So if someone asks “when was Scratch released” and someone else said "you can learn about Scratch History in this project https://scratch-mit-edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/projects/12345/"

is that advertising? Even though the project answers the person's question, the person still shows off his project in a place he shouldn't, so I think it's advertising,

(this actually happened to me once, but I am not trying to name and shame anyone, I just got curious about if I am correct about this being advertising)

I guess technically it is, because they could've used the info from that project to answer you directly…but then again, it is a helpful gesture

While it kind of is, it is definitely done with good intentions. I know I've done it a few times, such as when people need help with vector art at which point I sometimes direct them to my least favourite project tutorial project. Though people do usually find it helpful, so I think it's OK.

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

So if someone asks “when was Scratch released” and someone else said "you can learn about Scratch History in this project https://scratch-mit-edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/projects/12345/"

is that advertising? Even though the project answers the person's question, the person still shows off his project in a place he shouldn't, so I think it's advertising,

(this actually happened to me once, but I am not trying to name and shame anyone, I just got curious about if I am correct about this being advertising)

No, it is not advertising. You are allowed to link to projects that answer the OP's question, even if they are your own project.

Advertising would be, “I don't know when Scratch was released but please play my new game.”

footsocktoe wrote:

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

So if someone asks “when was Scratch released” and someone else said "you can learn about Scratch History in this project https://scratch-mit-edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/projects/12345/"

is that advertising? Even though the project answers the person's question, the person still shows off his project in a place he shouldn't, so I think it's advertising,

(this actually happened to me once, but I am not trying to name and shame anyone, I just got curious about if I am correct about this being advertising)

No, it is not advertising. You are allowed to link to projects that answer the OP's question, even if they are your own project.

Advertising would be, “I don't know when Scratch was released but please play my new game.”

but it's basically advertising because that person could just answer the question without giving the link to the project

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

footsocktoe wrote:

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

So if someone asks “when was Scratch released” and someone else said "you can learn about Scratch History in this project https://scratch-mit-edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/projects/12345/"

is that advertising? Even though the project answers the person's question, the person still shows off his project in a place he shouldn't, so I think it's advertising,

(this actually happened to me once, but I am not trying to name and shame anyone, I just got curious about if I am correct about this being advertising)

No, it is not advertising. You are allowed to link to projects that answer the OP's question, even if they are your own project.

Advertising would be, “I don't know when Scratch was released but please play my new game.”

but it's basically advertising because that person could just answer the question without giving the link to the project

Maybe for that particular question, but what about the question “How do you create a clone ID system?” If you have a project called “How To Make A Clone ID System” then don't you think it makes sense to link to it?

footsocktoe wrote:

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

footsocktoe wrote:

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

So if someone asks “when was Scratch released” and someone else said "you can learn about Scratch History in this project https://scratch-mit-edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/projects/12345/"

is that advertising? Even though the project answers the person's question, the person still shows off his project in a place he shouldn't, so I think it's advertising,

(this actually happened to me once, but I am not trying to name and shame anyone, I just got curious about if I am correct about this being advertising)

No, it is not advertising. You are allowed to link to projects that answer the OP's question, even if they are your own project.

Advertising would be, “I don't know when Scratch was released but please play my new game.”

but it's basically advertising because that person could just answer the question without giving the link to the project

Maybe for that particular question, but what about the question “How do you create a clone ID system?” If you have a project called “How To Make A Clone ID System” then don't you think it makes sense to link to it?

well, yeah, if the project is all about that question, but what if someone asks what day Scratch was made, and someone links them to a whole history project about Scratch that says MORE than what the person asked?

It depends. If the project is useful, no. If it's just plain irrelevant, yes.
Here's what I mean:

Someone: How do I draw a cat?
Me: Here's an animation I made that features a cat. If you'd like to get reference, you can, just don't copy my style (link)

The advertising and therefore unacceptable version:

Someone: When was Scratch made?
Someone else: You can check out my game (link)

In that case, which I saw before, I don't think it qualifies as advertising, but I'd say it would've been better if the user said something more like this:

Scratch was made May 15th, 2007. If you want to know more, you can check this out, (link).

If the project is relevant and it offers an explanation/answer that can't be written well in one or two sentences without pictures it isn't advertising.

I think that this isn't advertising, because if it's related to the project/user/studio/comment, I don't see why you can't share it in the comments of the project/studio/user/comment.
I did this a couple times and I think it wasn't advertising.

I remember the specific topic that this occured and there were several replies telling you that, no, it is not advertising, and yes, it is 100% acceptable and encouraged to link to a relevant project. It's very clear that you just want someone to tell you what you want to hear (which is not something you'll be hearing).

I don't understand what the problem is! If linking to a very relevant project is advertising, then you might as well say that me replying to this post or linking to the scratch wiki is the same as advertising:

• The project is relevant and answers the question.
  
• This reply is relevant and answers the question.
  
• I created the project.
  
• I created this post.
  
• I can receive feedback on the project.
  
• I can receive feedback on my reply.
  

Let's break down the definition of advertising.

a google search wrote:

a notice or announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event or publicizing a job vacancy.

The first part is already the giveaway. The person who posted the “”“”advertisement“”“” didn't put it out there as a “hey! everyone check out this project I made!”, they're making a statement saying, “here, this might be helpful.”

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

well, yeah, if the project is all about that question, but what if someone asks what day Scratch was made, and someone links them to a whole history project about Scratch that says MORE than what the person asked?

You're really grasping at straws here trying to make it seem bad. Why is giving extra information bad? If OP wanted information about scratch's founding date, who's to say they weren't curious about the rest of scratch and its history?

And who's to say advertising is bad? OP asked for help, user gave them helped by giving essentially an already written out reply, in the form of a project. Even if you define it as advertising, it doesn't really have a negative effect on anyone.

In the end, the final answer is no. The scratcher who posted their link did it with the full intention of being helpful. It didn't affect you, you shouldn't care this much about it.

KingOfAwesome58219 wrote:

I remember the specific topic that this occured and there were several replies telling you that, no, it is not advertising, and yes, it is 100% acceptable and encouraged to link to a relevant project. It's very clear that you just want someone to tell you what you want to hear (which is not something you'll be hearing).

no I am not, I'm just asking people what they think,

KingOfAwesome58219 wrote:

You're really grasping at straws here trying to make it seem bad. Why is giving extra information bad?

I am not trying to make it seem bad. I am just expressing my opinion. Is that illegal?

Wikipeda wrote:

The right to freedom of expression is recognized as a human right under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 of the UDHR states that “everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference” and “everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice”.

that was part of a wikipedia page about freedom of speech, no offense, but I'm just expressing my opinion on what I think is advertising, which, is perfectly legal in the US and other countries. And it's not right to say that I'm just trying to get people to say what I want to hear and that I'm trying to make it look bad, because I'm not, and by reading your post, I'm starting to think you're trying to make ME look bad, (no offense intended, I'm just saying my opinion), I know people won't always have the same opinion as me, and I except that, and you should except that to, no offense,

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

-snip-

My apologies, but it seems it's less you asking for an opinion and more you pressing it onto people that it was advertising and that its bad.

I'm here to tell you that's it officially recognized as acceptable and encouraged: You can have your own opinion (I never said you couldn't?) - just don't start an argument about it.

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

So if someone asks “when was Scratch released” and someone else said "you can learn about Scratch History in this project https://scratch-mit-edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/projects/12345/"
is that advertising?

That would definitely not be advertising as project 12345 does not exist. That would just be annoying!

If they said "you can learn about Scratch History in this project https://scratch-mit-edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/projects/168402838/" which actually does link to a project about Scratch History, then I like the answer by @NerdyKitty2539 above:

NerdyKitty2539 wrote:

I guess technically it is, because they could've used the info from that project to answer you directly…but then again, it is a helpful gesture

So technically yes, but I think the project was helpful as the Scratcher asking did look at the project and favorite it.

Ha ha, I remember this

It's not advertising. The project in question was wholly relevant to the discussion.

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

KingOfAwesome58219 wrote:

I remember the specific topic that this occured and there were several replies telling you that, no, it is not advertising, and yes, it is 100% acceptable and encouraged to link to a relevant project. It's very clear that you just want someone to tell you what you want to hear (which is not something you'll be hearing).

no I am not, I'm just asking people what they think,

KingOfAwesome58219 wrote:

You're really grasping at straws here trying to make it seem bad. Why is giving extra information bad?

I am not trying to make it seem bad. I am just expressing my opinion. Is that illegal?

-annoying and irrelevant rant about free speech-

'Making it seem bad' and ‘expressing your opinion’ can be and are in this case the same thing.

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

footsocktoe wrote:

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

footsocktoe wrote:

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

-snip-

but it's basically advertising because that person could just answer the question without giving the link to the project

-snip-

well, yeah, if the project is all about that question, but what if someone asks what day Scratch was made, and someone links them to a whole history project about Scratch that says MORE than what the person asked?

There you go.

cul8er wrote:

Ha ha, I remember this

It's not advertising. The project in question was wholly relevant to the discussion.

I-Iz-A-Litten wrote:

KingOfAwesome58219 wrote:

I remember the specific topic that this occured and there were several replies telling you that, no, it is not advertising, and yes, it is 100% acceptable and encouraged to link to a relevant project. It's very clear that you just want someone to tell you what you want to hear (which is not something you'll be hearing).

no I am not, I'm just asking people what they think,

KingOfAwesome58219 wrote:

You're really grasping at straws here trying to make it seem bad. Why is giving extra information bad?

I am not trying to make it seem bad. I am just expressing my opinion. Is that illegal?

-annoying and irrelevant rant about free speech-

'Making it seem bad' and ‘expressing your opinion’ can be and are in this case the same thing.

1. I'm not “ranting”, I'm just answering my own question by using an article from Wikipedia.
2. I'm just expressing my opinion. and those are not the same thing, why are people trying to make me look bad? no offense

How about if we all stopped making assumptions about the topic owner and get back to answering their question(s)? Its starting to get a bit off topic.

Personally for me, I wouldn't mind if someone posted something like that on my projects. After all, that user is just answering someone else's question - and that's good intent. Answering questions (even if it means linking to a relevant project) and drawing attention to one's own project are two different things.

However, spamming isn't the same for everyone. Others might consider linking to a relevant project (even under appropriate circumstances) spam while others might be ok with it. So, in your case (since it happened on your project), it would your choice on whether or not that's ok. Just know that if you do end deciding that it's spam and reporting it that the moderator may think otherwise.

i'm closing this because I don't want to start a flame war about peoples projects