Read What This Guy Says About Hubpages on Xomba

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   Barbara Kayposted 13 years ago

   You need to read these negative comments about Hubpages. If you are a member of Xomba, please comment on his article.
   
   http://www.xomba.com/dangers_content_farms

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      Michael Willisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Looks like the writer is writing about his own work!

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         Barbara Kayposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Good point.

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      Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm a somewhat inactive member on Xomba.  I don't do much on there.   I actually have a couple of kind-of-good earners on there in spite of my lack of activity.
      
      First, the guy who wrote that seems to misinterpreted what "elite" means on HubPages - so that's one thing.
      
      Second, he appears to think because he got an "A" in English that's enough.  If he really cared about his writing, the way he'd like people to think he does; he wouldn't give up so easily.  He wouldn't worry about the search engines.  He'd also learn more about the whole online writing process and picture.  In other words, he gave up so easily it would lead one to think he isn't committed to writing the way he thinks he is; and he's way too think skinned and way to looking to blame everyone and everything else for his own lack of traffic or earnings.
      
      It looks to me like this guy is feeling bad for himself and seeing himself a big victim. 
      
      Having said that, I think, in ways, he's right about not feeling very motivated to write "the height of excellence and professionalism" online.  The thing is, though, that someone who comes up with good writing/good Hubs can find that his writing does earn.  As with so many things in life, it does take work, patience, and time.  Nobody's going get "Big Bucks" a week after posting 3 articles online.
      
      I suspect that guy isn't feeling very comfortable to know that his kind of "content-farm" articles are now notoriously being "slapped"; and I think he's justifying the fact that that's what he's been writing to himself and anyone who associates his "farmer" articles with his name. I suspect he's also angry that his earnings have probably been knocked way down.
      
      The thing on Xomba is essentially a rant (but not an openly angry, venting, one).  It's a rant disguised as a victim's story.  He has some points, and he's playing them to the hilt; but he hasn't told the whole story (or experienced it, maybe and in fairness to him) with his rant.

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         Mishaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         If HP Team has chosen to assign a proprietary meaning to the word "elite", this does not mean that the rest of the world have any idea about it. This is not the first time it bites them in the back, and I think not the last either.

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            Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I'm not sure it really bit them back.  To me, the point was that this individual showed how unfamiliar with HP he is (otherwise he'd have known what "elite" means on here).  To me, his reference to "elite" just gives off a sign that he doesn't know much about HubPages or how things work - and yet he feels free to drag HP's name into his rant.

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               Mishaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Oh, absolutely, I think that's the human nature. The less we know about something, the more we tend to bash it, so this guy is hardly unique in that

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               Eaglekiwiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I only relised what the elite meant (via a post by frogs) today.
               
               Its just one of those things that never bothered me ,then it got my attention ,then it didnt bother me again.
               
               Like school days I guess,some got to wear the Monitor badge,some didnt ,even though the majority of us were all worthy

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            bgamallposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Oh I don't know Misha. A giant squid is intimidating. Any people set apart are going to be intimidating to some people.

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               Mishaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               True dat. But two wrongs don't make right, do they?

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      Mark Knowlesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This person does have a point though. As a writer - it is frustrating to spend hours on an article, and then have no one come and read it - yet some spin doctor garbage advertorial on the Wall Street Journal gets read millions of times.
      
      I have even had one of my websites blocked in the Middle East for telling the truth about the financial mess there and the amount of people getting ripped off buying property that will be worth a tenth of what they paid for it. I get an email from a pal of mine in Saudi telling me he cannot get to my site any more because the Government Inc blocked it.
      
      Now I write about stuff that makes money instead. Very frustrating.

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2. 70

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Why are you giving this person a backlink to his/her article?
   
   Now, you've helped them via Hubpages, when doing nothing was actually better. You brought attention to it also, which mean, even if people don't comment in this forum, they might actually follow the link and give the article traffic.

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      Barbara Kayposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I hadn't really thought about the traffic he gets from it. Sorry about that. It just made me angry.

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         rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         If you want, just copy the address and delete the link.

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            Barbara Kayposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I'm not sure how to edit a question once I posted it.

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               bgamallposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Click on the word more and other options will open up.

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   Aficionadaposted 13 years ago

   But everyone who has copied the original comment is also perpetuating the backlink - or adding more?  If the comments can still be edited, it would be nice to break the links.
   
   EDIT:  Ah, Cagsil, I see that you noticed and did it at the same time I posted this.  Good for you!

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   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   And, now there are three links in this forum, back to the article.

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   Randy Godwinposted 13 years ago

   I forgot, Cags!  Deleted it! 

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   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Hey Lisa,
   
   I take it you didn't read the thread before you posted?

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      Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      None of this stuff was on here when I started reading and writing, and I didn't check back to see what else showed up.  The thread was pretty still when I saw it.  The link thing did occur to me, but - I don';t know - sometimes I don't want to be worried about whether someone gets my measly click.  Worse than that has been given much followed links on the forums here.

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I just thought I would ask.

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            Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            No harm in that.  I suppose if I'd seen the posts that were showing up while I was writing (and I should have looked), I may not have bothered.  It just looked empty, and I couldn't resist.   

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         Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         It's not just your measly click, Lisa.  You've given him a backlink, which is many times more valuable.

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            Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            It's still not anything I feel like worrying about, though.  When I'm on the Internet I'm pretty much only on here, shopping, checking my e.mails, or maybe doing (the dreaded) rating on you-know-where.    Occasionally, I'll go do something with some profile I have set up somewhere but usually ignore.  Once in awhile I'll venture off HubPages and click a link that shows up in the forums.      I don't mean to make light of what some people would frown on, but sometimes a person has to "go a little wild" and click the occasional link that kind of interests me. 

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               Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               But what you do on the internet is totally irrelevant to the point, Lisa.
               
               Google judges the value of a site (or page like this one) by the number of other sites which link TO it.
               
               Every time you link to a site, you are raising its reputation in Google's eyes.  Therefore, by reproducing the link to that guy's Xomba post in your reply, you're giving him a benefit.
               
               The OP shouldn't have provided a live backlink and you may not realize you reposted it?

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   recommend1posted 13 years ago

   It is clear that the guy who wrote this is not so well informed, however, it may be representative of how a newbie could view this site. 
   
   There is some truth in the number of perfectly written totally bland and not very informative content on hubpages, and this applies to a proportion of the 'top' writers stuff which is pure extended advertising.  I hasten to add - not all, or even a majority - but certainly a significant percentage.  There could even be a good argument for this kind of writing as a form of advertising. 
   
   The main point the newb raised was about wrting, as in writing for writing sake, and who would especially bother with that on a money making site anyway?

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   C.V.Rajanposted 13 years ago

   Let me put my hand on my chest, take a deep breath and say : "What that chap said is not totally out of place".

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   Sufidreamerposted 13 years ago

   Have to agree - there is a grain of truth there. However, content farms are only a symptom of the underlying problem. The search engines lie at the root, and they changed the nature of writing with the emphasis towards money above all else.
   
   It is a long time since I wrote for pleasure or because I had something to say, rather than attracting search engine hits.

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10. 79

    skyfireposted 13 years ago

    Elite or non-elite, many members attack on newbies when they post threads for help. I'm not surprised if anyone thinks some elites appear negative in tone. I do see some negativity from even non-elites on forums when hubbers ask for help or want to take burden off. Take a look at recent negative attack on personal writing on hubpages. If personal opinion is banned here then please stop sharing personal success stories on blog. I'm sure hub-hopping from these type of people affects some good content. Remove the "personal" variable from this site and all that you can get here is MFA site. By the way, ranting is not allowed on xomba. I got my account blocked for ranting religious stuff. I'm damn sure if this person continues to do that again then surely he'll receive ban in next few weeks.

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       EmpressFelicityposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       +1
       
       I don't get why the HP team is coming down so hard on "personal" hubs - surely they've got enough real crap to weed out?

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          Eaglekiwiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I think when it all comes  down to it Empress ,HP has to bow to Goggle ,just like everyone else has to
          
          Just so happens the people with the most money call the shots-bit like Government 'init

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