This is a an example of a "Tempest in a teapot". I've resold Dreamhhost hosting since mid 1997 and I have never taken a referral. I'm still on the "original" rewards plan that is a % of yearly expenditures, but don't "use it" as I totally manage my clients' hosting under my own account rather then referring them to "sign up". To me, it's called "value added".

I also believe in "live and let live", and don't expect or require others to act or feel as I do. I will rarely criticize them for their opinions; we all are entitled to our opinions.

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It is my opinion that taking a "100.00 referral fee" (or a % of anything, or a $.01 referral fee) for the subsequent purchases of services *I* recommend to a client is unethical. The "older than dirt" conflict of interest that comes from an "expert" referring someone less expert to a service or product from which he he/she personally profits (without *very clearly informing them* of what they are doing) has become so routine in the sales profession that most people don't think twice about it.

The salesman that recommends the particular model because of the "spiff" attached to the sale, or the "sales promotion" reward he/she earns for selling item "a" but not "item b" are simpler examples. Though simpler, they are not a lot different than the the consultant that bills client's for, essentially, listening to their sales pitch and then gets paid again when they "close".

People should do what they feel is acceptable, and if Dreamhost is offerring the reward for the "sign-up", they are served anytime the "sign-up" is accomplished. In sales, "closing" is what counts. I can't get all worked up over the "I saw him first! Hands Off!" argument that teen-aged girls, and frustrated salesmen are so fond of. If a helpful answer on a forum thread "seals the deal" with a potential user, or resolves an issue to the point in a visitor's mind they that feel comfortable enough to "sign up" and decide to click the referral link, Dreamhost gets exactly the outcome they had in mind when they instituted the program.

Visitors to this forum get here via *lots* of ways, and given that almost everyone gets everywhere on the web via some link it seems a little foolish to attach too much significance to that. Getting here didn't get them to click the referral/reward link in the post. It is disingenious to claim that if they came from the main Dreamhost site Dreamhost should avoid the referral payment; they could have clicked "Sign-Up" on the main Dreamhost site, but came here instead (maybe they needed some reassurance?). It is just as unreasonable to claim that ,"If a potential customer has wandered into this forum without clicking on an existing customer's ID, it means that they have found their way here by DreamHost's own promotional efforts.", or any other such malarky. This logic indicates a true lack of understanding of, or appreciation for, Google or other search engines. Try googling "allow_url_fopen setting" (with or without the quotes!) and note that the first listing produced is to this forum. Dreamhost promotional efforts at work? I don't think so.

I agree wholeheartedly that if a public forum is to be prevented from deteriorating into total uselessness, some restrictions are in order and I heartily endorse Dreamhost doing that as necessary to control the signal to noise ratio or potential liabiity. I don't think either of those purposes would be served by preculding affilliate links. Are they distasteful? Are they "tacky"? Do they bring to mind the myriad link-farming, UCE-spewing, affilliate-whoring, SEO-hustling, game-me-every-which-way-but-loose tango that so much of the web has become? To me, very much so. Should they be banned? I hope not. They are "on topic" (this is a discussion forum about Dreamhost!), they *do* provide a reward to "the closer", and they were a Dreamhost Idea.

It's a little hypocritical to preclude their use here, since Dreamhost started it and never restricted their use in forum s under the terms of the program. If you truly want to take the high road, don't pay any referral that came from any forum or usenet group and let the net in general benefit from your scruples in this area.
</rant>

Whatever the decision, it is "Dreamhost's house", their server their bandwidth, and they should do what *they* want.

I'd rather make my money by shielding my clients from all this, managing the Dreamhost issues for them, and letting "them" pay me the $100.00 (or whatever) for the *service* I provide. I also want to feel *totally* free to move my clients off Dreamhost when and if (God forbid, I *l Love Dreamhost!) it is in *the clients'* best interests for me to do so. For me, that decision has *absolutely nothing* to do with "who's doing what in who's backyard for how many cookies" type of webhosting referral deals.

rlparker