Difficult Questions...

[Ophis]

Maybe you could have a "Gauntlet of Death" option available to people who don't want to pay a fee. If you chose this option you would have to read every diatribe ever posted by Seamus Haley and then answer a 500 question reading comprehension test based on his rantings. I would just pay the damn money, myself.

 

[Lucille]

Me too...... :laugh:

 

[WebSlave]

Maybe you could have a "Gauntlet of Death" option available to people who don't want to pay a fee. If you chose this option you would have to read every diatribe ever posted by Seamus Haley and then answer a 500 question reading comprehension test based on his rantings. I would just pay the damn money, myself.

Hah! I can think of a handful of people I would put into that category that would put Seamus to shame. Actually Seamus is much more cogent them some people I have seen post. There are some that cause you head to start humming dangerously as you read their words.....

 

[Ophis]

Im just kidding...I read alot of his posts (most of which are pretty good.) and manage to get at least half way through before speed reading them.

 

[bcfos]

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!

We could do that also........... Just leave me well out of it and all is good.

 

[ExoticPetsWS]

My .02 cents...

I have to be honest, I did not read through the entire thread....way to much for the few minutes I have right now, but I will TRY to get back to it at a later time..

I would pay for advertising but think the BOI should be free. With that said, I have tried advertising (in the classifieds section) on this site and really didn't get a good response. That doesn't mean it doesn't work, just that I didn't have any luck with it.

I understand the the financial constraints the internet puts on a person. I too find myself asking those "is it worth it questions". My husband hates the time I have to spend on the computer. We both run this business, but I do the websites and orders (in coming, out going and overseas). There are days I don't get to sleep until my kids are walking out the door for school in the morning!

I would pay if it came down to that. Just decide and do it. Most people will stay. The ones that leave...well you didn't need them anyway. Others will fill those spots in time!

Good Luck!

 

[Mickey_TLK]

Well I just read every word of 18 pages, and yet again Rich your on the brink IMO. Below if what I feel like you feel like saying

"All of you free loaders with all your little bull ____ problems can go ____ yourself if you dont want to pay the 10$"

Do what you have to do and let the cards fall where they may. I will pay what it takes to come around, not sure others will.

This does bring up an interesting point. What if you charge 10$ per head and only 200 people stick around. All the advertisers pull their adds, and your down to 2,000.00 income from the site. Is that less then where your at now? Would that then be the end of the site. If so what becomes of everyones donation money from the auctions now. What of the membership money paid to a defunct site?

Honestly if you take 10 advertisers at your 300 a year large banner rate, that is more then the 2,000.00 from the 200 people that stick around. I think thats a better pasture to grab your money from.

I advertised on the site to support it. We had our situation, and yes I pulled my advertiseing. I still have my issues, but Id personally feel better paying 300 for a banner to help keep the site free, seeing everyone else pay 10 to get a membership. Im sure thats money at this point you really dont want, but should you decide against memberships, and you are willing Id pay it for no banner.

I still think advertisers, and blanket free lifetime memberships to all current members if the best way to go. If you want to make the newbies pay up to play do it. I still think this would solve the "troll" problem as a fine and a "new" membership would be the same.

Again just my 2 cents. Im not going to tell you to take a vacation, or any of that crap. That said you are at a break, so its obvious its time to make a decision soon.

 

[WebSlave]

You have a few more threads to read, Mickey. Don't give up now. I think I have addressed most of your points elsewhere that I am not going to repeat again here.

 

[WebSlave]

This does bring up an interesting point. What if you charge 10$ per head and only 200 people stick around. All the advertisers pull their adds, and your down to 2,000.00 income from the site. Is that less then where your at now? Would that then be the end of the site. If so what becomes of everyones donation money from the auctions now. What of the membership money paid to a defunct site?

Well, let me address this one point, even though I do believe I covered it elsewhere.

If the site does go belly up, then I have 1 year to keep the site running in order to fulfill the obligations of all paying or contributing members. So you all will know that at the very least, this site will still be around that long. If you see me terminate the paid membership offerings and start refusing yearly banner ads, then you can assume that I have come to the conclusion that the site has reached the end of the road.

That sound fair enough?

 

[Mickey_TLK]

Im a little lost now, as I thought I had read most of the threads relvolving around this.

Either way Rich as everyone else has said its your site, do as you wish. That being said I, as Im sure many other people here, have tried to read and consider every angle of this thing. Im sure Im on atleast 80 pages relvolving this issue.

 

[Mickey_TLK]

"That sound fair enough?"

Sure does

 

[WebSlave]

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?

Hmm. RedTailboa.net offers "premium memberships", from what I can see. What do you suppose that means? Maybe someone (*GASP*) has to pay for some additional options as a member on the site?

And let's see, sSNAKESs, had to take in a partner to make ends meet when they got a new server. Sounds like money problems to me, how about you?

Now sure about TRR, though. Let's wait and see how things pan out in a few years. Things were MUCH easier to manage around here when there were only 233 registered members. When you get 16,000 members, get back to me about it, OK? Let's see what your workload is like then, and after you have had to upgrade servers a few times.

No, from what I am projecting, if you are going to be successful as a popular website, you have to make it profitable to put up with all of the headaches that increased traffic will bring to you. Altruistic good intentions are just swell, but sooner of later you will come to the realization that you are having your life sucked away from you and getting nothing much in return for it.

 

[MGReptiles]

I have kept quite about this whole as I do some advertising here and feel I do my part and then some. I just dont understand why there is so much hostility and snide remarks going back and forth?

 

[Roger Jolly]

Aw come on kiddies! Give me a break!!!

Ok this is like a restaurant, see??? Everyone here likes filet mignon and since you get it for free, great, right??? The prime rib is OK, but you are here for the filet. So what you are telling webbie to do is to charge for the prime rib and leave your helping of filet mignon alone. Now that other bigger restaurant down the steet has a much better prime rib, and charges accordingly for it, and the only reason they come here is because it is free.

So what do you think will happen if webbie just starts charging for the prime rib, er, classifieds? Yeah it might cost more at the other place but people are going to think that any money they spend is better spent where the food is better. So say goodbye to the classifieds here.

You have to charge for what people really are here for this site to get. If they are here for the filet mignon then you have to charge for the filet mignon. Haven't you people ever heard of supply and demand??? People here are demanding something that the holder of the supply no longer wants to provide for free. What is so tough about that??? You don't charge for what people really don't care about getting here. That would definitely be the death knell for those areas for sure.

Sorry about the economics 101 lesson but I think this is being overlooked by a lot of you. If webbie is looking to generate some revenue then he has no choice but to charge for the feature that has the most draw for everyone. Otherwise if it is for something people really dont care much for either way, people wont pay it and they wont use it either. In all seriousness he should charge for viewing the BOI!!! That is why most people come to this site isnt it??? Be realistic about it now. If this site is going to become even slightly profitable you have no other choice but to charge money for what people will feel is worth paying for. The conclusion is absolutely inescapable if you will step back and take an honest look at the facts. Why doesnt he just charge for the chat room or some other off the wall feature??? Why??? because people wouldnt pay to use it and they have no real incentive to pay for something that they really dont have an overpowering desire to use.

If this site got shut down tomorrow what would most people be whining about??? Pretty simple isnt it? They would be whining about the BOI going away. Probably not a darn other thing about this site would be missed at all.

So tell me again, just why shouldnt webbie charge for viewing and posting on the BOI??? Except for the fact that you just wont like it that is. Is the information in there of value??? Is it worth paying for to see??? How much could being able to view that information save someone if they avoid a bad deal with a known bad guy??? Figure maybe at least $10?

Well that wore me out. And what a waste of my time trying to flog this dead horse. I should just delete it and leave you all flounder in your self centered, gimme, gimme, to hell with everyone else drivel.

Webbie, just pull the plug and put up a page saying, if you want this site to come back, click here to be taken to your paypal account and send me some money. Set a figure. If the clicks dont come, go on vacation and have a good time with your new found freedom and spare time. Really what do you have to lose??? A site that is nothing but a drain on your pocketbook, time, and efforts? A site that people are pretty much demanding that you keep for free for them??? Remember what I told you about self interest a long while back??? Well here you go. Everyone else is number one in their own eyes and they greatly resent that you would like to be number one in your own. Really pops a blood vessel in some of them it appears. Heck how many are threatening you with their leaving if they dont get their way??? Now isnt that just special.

Tell you what, hand me the keys to the site. Ill find out who those bozos are and kick them off right now and give them a head start over this flood of self centered rejects they are predicting will follow them. Why you put up with this crap is absolutely beyond me. Are you finally beginning to see the picture I told you about years ago???

Say fellas let me ask you. Do you think that if leeches could talk they would squeel and holler out how mean and nasty you were if you plucked them off of your leg??? Just wondering.

 

[Dennis Hultman]

Aw come on kiddies! Give me a break!!!

Ok this is like a restaurant, see??? Everyone here likes filet mignon and since you get it for free, great, right??? The prime rib is OK, but you are here for the filet. So what you are telling webbie to do is to charge for the prime rib and leave your helping of filet mignon alone. Now that other bigger restaurant down the steet has a much better prime rib, and charges accordingly for it, and the only reason they come here is because it is free.

So what do you think will happen if webbie just starts charging for the prime rib, er, classifieds? Yeah it might cost more at the other place but people are going to think that any money they spend is better spent where the food is better. So say goodbye to the classifieds here.

You have to charge for what people really are here for this site to get. If they are here for the filet mignon then you have to charge for the filet mignon. Haven't you people ever heard of supply and demand??? People here are demanding something that the holder of the supply no longer wants to provide for free. What is so tough about that??? You don't charge for what people really don't care about getting here. That would definitely be the death knell for those areas for sure.

Sorry about the economics 101 lesson but I think this is being overlooked by a lot of you. If webbie is looking to generate some revenue then he has no choice but to charge for the feature that has the most draw for everyone. Otherwise if it is for something people really dont care much for either way, people wont pay it and they wont use it either. In all seriousness he should charge for viewing the BOI!!! That is why most people come to this site isnt it??? Be realistic about it now. If this site is going to become even slightly profitable you have no other choice but to charge money for what people will feel is worth paying for. The conclusion is absolutely inescapable if you will step back and take an honest look at the facts. Why doesnt he just charge for the chat room or some other off the wall feature??? Why??? because people wouldnt pay to use it and they have no real incentive to pay for something that they really dont have an overpowering desire to use.

If this site got shut down tomorrow what would most people be whining about??? Pretty simple isnt it? They would be whining about the BOI going away. Probably not a darn other thing about this site would be missed at all.

So tell me again, just why shouldnt webbie charge for viewing and posting on the BOI??? Except for the fact that you just wont like it that is. Is the information in there of value??? Is it worth paying for to see??? How much could being able to view that information save someone if they avoid a bad deal with a known bad guy??? Figure maybe at least $10?

Well that wore me out. And what a waste of my time trying to flog this dead horse. I should just delete it and leave you all flounder in your self centered, gimme, gimme, to hell with everyone else drivel.

Webbie, just pull the plug and put up a page saying, if you want this site to come back, click here to be taken to your paypal account and send me some money. Set a figure. If the clicks dont come, go on vacation and have a good time with your new found freedom and spare time. Really what do you have to lose??? A site that is nothing but a drain on your pocketbook, time, and efforts? A site that people are pretty much demanding that you keep for free for them??? Remember what I told you about self interest a long while back??? Well here you go. Everyone else is number one in their own eyes and they greatly resent that you would like to be number one in your own. Really pops a blood vessel in some of them it appears. Heck how many are threatening you with their leaving if they dont get their way??? Now isnt that just special.

Tell you what, hand me the keys to the site. Ill find out who those bozos are and kick them off right now and give them a head start over this flood of self centered rejects they are predicting will follow them. Why you put up with this crap is absolutely beyond me. Are you finally beginning to see the picture I told you about years ago???

Say fellas let me ask you. Do you think that if leeches could talk they would squeel and holler out how mean and nasty you were if you plucked them off of your leg??? Just wondering.

Wrong, I see a lot of whining from a few. They have already said they are walking, So let them walk.

Some of the others can't even read the threads properly to know what they are actually going to still have access to, even if they cannot collect enough cans to pay ten dollars.

I am seeing a lot of others that get it. There is more contributing member this week than last. People are stepping up to help out.

Your blanket statements are not accurate.

I KNOW IT IS A LITTLE HARD FOR YOU TO SWALLOW SINCE YOU PREDICTED EVERYONE WOULD RUNAWAY FROM THIS SITE BACK 2002. IT'S NOTE GOING TO HAPPEN. SO SORRY

 

[Wilomn]

jolly is just a troll looking to get his little rocks off. He is better ignored. He goes away faster that way.

 

[Gary O]

Hmm. RedTailboa.net offers "premium memberships", from what I can see. What do you suppose that means? Maybe someone (*GASP*) has to pay for some additional options as a member on the site?

And let's see, sSNAKESs, had to take in a partner to make ends meet when they got a new server. Sounds like money problems to me, how about you?

Now sure about TRR, though. Let's wait and see how things pan out in a few years. Things were MUCH easier to manage around here when there were only 233 registered members. When you get 16,000 members, get back to me about it, OK? Let's see what your workload is like then, and after you have had to upgrade servers a few times.

No, from what I am projecting, if you are going to be successful as a popular website, you have to make it profitable to put up with all of the headaches that increased traffic will bring to you. Altruistic good intentions are just swell, but sooner of later you will come to the realization that you are having your life sucked away from you and getting nothing much in return for it.

RTB's Premium membership is for photo space and Classifieds I believe. I think also an upgraded email. Not to post in any of their forums. And it works.

sSnakeSs- Don't know but after they took that "Partnership" It did not hurt the membership and man did they get a lot of advertisement out of it.

TRR-Sure I just got the sever. but I am not going to be just hosting "Reptile sites" Maybe that is where some of these guys hosting with there server are messing up. I believe RTB offers all hosting too.

Lets see I have paid for the hosting for TRR sence it was born and now the server. I have yet to even charge for banner ads.

Upgrading servers............Bro.. Yeah it takes time but it is not that bad. Maybe it is becuase I know that end. And through the place I went through I have a migration tool to take the whole server and upgrade it with in 2 hours........

 

[WebSlave]

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.
.......

I've been thinking more about this aspect of the problem.

Personally, if a thread goes on for more then 30 days, then I would probably feel obligated to look into it if the freebie paid membership expires on the person defending himself. After inspecting the thread, I would have to make a decision. If the person who is defending himself appears to be part of the problem, or maybe even ALL of the problem, then the freebie posting access will end. If it appears that this person is genuine and dealing with some troll(s), then I can simply extend his access as long as is needed.

As far as someone having higher standing in the courts to sue me because of my charging a fee for posting, no, that is not the case. I am still protected by federal law against having responsibility for what someone else posts on this site. And since this is a privately owned website, I am well within my rights to control access to it in any manner I see fit in relation to anyone I care to apply it to, for any reason. NO one has any inherent right to be here. Even with the membership fees, the "yearly" fee will still be a privilege that can be revoked at any time if the member violates the rules or acts in a manner that is inconsistent with their membership being welcome here. It is NOT going to be a "get out of jail free" card.

I hope this fine tunes my position a little bit better.

 

[bcfos]

Pay per view is cool for boxing and even those damn blacked out football games in your area, but for searching or better yet discussing reptile crooks? I just can't grasp the concept. From free to fee in less time than it takes me to find a strip club in a new town....

 

[WebSlave]

Pay per view is cool for boxing and even those damn blacked out football games in your area, but for searching or better yet discussing reptile crooks? I just can't grasp the concept. From free to fee in less time than it takes me to find a strip club in a new town....

Sit down with a beer, Brian, and read these threads again. Better yet, read the options in the FINAL poll. No one will be paying to VIEW anything. They would have to pay in order to POST new threads and replies to existing threads. Get it? That is the only concept that needs to be grasped.