How do you feel about people self promoting themselves? (Also GIVEAWAYS HERE!)

I hate the ones like that that steal views for an artificial youtube success to get to the links. things where the video is just linked harmlessly in the description to click or not as you will with no benefit for going there I'm fine with

and I agree the contest ones are the worst and cheating. besides they're basically referral links and should be banned, and I always downvote any greenlight whoring"free key to all upvoters if we get in" or "we'll do a developer giveaway if you vote us in"

I don't mind as long as it's not some obvious reflink greed.

one thing is actually promote something, another is to self promote. to be popular, i mean. the first is ok, the second is annoying.

Is the best method to promote their things, but yeah too much shit pass through kickstarters or greenlight, ppl just vote it because they give some games or another thing with 0.01 chance to win each.

Dont mind advertising. I would mind if there was a rule to like their greenlight pruduct.

I'm okay with the minimum amount of self-advertising , as long it doesn't get the forums , and social media overflown with the same generic message "vote for this , subscribe to that..."
but when it comes to greenlight advertisement , i'm not so okay with it , I find it counterproductive to vote for a shitty game just to get a slim chance to win a game...

I don't mind, if it's nothing malicious. Being extreme, you don't even have to read the descriptions for public giveaways (although it's extremely recommended you do).

I don't mind in any situation. Advertising like that is often the only way for people to get others to check what they have.

I have no problem with it, I think steamgifts is a great place to get exposure, especially for (struggling) indie developers

Honestly 99% of the games posted here (SG) for greenlight look awful! They are those kind of games that exist just for existing, no good story, bad mechanics, even worse graphics, but oh well, those games already existed they just want to make more money by getting inside the steam's store.
PS - So many wanters of private giveaways xD

How else are you going to advertise when you are just starting off? Most people don't have a huge budget to blow on ad campaigns, so you kinda have to do the advertising yourself.

I think it's ok. You make a giveaway and you have your own space to say some words and promote whatever you want. But I have to admit that I rarely pay attention to that, specially youtube channels and that stuff.

I do not mind if it's something non-commercial or indie, like a blog, tumblr, comic, video game, youtube channel and so on, and if it is just mentioned in the description and you can visit it if it sounds interesting. I mean, why not, we can find out some interesting things in that way. I do not like when someone posts his referral links and demands clicks in order to enter (and I'm sure it's against the rules, so did not really see something like that in a long time).

I'm fine with people advertising their youtube/website/contest in public giveaways, although I do mind when they create threads solely for it. I'm fine with game advertising on the forums as this is primarily a gaming website and it's really difficult to get the word out on indie games with all the over saturation on Kickstarter and Greenlight. When they offer something in exchange for upvotes, that's a different story.

I don't mind if someone use his/her giveaway page for self promoting, they can put anything that not agains the rules in description area, if you don't like it, just press Ctrl + W.
And I don't think it's cheating like devs adding their links for Greenlight support, because I won't let the giveaway affect my personal judgement - if it does affect you, that's your problem, not the devs.
I understand you hate it because (correct me if I misunderstand you) you think it's unfair that those guys who self promotion make a giveaway will get more attendtion thus more votes. But I think you can't blame them doing this, it's a free world, others who doesn't do this and lose protential votes is their problem (they choose not to or just a mistake that the idea doesn't come to their mind).
I don't worry about sh*t games get greenlit by making loads of self promotion giveaways and causing good games get ignore, if that really happen people won't buy it (or maybe it's just a different taste). If you're a fan of some indie games want to help them expand the influence,inform opportunities like SG and Greenlight to them, let them choose which way they like.
Above all,it's free for devs to make self promotion giveaways and they do give something away for free. If you don't like it or feel it influence your judgement, you are free to leave.

I dont mind them in giveaway descriptions (found some nice games this way :D) but i hate the ones which "buy" votes for greenlight or other contests

I don't really mind promoting as long as its for something that is worth it. Promoting something that makes the world a better place is always welcome, whatever the place and time. But if its for something seriously useless, like a youtube video commenting games of which there are already thousands, i'd rather do without.

But if someone if making a giveaway i will certainely not complain about his self promoting and always have a look at it.

If it's in a giveaway I don't really mind it. Afterall someone at least will have a free game, right? ;)
Things that really piss me off are referral links. I hate all of this stuff...
All those youtube promoting threads on the forum a while ago were annoying as well. I don't mind people advertising their youtube channels (I have one myself and know that you'll do a lot to get more viewers) but be reasonable about it. Advertising (in general) costs a hell load of money, so if you don't have enough $$$ and you'd like to promote yourself why don't you just spend a couple of dollars on a bundle and make a giveaway of it with link in a description. Youtube generates profit afterall...
Same goes for kickstarters, greenlights etc. Of course I don't approve bribery and if there are people saying "vote yes for shitgame on greenlight and will throw free steamkeys at you" then I'm against it, though I haven't seen such giveaways.
Summarizing everything is fine if you keep it reasonable. Huge companies advertise themselves (on TV, radio, streets and even on steamgifts) then why shouldn't we, small, regular people, advertise our humble projects?

I don't really mind :)

I don't necessarily hate them, but it is kind of annoying. The kickstarted ones and green light ones that aren't give everyone a free steam key are fine because they just want to get their game out. The contest ones irk me because they are technically bribing votes. The youtube stuff isn't too bad either and i've found some decent channels from it.

I don't mind when people promote decent-looking grenlights or otherthings that i may be interested in. Free games sites, youtube and twitch channels, those annoy me. If your channel was interesting, i'd already know about it, and im not going to play crappy flash games to win steam games, that makes zero sense (not to mention those sites are shady as hell). Bottom line: if it has somemeasure of interest to me, i'm cool with it; otherwise, don't waste my time.

I don't mind anything except when they are trying to win a contest. Kind of defeats the purpose if all of your votes are people that are just voting because you asked them to.

I dislike it. We're marketed to 24x7 already. You open gmail; ads at the top. Turn on the TV; chances are it's an ad you see first. Turn on the radio; at least a 50% chance it'll be an ad playing. I'm sick of being sold to. If I want something, I will research the matter myself, find a product based on customer reviews (not the bullshit 'satisfied customers' they have in the ads), and then purchase the best product I can find for my needs. I don't need more marketing shoved down my throat on a site that is supposed to be about selflessly giving to others.

"Oh, but they're giving a game out, they should be allowed to advertise, it's only fair!"
No. Fuck you. You don't get something in return, this isn't SteamTrades, this is SteamGifts. You get to give away a gift because you want to help other gamers and feel good about yourself. You are owed exactly nothing else.

That said, I don't care as much as my previous comments imply. I normally just tune it out. When I start thinking about it (like now) is when I get agitated. Sharing something that you don't make money off of is fine. Sharing something you are, or will be, making money off of is not fine. Not because they are different things, but because you can't objectively appreciate what you are saying as well when you have something to gain. I'm fine with people sharing a cool kickstarter project, as long as they aren't involved in the project. Maybe I need to refine my thoughts/position a bit more, but that's what's coming off the top of my head.