Since I started posting on Global Economics and Trade, I've noticed quite a lot of copying going on, among other things.
For example, let's look at the latest trend: restaurants.
Most of these new "Stores" are very similar, almost copies. Each one starts with 2-3 lines of introduction, a menu, and a two question form. That's it. No real difference, not even a price to get stores, just answering two questions. There's not to much thought involved, all they do is make a menu, and a tiny bit of background, and presto a store.
Next, we can go to the ever popular military storefronts.
Yes, there are many very high quality storefronts out there, far better then even mine. But there are a TON of "store's" that, like most restaurant threads, are just slapped together and posted. Most of the time, the ideas never see the draftroom, and are often copied off of real life counterparts. Usually, the specs form is copied off of some other person's store and modified a little bit. Then they post it as their own. I've seen at least 2 times in the past two weeks where names weren't even changed in the copy and past process, so the SUPERTANK 9000's info still says "The M1a2 has a 120 mm gun".
Now I know that new people will always experiment, and try to find a place in the complicated NS world. But instead of buying their product because we feel sorry for them, we should help them by teaching them. I propose that we create the NationStates Business School, this forum's NationStates Trainers. We would have at most 8 instructors (could be expanded) who are very skilled in their field. If you think you are actually qualified to help in such an organization, go ahead and fill out the form I've created below. Feel free to also comment on this idea in general. If I can get enough instructors, then I'll put up a thread for this, and maybe try and get it stickied.
The categories I can think of are:
Military Storefronts (MT and FT)
Special Storefronts (Gaming, Restaurants, Hotels, etc.)
Commercial Transportation Storefronts (Automobiles, Commercial Aircraft, and Private Naval Vessels)
Oil and Resources Storefronts (Oil, Resource Trading, etc)
NationStates Business School Instructor Application
Here's my application:
Nation Name: Republic of United Gordonopia
How long have you been on NationStates: On and off for 1 year
Do you have a NationStates Draftroom Account: Yes
What category would you like to teach (please limit to one or two): Special Storefronts
Personal Example in that category:Gordonopian Enterprises Storefront (partially under construction)
Amount of time you could spend teaching people each week: 3-4 hours
Comments: I hope this works
Instructors
United Gordonopia (Special Storefronts)
The Blackhelm Confederacy (Oil and Resources Storefronts)
L3 Communications/Techno-Soviet/Democratic Federation/Yatea (Military Storefronts, MT and FT)
Falkasia (Military Storefronts, MT and PMT)
Astholm (Commercial Transportation Storefronts)
Jeuna (Military Storefronts: Chemical Warfare)
Valipac (Military Storefronts, MT)
Van Luxemburg (Commercial Transportation Storefronts, automobiles)
)
