Recommendations from 1st time posters

[Narnia]

This is of particular interest to me currently, elsewhere. It's not unheard on the forum for less than 100% genuine posts/threads to be written/created. Due to my experience of using this forum I tend to be suspicious of these as Admin has found several of this nature in the past. I don't particularly want to feel like the eejet who will believe anything that's been written and am now perhaps too cynical. Do you have a view on this subject?

[Ladymuck]

Sorry Narnia...I am not clear...are you referring to "trolling"?

[????]

Declan, were you bothered about it when that bloke with the Spurious science on Diabetes or whatever it was posted up a cut and paste of a standard sales spiels with links to his book/website...and claimed he'd "just moved into the area" here? Many on here defended his blatant sales pitch (let alone his rubbish), I can't remember where you were on this? I'm cynical but on the whole find them quite a laugh. I think there should be a gallery of the best.

[????]

No ladyM it's the

"Ive just had a fantastic lunch and drink in the Dog & Duck great service and ambience and very good value too...far better than the posinous rubbish that the staff spit into that you get at the Kings Head" from a first time poster.

[louisiana]

I think Narnia is referring to 1st time posters who are recommending something... that often ends up being connected to the poster.

Yes, first-time poster recommending anything should be taken with a pinch of salt. In any case, if they've never posted on EDF before, how are you to judge whether their recommendations are worth anything at all? They could be the type of people who - God forbid - sell their story to the News of the World and eat nothing but Bounty bars. B)

[Narnia]

Well LM I don't believe I'm referring to trolling but it may depend how you define it. The question is meant to be taken as it is written.

Quids, I don't know that one or at least don't remember it. What's your name then eh?

[katie1997]

I highly recommend katie1997 gardening services (saturdays only).

For a huge fee, paid in advance directly to my bank account, I will promise not to go anywhere near your precious plants, shrubs, flowers, wildlife pond and vegetable patch*.

I am new to the area and this is my first post but I doubt you will find a more attractive - and effective - deal elsewhere. Winter discount coming soon!!!

*for their continued good health

[Ladymuck]

Ah...Ok...thanks Quids/louisiana.

In that case...if people are posting fibs in order to obtain some sort of advantage - then that cannot be right (IMO). However, in the case of some "trolls", although I could slap them one for potentially wasting my time and/or possibly making a fool out of me, I do find that some of the resulting threads turn out to be a real hoot. We've had a couple of late - I laughed and laughed...priceless!

[Narnia]

(Hi Katie1997)... I've used Katie1997 for several Saturdays now and found her deal very attractive. She may be slightly more expensive than other non gardening services but her attractiveness makes it worth it. In fact I'm thinking of posting about her in the 'People I like thread'. I can't wait for Winter.

[DJKillaQueen]

The best one had to be the window cleaner pretending to be a happy customer recommending his company. The OP had the username of said company...remember that one?

Of course as window cleaners go, he wasn't a pathc on Katie's gardening services!

[katie1997]

On a serious note narnia, yes I agree that first time postings for recommendations can appear to be suspicious but ... am sure that this is not always the intention or the case.

Sometimes someone may have been so enthused by the product/services, that they may have wished to share this as an expression of goodwill towards that business and to help others.

Tbh, sometimes recommendations from 'established' posters can be taken with a pinch of salt too as we are all so diverse, what one of us considers to be excellent (eg. Sunday lunch/coffee etc) may be far removed from our own opinion.

[katie1997]

I would also like to recommend the gardening services mentioned on this thread, I have no connection with the business.

[DJKillaQueen]

I will recommned them although I have never used them because Katie recommends them and I like her.....(tu)

[Narnia]

I take your point Katie but I would be more interested in hearing from someone who has posted for a while. A first time poster who starts a thread to recommend someone may be enthused by a product/service but not having anything else to read from that poster you don't know if they are genuine or not.

[Ladymuck]

Seriously though, I have used quite a few people recommended from here...and I only used them because they had received many a recommendation from many an established poster. Two that stand out are Alex (for oven repairs) and Ludoscotts (seamstress).

Katie is right though in that in some cases (e.g. best coffee), it is a matter of opinion...I mean, it's all a bit subjective.

Bye the way, I too can recommend Katie7993 (or was is Katie 7132) for her services...

(PS: Katie2839...never mind your services, I hope you are applying your make-up at the moment!);-)

[louisiana]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The best one had to be the window cleaner

> pretending to be a happy customer recommending his

> company. The OP had the username of said

> company...remember that one?

>

> Of course as window cleaners go, he wasn't a pathc

> on Katie's gardening services!

My fave was the one (last month) who (it turned out) sold their story to the News of the World and ate nothing but Bounty bars, selling childcare. I think most people missed it as it was all happening in the About this forum section. But while Admin challenged with all the facts at his fingertips and let the whole thing run (several days), it was a hoot.

[ruffers]

I'm always immediately suspicious of any low count recommendations and have been known to google whois etc to see if domain name owners are anything like user names, and I'm not shy of letting admin know.

Having said that have you ever been asked to recommend a business by its owner? As such I try to avoid steaming in. If I was a small local business and had a happy customer I may well ask them to recommend me on here, and if that was a new user then it may well look suspicious. I might even let them use my computer to log in and create their account and now it's the same IP address so looks really dodgy. I might even make some suggestions as to what they should say and now it looks really really dodgy, even though they volunteered to recommend me.

I guess I'm saying suspicion is natural but accusations can be harsh.

[louisiana]

I can absolutely recommend chocolate hobnobs. In fact I've eaten half the packet. :)

[Mick Mac]

Narnia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Quids, I don't know that one or at least don't

> remember it. What's your name then eh?

It's Fred, i think.

[Narnia]

Oh...........I thought it might be Paddy or maybe Billy.

[Jah Lush]

Tut tut...????'s real name is Stirling. Surely you knew that?

[Ladymuck]

Ahem...Mr. Lush...I think you meant Sterling?...(or maybe not)...

*tutts three times*

[karter]

i would like to recommend katie1978657.48 and LadyMuck for getting me and my mate completely trollied last night.(tu)

Recommended peeps.

[Narnia]

Jah Lush Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Tut tut...????'s real name is Stirling. Surely you

> knew that?

Is he a bit of a rolling stone?

[Narnia]

There a good one currently in the family section advertising 'Bespoke Cakes'.