Can I make a post about...

In the 'Jobs and Career' thread titled "OPM - Jobs within the European Union," I mentioned that I have a book covering the whole subject... essentially, we're talking about getting hired by EU institutions, and I was offering to help people get their hands on this study guide via a simple post. My pitch was basically: if anyone wants to be better prepared for the entrance exams, just shoot me a DM because I can help you get the book with all the practice tests.
Is this actually allowed? The moderator, Brian Edwards6, told me that the administration's decision is final, so I’m really looking for some honest opinions on the matter. Also, I could use some help figuring out how to word a potential follow-up post so that other forum members don't feel insulted or start attacking me—which is why Brian Edwards6 had to step in to begin with.
Thanks in advance

Just tell me, are you still following this thread and the forum, or have you moved on? Are you even still around?

Am I following this thread? I don't get it... I mean, I definitely am... why do you ask?
ps. thanks for pointing me toward another perspective.. I really appreciate that.

Wait, my thread is locked?? What on earth does that mean??

You aren't exactly a newcomer here, so I assume you’ve had plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the rules.

Regarding the thread "OPM - Jobs for the European Union," you initially commented stating you were selling an exam prep book, only to clarify a few posts later that you are actually selling a copy while keeping the original for yourself. My mistake was failing to step in immediately, but once another user began poking at you and provoking you, the situation spiraled into mutual insults that went far beyond acceptable behavior. I ended up deleting your entire exchange from the beginning—including your initial comment about the book—and issued a warning, which you both chose to ignore in favor of continuing the verbal sparring. Consequently, both of you received a red card. We also exchanged several private messages, where I had to explain the situation to both parties. As I explained to you privately and as I am doing here, I couldn't allow the sale of a bootleg copy due to copyright protections, and I won't permit it moving forward. When you asked if advertising the actual book was allowed, I clarified that selling personal belongings is permitted on this forum; however, since we know you are peddling a copy, you won't be allowed to advertise the book at all. You weren't satisfied with that answer, so I directed you to ask here. You will certainly have your answer by tonight.

Since you haven't taken any of this seriously—evidenced by the fact that you created a second username just to return to the same thread and ask about the book—it's clear that the moderator warning, the red card, and our private discussions were ineffective. Therefore, you are being issued a 3-day ban from posting on the forum (your clone has been permanently banned). I will leave you enough time to respond to this specific post, but the OPM thread is temporarily locked and will remain so until this matter is resolved.

Fair enough.
I still think the way I phrased things: "if anyone wants better prep for the exam, DM me because I have a book of practice tests available" (and just to be crystal clear, I explicitly mentioned it was a copy, since there's zero point in lying and I don't need people coming after me like that other user did) isn't actually a violation of the rules. Just because you and I both know it’s a copy—and even if some deeper analysis might suggest it touches on certain moral gray areas—I don't think it's our job to play judge and jury on that. So, I’m asking if we can just "strike the mention of it being a copy from the record." Let me just state that I'm offering help with a book of practice tests, and leave it at that... I feel like that's a fair middle ground.
I accept the penalty, but I’m asking that you consider my suggestion. This isn't about making a quick buck, advertising, getting rich, or any of that predatory stuff. I'm happy to have my future posts on this thread monitored to prove I'm not being aggressive or problematic.
Thanks.

I’m certainly not suggesting you’re being aggressive, but after spending the entire afternoon trading barbs, I don't think there's much left to scrub from the record—everyone saw it all unfold, and given this is one of our most active threads, nothing is staying under the radar.

At the end of the day, we've both laid out our positions on the matter, and someone from the administration will step in to make a final call on this thread, likely later this evening.

Regarding the disciplinary action, the primary account has been issued a 3-day suspension, while the clone has received a permanent ban. If you have questions or wish to appeal, please head over to the ban corner.

The disputed thread has been unlocked. Please exercise some restraint for the next three days and refrain from creating any more clones (it’s pretty obvious you're looking up IP addresses to track devices); if you do, the suspension on your original account will be extended, or perhaps even made permanent.

In this case, I think Brian Edwards6 handled things the right way.

If you're selling an original copy, that's totally fine—though we do have the Marketplace section here on the forum which is basically built for that kind of thing. But hey, no biggie.

If I remember correctly, every book comes with its own copyright notice, which means unauthorized copying is a legal issue. This especially goes for anyone trying to mass-produce and sell bootleg copies. We don't allow that here because it's essentially illegal activity.

That said, there's nothing wrong with mentioning you own a specific book and letting people reach out via a thread or a DM if they want more details. It's just the public advertising of counterfeit copies that breaks our rules.

I’m basically asking the higher-ups for permission to make a post about a specific book I own regarding OPM recruitment exams. To be honest, Brian Edwards6 already told me to back off and stop mentioning anything related to this topic, otherwise, I'm looking at being penalized, having my posts wiped, getting blocked—the whole nine yards...
Even though the exam period is winding down and the book is relevant right now, I didn't want to cause any trouble until now. That said, I'm certain there are people here who would find this resource incredibly helpful. I’m hoping to get some guidance on how to phrase a statement that won't get me in trouble. Something like: "I have a copy of 'The Ultimate OPM Test Book 2012' available; if anyone needs it, please shoot me a DM so we can work out the details..." because if I just post that out of the blue, I know Brian Edwards6 is going to come after me again.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts, advice, or even just a quick rating on this.

As far as I’m concerned, given that you’re out here peddling bootleg copies of the book, it’s a hard pass from me.👎

Brian Edwards6 said:I explained the situation from the jump—both to you and here—stating that due to copyright protection, I couldn't allow you to sell a copy of the book, and I won't permit it moving forward either. Regarding whether you can advertise the sale of the book itself, I said personal sales (like selling your own stuff) aren't banned on the forum, but since we know you're selling a copy, advertising the book is off the table.

So anyway...
the other day I'm out photocopying some receipts and two cops walk in—one hands over a copy of "modernization of US government" by John K... I don't remember the exact details, but from what I gathered, the guy's just copying it for his daughter who's in law school. 🤣

And here we are acting all high and mighty, nitpicking over some copy that even the guy selling it had to pay for via the photocopy shop.

Who's actually policing the print shops cranking out copyrighted material?
The cops?
Yeah, sure, while they're busy handing over copyrighted books to their kids... ☕

Typical American logic—steal a candy bar, end up in jail; rob a factory, become a respected CEO.

And no, Brian Edwards6, don't tell me why we shouldn't report the cops, because the real issue lies with the print shops making a killing off copyrighted works.

Everyone knows it, too—they're just playing dumb.

But hey, let's keep coming for this guy here. Sure, the police are working overtime to stop this damn piracy, but if it doesn't work, it doesn't work—these print shops make the Sicilian Mafia look like toddlers... 🤣

p.s. You're a good person and an honest cop, and I get your frustration with the real world—when you can't "clean up these dens of evil" print shops in real life, you try to influence this ugly world a little through the forum. Damn, the little guy always gets screwed...

Maybe if book prices weren't such a joke, more people would actually buy them instead of just scanning them. This is especially true for college textbooks. Half of those books are basically just kindling, and God forbid you spend the $17 extra you'll pay at the print shop just to get a copy of that garbage.

Besides, piracy is banned everywhere on this forum. I don't see why selling copies of books should be any different—how is that any different from, say, selling a video game? If it's against the rules, then it’s against the rules for everything.

melloworca6 said:Maybe if textbook prices weren't so insane, more people would actually buy them instead of just making copies—especially when it comes to college books. Half those textbooks are barely worth the paper they're printed on; I mean, why drop $17 on copying something that’s basically junk?

Besides, piracy is banned everywhere on this forum, so I don't see why selling book copies should be any different. How is that any different from, say, selling a pirated video game? If it's against the rules, it should be against the rules for everyone.

I want to thank Morgan Booth70 for the support. And yeah, it's true—Brian Edwards6 was definitely staying on top of things and doing his job, while I was just being naive and too quick to let slip that we were talking about a copy of a book... if I hadn't said that, I probably would have gone through much more trouble just to figure out if a product was an original or a knockoff. Honestly, I highly doubt anyone here hasn't downloaded a movie or an album at some point, or that everyone is running strictly licensed software on their PCs. So why the massive crackdown on someone selling copies right here on the forum? It makes me wonder: have the moderators sworn an oath to the Constitution, or do they follow some special code or vow that turns them into those super-law-abiding drones from *Minority Report*?! IF they truly swore an oath on the Bible or the Constitution, then I totally get why they're so dedicated to banning me... but otherwise, so much stuff is allowed here that there's really no reason to turn a blind eye (to put it mildly) to the point where Daniel Ward87 is practically preaching at me while Brian Edwards6 keeps deleting my posts and blocking me.

Gregory Cooper5 said:...and there I was, being naive enough to let slip that it really is just a counterfeit book... if I hadn't said that, they probably would have gone through much more trouble to dig up the truth anyway....

Look, why don't you just come out and admit you're selling high-quality knockoffs? Just keep the price under a thousand bucks. In this country, once you stay under that threshold, you can practically get away with anything without the police even blinking. Even someone like Brian Edwards6 couldn't touch you at those prices—it’s just not worth the hassle over pocket change...

Gregory Cooper5 said:...

The first time your ad for counterfeit copies was pulled, it was because other users flagged it—right after an rather spirited debate broke out on the thread (if my memory serves me correctly). You came back here expecting a reprieve, but while the administration decided you could technically repost something similar, the community wasn't having it; they kept complaining right there in the thread. Since the friction wouldn't subside, the thread itself was removed. Following your case, several other ads for book replicas were scrubbed without any hesitation. My position remains unchanged: this is prohibited for everyone, including you.👍

Dana Reyes5 said:... as long as you have enough cash in this country, you can get away with just about anything without the police ever lifting a finger...

In this particular instance, the dollar amount is irrelevant.👍

Brian Edwards6 said:In this particular scenario, the actual dollar amount is irrelevant.👍

Oh, please. What a brilliant bit of logic you've cooked up here. If someone steals my bike, the police tell me, "It’s worth less than a thousand bucks, so go file a private lawsuit," yet the moment a guy copies a book to share knowledge, he's immediately branded a criminal. Honestly, you'd all be much better off hunting down my missing bicycle and leaving the man alone...

The police didn't come up with this idea themselves.👍

As for the whole notion of "spreading knowledge" by pirating and selling bootleg copies of books, I think I'll pass on commenting on that one.👍

Is it possible to get a second opinion from another admin? No offense intended, Brian Edwards6, but you’ve been digging your heels in on this one for a while now. You kept telling us to just file an official appeal, but now that we’re actually here, it feels like you’re still the only one with a microphone.
If the dollar amount doesn't matter, then what exactly does? Because here’s the thing: during the appeal process, the moderator told me my ad was perfectly fine. But then, right after someone pushed back—I think it was just suntze if I recall correctly—you went right back to deleting my posts! It makes it feel like the formal appeal process doesn't even matter; it all comes down to whatever the users on this forum think. And yet, when the community tells you that you're being way too harsh on low-budget ads, suddenly our opinions don't count either! 🤷
So, look: you sent me to the appeals process, they ruled that my ad was allowed in that specific format, and then you turned around and deleted it anyway. Now, months later, I’m asking again: what gives? It seems like there aren't any hard-and-fast rules here, so I don't see why there can't be some flexibility. A little bit of social awareness and a more conciliatory tone should be the norm when editing posts, rather than making everything about personal feelings or making sure someone's post stays up based entirely on whether a moderator is having a good day or not.😕

Dana Reyes5 said:Oh, give me a break. What a brilliant system you guys have built. Someone steals my bike, and the cops just shrug and say, "It’s worth less than a thousand bucks, go file a private lawsuit." But if some guy copies a book to share knowledge, suddenly he’s a criminal. Honestly, you'd be better off looking for my damn bike and leaving the man alone...

Who actually said he's a criminal? 🤷 Let's be real—let anyone throw the first stone if they've never copied a single page of a book in their lives.

The point is, piracy in any form is banned on this forum, and yeah, this falls under that. 🙂

Gregory Cooper5 said:is there any way to get a second opinion from another administrator?

Which specific part of this "opinion" is unclear to you?

On this forum, the following is strictly prohibited: violating the laws of the United States (specifically, we want to draw your attention to hate speech or discrimination, justifying or glorifying criminal acts, copyright infringement, as well as pedophilia, animal cruelty, etc.)

I don't quite follow the logic of this argument—look, just try putting yourself in the opposite position here: if you owned your own forum, would you really risk exposing yourself to the possibility of being sued for inciting copyright infringement (regardless of how likely such a lawsuit actually is)? You might think you could fight for the expansion of freedoms or whatever...

Gregory Cooper5 said:Is there any way we could get a second opinion from another admin? No offense intended, Brian Edwards6, but you’ve been digging your heels in on this point and just pointing us toward the appeals process—yet now that we’re actually here, it feels like we're still just hearing from you...

No hard feelings, truly. Don't worry about it. Standard procedure dictates that the moderator for this specific subforum handles things first, but someone from the administration will eventually weigh in.👍