Hey, it is domain squatting pure and simple. Ask your legal counsel and see what they have to say about this issue. It is common knowledge that many websites have been shut down by using trademarked names in the domain name. An example of the is the “For Dummies” series of books and associated trademarks.

That is my 2 cents worth.

Cheers!

No axe to grind with professional marketers. I read their press release and just lost it when I read the word revolutionary. This app is not that. (30 boxes facebook app is revolutionary, we reviewed it a long time ago and gave it 4 .5 stars) I would not have reviewed this app had I not seen the press release. They asked for attention and they got it.

I gave them loads of constructive criticism.

I actually pointed out 9 constructive things they could do to improve the application. If you read my comments above; I responded with some additional tips for improvement. I know many companies and business people are trying to figure this out, that is the point of this blog.

“To dismiss an app that answers questions as a model of bad behavior seems rather silly” Actually I said quite the contrary. Answering questions and sharing knowledge is a great thing. I just happen to think they could have done it in a more sophisticated way.

I actually was positive and encouraging to the app owners when they responded in the comments area… Hey, all I want is the best possible experience for facebook users and facebook app owners.

I’m an avid Facebook user for both professional and personal uses. Along those lines, I love my apps that serve a purpse (my Twitter app, my 30boxes calendar app, Upcoming and NES games). I also love people that experiment with Facebook to entice their own communities to join in the magic that is going on there (as you probably do as well… since your blog is based on Facebook adoption, after all).

That being said, I see your criticism as completely silly. We’re all trying to figure this thing (social graphs and/or networks) out. To dismiss an app that answers questions as a model of bad behavior seems rather silly. If anything, you’re exposing your own bias towards a group of professional marketers.

Collect some data, responses and real stats and then dismiss. Otherwise, bring something constructive to the table beyond your negativity.

Sam

Thanks - I do appreciate your comments.

While I am listed as the developer, it was outsourced, and actually in the model of another app called Ask Gary.

It’s deliberately very simple in the model of something I’ve been doing for years at http://www.AskShawnCollins.com.

Just another touchpoint for our existing audience that attend our conferences.

Now, if you want to see one that serves absolutely no purpose, but to see whether people would try one out with our name on it, see http://apps.facebook.com/affiliatesummit/

Take care,
Shawn

I just get the feeling that you rushed to have a facebook app without fully understanding the nuances of what users expect and how to leverage the tool sets that facebook allows within applications. I have evaluated over 1000 facebook apps and have a very clear understanding of what works and why it works.

If it is only meant as a place where users can get answers to their questions; why not present the content in a way that can be consumed more easily? Alert people of changes in content and facilitate easily sharing those answers and content with their friend network, etc.

That is the power of facebook and you are seriously missing out by not engaging the many carrier mechanisms that facebook allows.

Glad to see you have a FB Group. You need to have that information in link format in the app and in the app description to raise awareness of the groups existence.

Keep Creating!

PS. You only allow users to invite friends when they join and not after they join. You need to fix that process and flow to increase easy sharing of invites.

What I find the most telling is the “revolutionary,” part. Their app doesn’t even do what our little experimental BlogTips application did.

BTW, we’re going to reskin that application soon and roll it out with some new features.

Thanks for the critique, but I think you miss the mark.

It is not fashioned to be a discussion board at all. Rather, it’s a place where, as advertised, affiliate marketers can get answers to questions they have about the space.

The problem with a board is that anybody can answer, and the answers are often filled with inaccuracies and misinformation.

So here, people can get answers from two veterans in the industry.

And by the way, we have a group on Facebook already for “discussion board” type interaction: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2211215487

Thanks for sharing your thoughts… There is always a lot to learn.

Actually we typically say in every review how the app could be better.