Some forums I go on you have to post at least 50 good posts before being allowed access to the classifieds.
Just a note of caution, not that anyone has suggested implementing a rule like that, but it seems like such a good idea. I was a member of a really good forum for 4 years then suddenly, as it was owned by a shop, they decided if you had a certain number of posts you would get a discount.
Bedlam!!! Every day we'd log in to find threads were scattered with scores and scores of pointless comments and questions from newbies trying to drive up their post count - and trouble is they couldn't be stopped or banned because you couldn't tell whether they were just a bit dim or madly overenthusiastic.
All the old members complained for at least a year, but the shop loved it because they got lots of new customers. Eventually all the worthwhile forum members had to evacuate because it was intolerable, like trying to hold a conversation in the middle of Waterloo station in the rush hour. There's still a forum but it's totally vacuous.
Better to use individual judgement because rules get twisted.
I've been slow to swap too because it seems a bit cheeky when you don't know people. I'd rather offer first, which is what I've done and now I'm doing the circle thing. I didn't actually notice the seed swapping until I'd been on here for some time; I stuck around for the reports and photos on varieties which I find fascinating and inspiring!
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