And the said 'unofficial list' is pretty much what every user has read and understood to be rules guiding the forum, i know it is written as 'unofficial', but let us be honest, that list is where most users get their interpretation of Bitcointalk rules, even when new users join the forum, that it is the thread they are directed to read in order to understand the forum rules and what have you. What am i saying? Since that thread has existed for a pretty long time, was written by a global mod and pinned in the meta section, it can pass to be a 'rock solid' set of btt rules, cause i do not think there is going to be another, now or in the future. And having said that, whatever interpretation made from ones understanding of that thread should be correct.
In regards to incentivized posting, the thread isn't wrong. Unclear? Sure, but AFAIK not wrong. As opposed to altcoin giveaways (which are prohihited as per a separate rule), incentivising posting in a thread for BTC
usually just makes that thread off-topic for boards outside Games and Rounds. I'll probably adjust the guidelines for threads some time in the future once I figure out the right wording as well as the edge cases, nuances, different enforcement by different mods, etc.
As for my thread being official, I'm sorry but it's not. I try my best to keep it accurate but I'm not Bitcointalk's owner nor do I have the authority to create or change forum policy. To quote yet another excerpt from my thread:
this forum post is a collection of personal observations on how Bitcointalk.org moderation functions at this point in time. It is not a codified set of rules or policies and may be partially or wholly inaccurate. I did not decide upon these policies and have no legal power to change or remove them. All legal queries, requests and demands regarding actual forum policy should be directed at the owner of Bitcointalk.org.
No offense but if you want the 100% accurate rules, ask Bitcointalk's owner. I can only observe and (to the best of my ability) document what I remember or notice.
If i understood you correctly, you are saying that if the feedbacks were to be posted on OP's thread in the service section then it would be just fine, but since OP isn't basically just choosing any user, but those he feels are constructive posters and would actually make substantial feedback in their ANN thread would that still be a problem? Then again, i have paid particular cognizance to your use of the word "usually", but i still have to say that i have seen a few sites run their pay for review in the same way as OP did and can be found in one of the links i posted above, but there was no eyebrows raised then, any particular reason why?
If someone was running a review campaign (paying in BTC) in the Services board, it's most likely fine. Unless they were trying to circumvent the rules with those reviews (e.g. with the reviews just being short low value posts akin to a giveaway or raffle), I wouldn't move it anywhere. I can't vouch for other mods though.
As to why similar campaigns weren't moved? Either the mod who saw it didn't think it broke the forum's rules (and it's completely possible his interpretation was correct at that point in time and for that specific thread) or the thread wasn't reported and wasn't noticed by a moderator. I'll look through the threads some time later and see if they should be moved.