Pay to Play?

Mike Schoonbrood

· #2 · Apr 27, 2006

Your choice of topic is kinda funny Susan. You sit there and complain to me via PM how the board is moderated, so I tell you to voice your complaints on how the forum is run in the "Ask A Moderator" section, yet, you choose not to voice any of your complaints, but instead address the issue of cost, which I only brought up because I was curious as to why someone was sending me sarcastically insulting comments about how the board was moderated to the person paying for this board?

I considered 2 options. Either I stop coming to my own board, but then why should I pay for it? Or option 2, I let you voice your complaints on the forum where other moderators can address them so I am not burdened by negativity all on my own, which led me to wonder why I am paying for a board that is apparently unappreciated?

This is not so much an issue of cost as it is an issue of why I should pay for something that causes me stress and goes unappreciated.

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Patrick Murray

· #3 · Apr 27, 2006

Mike, based on the turnout and quality of both the topics and the posters I think it's fair to say your efforts and your board are very much appreciated. Thank you for the tremendous work, effort and caring you put into this community.

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susan tuck

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 27, 2006

Mike you already answered my "complaints" (how do you know I'm sitting

!!) and suggested I take any further questions or complaints to the "ask a moderator" section of the board. At this time, I only had a suggestion which I thought might be more fair to those who are spending their $$ & time on the board. Simple as that. If I have offended your sensibilities, I apologize. Perhaps you think my idea is stupid? :?

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Connie Sutherland

· #5 · Apr 27, 2006

Patrick Murray said:
Mike, based on the turnout and quality of both the topics and the posters I think it's fair to say your efforts and your board are very much appreciated. Thank you for the tremendous work, effort and caring you put into this community.

Well, I sure do agree.

I also want to say (to all members) that complaints, comments, etc., about the running of the board, IMO, go here. They don't go in a PM to one individual -- because all the mods act to keep conflict under control, to shut down personal attacks, to lock threads if appropriate........ and if there are complaints, then they need to go to all the mods. JMO.

If it's personal, then it has nothing to do with the cost of the board.

I have NO idea what this is about, except what I'm reading here. I do know, however, that the mods act in concert, and so if it's about the board, it's to this section.

I think it's a GREAT board, and I think it's a terrific example of rational discussions that don't deteriorate into attacks.

I know we all, mods, members, everyone, want it to stay that way........

Thanks, Mike!

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Mike Schoonbrood

· #6 · Apr 27, 2006

susan tuck said:
Mike you already answered my "complaints" (how do you know I'm sitting !!) and suggested I take any further questions or complaints to the "ask a moderator" section of the board. At this time, I only had a suggestion

Sure didn't sound that way in your PM, generally when someone uses the word "bitter" it suggests they have a problem, because you weren't talking about Bitter Apple Spray that's for sure

But if I addressed your problem sufficiently then great, if not, feel free to post your feelings here, not in a PM.

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Connie Sutherland

· #7 · Apr 27, 2006

susan tuck said:
I have been told keeping this board up & running is a difficult & expensive task. What about charging a monthly fee? Doesn't have to be difficult to set up, just tell us where to send the check & whom to make it out to? It could be run on the "honour system". 8)

Thanks, Sue, for that suggestion. It has come up; the people doing the moderating and admin discussed it and shelved it, at least for the present.

But thanks for thinking of it.

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susan tuck

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 27, 2006

I was trying to be funny because you seemed so upset. I directed my question to you because you were the last to post on the topic. WOW, you can bet your bottom dollar it won't happen again. So, about the idea of charging some sort of a membership fee? I honestly thought it may provide a solution since the other forums are able to pay for themselves because of advertising /or selling product. I know I'm not the lone ranger when I say this forum is worth paying a few bucks a month ........that is if I haven't totally pissed you off forever!

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Connie Sutherland

· #9 · Apr 27, 2006

susan tuck said:
.....So, about the idea of charging some sort of a membership fee? I honestly thought it may provide a solution since the other forums are able to pay for themselves because of advertising /or selling product. I know I'm not the lone ranger when I say this forum is worth paying a few bucks a month ........that is if I haven't totally pissed you off forever!

I agree that it's totally worth a fee!

In my other life, though, I'm an accountant, and knew that increasing the admin job to cover that undertaking would only increase the cost of the board. Exponentially! :lol: :lol:

So............. keeping the costs under control and the labor spread out and making sure no one person is over-burdened is the way to go. Mike still bears the bulk of the behind-the-scenes admin/computer/programming/etc. work, but it can't be helped.

Again.....thanks, Mike!!

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Woody Taylor

· #10 · Apr 27, 2006

Mike, you could always put in a Paypal tip jar or even those links to Amazon, etc that allow you to capture revenue from purchases made by users who click through your site. My guess is you don't want to go a subscription route for a lot of different reasons..administrative cost being just one of them but a very big one...but I don't think an Amazon link or something like that would be a bad deal at all. Just a thought.

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Mike Schoonbrood

· #11 · Apr 27, 2006

Thanks Woody, check your PM's.

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Scott Zettelmeyer

· #12 · Apr 27, 2006

I have no problem accepting paying advertisers to help pay for the site, who would get a banner ad in return; or a way for those you want to help support the site financially to donate.

But if a mandatory membership fee is imposed, I won't be returning. Sorry.

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Connie Sutherland

· #13 · Apr 27, 2006

Scott Zettelmeyer said:
I have no problem accepting paying advertisers to help pay for the site, who would get a banner ad in return; or a way for those you want to help support the site financially to donate.

But if a mandatory membership fee is imposed, I won't be returning. Sorry.

As stated above, it is not happening.

These were offers (very nice ones) from members, *not* requests from admin.

Topic over, OK? (Said in a nice way!)

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Mike Schoonbrood

· #14 · Apr 27, 2006

Just to clarify.

This is not a cost issue, there is no cost issue, if one should ever arise it will not be at the expense of its members and probably won't be discussed with its members either since it's nobody's responsibility to discuss but mine and the moderators, who are also at no risk of ever having to spend a dime lol. This was an issue with someone giving me crap because they didn't like the way an issue on the forum was handled, then turning my "Gee why am I paying for something people aren't happy with?" type comment into a cost issue.

I do appreciate all the members on this forum, I've seen some very, uhm, questionable topics go very very well, and am very proud that those discussions have been able to be civil and remain open on this board. I emphasize the fact that this is not an un-moderated forum where everyone can say what they want, it's rather a place where people should remain civil if they disagree, and it's OK to disagree.

So again thankyou to everyone who's sent me PM's and offered suggestions, I am happy that people enjoy this forum so much and I hope we can keep this going with the level of respect we have going on here. There will be no costs imposed to members now or in the future. If for some reason the cost becomes excessive, which I don't foresee, at least not anytime soon, then worst case scenario is I look at perhaps some tastefully and well integrated placement of something like Google AdWords, but right now, I don't see a need for it

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Anne Jones

· #15 · Apr 28, 2006

Thanks for clarifing the cost issue Mike. I am sure that I speak for many of the posters here in saying that this is a wonderful 'spot' to discuss training & other working dog related topics without the hostility, name calling & other stress related issues that seem to appear on some of the other boards. You have done a nice job & it is well appreciated by those of us who enjoy visiting & contributing to the discussions here on your board. It is a great place to share ideas, knowledge and training stratigies, as well as just a few good laughs. Again, thanks Mike for putting this together & inviting us to share it with you.

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