Quote:
Originally Posted by Helenthereef
I agree with that in part - could it be set up so that although only contributing members could post, it would still be visible to all to view (even if only via the BOI link on classified ads)?
If not, it seems a shame that newer members, who may be more vulnerable to the scammers, might not see the warnings.
|
They are not my responsibility. Actually they never were. But I have been doing this anyway, to try to help everyone out. Which has gotten me a lot of grief, disdain, lots of threats of lawsuits (and one actual lawsuit), threats of bodily injury and death, and been called more derogatory names during this stint that probably most people here in 10 lifetimes. But I was fine with that as long as I was feeling I had a substantial helping hand of support from a large number of troops. That, I am afraid, no longer exists.
Yeah, this change is kind of a catch-22. Yes, it's a tough sell to get more support from new members if can't see what the Board of Inquiry is offering them. Yet for most people, being able to simply read the BOI is all they really want, and if they can still do that, then there is no incentive to become paying members to provide more financial support anyway. I believe with that thread linked above from 2005 I actually did do it that way. With highly unsatisfactory results.
Besides, with 139,000 already registered members, I think that there is already a substantial number of people who know exactly what the Board of Inquiry is all about. So honestly, if they have decided that it is not worth supporting, what are the chances that new members would think differently? So no, I think that the focus really needs to be to let people who full well know what the BOI is all about have fair warning that it is on it's way down the tubes. THIS change is to give the paying members of this site something that their current support was likely intended to help retain. So the next year, up to 02-02-2020 will be gratis for them alone.
Push come to shove, if Facebook and whatever BOI similar forums, sites, and pages are offered elsewhere have become far more in favor with the majority of people in the herp community, and they have chosen to abandon participation and support here as a result, well, then the Board of Inquiry is really not necessary anyway, now is it? I don't really need to keep on sticking my neck out any longer, do I?
BTW, I had mentioned earlier some threads I posted 9 or so years ago when I faced a similar dilemma concerning dwindling support for the BOI..
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=139742
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=139468
If you read those, you will likely see me saying the same things I have been saying today. The Groundhog Day movie reference mentioned earlier. And yes, that was a close call back then. I really can't say that NOT pulling the plug back then was the smartest move for me to make. I guess this change will give me that answer.
I'm 10 years older now, retired, and things look differently to me. Really what to I really
need the Board of Inquiry for at this stage of my life? Now, I need a real good reason to put up with the headaches, nonsense, bullcrap thrown at me, and potential liability. Otherwise I would seriously rather spend my time on less stressful things, to be perfectly honest.