"Roger Opar" wrote in message
...
In general, is it OK to recommend an aviation product (that I have found
very helpful) in a newsgroup?

There are varying opinions. Some people are so obsessed with
compartmentalizing everything that they think you should have asked this on
the alt.news.etiquette.isitspam group and that they should answer on the
alt.news.etiquette.yesitis group. These people often are those who are most
guilty of posting off topic themselves.

Others, of a more practical nature and who are interested in actually
communicating something useful, may say that it is all right if the product
is genuinely about piloting, is not being promoted by its manufacturer or a
reseller, and if discussion of the product does not interfere with the
ostensible purpose of the news group.

Still others note that people are constantly expressing their opinion on
various models of aircraft, weather services, ATC, oxygen bottles, and the
like as reviews and that many others find these useful. Some of these people
would find a departure from the usual discussion of national politics and
the personal habits and parentage of various participants in the group to be
singularly refreshing.

Thus, discussion of a free new weather service which would make flying safer
might be appropriate for a piloting news group. Discussion of plane wax
might be better on the owning news group.