare their work with other people so that they can be better and have better satisfaction from what they do.

Unfortunately, current Squidoo rankings don't do that… That's why I liked what Margaret started (in fact she was doing even more before that - by providing such great job at the Mall group, but she was simply spammed by the scammers and simply got angry…). And that's why I'm so impressed and happy that Squidoo will have People's Picks.

There is one more little thing I have to mention - that I think is also necessary if we want this new idea work. I know it requires some effort at the HQ, but otherwise we won't have a level playing field.

So, could we, please, finally get rid of stuff like "Lenses We Like" at the SquidU home page or "STILL MORE ROCKIN' PLEXO LENSES " at the Plexodex, at some other things like that? I think it's especially important for those who are just starting and would like to know what really are the best lenses to learn the lenscrafting from.

I would personally send them to Margaret's lenses - like "David" or "corvette" (there are obviously some more good ones by Margaret and by other lensmasters) - and study just everything that's there, including content and usage of modules. And only after that I would publish my lenses and asked others to come to rate my lenses. Actually, if I remember well, it's exactly what I did…

Peace To All!

If you had bothered looking at my Blog it should have been immediately clear that I hardly have had any time doing anything besides surfing, typing, site and lensbuilding. The same goes for Margaret. I think I went out on a limp one night once to one star KC.'s lenses after she admitted making the tellman ones. I think i gave up halfway trough. But that was in the beginning when the whole thing started and I still had some time on my hands. As for some one stars on videosense related lenses.. well they actually just deserve one. Take a look at my Blog and find out. I don't have the time to start argueing here again at the moment. I don't feel like it either.

Arend-Jan wrote:

If you had bothered looking at my Blog it should have been immediately clear that I hardly have had any time doing anything besides surfing, typing, site and lensbuilding. The same goes for Margaret. I think I went out on a limp one night once to one star KC.'s lenses after she admitted making the tellman ones. I think i gave up halfway trough. But that was in the beginning when the whole thing started and I still had some time on my hands. As for some one stars on videosense related lenses.. well they actually just deserve one. Take a look at my Blog and find out. I don't have the time to start argueing here again at the moment. I don't feel like it either.

I don't have time to argue, either and I really don't care, but you are telling me that after you ran a crusade to 1 star all lenses that you felt where not up to your standards then you did not 1 star any. Come on. There is another post in the introductions section where you admitted to 1 starring a lense just because the lensmaster asked for a review, stating you gave it just for begging.

The bottom line is you got angry and jumped to conclusions without any facts and as a result you attacked innocent people with your fury and caused those people harm.

I admit I have not read your blog, nor do I care to as it is not the type of blog I read. Build one such as Darren Rowse's problogger.net or Steve Pavlina's Development for Smart people and I'll beat your door down, but not for something that is probably negative.

Well all the best

Bruce

Stop vegetable cruelity! Eat more meat!

Soren

I love meat.


Oh, and BTW, just for the record, getting a good ranking is not all that hard to do. KEEPING a good ranking on the other hand, is.

Squidoo is a great community, and there are countless great lenses. I for one am happy to be here and hope to contribute and share anything I learn.

I am not in favor of Squidoo vigilante groups, but I commend the participants (AJ/Scamm and Margaret) for standing up for what they believe is right...Actually they were responsible for my lens to jump up to 165 in just a few days! Thanks!


Good luck to all, love this place...

Mud

Last edited by Mud (01/17/2007 10:22 am)

I want to try to clear up a misunderstanding here about when I DO give 1 stars.  This is primarily a response to having completely inappropriate lenses submitted to one of my groups.  I rate every lens I see that comes to me through a request to join my group. 

If someone gets a 1 star from me, but then improves their lens and resubmits it to the group, I am able to give more stars.  Once I've voted a lens 5 stars, I can't do it again.  That's what is reserved for the best of the best lenses.  But a 1 star is NOT the end of the story, and anyone who has received a 1 star from me need not think I was just being nasty. 

I take my groups, especially the Mall, very seriously because I want to market the mall, bring outside traffic to it, and I work VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY on that project.  There is no joy for me, and no benefit to the over 200 lenses in the Mall, by having piles of lenses apply that simply aren't suitable to the Mall.

If you received a 1 star from me and you feel it is unjust, you are welcome to email me and ask me why I gave it to you, to see what  I need from you  to improve the ranking I give you.

No lens makes it into the Mall on Squidoo group unless I can find some way to  give it at least two stars.

To see my  reasoning, which I hope helps people build better lense, you  can see the Mall  Blog.  http://themallonsquidoo.blogspot.com   

This is a LOT of unremunerated work, time and effort.  I  do it because I believe that groups are the future of squidoo and that, as a community, we can all benefit each other. 

I hope this clears up the misunderstanding.  Best Regards!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congo lines of people playing these games.

Their only motivation to do this is lensrank.

When will  someone get the point?