impalapower
TY 4 Stroke God
I signed up for the $15 level. My trusty old hat is just fine, so I don't need a new one.
Tork said:
Really I was merely adding to it not challenging it! I read posts from people and subjects that interest me.
I thought it was I who was kidding you on being the VIP moderator, had you going for awhile there. I was not the only one who thought I really had you going there for awhile.
What I am getting at is why the bought special status within a paying site? If I or anyone pay to enter this or any other site I would expect to be an equal member. I would not pay extra to be special whatever in a site I just paid a fee to enter. I dont think it is right either because I opened my wallet and paid the price to be here.
Now if someone earns a right given to him or her from the admin such as a mod status I have no problem with that.
What it boils down to what I am saying is:
If someone comes to the site and is just checking it out but is not sure whether or not he wants to join and pay the fee. Then give him the bare minimum, by that I mean no search or posting rights even. If he wants to find what he is looking for by reading be my guest.
Now if that person decides it easier to find what he is looking for by paying the yearly membership he should have full access to the site and should be equal to every other member at that point.
Here the way the site is right now we have VIP members (the ones willing to pay to help keep the site running and making it better). We have non paying members ( ones who are willing to ride the coat tails of the VIP members). Two different classes of members already. If everyone pays you are back to one class for everyone and the way it should be. Either no one pays or everyone pays works best.
I actually moderated on three different sites. They all had to do with sattelite tv.
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
My standpoint here is to imagine some of the things MrSled has to deal with. Also to examine possible ways for members to be motivated to help keep this site financially sound.
But lets say beyond what VIP is or is yet to become, what if I wanted to donate another $20 a year? A nice gesture in appreciatioon would be to get that "I support"....logo.
Now other people may see that and say "how do I get that logo"? That could lead to more donations which further helps the site.
Sled Dog, I dont mean you question things, but you do have some interesting ideas which provoke more thought. Never worried about you being a moderator. If Crazy ever is though, I'm in deep sh.........
:shock:
But lets say beyond what VIP is or is yet to become, what if I wanted to donate another $20 a year? A nice gesture in appreciatioon would be to get that "I support"....logo.
Now other people may see that and say "how do I get that logo"? That could lead to more donations which further helps the site.
Sled Dog, I dont mean you question things, but you do have some interesting ideas which provoke more thought. Never worried about you being a moderator. If Crazy ever is though, I'm in deep sh.........
:shock:
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
If I am not mistaken MrSled is using 2 methods to raise funds, advertising and VIP.
Why not encourage a third method, 'donations' and give the logo to people who do.
I was not really clear, the logo I dont mean it as a way to brag and say "hey everybody, I donated"
What it really says is donations are encouraged and appreciated.
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Why not encourage a third method, 'donations' and give the logo to people who do.
I was not really clear, the logo I dont mean it as a way to brag and say "hey everybody, I donated"
What it really says is donations are encouraged and appreciated.
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Tork said:
Sounds like a good idea.............I'm up for it............Count Me In
Tork said:My standpoint here is to imagine some of the things MrSled has to deal with. Also to examine possible ways for members to be motivated to help keep this site financially sound.
But lets say beyond what VIP is or is yet to become, what if I wanted to donate another $20 a year? A nice gesture in appreciatioon would be to get that "I support"....logo.
Now other people may see that and say "how do I get that logo"? That could lead to more donations which further helps the site.
Sled Dog, I dont mean you question things, but you do have some interesting ideas which provoke more thought. Never worried about you being a moderator. If Crazy ever is though, I'm in deep sh.........
We would ALL BE IN VERY DEEP DEEP DEEP POOPIE
Tork said:My standpoint here is to imagine some of the things MrSled has to deal with. Also to examine possible ways for members to be motivated to help keep this site financially sound.
But lets say beyond what VIP is or is yet to become, what if I wanted to donate another $20 a year? A nice gesture in appreciatioon would be to get that "I support"....logo.
Now other people may see that and say "how do I get that logo"? That could lead to more donations which further helps the site.
Sled Dog, I dont mean you question things, but you do have some interesting ideas which provoke more thought. Never worried about you being a moderator. If Crazy ever is though, I'm in deep sh.........
My point is this, if all members paid the fee right now the site would have enough money to run without any advertisers. If you wanted to donate more that is your choice although I think unneeded if everyone paid the membership fee. The special logo for donating would be fine also as long as it didnt give you special entry into another part of the board. In other words a VIP section.
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2003
- Messages
- 21,333
- Age
- 54
- Location
- Schofield, WI
- Website
- www.totallyamaha.com
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- 2020 Sidewinder SRX
I think what goes through peoples heads is that I am making money hand over fist, and why should they help me line my pockets....
Without me sitting down and showing everyone all the time I log and the amount of money it takes to run this site , one will never know...but I am not getting rich off this site and I never really plan to. I do this to help people...it is a great feeling when people look up to me and ask me all kinds of questions and value my opinions.....thats a life long feeling that will never go away....as well as all the great friends I have made from the web.....its really priceless.
People just do what you can , all is a great help. I only want to provide the the users the best I can , server, tech info or whatever....
Thanks
Tom
Without me sitting down and showing everyone all the time I log and the amount of money it takes to run this site , one will never know...but I am not getting rich off this site and I never really plan to. I do this to help people...it is a great feeling when people look up to me and ask me all kinds of questions and value my opinions.....thats a life long feeling that will never go away....as well as all the great friends I have made from the web.....its really priceless.
People just do what you can , all is a great help. I only want to provide the the users the best I can , server, tech info or whatever....
Thanks
Tom
Tork lets say you paid and entry fee to get into the bar which has a really good band playing. You meet VDW and want to dance, when you get to the dance floor you find you have to pay again to dance. Would that not make you feel like a bug on a toilet seat (pissed off)?
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
Sled Dog said:
OK, now you are missing the point. You dont have to donate and you dont get ANYTHING for it other than the logo. So you dont HAVE to pay a second time for the dance.
Dont try to tell me that if the dance was a particularly good one that I could not give VDW a tip and that she could not give me a hug and a kiss because she appreciated the tip.
MrSled said:
Yes Tom I think you are right that is part of the reason why people are not signing up in droves to be a VIP member. The other reasons would be why buy the cow when your getting the milk for free type of attitude. The truth is Tom is not getting rich and the ones who want to get the info they need to save money for themselves can for free! For this reason alone they should feel obligated to give a little back and get a T shirt or hat to boot yet. I dont understand some people and guess I never will.
Tork said:Sled Dog said:
OK, now you are missing the point. You dont have to donate and you dont get ANYTHING for it other than the logo. So you dont HAVE to pay a second time for the dance.
Dont try to tell me that if the dance was a particularly good one that I could not give VDW a tip and that she could not give me a hug and a kiss because she appreciated the tip.
Exactly which is why I stated earlier it would be ok as long as there was no entry into another part of the board (dance floor). Donations are always given with nothing expected in return other than appreciation (VDW's kiss). We are on the same means of thinking my friend!
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
MrSled said:
Tom, I already feel I have a good understanding of you and this site.
All this is good to say because alot of guys dont comprehend all the work you do.
Let me ask you this How hard is it to do a simple photoshop on the same logo as the one I posted and stick it on the bottom of the left column below ones location? I dont have a clue how hard it would be to do that.
We could give it a shot. I could paypal a donation and we could see if it takes off.
Tork
TY 4 Stroke God
Sled Dog said:We are on the same means of thinking my friend!
LOL I know! We always growl at each other on the way to getting to a better place. Then we have a laugh at the end of the day over a beer
You have to forgive my way of thinking. Usually I dont start off with a good complete plan on most things. I start out with fragments of it and with your help it evolves into something that may end up actually being a good idea
Here's a couple of facts to lease a dedicated server and bandwidth cost is between 2 and 300 dollars a month thats not counting the costs of any upgrades that you have done. The advertising brings in a little but no where near enough to cover all the expenses. Tom has been paying for this for a number of years and until the past couple had no advertising dollars coming in whatsoever. The most recent upgrades (dedicated server etc.) has increased his expenses at least two fold He has provided for us long enough and deserves to not only eliminate his out of pocket expenses but deserves to recoup some of his years of losses so he can send his kids to college. Also keep in mind for the $35 membership you get a free hat or shirt so take at least $20 off of the total to cover that. With 75 VIP members he has probably made about $750 that will cover 3 or four months which means he's out another $2000 this year if we don't get additional signups. I would hate to see this site dissappear because of the lack of funding buy stuff from the store, send donations, and sign up for the VIP bit everyone should do what they can if everyone on this site and TY gave $1 he would have enough to run it for a year. 
