I was playing around and I usually post crap on my forum to get the ball rolling. Then I log in as another user to reply. If you need to add some posts, I found a proxy, http://anonymouse.org/anonwww.html, which is free and lets you post data. This way, you can open up your forum in two tabs/windows and log in directly with one and through the proxy on the other. Then you can have a conversation with yourself without having to log out and log back in.

hehe, not a bad tip if you're into this kind of thing. As you said, it's a great way to simluate activity in your forums...I've just always thought that people would do it by logging into one account, making a bunch of posts, then logging into another and replying...Never thought about actually having a live conversation with yourself, heh

I've done it by using one account, then logging in to reply to all those post. The problem is that it begins to look really fake. At least this way, it's cheaper than paying someone 10 cents a post and you can get relevant posts because you are the one doing it.

My only suggestion is to be careful with something like this. It all depends on the type of forum you are running. The reason I mention that is because a few years ago a webhost did this with his company forum but the second, third, fourth person he was signing on as were all posting favorable reviews about his company. Basically he was reviewing himself. Once it was found out, he was lynched at WHT. Of course if you aren't doing that but are just trying to get conversations going that don't influence your business, then you should have no problem at all.

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Mark Blair
NowParenting - "Parenting Discussion Community"
HostHideout - "Where Professionals Discuss Web Hosting"

I don't really have a section for reviews of my own stuff. I just post questions people actually asked me at one time or another. I am trying to get my forum as educuational as possible. If I can't remember any questions people asked, I just make up question....then switch accounts and answer that question.

Well it sounds like you are definitely doing things much better than that other guy. To be honest, I wouldn't compare many people to him. I know (at least a few years ago this was the case) that if you said his name over at WHT you would get stories upon stories of things he did wrong.

Anyway, not to go off on that subject as it doesn't apply here.

__________________
Mark Blair
NowParenting - "Parenting Discussion Community"
HostHideout - "Where Professionals Discuss Web Hosting"