BBS question here - please advise

[PostCode]

First and formost, I want to make this absolutely clear that I am in no way promoting my board here. My board is for a specific purpose and none other. That said, here is my problem.

My BBS is a small one and has the purpose of helping people with their PC BIOS related problems. Yesterday, I got a user signed up, whose name I won't disclose, that sent me an e-mail and a private message through the board. Here's the contents of that message:

Hi Eric,
I just registered on your BIOS Central site. It's really nice. You've done a nice job!

I am with eSupport.com(Unicore). We are the authorized World Wide Technical Support Center and Upgrade company for AwardBIOS. http://www.award.com/ Click on BIOS Upgrades

We have developed the industry's first BIOS Diagnostic utility called the BIOS Wizard. The BIOS Wizard is a freely distributed utility, therefore you are welcome to have BIOS Central users download and run the program at no charge. I believe this will add "stickiness" to your site too.

I have forwarded a link so you can download and evaluate the BIOS Wizard. http://www.unicore.com/bioswiz/index2.html

Please contact me if you would like to take the appropriate steps in order to post the BIOS Wizard on the BIOS Central web site for free download distribution.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

I thought it was ok for the person to do this as he didn't blatently advertising his product. Then today, I got a new user again. This time, it was from another company that supplies BIOS programming products, but I am thinking it was a case of blantent advertising.

http://www.bioscentral.com/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Read&BID=4&TID=17&SID=5065

Maybe I'm just being a little picky here as I have directed people to various places on the net myself in cases where their current BIOS is toast and the only thing to do is replace it or get it reflashed with a EPROM prgrammer. Is it just me? I mean, I feel that if a person who has no connection with the company recommends their product because they have used their product or services is a fine thing to do. But is advertising your product on a BBS like this OK? Another problem is that he dosen't offer any other advise or help. Just buy my product. Seems wrong to me.

So what should I do? Let it ride and hope the guy goes away? Tell the guy that advertising ones own product is not allowed (I gotta check my AUP for disclaimers here)?

Hell I don't know. Maybe I'm just being paranoid or some shit like that. I just don't want legal fallout and crap like that to happen.

 

[Gonzo]

You may have nothing to worry about. I've been to Award.com & it takes forever to find out that they can't help anyway.
If your site offers real help without filling out an informational email, it's already better.

 

[s4]

If it is just one post, I'd let it ride. If he places banner ads in the post or continues to post it time and again, I'd tell him one time is enough. I wouldn't allow any banners in posts or large amounts of advertising. The first person you mentioned has offered you something you can use for your site in exchange for letting people know about their program. The second guy on the other hand is only trying to help himself.

In a way, you are lucky that there are people interested in your board. Many boards are going empty these days from lack of interest. Been to hwc lately? They could even use some spammers because the whole site looks like it's drying up.

 

[Q]

The first guy sounds ok to me. He did make a point of talking to you privately about it and offered a download utility, which could potentially attract members.
The second guy overstepped the bounds of board ettiquite. If he does it again, give him the boot.