Thread: I need you guys' opinions.

There are over 1,000,000 licenced Real Estate Agents in the country. The Real Estate industry is changing at an amazing rate. I know since we are all a part of it it seems as though it is changing too slow, but in the bigger scheme of things, the changes are exponetial and we will change a lot more before we are done.

If REW is concerned with people sharing ideas, then he shouldn't have started a free forum for the exchange of ideas. He was one of the first and is the biggest but when we says other forums stole his ideas, he is mistaken. When you look at starting a forum, you are going to see what others are doing and see what works. Why reinvent the wheel?

That doesn't mean that these other forums copied him, it means that he had an idea and people saw the advantages, and got into the business themselves adding their own variations to the same theme.

Look at any service based industry, The information provided is virtually the same but with a different spin.

If anything, All these other forums are doing is validating a method of communication.

this is the first part of my two cents.....more later

I think that I have visited that forum only 3 or 4 times. I read the thread, and to me it sounds like whining.

Stealing categories? C'mon - there are thousands of forums in thousands of sectors that have the same headings.

Poaching members? Whatever happened to freedom of speech and freedom of choice?

Content theft? I can't comment. The webmaster did not post any examples and links for me to draw any conclusions.

Which forum was he talking about?

About http://www.prorealestatenetwork.com

I kinda see his point...

Whatever happend to being creative. How hard is it to rename something in your own words. Directly coping someones work is pure lazyness. If someone started a forum about surfing and copied all of my categories i would be a little irritated. Seriously guys. If you created your own custom real estate slogan and some other fool in town started using the same thing you would be put off. Lets all be honest and not kiss any a@# .

After comparing those 2 forums side by side, I do see quite a bit of copying that was going on. Enough for me to say that it was wrong for them to do that. I don't see any problem with anyone deciding to start a real estate forum on their own, just keep it original.

I myself have formed somewhat of an opinion and appreciate all of your input. I love first of all that EVERYONE here is free to speak their minds and it will always be that way.

Keep it coming

I just took a look and have noticed that parts are copied word for word from REW.

Me and my partners have unanimously decided that we want no association with the other forum and want to encourage the owners to either take it down or make significant changes.

I personally am offended that I was asked to support the forum when it was blatantly ripping off parts of realestatewebmasters.
My forum will keep running the way it does but I will not stand for anything unethical.

We have a web development company and one thing I know is that image and reputation go long ways.

It was a shock for me to see what I saw and am also considering changes at realestateforum.com due to it.

once again, I made a mistake a few months ago letting people influence me too much but from now on I will do what I believe is right.

Thank you everyone for giving me your opinions thru PMs.

You can discuss the issue further if you wish.


Mike

If I seem upset it is because I was asked to help and support something that I cannot believe in, that is where my shock is coming from. I believe in loyalty but not being set up like this.