About the BOI and it's future here...

Originally Posted by Southern Wolf

Rich... Im not sure if this is doable with all the mods (not moderators) involved in the site. But could you not set up the "registered & guest" permissions to view only in the BOI and then set up the "contributors" so they can post.

I am an Admin on another site that uses Vbulletin and that is why I thought of this. I was setting up permissions couple days ago for a new area of the site.

Yep. That's the method that would be used to set the "permissions". Each forum can have a separate permissions set for each user group. In most cases, anyway. Some options are global in scope. For instance, the amount of time allowed for edits to be made on posts are global across all member groups and all forums. I can control whether or not those edits can be made within individual forums and by what member groups, but the timeout factor has to apply to all of them.

The reptile world needs this place.I don't have a problem with paying,most of us don't.I would hate to donate and this place still close.Im not educated enough to know or understand all the legal issues you may face.Could you post how many paying members you need?Maybe have a graph showing how things are going until you reach your goal?
Thank you,Paul Yancick

It sounds like you just are tired of it. The legalities are there, but the truth is, at worst, you'd probably get a letter from an attorney telling you to take a post down. If you did...your problem would be solved. Anyway...sounds like you are wanting to sell it. Why don't you post an ask price and see what happens?

Shawn

Originally Posted by Granite

It sounds like you just are tired of it. The legalities are there, but the truth is, at worst, you'd probably get a letter from an attorney telling you to take a post down. If you did...your problem would be solved.

Only one of them.

I don't think his integrity would allow him to do that.

Discussions have arisen in the past that were in a similar vein, but without the new financial realities on Rich's side that come with retirement. That pretty significantly changes the entire situation on his end.

A place like the Board of Inquiry (or the better business forums or various consumer reports sites dedicated to other industries) only really works one way- and that way only happens if things are perfect. Halfway measures just don't fulfill the intended purpose. If a letter from a law firm can have posts removed from public view, then the site as a whole is worth a lot less to the users than it was when that was not the case.

Rich, while I still hold to the debate table opinions I expressed during the time immediately prior to the pay to post period of the BOI's history when it comes to the efficiency and value for the users if the structure is changed... I certainly can't deny that your situation has changed from where it was back then. The financial realities of retirement put a brand new spin on the situation.

While I'd kind of rather see the forums which represent liability locked and archived- and the site no longer being the site to post those kinds of threads than see it end up as something less than the arena for free and open communication that it is now- it's obvious to me that things have changed on your end and that *something* needs to change with the website.

You picked up something that wasn't your responsibility to pick up, but that was needed and valuable and you ran with it. I think you know by now that I tend to be a bit of a pessimist and am always up for a critical debate... and while I haven't always agreed with every individual minor decision you have made, your integrity has never been something I questioned. Given the nature of the website you were running, I can't really think of anyone else (aside from perhaps those people you allowed to be moderators for you) who could have dealt with the pressures, the stresses and the threats while maintaining that level of impartiality and dedication.

Whatever you decide to do with the website, for a decade, you have stepped up and taken on a burden that it would have been far easier to ignore or set down. You're pretty much a hero and you more than deserve whatever glorious ride into the sunset you choose for yourself.

Anyway...sounds like you are wanting to sell it. Why don't you post an ask price and see what happens?

He's gotten a few offers, none of them really all that reasonable. Some from well intentioned folks who just underestimated the website's value- some from crooked scum who just want to gut what he's created and use it to glorify themselves.

There are various websites that estimate the value of other websites. They look at total hits, unique IPs that visit, bandwidth and ad potential and where the domain name shows up in search engines- plug all that through some algorithms that punch out a number that functions as a sort of estimated value compiled from all that information. Those websites usually vary a bit, but the estimated value of this domain name runs between $21,000 and about $30,000 strictly based on those numbers. Those numbers do not take into account the awareness of the domain name within the reptile industry (the primary target audience), the uniqueness of the content, the comprehensiveness of the content or any of the pride of ownership that Rich should (hopefully) feel for what he has accomplished.

Even at the baseline estimated value based on hits... there aren't too many people who have that kind of money to spend on a website like this. Of those, most are deeply involved in running their own businesses and probably do not have the time or inclination to pick up all the associated effort of this website, however much they value it. And even then, as Rich has been quite forward about some of the realities of running the website, they'd also be shouldering the financial and legal burdens that he has faced for ten years now and would need to invest additional money in their own legal defense fund- even though, as Rich says, the laws are pretty clear on the matter. Lawyers rarely work for free, even if they're pretty much guaranteed to win their case.

[quote=Seamus Haley;741233]Only one of them.

Those numbers do not take into account the awareness of the domain name within the reptile industry (the primary target audience), the uniqueness of the content, the comprehensiveness of the content or any of the pride of ownership that Rich should (hopefully) feel for what he has accomplished.
QUOTE]


This is all stuff that really has no bearing on the sale price of a website. At the end of the day, when someone buys a business (which this is), it's the revenue that outlines the price. The brand is only valuable if it's being used to sell something. In this case, revenue is generated by subscriptions and advertising, so you should be able to show the last few year income without too much trouble. Like I said, throw a number out there and see what happens. I think you'd find that someone in the community would be willing to take the plunge rather than just let the board die.

Has any decision been made, as to, if and when access to the BOI is going to be limited to contributing members? Do you think it will be done, prior to 1 January 2010?

Wayne

No, no decisions have been made, if for no other reason then this is not top of my priority list right now. Honestly, I believe the longer I wait the more significant traffic will become in the classifieds section, and the less significant the BOI will be to the survival of this site if it has to get the axe.

And no, this site is not for sale. Just a FYI, someone did offer me a car that I would value at roughly $55,000 in trade value for this site and I turned that down.

And really, Seamus, ME, a hero? I'm trying to figure out a way to carry a concealed shotgun at Expo this year. I'm thinking I may have to hollow out my right leg or something. There are a lot of people who seem to hold me personally responsible for what they have brought upon themselves in their business and interpersonal dealings by what has been exhibited on this site with and without their own participation. I'm just glad that the palm trees around Expo don't have limbs that they could throw a rope over and stretch my neck with that weekend....

Originally Posted by WebSlave

And really, Seamus, ME, a hero? I'm trying to figure out a way to carry a concealed shotgun at Expo this year. I'm thinking I may have to hollow out my right leg or something.

Forget the Shotgun, even though they are my favorite personal protection device, (no need to aim, just point) Bring either the M82A1, M99 or the M95. The ones you posted pics of in CAV's forum on cs.com. Just the look of those alone, would make any would be attacker, poop in their pants! LOL!

Wayne

I've seen a couple people asking for target numbers and such, as well as mentioning or suggesting that it's not worth contributing unless there's a goal. Rich took a risk in starting this site, and has continued to stick his neck out for the community, despite the ever-present threats of lawsuits. Isn't it worth sticking our necks out for him?

Here's a thought...everyone turn off your monitors, and then try to count the number of potential bad deals you avoided with the help of the BOI. Now put a dollar amount on each deal. Got a number? I'm sure the BOI would appreciate a thank-you.

Originally Posted by captnemo

I've seen a couple people asking for target numbers and such, as well as mentioning or suggesting that it's not worth contributing unless there's a goal. Rich took a risk in starting this site, and has continued to stick his neck out for the community, despite the ever-present threats of lawsuits. Isn't it worth sticking our necks out for him?

Here's a thought...everyone turn off your monitors, and then try to count the number of potential bad deals you avoided with the help of the BOI. Now put a dollar amount on each deal. Got a number? I'm sure the BOI would appreciate a thank-you.

My impression of those suggestions is that people just don't want to contribute...but maybe they will if they absolutely have to in order to keep the BOI operational. Basically, if enough other people pick up the slack & contribute enough to just barely meet some arbitrary goal, they won't have to reach into their pockets.