Poll: Is it OK for vendors to post questions?

[Breck_Carter]

I'm asking the question, but I also have an opinion: Yes, vendors should be welcome to post announcements, conduct polls, and whatever else they would like to do... within reason.

This includes iAnywhere Solutions, third-party product vendors, professional services consulting companies, user groups, anyone who offers products and/or services related to SQL Anywhere.

These posts should be tagged "vendor" and the title must start with the word "Vendor" as in "Vendor announcement: ...", "Vendor poll: ..." and so on. They will either start out that way, or they will get edited that way.

Here's the "within reason" part: If it looks like an advertisement, it will be deleted. If it looks like a press release, it will be deleted.

If it looks anything at all like anything you see on Sys-Con, it will be deleted.

And it has to be related to the stuff that ships in the box labelled "SQL Anywhere". That raises the question, what about products like PowerDesigner and InfoMaker? Yes, as long as the posting has something to do with SQL Anywhere specifically, not just in a general sense because the product happens to work with SQL Anywhere. I'm thinking about all the architectural astronaut stuff that PowerDesigner does... nope, no posts about that unless it specifically relates to SQL Anywhere.

Now, in case anyone thinks that this website should be entirely non-commercial, that's not going to happen. This is a community website, and communities include businesses. If money makes you uncomfortable, then this community may not be for you.

Having said all that, this is a poll, and Free Speech is in effect.

[former_SQLA_member1694880 · Accepted solution]

I think they can... within reason ;).

[Chris_Kleisath]

Seems reasonable to me. It only follows that if the community wants vendors to answer questions, the same vendor should be able to ask a question....within the reasonable guidelines you suggest.

[reimer_pods]

Yes, I think so. Searching for a tool with special requirement sometimes can be e tedious task. Vendor supplied information may be helpfull.

And in contrast to static advertisements users (actual and potential) may write answers and comments to discuss pros and cons and/or vote it up or down.

[Breck_Carter]

Indeed... that did NOT occur to me.

[Former Member]

Sounds good to me (speaking in a personal capacity only). Is there a way to upload files as well?

[Breck_Carter]

I think the software wants us to use a file hosting service. I used imageshack.us for an image I included in an answer here on SQLA, and back in April I used skydrive.live.com for a zip file "attached" to a blog post in SQLAnywhere.blogspot.com (the HA demo)... and I just checked to make sure the file was still there 🙂

[Former Member]

I agree with you: yes they can!

More information is better than low/no information.

[former_SQLA_member1694871]

I'm fully onboard with the idea of allowing vendors to post. There are lots of third party tools out there that I would love to know about.

I also have no problems with cross-pollination of questions. I use PowerBuilder heavily and would love to be able to ask questions about different hooks into SQL Anywhere from the PowerBuilder environment.

[Breck_Carter]

As long as the question has something to do with software that comes in the box labelled SQL Anywhere it is welcome on this website.

[Former Member]

Wow, can you still get a box lablelled SQL Anywhere? Or did you make your own?

[Former Member]

Why not, i agree with this.

[Former Member]

Yeah, they should absolutely be allowed...within reason...

It would be nice to start StackExchange communities for all Sybase products (if it stayed free, anyway)

I created one for PowerDesigner and one for PowerBuilder though I never promoted them...until I posted this...

[MCMartin]

I am supporting this