(and I just noticed two typos up there, and I'm sorry)

Maybe put an email address in your profile and suggest people email you for the url if they're interested. Then if someone else thinks it's post-worthy, maybe they will post it.

Self-links are okay here, but not advertisements. But as amro says, make sure you have your email address visible in your profile, and people may contact you now that they know what business you're in.

Perhaps this is cliquish, but the higher your profile on Metachat, the more we trust you as a member of the community. As such, you can bend the rules further. I can think of several established members here who have written interesting posts about their services or linked to interesting pictures of their crafts. In fact, we have a certain MD around here who I would make an effort to see if I ever had need for his specialization.

We do?

Oh, I think I know who you mean. I didn't think he posted here anymore.

Sure I do.

Signed,

The Doctor of Love

Thank you, everyone.

Uh, no Ardiril, this is a rule that applies to everyone. Talking about your job is not the same as posting an ad. We've taken several of those down in the past.

Perhaps I should have said "don't explicitly advertise" but we do have some crafts people and other artists whose creations are for sale and that I found via their Metachat links.

That's true, and I guess the decision ultimately lies in whether the mods view the posting as directly promoting/soliciting an item for sale, or indirectly chatting about what you do in a conversational way.

Granted, that can be a fine line, and the context of other participation really does help sometimes.

This policy actually arose after a small rash of "sponsor my race/buy my stuff/buy me a gift" started to cause problems and feel a little SPAMmy on what is really a social site. So we do have a working auto-ban on "buy my stuff" (or "buy my services") posts when those things are the main subject of and reason for a post - that's described a bit in the site FAQ.

At the same time, if there is a chatty sort of story to tell or comment to make about your site and your stuff, and it otherwise fits the guidelines, that generally stands. I've found some neato stuff to purchase by following the linky trail, too.

I think the solution y'all have come up with for this particular case is a good one. And if, for instance, DMelanogaster wanted to share stories about the project at some later point, or bring it up in the context of a discussion about work or things you are experiencing, that would most likely be OK - as are most things that occur with more context than just "I have something to promote which I earn money from." Understandably, while we might want to root for our members to have lotsa business success, in reality if we allowed this kind of thing you can imagine what the front page would eventually start to look like.

The example that immediately struck me is the book one of our well respected members will soon publish. I fully expect her to post something here the day it is released, and I would be disappointed if she couldn't, as it is one of those occasions where we can be congratulatory, create lolbunny pics, and engage in all our other community rituals. Again, this all goes back to having earned the community's trust.

BP is certainly correct about the rules. Perhaps we could bold or increase the font size of

"MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important."

Maybe append to "Check the FAQ" the clause "or email an admin."

I fully expect her to post something here the day it is released, and I would be disappointed if she couldn't

On that kind of thing we all agree. A post like "Yay me, I just published a book!" is fine. COngratulations ensue.

That's different from "Looking for a good recipe collection? See my book 1001 Ways With Mayonnaise,only $19.95!"

New users also get a link to the guidelines in their welcome email.

That's different from "Looking for a good recipe collection? See my book 1001 Ways With Mayonnaise,only $19.95!"

Without doubt.

I do know for a fact that should I pre-decease ColdChef, I totally want him to be my undertaker, based on the stories he's told about his work here, on the blue, via Twitter and also after having met him in person.

I think I made this decision not long after he contacted me after I made this self-linking post which advertised the episode of "This American Life," which I was on, which came about because of a post from the blue. I don't exactly remember the contents of the phone call, but I do remember thinking that he was so kind to do so in his capacity as someone who has dealt with so many strangers' grief over the years.

(BTW, Kielle's deathiversary is coming up again. The thought of it still brings me to tears, even after I've come to terms of sorts with it.)

Anyway, the other point I was trying to make is that there are ways to self-link, but you have to be creative about it.

there are ways to self-link, but you have to be creative about it.

It's perfectly OK to self-link to something like a finished project or a radio show you were on or a blog or your Flickr or almost anything else. It's not the linking, it's the intent to solicit business or direct personal gain using MetaChat that is the dealbreaker.

I would love to know even FIFTY ways with mayonnaise.

Fifty ways? Yours for just $9.98. Hope you like cilantro.

Here's a start - dozens and dozens of mayonniase recipes, yours for free on a trial basis! If you like this, we'll forward you an additional 25 Mayonnaise recipes a month for the low, low price of only $14.95 per batch. And if you act now, we'll throw in this handsome silicone spatula!

Sixty-five ways with mayonnaise.

I do know for a fact that should I pre-decease ColdChef, I totally want him to be my undertaker, based on the stories he's told about his work here, on the blue, via Twitter and also after having met him in person.

Yay! My rates are reasonable and I've seen many of you naked already.

"Looking for a good recipe collection? See my book 1001 Ways With Mayonnaise,only $19.95!"

I grabbed some tupperware from my refrigerator for lunch this week. This is not unusual, I always make enough dinner for leftovers. I thought it was peanut sauce. When I opened it up and there was no rice or chicken or veggies, I thought it was leftover tomato soup. Only after I microwaved it and noticed 1/ there was a lot of oil that wasn't mixing in, and 2/ it smelled funny for soup, did I realize that I had just microwaved homemade chipotle mayonnaise.

I wouldn't recommend it.

I'm out of touch here so have no useful opinion other than I like your site DMelanogaster.

Thank you, rumple.

I'm planning on predeceasing cold chef and would like to get on the waiting list. I would prefer not being seen naked until that time, however.

At some point I'm going to write up a list of internet stuff that the mister will have to take care of should I pass on (don't forget - I said yes to "ugly for 1000 years"). In it will be a list of sites and passwords so the mister can let people know I've kicked the bucket and he can close the accounts. It will also have ColdChef's info so the mister can call on him for any help he needs. From what I've read, CC is up for this. I hope it's true, because if he turns down the mister I will come back and haunt his ass until Armageddon.

PS: I also like your site, DMelanogaster.

I would prefer not being seen naked until that time, however.

I always like to encourage my friends to let me see them naked in their prime, rather than much, much later.

It will also have ColdChef's info so the mister can call on him for any help he needs. From what I've read, CC is up for this.

But, of course!