Really dislike the new in-text automatic links!

Saw one (or I should say many) yesterday and wondered "what on earth" and then realized after getting a few and box doesn't close unless you close it! Don't mean to be rude but most posters and lurkers here have already explored those topics and are looking for personal, hands-on information ... so yes, they can do away with them!:rolleyes:

When I signed up for service, did I agree to endorse products I've never used/read? Because that's what these links do. It's like putting words in my mouth Could we at least get a list of words so that we can do something like write b0nding, in order to prevent our words to be an implied endorsement. I'd hate to have to put a tag line at the end of my posts, saying any hyperlinks in the post are not endorsed by the author.

I'm glad they've now changed it so they don't look like normal links anymore. Originally you couldn't tell the difference between a link the author put in and a link that was put in automatically, and now you can. But it's still a link in something I wrote, advertising a product I am not talking about. At least pop-ups can be turned off on your individual computer if you so choose. These links have stayed no matter what products I've tried. Maybe it would be better to change the ads on the side of the page to be relevant to the particular words used in the post. At least that would not give the impression that the author was promoting those products.

As has been pointed out, there have been changes made so it doesn't seem like the author of the post is endorsing a product. These links are, though, a lot different than user entered links since there is a pop-up from the link. Other text links don't have the pop-up. Shortly, it will be understood by all that those types of links are not user generated. Suggestions for improving this new feature are welcome. Either post here, email or PM me. DianeS, most of the sponsors are in some way related to the forum they are in. If you see something that is terribly out of place, please PM me. :) Thanks!

Kiwi, thanks for making the change. Could you post the list of words/phrases that will come up with the links?

No, I am sorry, that cannot be provided. However, if you do see them coming up in inappropriate places (such as the example of the teen pregnancy) let me know about that as well. This is a very new thing and needs some work. Your help is appreciated.

The title of the pop-up was changed to "sponsored product" so it is more apparent that you are not recommending it yourself. Any other suggestions?

I have to say that I am NOT happy about these links at all!!! I completely understand that what I write here is NO LONGER really My words they belong to the site and I don't mind leaving them here BUT I do not like the words I leave here being attached to information that I either have not read or may not agree with or could in any way be confusing to the reader. KIWI--I don't know how this is going to change my choice of words and/or how careful I attepmt to correct my misspellings... Personally, I attempted to see where these links went and found the loading time to make it too painful.... I don't like the idea that ANYONE would think I would say something and then click on my words and find contradictory or opposing information.... This will possibly lead others to think that I have said something I never intended to say.... Not sure I will say as much anymore--or include info that is NOT generally supported..... or whatever it ends up being.... Is it possible for me to add a notation in my signature that I am not responsible for the content of a link out of my words? And while we are talking about the site I would like to ask how long the edit time limit is going to be applied--It seems to me this is going to be the standard from here on out and not an exception that was placed due to the problems which caused it to be started? If we are going to continue to have an edit time limit is there any possiblity of adding a spell check to the posting process--I realize there are methods to spell check now requiring cut and past into and out of the site....but it is painful....and sometimes I simply don't.... Anyway--I guess it is really starting to be a matter of being even more careful about my choice of words.......

I Don't use Yahoo--I Don't use MSN. I am a writer.... (not an editor) So where I lose control of my words I must weigh out how far I am willing to allow the lose to go.... I haven't minded giving away my words here... For free and without profit to me... I haven't minded the loss of copyright protection that most avenues of writing offer because I knew and agreed to the terms of service of this site when I joined it... But I do have to say that I have a problem when my words are used to market and sell products I may or may not have read myself..... And I don't really have a problem paying for a site like this one. That might just be me--but, I have found that in most cases I do get what I pay for....

I also would not mind if my words were linked to info that helped...like say if I was writing about sibling groups and the link went to a place with a larger resource of info--such as rates of disruptions and other issues people need to think about...except that this link goes out to ONE book that talks about LARGE sibling groups and in the context I saw this link the post was about two children not a large sibling group... Fact is that siblings of two have the highest rate of disruptions...and the families adopting large groups have actually had lowere rates of disruption... If my post were to be talking about sibling groups I would want anyone clicking on it to find info about small and large groups and real facts about adoption of sibling groups.... as that info would be supportive and meet the meaning of this site.... also when I wrote this post I wanted to say up above ept that this link goes out to ONE book talking about adoption of LARGE sibling groups and in the context I saw this link the post was about two children not a large sibling group... and the hot link there was completely out of context--I was not trying to discuss 'Talking about adoption" I was talking about a book that would talk about the adoption of a large sibling group....so the hot link ends up going to a pointless meaningless in context fact--HOW DISTRACTING to a new member here!