It's one thing to discuss competitors in private with business associates within the confines of a meeting or office setting. But it's another thing entirely to discuss them on a company-owned public forum. If IS allowed members to discuss other sites on their forums, they would stand to lose potential exclusive contributors (aka their most attractive selling point) and buyers to the competition as members learn about other sites. They would also be inadvertently helping other sites grow their databases and sales with new contributors and buyers.
I'm reviewing contributor application submissions at LO now, and get to read how potential contributors found the site. At least once a day, someone says they found us either through SS's forums or the generic "competitor's forum." Always surprises me.
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