List of PH Members who.... (social engineering?)

[VladTheDad]

There seem to be a lot of these surveys kicking around. The latest being "List of BMWs owned by PHers".

Is this just out of general interest or is it a subtle piece of social engineering? Are we going to find adverts aimed at members who own specific models or who have specific interests? Similar personally targetted adverts do happen on other websites.

Edited by VladTheDad on Thursday 2nd October 22:35

[Big Al.]

Don't think there is anything sinister behind them TBH, IIRC Ted set most of them up so that like minded owners could say Hi, I also drive one etc.

Or that mine is bigger than yours etc.

[Garlick]

If only we were that clever

[VladTheDad]

Big Al. said:

Don't think there is anything sinister behind them TBH, IIRC Ted set most of them up so that like minded owners could say Hi, I also drive one etc.

Or that mine is bigger than yours etc.

That's fair enough.

I guess I'm a bit suspicious in my old age.

[Kinky]

IIRC, Ted didn't set them up as such - I think he helped the first one as it was technically challenging to setup a wiki.

I don't see the point of them at all - I think they're utterly pointless for mainstream marques (like the BMW one).

The members directory does exactly the same thing: http://www.pistonheads.com/members/fleet.asp

Anyway.

K

[miniman]

Kinky said:

The members directory does exactly the same thing: http://www.pistonheads.com/members/fleet.asp

Yes, but look, for example, at the model list for BMWs (which is here: http://www.pistonheads.com/members/fleet.asp?m=12&... ) It's totally useless. How does one search for members with a particular model when the same model is listed multiple times in most cases? The problem is that the model choice when one adds a car to ones profile is free text, so people just type in whatever they think the car is. It should be a dropdown.

This was raised in about 2003, IIRC.

[miniman]

Garlick said:

If only we were that clever

You should come and see me. We can help you be that clever