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Open all forums to public read-only?
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[Poll]
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Open all forums to public read-only?
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| Yes - open all of it for Guest read access |
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| Yes - but keep a private forum for members-only |
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| No |
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Total Votes : 19
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(last vote on : Jan. 30 2010 13:09:28)
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Ron.M
Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland
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 RE: Open all forums to public read-only? (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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Absolutely,
Money is only relative. People adjust in and out of focus with whatever product they are dealing with.
If it's an average house, then folk are prepared to negoitiate about the last $5000, a average car say, $500.
They'll quite happily spend $20 for a couple of drinks for themselves and partner, but e-mail and question me closely as to what exactly they are getting for their ten bucks if they buy Flamenco Master...why doesn't it do this...why doesn't it do that, then consider their purchase like one of the single most important decisions of their lives!
It's a fact that folk feel they have paid for their computer and their add ons and ISP and then expect the whole of the Internet to be free.
It's even spread into everyday life now.
I think Patrick is a financial guy, so I'm sure he'll confirm that you can't cut a cake into three halves.
But by some lights, mirrors and sleight of hand you can make it appear that way by offering say, a two week holiday to Rio de Janeiro, including 4 star hotel plus the free use of a hire car for only $500 per person and only for the first 100 applicants who can get their booking and full payment in before the end of the week.
But then when you receive the documentation, the small print states that you must take out holiday insurance by their "approved" insurers which is a mere $4000 per person.
LOL!
Just juggling with numbers and the perception of numbers!
So the way I see it, is that sensible folk know that it costs money to run an internet site free of advertising and strings (no pun!)
So divide the cost up amongst the membership and then it's solved in a simple and straightforward way.
Yet folk will still lose sleep and be very wary about parting with 20 bucks or feel that somehow it's some kind of scam and that they should be getting it for free.
"'Cos that's what the other sites do"
Well you pays your money and takes your choice I suppose........
That's the way I see it anyway!
Ron
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 21 2003 21:30:50
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Patrick
Posts: 1189
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Portland, Oregon
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RE: Open all forums to public read-only? (in reply to Escribano)
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Ron,
Again, you have said what I feel, but you always put things in a better light. Yes, I am an old time financial guy (and I do mean old), and as you said so succinctly, their aint no free lunch. We can all go back to the misery we had to put up with, but the $50 I sent Tom was the best investment I have made in a long time (with a three year bear market, it sure has been).
But, I think as importantly, is not to alienate those that decide not to contribute or don't have the means to do so. After thirty some odd years in business, I am in a financial position that me having to pay more then the next guy doesn't bother me in the least, in fact I feel privileged to be able to give a little back. Ron, I know you feel the same way, as I remember from FT you gave away at least one Flamenco Master to a young fellow that couldn't afford it. I bet you felt good about that free give away as you felt you were giving something back. The fact is I have learned more in the last year of FT and Foro then I ever would have on my own and made some good friends along the way half way around the globe.
I guess what I am trying to say is, if you want to support this site with your contributions, I fully support that effort, and if you don't, I support that as well. No judgments made. Trust me on this, if money is an issue to keep this thing going, we will find a way.
OK Ron, I put up my $50, when do I get that highly rated CD?
Pat
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 21 2003 22:11:55
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Ron.M
Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland
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RE: Open all forums to public read-only? (in reply to Thomas Whiteley)
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I would tend to agree with Tom here.
Look, I am genuinely interested in Flamenco and Flamenco guitar.
In fact the first thing ever I did when I first got hooked up to the internet was to type "Flamenco" into the Alta Vista search engine.
We know there are loads of "casual" surfers out there, who may be moderately interested in guitar, feel a bit bitter about life in general, have had a few drinks in them, and are at a loose end and find it quite entertaining to cause a bit of disruption by posting extreme views and insulting folk just for sport.
I think we have all witnessed that before.
Having an automated registration system that accepts folk on any old Hotmail throw-away address and then allows them to post anything they want is no safeguard.
They'll have a laugh retaliating, until they finally get banned from posting.
Which is no big deal, since they never cared that much about the subject anyway.
But the unpleasant mood still lingers around the Forum for a few days afterwards.
Then, if it is followed up by a couple of similarly motivated "sympathisers", it leads to a general flame war and the shedding of long time regular genuine contributors, who no longer find it a pleasant place to visit.
The lunatics then end up taking over, and then the whole thing eventually shuts down.
This is, near enough, the history of the last few Forums.
What's with the impatience these days?
In the old days it was reckoned that for a business to succeed, it should double it's size in five years. Then it was three years.
Then the Internet generation, reckoned that if you don't keep doubling in size every three months then you are doomed for failure.
If anyone is TRUELY interested in Flamenco and wish to talk to others, they will seek this Forum out, and accept having to jump through a couple of hoops first, like register and behave in a decent manner.
Even seedy late-night drinking clubs have bouncers.
Sure, they like new business...but not just anybody.
So my view would be to have the Public access General Forum, to carry some of the info out to the wider internet, and keep the member section separate, available to those who are interested enough to sign up.
Then, regardless of however long it takes for the membership to grow, it least it will be folk with a genuine interest in talking, learning and sharing the interest.
Ron
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 22 2003 21:07:13
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