SNOWEST FORUMS: Member Comments on "Letter to All Members"

[drmiller100]

Once upon a time I was a member of alt.snowmobiles.

then we moved to rec.sport.snowmobiles.

Then we moved to a private email list, and to here.

Like someone has said, harris had a huge opportunity to make money off this site.

They could charge for advertising, but to do that someone would have to WORK and be an effective moderator.

We all know moderation on this site has sucked for many years. Moderation is not on the list to be fixed.

My bet is we will move on to somewhere that is willing to provide the service and content the users want, and advertisers will make money off of it.

Google is free for everyone to use because they make money off of advertising.

Any moron who can't figure out how to make money off of this site the way it is should be fired.

 

[cjgodden]

So in the first post it said there was 35,000 people on Snowest and that membership was $9.99. So if everybody paid, you would have $350,000. Where is that money going? Does it cost that much to run an online forum?

That figure is not going to happen, and was never anticipated.

 

[Gimpster]

Lets give it a little time before we decide to hang anyone

REALLY !!!.... little time before hanged ??!! Exactly what I asked for before you gave me the ax as a mod. I didn't even get a CHANCE non-the-less TIME BEFORE SWINGING BY THE NOOSE..
No forgiveness or funds from me.
I'm not missed, I know. I was here when this joint was a trail condition forum then switched over to SnoWest. That doesn't matter eather because it comes down to dividends now and not caring about us sledders other than the depth of our wallets. True colors surface.

Wise up everyone and go elsewhere.

COPY MY AVITAR AND POST IT AS YOURS WHEN YOU LEAVE !!

It's not SnoWest anymore it's a SnoJob..

~ Gimpster ~

 

[treehunter]

I honestly don't think this will be a big issue im a married college student and that much money even I can afford. I love sledding and this site gets me through the summer and in addition it has been very imformative. Another thing i would like to add is how many of us have taken advantage of the free listing in swapmeet to sell parts, sleds or gear. Last year I parted out a sled on this sight and ebay. Ebay charged me[/B]to post on their site this was free and i sold more through this site. No one is making you pay if you don't like it leave but i think the majority of people will be willing to stay.

 

[makita209]

I don"t use these forms much but they are great to anwser questions I have when working on my sleds... I will most likely just find another form where I don't have to pay to play....

 

[eazyduzit509]

YOU NAILED IT.

If the members of SnoWest don't see value in being a member, then I am sure they will leave.

Those that see real value for their dollars and time, will stick around.

Go to your nearest KFC, walk in, pick what you want (3pc meal, add a pop) and whip out your $10 bill, tell the casheir nevermind, turn around, walk out, go home and get yer azz on the computer with a homeade ham sandwhich (www.snowest.com/AWSOME!) and become a MEMBER on Snowest for a year... People dont need to leave for $10, before it was set, i thought it would be like $10 a month, but LESS than $1 a month! wow, thats hard- (ONCE a month, dont buy that ONE snickers. BAMM! your a member). As i said earlier on, some people WILL leave and for their own reasons, but me and thousands of others will be here for help (and information, no ones knows everything!!!). Just voiceing my own apinion, if we HAVE to pay, look at it as best you can, take it or leave it. PEACE! - Eazyduzit509

 

[cjgodden]

I haven’t been a member here since the beginning like a lot of folks. But what brought me here is just as important.

I was attracted by the technical information, the help, the suggestions, the ability to learn and grow into a sport I love. I have met some really great people, friends that I would have never otherwise met. All of these things brought me here and have kept me here.

I would like to believe Chris you are trying to make things better, but your actions don’t seem to hold to this theme. You added a lot of features that slowed down this forum, made it LESS user friendly, and created a environment that is over compartmentalized and feels less genuine.

Now you are asking even more. I have read the many threads of people telling you what they want and need in this forum and more frequent what they don’t.

See what you seem to not value is the members on this forum. You are creating a forum that people don’t enjoy anymore and to add insult to injury you are asking us to pay for it.

Like others, while the money itself is not the issue, there’s the principal. If it meant I had to pay for everything I have now, yeah I would do it. What worries me is others won’t. The others that made this forum what it is. The others that haven’t discovered the forum yet. Without them I am also gone. If you think for even a second, there isn’t another free forum ready to scoop up the fallout from this…………..

Christopher this is a slippery slope your taking Snowest down, I hope the folks that pull your strings understand this!

If you really read the responses you will see that it is a small number of people that are completely against this. Most see the benifits of the premium membership and are on board. There is an old saying , give good customer service and they will tell 1 person, give bad customer service and they will tell 10 people. The really bent out of shape people are making the most noise. Stick around and see how it goes, I think you will be suprised.

 

[SNOBI-WAN-KENOBI]

I will Gladly pay the fee to stay on this forum.That is a SMALL price to pay for the amount of information you get here.

 

[Scuba]

Well after reading lots of replies i personally will NOT be purchasing a membership, Of all member ships that i'm apart of the sponsorship of the site comes from advertising maybe the marketing team should get on their walking shoes and get knocking on some doors to get more sponsors. I'm more of a lurker on here and so i'm sure that i won't be missed. I can only get major post counts on so many sites.

Scuba out

Well i'll be out when i get kicked off this forum. Good luck.

 

[christopher]

Do you honestly expect us to believe that they have furnished this site for yrs out of the goodness of their hearts??? .

Honestly I don't think you would believe me if I told you it was dark at night or that the sun rose every morning. Whether or not I tell you the God's honest truth from his very own mouth won't make any difference at all.

You choose to believe that I am lying to you.
At that point, the whole discussion pretty much comes to a grinding halt.

 

[cjgodden]

I don"t use these forms much but they are great to anwser questions I have when working on my sleds... I will most likely just find another form where I don't have to pay to play....

You will still be able to search and read for tech info as a non-paying member.

 

[togwotee9]

So in the first post it said there was 35,000 people on Snowest and that membership was $9.99. So if everybody paid, you would have $350,000. Where is that money going? Does it cost that much to run an online forum?

I don't think anyone believes that all 35,000 members will pay, considering only 14K are active. Of that 14,000 I would think 4000 would be a good goal for right now. That would be $40K which based on Christopher's previous post would repay for the cost of the new servers. I would think that would be the goal for the first year.

I'm going back to the trash, wait I can't someone moved us to Fouled Plug
Just playing with ya Saint Christopher

One more thing spell check should be mandatory on here, I more coherent after a week on tour with The Dead than some people's post on this site.

 

[shmuckaluck]

Hey guys,
WOW, lots of opinions. I have bought snowwest for a very long time (because there is no gay short tracks in it. ha ha) and have subscribed to sledheads since it first came out, and been a member of the forums since it first came out. and I will pay for things that I enjoy, and I under stand the frustration of everybody trying to get more money out of you, I live in Washington there taxing the hell out of us. But this is not a tax there are putting on you, it's something you enjoy or you wouldn't be here everyday. Its fun because everybody is here, I have joined some of the other sites and there is nobody there hardly any members, boring as hell. If you don't want to pay then don't, but lets all keep coming here and have a good time. I am totaly tapped out and very stressed about how I am going to afford all the riding I am going to do this year, but come on it's 10 dollars. and if I don't think it's worth it then I don't have to keep paying, 10 bucks for three years, I think I can try that.

 

[togwotee9]

Honestly I don't think you would believe me if I told you it was dark at night or that the sun rose every morning. Whether or not I tell you the God's honest truth from his very own mouth won't make any difference at all.

You choose to believe that I am lying to you.
At that point, the whole discussion pretty much comes to a grinding halt.

ha ha

I'm beginning to feel sorry for you Chris.

 

[HOBB-Z]

I didn't even have to read this notice to know what it was about.

I laugh at people worrying about being "Clicked" They don't remember the Good Old Days when there was about 300 members. Good times.

I've been a member since 1998 or right after it started, it's been so long I don't remember for sure.

I will say, some moto forums tried the 30 dollar per year deal, and it killed the forums. Most went to Magazines forums, instead of independently run private forums.

Either way, at 30 bucks for 3 years, I think anyone can handle that. I've met some of my best riding friends through here, and also personal friends.

Plus, for 30 bucks over 3 years, you can't buy the kind of entertainment you find here.

I mean, the bickering of the Obertis bashing each other from the beginning, and the Colorado guys bashing the couch riders......

I don't surf as much as in the early, early years, but Either way, I'm in.

Let me know where to send the ching.

Paul Garthwaite Team Mortgage and Realty
Lending, Title, Escrow, and R.E. Services
13446 Poway Rd. # 227
Poway, CA 92064-4714
Office Toll Free: 888-978-9048

Direct: 760-390-9800
Direct Fax 24 Hour: 760-896-6003
E-Mail: MtgPaul@Yahoo.com
E-Mail2: Paul.Garthwaite@TeamMortgageAndCredit.com
Web: http://www.TeamMortgageAndCredit.com

I assume you haven't been on here much lately, because all the fun stuff you just mentioned has pretty much been moderated right out of the forums.

Money is without a doubt not the problem I have with this site, I to have been here a very long time. And the site I grew to love has been sold /stolen out from under us.

 

[GODEEP]

Anyone else feel like we are dealing with our current Government? I wish I could compaire the two, but even at your worst, you cant match how bad our administraion is now.

 

[eazyduzit509]

Hey guys,
WOW, lots of opinions. I have bought snowwest for a very long time (because there is no gay short tracks in it. ha ha) and have subscribed to sledheads since it first came out, and been a member of the forums since it first came out. and I will pay for things that I enjoy, and I under stand the frustration of everybody trying to get more money out of you, I live in Washington there taxing the hell out of us. But this is not a tax there are putting on you, it's something you enjoy or you wouldn't be here everyday. Its fun because everybody is here, I have joined some of the other sites and there is nobody there hardly any members, boring as hell. If you don't want to pay then don't, but lets all keep coming here and have a good time. I am totaly tapped out and very stressed about how I am going to afford all the riding I am going to do this year, but come on it's 10 dollars. and if I don't think it's worth it then I don't have to keep paying, 10 bucks A YEAR FOR three years, I think I can try that.

Now you got it.

Sweet! Post #500! What do i win?!!!

 

[shmuckaluck]

Now you got it.

Sweet! Post #500! What do i win?!!!

It was right in my brain but came out wrong when typed, I understand the payment.

 

[Maize]

Guest:
* Will have the ability to see all the forums and read a portion of all the threads
* Will be able to READ SwapMeet Forum
* Will be able to READ the SnowSafety Forum
* Will be able to READ the SnowMembers Forum


Basic Member:
This level will be completely free. Members here will have all of the privileges of a guest, but will also get:
* Full posting ability in the SwapMeet forum, the SnowSafety forum, and the SnowMembers forum
* Limited posting ability in the other forums
* Limited ability to read other topics and forums
* Private Message Capabilities with limited storage

Premium Member:
All of the above privileges, plus:
* Unlimited viewing and posting privileges across the forums
* Unrestricted private-message capability
* Unrestricted access to all of the new features (chat rooms, treadmill, live-topic, etc.)
* Instant-Messenger
* Personal Blog
* Photo Albums
* "My Garage"
* Polls
* Enhanced Search Engine
* Social Groups
* Invitations to meetups and group rides
* ... And MUCH MUCH more!!!

i use this site everyday........and by the looks of these categories im a basic member from my use, i doubt i will use the premium member features but i may...

basic member is FREE, ive seen a few posts that are like i barely use this site and i have dial up and bla bla bla well ITS STILL FREE, can anyone read? your b*tching about features you wont use and b*tching about only reading the site time to time with the odd post and b*tching about cost but you will only ever need the basic and its still FREE

i cant believe that people have $10,000 sleds and thoughsands of dollers in mods buttttttt can spend $30 on a year subscription, yet they offer you a deal if you are allready a member... so its even less! you cant find information on here anywhere else, im a memeber to a few other main forums like hard core sledder, well unless your posting pics of your mods on your sled NO ONE CARES. you ask a question and it gets hundreds of views and no one answeres. Im on snow and mud and its great, lots of great people and some good information but literly not nearly the amount of info as on here and i bet alot of it a person seen it on here and reposted there.....i know i do it all the time.

No offense, but you can get advise from Big John, Kelsey at RKT, Joey from Dynamoe Joe, Bill Cudney and many others on other websites...I won't mention the site....but is related to Ski-Doo and about talking...

I also notice that Christopher is picking and chosing (generally) the posts that "praise" the cost. He is also pulling only the agreeing statements, yet overlooking the overeall disagreement with the post and is ignoring (for the most part) the posts that do not "praise" the idea.

 

[backcountryislife]

I am SO TIRED of this worn out BS charge against me that your husband keeps spamming all over the forums.

NO ONE TOUCHED HIS ACCOUNT.

I have exchanged 6 mails with him now explaining that NO ONE TOUCHED HIS ACCOUNT and still you continue on.

Please, accept the fact that NO ONE TOUCHED HIS ACCOUNT.

Honestly, none of us are lying to you!
Let it go...

I let it go, as I stated in a PM to you, last night when I figured out that it was a side effect of another type of censorship. Just because a few people mentioned crackcountryrebels dot com you guys felt so insecure that you had to modify the posts.
Yes, I spammed it all over, somehow I also was not able to start posts, I thought that it was a permanent thing that you did because I disagreed with your tactics, after some of the crap that has happened on here, it isn't too out of character.

Had you guys had the balls to just say what you'd done rather than some cryptic "it was a glitch" type of comment, that was pretty hard to fathom, it would have made more sense.

Just another example of the style of leadership that has frustrated many of us on here.

I'm sorry I didn't follow through with my wife & explain what had happened.