#253306 - 27/10/10 12:57 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: Scotty]
|
Fiesta Crazy
Registered: 04/02/08
Posts: 622
Loc: Leeds
|
Quote:
Sorry house... I don't really see the issue. It's locked down for a month for upgrades. If you don't wish to donate a possible sum of maybe just £2 then simply don't bother.
I can't force you to do it. The site comes out my own pocket. I use no donations for hosting... and it costs £14 a month atm + board fees + web address yearly subscription. All out my bank... my wages.
Surely a donation to help the site update for 2011 isn't too much to ask.
Sorry for my outburst but i'm a little worn down with all these sob stories about me shutting people out... for christ sake... you have been here coming up 3 years for FREE... I bet you don't think twice about buying a pint down the pub for £2 odd... then maybe one for your friend... well... surely this is a friend / hobby / enjoyment?
I can't convince people to help... but everything we have got so far people always enjoy...
For example...
Site Flags = £600
Gazebo = £100
Graphics for Merchandise = £150
etc etc
None of that could have been done without help from members. I do not charge a membership of the site... but hope people will step up and help out a little.
We are looking to improve the site with loads of new things... i'm working on them during November and to the New Year.
Also I want new equipment for the show season to make us look a really nice outfit.
Leave if you wish... I can't explain any more...
I am not looking for an argument, just stating my views on it all. You say that you are going to stop new members joining unless they donate to the site first. Would you seriously give money to a website which you have never accessed before and have no idea what the content is like behind the "login" section? I know for a fact i wouldn't - for all i know i could give a few quid as a new member and then find out there are only 3 people who post on the site for example? you are going to alienate new posters for a start.
2nd, i am not trying to make this into a fordfiestast.co.uk vs other websites but other websites allow you to access certain forums and the members can access other "private" forums. This is how you should work this and not bar the whole site.
in terms of your own personal outgoings why not get google ad's on the bottom of the page? I read a few forums and they started to do this due to money issues and its not like you get annoying pop ups irritating you they just are placed at the top and bottom of the page and you can click if you want. Like most websites - advertising is what brings in the money. Or is it that this site doesnt attract enough visitors to go down this route?
Yes i have been coming here for 3 years for "free" as you put it, but that is generally what the internet is, free. I used to read articles from the times online but since they started charging then i just use other sites which provide the same service for free. So yes i have accessed it for free, but if you dont provide it for free then another site is more than happy to.
Great that you buy all this stuff for your shows but i dont ever attend these anyway so for me personally it is no benefit.
As i say i am not wanting to start an argument, but do feel there are other ways you could bring in money and that you will alienate new posters.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#253307 - 27/10/10 01:03 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: House]
|
Registered: 04/08/10
Posts: 741
Loc: Edinburgh, Scotland
|
I thought the website was free but just down for a month for people who haven't paid? If thats the case in a months time are you still going to boycott this website because of donation issues?
_________________________
I used to have a micra with a Type-R badge...dont judge me.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#253308 - 27/10/10 01:04 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: House]
|
Registered: 23/11/09
Posts: 4599
Loc: sheffield
|
new members dont have to donate. its just anyone who hasnt cant use the site for a month. after that it is back to normal
_________________________
Chuck Norris is never late, the world is just early!!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#253311 - 27/10/10 02:07 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: House]
|
Fiesta Addict
Registered: 11/03/04
Posts: 944
Loc: Oxford
|
Quote:
in terms of your own personal outgoings why not get google ad's on the bottom of the page? I read a few forums and they started to do this due to money issues and its not like you get annoying pop ups irritating you they just are placed at the top and bottom of the page and you can click if you want. Like most websites - advertising is what brings in the money. Or is it that this site doesnt attract enough visitors to go down this route?
I agree with this.
Google ads are a very good source of income from personal experience. Relatively small traffic sites don't have any bother in netting around £200/year in income. Sponsors are even better and the users will often get a site discount thrown in. Everyone's a winner.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#253312 - 27/10/10 02:33 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: House]
|
Porsche 997 Turbo & ST150
Registered: 27/02/04
Posts: 18100
Loc: Nuneaton, Warwickshire
|
I will answer in sections to help de-fuze the issues. Quote:
I am not looking for an argument, just stating my views on it all. You say that you are going to stop new members joining unless they donate to the site first. Would you seriously give money to a website which you have never accessed before and have no idea what the content is like behind the "login" section? I know for a fact i wouldn't - for all i know i could give a few quid as a new member and then find out there are only 3 people who post on the site for example? you are going to alienate new posters for a start.
Maybe not... but if someones recommended it to me then yes.
I'd just like to point out two things here really.
1. I bet you a cadburys white chocolate finger (and believe me I like these)... that the content on this site has probably saved you quite a bit of money in the years you've been a member of this site. So untimatley, joining has benefitted you personally financially.
2. The reason for locking the site down is to reduce traffic, reduce threads/posts and new user accounts so I can implement things smoother without causing too much issues to data. (for example the corruption that happened over night)
Quote:
2nd, i am not trying to make this into a fordfiestast.co.uk vs other websites but other websites allow you to access certain forums and the members can access other "private" forums. This is how you should work this and not bar the whole site.
This is exactly how we currently work. There is a members section that you cannot view unless you donate. The site is completely free apart from that area. The lockdown will only be for a month or a little over to try and get things moderised.
Quote:
in terms of your own personal outgoings why not get google ad's on the bottom of the page? I read a few forums and they started to do this due to money issues and its not like you get annoying pop ups irritating you they just are placed at the top and bottom of the page and you can click if you want. Like most websites - advertising is what brings in the money. Or is it that this site doesnt attract enough visitors to go down this route?
I hateeeeeeeeeeeee google ad bars and adverts... they drive me insane. I log onto my hotmail and it drives me mad. I use my personal site e-mail more now due to this. I have said from day one of this site... I will not put members through such horror. Many might well agree... it's more than irritating.
Quote:
Yes i have been coming here for 3 years for "free" as you put it, but that is generally what the internet is, free. I used to read articles from the times online but since they started charging then i just use other sites which provide the same service for free. So yes i have accessed it for free, but if you dont provide it for free then another site is more than happy to.
You are quite right... but another site will 'probably' not be as friendly as this one... have such good control of content and also have 6 years worth of threads, pictures etc... as well as a wealth of knowledge.
Quote:
Great that you buy all this stuff for your shows but i dont ever attend these anyway so for me personally it is no benefit.
As i say i am not wanting to start an argument, but do feel there are other ways you could bring in money and that you will alienate new posters.
That is your choice not to attend shows. Many don't but still donate to help. I keep the donations seperate to site hosting costs... purely because I am in a financial position to uphold these costs and use the other monies to impact things in a 'real' way.
Maybe you've really missed the point and gone into a little too depth with this whole thing... was it really worth your effort to write all this when you could have simply just accepted it or gave a small donation? 
_________________________
 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#253315 - 27/10/10 04:22 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: steviehouse]
|
MountooningTipster
Registered: 26/08/07
Posts: 11642
Loc: here
|
The way I see it is, if we had a totaly free forum it would be full of adds and I don't that and probably nobody else does, there is enough of that all over the web and for once I want to be somewhere without them. So, if I pay it is only fair that either others pay to see the same forum as I can or as we do now paying members have a private technical area where only we can view.
_________________________
 MR200 Stage 3 200PS Evans Halshaw Mountune Pro
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#253317 - 27/10/10 05:27 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: Stu.]
|
Registered: 29/05/10
Posts: 1016
Loc: East London
|
Can you donate without using paypal? I aint had one for 4 years!
_________________________
I got owned by a Focus RS and LOVED IT!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#253319 - 27/10/10 05:39 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: kelartis]
|
Registered: 23/11/09
Posts: 4599
Loc: sheffield
|
send a cheque?
_________________________
Chuck Norris is never late, the world is just early!!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#253320 - 27/10/10 05:41 PM
Re: Locked Down Site?
[Re: H47PER]
|
Registered: 29/05/10
Posts: 1016
Loc: East London
|
Dont have a cheque book! Will arrange the bank transfer...got to wait til payday...can I do it after the lockdown or does it have to be done before?
_________________________
I got owned by a Focus RS and LOVED IT!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
0 registered (),
4485
Guests and
0
Spiders online. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
Registered: 26/08/07
Posts: 11642
|
8623 Members
50 Forums
32335 Topics
561629 Posts
Max Online: 14753 @ 28/02/26 08:23 AM
|
|
Site Supporter
s Daily
Previous Topic
Index