Difficult Questions...

Ok first off this isn't a porn site, so I don't know what will happen if a membership fee gets mandated. I mean this site offers a service true enough, but not one most people will be willing to pay for. You have to have a value added service to get them to caugh up some cash. Now let me throw this idea into the pot. Make a calander with the hottest chicks on here in some skimpy outfits with different species of snakes. Old perverts like Wes and Neil will buy this up at 10 bucks a pop (no pun intended).. And you could mass market this through the internet and make a dog ass killing. Just an idea..

Ok first off this isn't a porn site, so I don't know what will happen if a membership fee gets mandated. I mean this site offers a service true enough, but not one most people will be willing to pay for. You have to have a value added service to get them to caugh up some cash. Now let me throw this idea into the pot. Make a calander with the hottest chicks on here in some skimpy outfits with different species of snakes. Old perverts like Wes and Neil will buy this up at 10 bucks a pop (no pun intended).. And you could mass market this through the internet and make a dog ass killing. Just an idea..

Now wait a minute. I want a calander with the hottest MEN here on fauna! I'm not going to name names, but there are some real cute guys that post here too!

Originally Posted by Mustangrde1

No not if the site is truly costing you that much out of pocket cash. Again though as with most sites it is a volunteer base of its staff not a paid possition so you can not count your time in that equation.

Scott

You have made this statement a few times on this thread and I guess my question is....why? The time that Rich spends on this site is automatically time away from revenue producing activities. Of course he has to factor his time spent into any calculation he comes up with for revenues necessary to make that time investment worthwhile.

My suggestion Rich is to implement a flat $10 annual fee to view and post on the BOI and to post classifieds. Leave the Forums and other areas free. The BOI is a valuable tool that has prevented more than one of us from getting stung. To those who do not value these resources enough to justify the fee....don't let the door......you know

I think Scott is ssaying look at the rest of the Message boards that have a server that keep their message boards free........

RTB.net
sSnakeSs
Now TRR

None of these admins or mods on these sites are paid. If any of them admins was pulling a profit(with pay site) would it be right NOT to pay the mods then?

There are I think 3 other mods here. Now my next part is just numbers and in no way mean that Rich would pull in this much are that he would do this lol......

But lets say that 10,000 members decide that Rich is right and pay the 10 bucks a year. That equals 100,000 dollars. Now this site comes no where close to costing that. So would he offer a % to the mods say a 5% or 10% of the profit sence they to are here helping with everything they can?

I am not slamming Rich I am just trying to point out something.

I have been doing this for over 2 years for TRR. Over 3 Years with TDS(a football site) and I love it still to this day. All costs have come out of my pocket. I have recieved one 10 dollar donation to my site. and that was awesome and I thank that member!!!!!!!!!

How much have I put into TRR.....Not as much as Rich has here I know. But also I do all the programming too as Rich as said he hires out to do it. Which is what works for him.

Rich do not take that as a slam I was just trying to explain what Scott was saying

I for one wouldn't mind if he added a porn forum. I agree with Robin too hee hee.

If he was thinking $10, I don't think any of the points made have any sway at all. People defending their name, new members, blah blah.

Come on, it's freakin $10. If you have the money to be properly caring for your living animals, you had better have $10. Or even $35!

Originally Posted by TooManyBurmese

I for one wouldn't mind if he added a porn forum. I agree with Robin too hee hee.

If he was thinking $10, I don't think any of the points made have any sway at all. People defending their name, new members, blah blah.

Come on, it's freakin $10. If you have the money to be properly caring for your living animals, you had better have $10. Or even $35!

The problem comes down to you have to pay it to defend yourself..............

So it is 10 bucks.... I bet someone would spend it to get to someone. But that someone comes here and gets the 30 days free to defend himself and the problem still is there with the other member posting lie after lie. But the guy that came to defend his BUSINESS has to either pay to protect his name from this slander or hope that this slander and lies do not hurt his business.

I think the person being forced to pay may have more legal right then to tell Rich. Remove my name from them threads or or I will sue. ANd I think there is a case. I spoke to one guy that kinda knows laws and he said the same thing.

10 bucks is not a lot. but it is enough to kill the site. you are missing the point.

You have your ones that will pay. Lets put it at 200.............

The BOI loses the draw becuase people will not pay to post in it. They just got scammed. Why would they spend more money to post that they just got scammed? That is what they will think right after it happened. and with out the member base here anylonger will the BOI have the same effect so this thing everyone is saying is worth it will it be then?

I am wondering how many of the 16000 plus do not even visit anymore or that are double names. Shoot even triple names. Just wondering.


People like free...............People hate to pay. Now with the way things are....People with out jobs and what not money is tight. Yeah I know it is 10 bucks. But you say it is enough to scare away the spammers. Well money scares away people.............

The BOI draws people to the site. That is the main thing charging will knock that draw down........IMO...

There are other ways and I have read some. IMO I say start with the Classifieds. Cause if that does not work you damn well know that the overall will not and you do not go through all this stress............

Ill make my point very clear. I am a member on numerous boards from reptiles to hunting and fishing and NONE -0- Zilch charge their member nor do the staff of the sites get paid for their VOLUNTEER time on the site hence the word VOLUNTEER. Why because it is a hobby or something of interest to them and they just want to help. I actually went looking around for sites that charge the members to post and there aint many. Why simple Because for every one that charges there are 100 that do not.

Good. So I am going to buck the trend. Not follow the crowd. Do what I think is best. So those other webmasters "just want to help", eh? So help is just a one way street, I guess.

I think I have stated my cases sufficiently. If the majority of the people decide to not pay, and that their refusal to pay a measily $10 per year to post on the BOI and the classifieds is sufficient reason for them to leave this site, then good riddance. If enough people feel this way that the entire site goes down the tubes, then good riddance to that as well.

I REALLY don't care either way. Once I determine that the writing is on the wall for this site to go the way of the dinosaurs, then I will stop accepting all new banner ads and any other paid service or contribution here, and once those have all expired, I wil simply pull the plug and get on with something else to spend my time and efforts on. Things like spending time with my wife instead of sitting in front of this computer handling one issue after another.

So like Clint Eastwood once said, "Go ahead. Make my day."

Or maybe it was Briar Rabbit (or whatever), "Please don't throw me into that briar patch!"

Originally Posted by Gary O

The problem comes down to you have to pay it to defend yourself..............

So it is 10 bucks.... I bet someone would spend it to get to someone. But that someone comes here and gets the 30 days free to defend himself and the problem still is there with the other member posting lie after lie. But the guy that came to defend his BUSINESS has to either pay to protect his name from this slander or hope that this slander and lies do not hurt his business.

I think the person being forced to pay may have more legal right then to tell Rich. Remove my name from them threads or or I will sue. ANd I think there is a case. I spoke to one guy that kinda knows laws and he said the same thing.

10 bucks is not a lot. but it is enough to kill the site. you are missing the point.

Sure. And hiring an attorney is going to be MUCH cheaper then paying $10 here. Yup. Makes sense to me.

Originally Posted by Gary O

You have your ones that will pay. Lets put it at 200.............

The BOI loses the draw becuase people will not pay to post in it. They just got scammed. Why would they spend more money to post that they just got scammed? That is what they will think right after it happened. and with out the member base here anylonger will the BOI have the same effect so this thing everyone is saying is worth it will it be then?

I am wondering how many of the 16000 plus do not even visit anymore or that are double names. Shoot even triple names. Just wondering.

Don't really care. If it comes to a choice of 200 people willing to pay and 15,800 freeloaders who won't, then my choice is really tough to make.

Originally Posted by Gary O

People like free...............People hate to pay. Now with the way things are....People with out jobs and what not money is tight. Yeah I know it is 10 bucks. But you say it is enough to scare away the spammers. Well money scares away people.............

Tough for them, then. I'm not getting the servers for free. I am supposed to donate MY money for all eternity? My time and efforts are valueless? My time could be applied to something that would help to put food on the table, or buy me something nice once in a while. Or I could just take the time with all of that now free time if I dumped this site and take a walk out in the woods. Maybe even look for a snake now and again.

Originally Posted by Gary O

The BOI draws people to the site. That is the main thing charging will knock that draw down........IMO...

Anyone who sees a $10 fee as an insurmountable hurtle to post something they feel is important on the BOI must not have a lot of faith on how important it really is then. Of course, this tends to make me feel that making the $10 fee covering BOTH posting and reading the forum might be the most reasonable approach. That way the person trying to decide if the $10 per year is really worth it will get a whole lot more for their money. For $10, they get to READ the wealth of information already there.

Originally Posted by Gary O

There are other ways and I have read some. IMO I say start with the Classifieds. Cause if that does not work you damn well know that the overall will not and you do not go through all this stress............

Sorry, my opinion differs from yours based on feedback I have gotten from this very site over the years. Many people have claimed that they really don't make that many sales off of the classifieds here. Very well. So why should I charge only them and shishkabob the classifieds in the process? Actually the ONLY reason I am including the classifieds along with the BOI for the fee is because I think it is prudent to but a bit of credibility into the people who are posting classified ads there. Doesn't make sense to demand a bit of credibility of people posting on the BOI, yet allow them to post classified ads unhindered, now does it?

I would not be buying cruise tickets yet if I were you. The final poll is overwhelmingly in favor of paying to post on the BOI. I think in the threads there were a couple of people willing to provide sponsorships, but I do believe that the vast majority of people can easily pay the $10; and I absolutely believe that this site is worth it, and $10 for a year of Fauna and the BOI is the best deal in the Universe!