Who should have access to this message board?

[TaxBird]

I don't mind

I don't mind the non-tax professionals. I generally don't respond though. Too many nuances to convey to the unfamiliar.

Besides, lots of kind people here very generously tell them to seek professional help.

With that, what more could I add?

And, I agree with Roland, how would TTB effect such a thing? Seems to me it would be more headache than it would be worth.

[gordywest]

What prompted all of this?

As someone who is in the process of obtaining an EA designation...I guess I'm one of those people that many of you want out of the loop...but the fact of the matter is, I purchased TTB this year for the first time because of the access that this board provided me to preparers with a ton of experience.

Honestly, when I have posted questions, I get either very helpful answers (which should be the case) or I get sacastic negative responses.

I've seen some fantastic discussions on how to handle LLCs on this board...that helps everyone. It's too bad the tone on this site seems to be changing for the worse.

[jasdlm]

I think Koss has a very good idea. I also wouldn't mind if each of us posted our years in the tax business.

[gingesnap]

Identify the users

Let everyone into the party. Give them nametags that indicate whether they're a pro or not. Let each of us decide who we want to talk to.

Can't see any good reason to distinguish between TaxBook pros and non-TaxBook.

[Snaggletooth]

Nobody has mentioned the effect

O.K. you knew I couldn't keep my big mouth out of this one. I was thinking someone would bring this perspective to light, but since it hasn't happened yet, I will....

Nobody has mentioned the effect of proliferation in context with this sticky note. And I'm really surprised.

With double and triple the number of users have you not noticed the difference? During peak hours the board has become very slow. If you post a question and come back a couple hours later, your post is now on page 2. You post on a topic and instead of getting eight to ten responses, your post shuffles quickly to the back, and you get maybe one good answer, maybe even none. Reading becomes very cursive and then you read a post which obvious by its ignorance was posted by a non-professional. Instead of a helpful, informative forum where you enjoy helping, being helped, and becoming more knowledgable in the process, you tune in a couple times a day to a much watered-down product. The thing becomes a fire drill.

I don't have any specific knowledge about Imsdahl's purpose for this sticky, but I'm thinking THIS may be the real issue. I think TMI will continue to expend resources for capacity enhancements, and continue to do whatever it takes to make the board valuable, and of course TMI will receive some intrinsic and even monetary benefit as well. There is no question there is a benefit to TMI to be the source of excellent, quality information. And I believe the quality experience of the reader is being jeopardized by this abovementioned proliferation.

Am I talking like an isolationist? Wanting to restrict the dialogue to just a few "good ole' boys?" Old-timers like Dennis, JG, Bart, S T, Snag, Gary, Chief and others? No. Those of you who read me know that I spend as much time welcoming new members as anyone. Especially if, reading their questions, I note that they can bring something of value to the table.

But if you believe proliferation to be dragging down the quality of the board, what do we suggest TMI do about it? Are any of the poll options desirable and fair? Do we need someone's EA registration #? AICPA #, NATP#? Will these organizations provide TMI such a list and keep it updated? Is this too much administration for TMI to handle without reaching the point of diminishing returns? Some of the ideas presented in this thread have very lofty goals but ridiculously impossible to implement.

Personally, I don't want anyone left out. Even the drunk idiot asking stupid questions before snuggling down with a dozen babes should have the right to post (and THEN be banned). But if we don't figure out how to draw the line, I can see the quality of the forum diminishing.

Look forward to hearing more from y'all.

Ron Jordan, Manchester, TN

[Brad Imsdahl]

Why ask the question?

I appreciate everyone’s opinion on this subject, and will leave the sticky on the thread for another day or so to give everyone a chance to chime in.

I have always been an advocate for keeping the message board open to everyone. In the past I resisted making participants register, until we started getting hammered with spammers trying to post links to inappropriate websites. This year there has been a noticeable increase in people who prepare their own taxes (the non-pro) who stumble across this site using Google or some other Internet search engine looking for free advice.

Some of you are irritated at this and think the free advice given on this message board could be a threat to your tax practice. The “do-it-yourselfer” can buy “taxes-in-a-box” for cheap and then get us to tell him how to do his return for free.

Some of you don’t think free advice given to the public is any kind of threat to your tax practice.

The question I have as a representative for TheTaxBook is what is best for our customer? As a business, the primary purpose for hosting this message board is to retain existing customers and attract new customers by providing a valuable service. If this message board is irritating you because you feel our service will help your tax clients do their own return, I want to know.

An option we are considering is to provide everyone who has purchased TheTaxBook a password that allows them to participate on the message board. Without the password, people could view the message board but not post to it. To solve the issue of bulk orders where some of you do not have a customer ID, we could put the password in the book itself, similar to the organizer password on the last page of the index. One password could work for everyone. That would keep the “do-it-yourself” crowd who Google for free tax advice off the message board since they would not be in possession of a book. Tax professionals who are not customers of TheTaxBook may be tempted to purchase the book after viewing the quality of questions and answers given on the message board.

Your thoughts?

[JohnH]

Either way

I'm OK with whatever TMI decides (as long as I still get to participate)

This forum is a valuable resource and I enjoy the exchange of ideas and opinions. Although I still personally don't mind non-pros posting, the discussions of the past couple of days have given me a new appreciation of why others find it problematic.

There's no question that placing reasonable limits on participation will streamline the forum and keep the discussions professionally focused. I respect the opinions of every one of my friends on this forum, and if adding some limits serves to keep them more engaged then I'm all for it.

[Redneck]

You have the answer

An option we are considering is to provide everyone who has purchased TheTaxBook a password that allows them to participate on the message board. Without the password, people could view the message board but not post to it. To solve the issue of bulk orders where some of you do not have a customer ID, we could put the password in the book itself, similar to the organizer password on the last page of the index. One password could work for everyone. That would keep the “do-it-yourself” crowd who Google for free tax advice off the message board since they would not be in possession of a book. Tax professionals who are not customers of TheTaxBook may be tempted to purchase the book after viewing the quality of questions and answers given on the message board.

Brad this is the answer don't look any further.
Redneck

[Lion]

Could live with some limits...

I buy TTB and will probably continue, so I can still do what I want to under any of the suggested scenarios. I have been annoyed by the "I" questions from taxpayers doing their own taxes, just because they take up my time to pass through. But, if those posts drive away any of the excellent current posters who are professionals and who take the time to post thorough comments that I learn from, then I will be less happy. And, if new restrictions are so tight that you drive away excellent professionals who take the time...but who didn't buy TTB this year so would no longer be allowed to post, then I will be less happy also. I realize that some middle ground between those two extremes would require some type of monitoring or registration process, chores that would use up your time and your staff's. I did like the idea about an opening screen describing the board as a place for professional tax preparers to discuss issues using technical jargon -- or something that might scare off the neophyte.

[taxmandan]

An option we are considering is to provide everyone who has purchased TheTaxBook a password that allows them to participate on the message board. Without the password, people could view the message board but not post to it. To solve the issue of bulk orders where some of you do not have a customer ID, we could put the password in the book itself, similar to the organizer password on the last page of the index. One password could work for everyone. That would keep the “do-it-yourself” crowd who Google for free tax advice off the message board since they would not be in possession of a book. Tax professionals who are not customers of TheTaxBook may be tempted to purchase the book after viewing the quality of questions and answers given on the message board.

Your thoughts?

I like this option, let the non-subscribers look but not talk. I consider this board a benefit of my purchase of TTB.

[Black Bart]

John,

I'm OK with whatever TMI decides (as long as I still get to participate)

This forum is a valuable resource and I enjoy the exchange of ideas and opinions. Although I still personally don't mind non-pros posting, the discussions of the past couple of days have given me a new appreciation of why others find it problematic.

There's no question that placing reasonable limits on participation will streamline the forum and keep the discussions professionally focused. I respect the opinions of every one of my friends on this forum, and if adding some limits serves to keep them more engaged then I'm all for it.

You're just so...so...reasonable, that it's plumb disturbin', but that aside, I agree with the above statement (well, most of it). Please see my apologia to you down in the "Free Advice" thread.

[SueBaby]

I like this option, let the non-subscribers look but not talk. I consider this board a benefit of my purchase of TTB.

I thought that was the purpose of this board----THE TAX BOOK--- people. I read it from top to bottom and have questions for the board from the book. I greatly appreciate the Tax Book people from the book and the board people that has really helped me over the years.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!!