For my part I try where ever possible not to mention specific brands, makers names or to identify products.

I will on occasions whisper these to an individual.

It would be a good idea if we could all adopt this approach and only talk in general or generic terms.

This makes it very much more difficult for those pushing their brand, I would hate this site to become an advertising "bill board".

What do you think? bearing in mind that we had a recent increase in ads.

Lots of people post questions asking for recommendtions. What's the problem with individuals recommending products or companies they have used before? Personal recommendation is about the only way to cut through the advertisers crap.

This is a difficult one. I was going to agree with Tony, but Colin and Tom have raise good points, hmmm - on the fence I think

I find it frustrating when specific products aren't mentioned in posts. I use this forum more as a practical resource for understanding and comparing approaches, tools and techniques for green building rather than for purely theoretical purposes. While some of the general discussion topics are interesting, I prefer information that I can practically apply to building a green home - and that includes specific product information.

Often we need a brand name to make the info fully meaningful. Thus I'm against outlawing them.

Perhaps all the forum members should be able to assign a beware symbol to any blatant advertising or fraudulent claims ... something like the smiley symbols but more obvious, IE the radioactive symbol or homer going doh

tom

The advertisers are always obvious and often quite entertaining, remember the completely sealed buildings chap?

Seriously though, perhaps leaving the trade name off the post thread could be a compromise.

If trade names were completely banned this would be a disaster. Some of us actually need to speak to real companies, specify real products, and buy stuff from people - one of the ideas of any Forum is free exchange of information - ask anything about anything

The need for commentary on individual products is essential in a world increasingly saturated with opportunist sales types flogging gear they only know about cos they just read the brochure.. (bitterness fresh from Interbuild!).

What about a requirement to express interests in your user profile?

J

Ooh! had another thought.

I know a forum where you can search for posts by username; instantly gives and idea of an individual's particular bias.

J

Some forums automatically stop you posting links/URLs until you have made 25 text only posts. That stops many spammers.

Keith, when you say certain brand names you're just opening up another can of worms. What are you going to allow in the place of ACROW props, STANLEY knives, MOLE grips, ALLEN Keys, FORMICA even STRAMIT boards, YOUNGMANS some of which you've just brought to site in your JEEP?
For clarity and remembering we're offering advice sometimes we just have to mention trade names. In the case of insulation for instance we should really talk generically about PUR, PIR, XPS, EPS, phenolic, mineral wool etc but try asking for these specifically in some outlets and you'll get simply whatever's in stock. Aerogel by the way is also a generic term. Aerogels are made by several manufacturers in different formats depending on the application and use

There is also the perhaps delicate issue of comparing different products and suppliers, which would become pretty impossible.

J