• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Final poll on the membership fee program

If a membership fee is inevitable, I am willing to accept the following:

  • $10 yearly fee to view and post on the BOI. Classifieds viewable to all, no posting ads without fee.

    Votes: 28 15.7%

  • $10 yearly fee to POST on the BOI, viewing still allowed. Same as above for the classifieds.

    Votes: 107 60.1%

  • Posting on the BOI and classfieds MUST be free or I have no further use for this site.

    Votes: 43 24.2%
  • Total voters
    178
I am glad the decision has been made. I would like one of those red medals you pictured in one of the threads, please... :D

I'm here for the long haul..

This place is very worthwhile, and I know many,many people agree with me.
 
sirenofthestorm said:
By the way, whatever happened to the idea of webslave taking a break from the site? letting the mods handle all the crap emails, go spend a week holed up in a cabin or on a boat somewhere with orders to call only if the site crashes and the server bursts into flames? I can completely understand being too wrapped up in something to the point you lose all pleasure from it. IMHO there are far too few mods here to handle everything. Surely there must be some trustworthy people who don't take crap that could step up to the plate and mod forum groups, with the main mods still handling the BOI.
Click to expand...

So why should the moderators here be any more willing to beat their heads against the wall for free then I am?

As far as taking a "vacation", heck I have an animal related business as well. Do you know what that means? It means each and every day I get 5 pounds of crap to deal with. Guess what? If I am gone for 5 days, that means I have 25 pounds of crap waiting for me when I get back. The work doesn't magically get done by itself while I am away. It just piles up. I have to work twice as hard in preparation for leaving, and twice as hard when I get back. Is it really worth it?

Same thing with this website. The emails and messages and problems will all be waiting for me when I get back.

Part of the reason for my membership fee plan is to try to weed OUT some of the people that the mods and I have to deal with right at the beginning. A "stitch in time, saves nine" kind of thing.

So yeah, glad to hear that you have higher priorities for your $10. Well I have higher priorities for my time and efforts as well. If this site is not worth $10 to you, then why the heck should I put what I have been putting into it for free any longer?
 
WebSlave said:
As far as taking a "vacation", heck I have an animal related business as well. Do you know what that means? It means each and every day I get 5 pounds of crap to deal with. Guess what? If I am gone for 5 days, that means I have 25 pounds of crap waiting for me when I get back. The work doesn't magically get done by itself while I am away. It just piles up. I have to work twice as hard in preparation for leaving, and twice as hard when I get back. Is it really worth it?

Part of the reason for my membership fee plan is to try to weed OUT some of the people that the mods and I have to deal with right at the beginning. A "stitch in time, saves nine" kind of thing.

So yeah, glad to hear that you have higher priorities for your $10. Well I have higher priorities for my time and efforts as well. If this site is not worth $10 to you, then why the heck should I put what I have been putting into it for free any longer?
Click to expand...


See this is exactly what I'm talking about. You sound angry, frustrated, and irritable to me, and that's out of character from what I'd seen in the past. I didn't intend for my post to be argumentative or disrespectful at all and you took a condescending tone and went on the defensive anyway.

I think a few people have been trying to say something to the effect of they understand that fauna is a headache for you now, but there isn't going to be a quick and easy solution to the "problem people." They're always going to be around. And that worst case scenario of bad guys ripping people off being able to afford to post here while their victims aren't, isn't so far fetched to my mind. If you want to lump me in with apathetic idlers because I'm not spending any money on the hobby right now, that's fine but its not true.

And finally, I don't think you should be giving it all away for free. You've made up your mind so I won't waste my time pointing out again alternatives other people have already brought up. The point is there are alternatives, and this is the choice you've made.
 
I believe I have read all of the posts made in this and other threads on this issue. I have evaluated all of the recommendations made as alternatives. If I thought they were feasible, or likely to be successful then I would certainly implement them. But I would have to say that probably 75 percent of them entailed people asking me to charge "the other guy", and not them.

I also think that I have already taken my time to explain why those alternatives won't work, or perhaps some other people did, and I agreed with it, I'm not sure.

And yes, I am feeling irritable. It's just tough for me to keep from showing it. I guess the thing that irritates me the most is the obvious voiced opinions from some people that imply that I owe everyone something. That I owe it to someone, or something to keep the BOI free. That it is some sort of obligation that I have incurred. It is quite the reverse, actually, in my opinion. I am the one who has taken all of the risks, gotten more threats in the last four years then any normal person will have gotten in 10 lifetimes, and bent over backwards to keep this site running NO MATTER WHAT IT TOOK. If anyone in my position after hearing some of the whining would NOT get irritated, well I can't even imagine a saint holding their composure in check. And I am emphatically NOT a saint.

Sorry if you all think I am some kind of super hero and am impervious to emotions, but that just is not the case. And yes, right now I am just damned irritated. :angry:

And I am also damned serious. If I am expected to do what I have been doing for the rest of my life FOR FREE, then this site will just go away. That just is NOT going to happen. If that is what the majority of people here expects, then we will be parting ways.
 
Webslave

Sorry if you have covered this before, but what are your thoughts on selling the site?
 
sirenofthestorm said:
My main problem is that there is a subtle attitude that the people who have anted up have, that anyone who can't fork over the money right this instant aren't worth anything, and that's their opinion to have. But frankly right now I'd rather spend $10 on a movie with my little sister than here because there are priorities that come before internet sites for me.
Click to expand...

Glad the decision's been made also. Why still piss and moan about the $10 fee "while you're in college"? You won't even HAVE TO PAY IT unless you want to POST on the BOI or POST and AD.

And WebSlave is pissed about this BECAUSE he also has other priorities in life, just like you do! And I'm sure taking a short vacation won't make the headaches of this site go away.

:nuts:
 
No, taking a vacation isn't going to make problems disappear but it may put them in perspective. I didn't realize that idea is hard to grasp from your pedastal. I'm sorry but I have done my best to be non argumentative and if you're going to condescend to people you should expect them to stop treating you with respect.

I am not paying because yes my budget is tight and I'm having plenty of family crises which is no one's business but mine, and what I tried to say earlier was that maybe taking on MORE moderators and administrators would help spread the burden around so that webslave isn't shouldering the brunt of it with only a few other people.
 
Well, the idea of additional moderators has been brought up in other posts and WebSlave also posted his reasons for taking on moderators very very slowly to make sure of their capabilities, to avoid problems that have happened in the past. And that he can't let anyone else take over for him because to give full rights is to run the risk of site deletion if any of the mods gets pissed about something.

It is unfortunate that some people will feel that they are missing out, but still, as I understand it, the majority of the site will still be free, so lots of people who can't afford to contribute will be able to read all forums and ads, and still be able to post to the general info forums.

I'm just glad that the site won't be completely going away. Free services are hard things to manage and fund. :blush:
 
Siren,

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply at all that there was anything wrong with having a lack of funds. I haven't contributed either. Just wanted to point out that it seems like WebSlave is trying to accomodate everyone by keeping most things free and still keep the site running without going into the hole. And many points you brought up have been brought up before in many posts, so perhaps WebSlave was just tired of seeing a plethora of suggestions and knowing he's not going to be able to make everybody happy. No need for bad rep points, but sorry for offending. That red blotch sure is ugly.
 
Ophis said:
Sorry if you have covered this before, but what are your thoughts on selling the site?
Click to expand...

Well actually, I had someone approach me about that. I simply told him to make me an offer. He offered $1,000. I had a good laugh over that and told him so. So he apologized and said he thought he could get the site for cheap. Then offered $5,000. I laughed again and didn't bother replying.

So no, I don't such questions seriously. I don't know how much I have put INTO this site to get it where it is today, but I am sure it is quite substantial.

So sure, make me an offer. What is it worth to you? Via email or PM, please.
 
Well good. Now we have 20 members who say they will be leaving, but he have 21 new registrations TODAY. So we're one up on the count.... :laugh: And the night is young yet.....

I should close the poll since I have come to a decision, but what the heck. Let's allow some more people to show their displeasure at my decision.
 
liquidleaf said:
And many points you brought up have been brought up before in many posts, so perhaps WebSlave was just tired of seeing a plethora of suggestions and knowing he's not going to be able to make everybody happy.
Click to expand...

I've read 4 out of the 6(?) threads in this forum all the way thru, and the reason for no new moderators must be in one of the other threads.
 
Webslave

I guess someone looking at purchasing a website such as this would weigh a large variety of factors depending on his/her motives and/or future plans. I know if I were looking at buying a site in order to turn a profit at some point, I would give strong consideration to what current net profits are as well as how many headaches are going to be involved with at least keeping up the current profit level.

Using the only measure I have to go by, your recent posts reegarding the two aforementioned considerations, you COULD NOT PAY ME to take it off of your hands.
 
Ophis said:
I guess someone looking at purchasing a website such as this would weigh a large variety of factors depending on his/her motives and/or future plans. I know if I were looking at buying a site in order to turn a profit at some point, I would give strong consideration to what current net profits are as well as how many headaches are going to be involved with at least keeping up the current profit level.

Using the only measure I have to go by, your recent posts reegarding the two aforementioned considerations, you COULD NOT PAY ME to take it off of your hands.
Click to expand...

I certainly cannot argue with that logic.
 
WebSlave said:
Matter of fact, I have just this moment decided that I AM going to implement this plan....
Click to expand...

THANK GOD !!!!!!!!!

Now, where do I send my money, so we can all go back to talking about reptiles....
 
lucille said:
I am glad the decision has been made. I would like one of those red medals you pictured in one of the threads, please... :D

I'm here for the long haul..

This place is very worthwhile, and I know many,many people agree with me.
Click to expand...
:crazy03: I"ll be waiting for mine :lol01: Still think it should be gold But heck Im color blind :D But Im a proud Member Anyway
 
This will not happen over night. There is coding that needs to be done to implement it, plus I have a lot of work ahead of me to set up the special user groups and figure out all of the permissions for each of them.

And to be honest, I may just walk away from this for a couple of days, as some people have suggested. Of course, there is the chance that the server will die (as has happened about once a day now) while I am gone, but that's the breaks I guess. I may not even take my laptop with me, so I won't know a thing about it till I get back.
 
WebSlave said:
Well good. Now we have 20 members who say they will be leaving, but he have 21 new registrations TODAY. So we're one up on the count.... :laugh: And the night is young yet.....

I should close the poll since I have come to a decision, but what the heck. Let's allow some more people to show their displeasure at my decision.
Click to expand...
:dancer01: :dancer01: "OH NO LOOK AT THAT WE ARE GONNA CRASH" :rofl: :rofl: Like Isaid earlier This site goes on reputation and it will keep right going ,Those that are leaving ,Well SEE YA :nopity: and have a happy life
 
WebSlave said:
This will not happen over night. There is coding that needs to be done to implement it, plus I have a lot of work ahead of me to set up the special user groups and figure out all of the permissions for each of them.

And to be honest, I may just walk away from this for a couple of days, as some people have suggested. Of course, there is the chance that the server will die (as has happened about once a day now) while I am gone, but that's the breaks I guess. I may not even take my laptop with me, so I won't know a thing about it till I get back.
Click to expand...
Well Rich Take the rest and I'll be back once its back up
 
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