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

[togwotee9]

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/578221

just to lighten up this thread

 

[KSH]

OK
Point well taken.!

I will go back and re-visit this issue with ALL of the members.

I thought I sent out a PM on how to do this, perhaps it was only a thread.

But I will send out a DETAILED STEP by STEP procedure for how they can enable, disable or move the various items.

Excellent Analogy!
I guess I really need to work harder on showing people how to use the little memory button on the door that resets the Seat, Mirrors, Steering wheel and pedals to their favorite position!

This is where I think SnoWest could get new Premium members,

Offer a stripped down, dial-up friendly, no bells and whistles version of the forums for computer idiot's "sorry, the internet challenged"

I know of two people that read the forum's only after the kids turn the computer on and log on for them.

 

[dsp81]

Thumpertalk.com and KTMTalk .com. Both bigger and both profitable.
Sure there are more bikers but then there are many more bike websites.
They work because the are the best at what they do. And they started out they same way as Snowest.

The fact that 2 websites can survive does not mean that they all can. It's been repeated a number of times that some others are struggling to turn a profit with ad-based services. So, again, we either need to presume that SW is lying and/or incompetent; or that the market simply won't support an ad-based revenue model. I never claimed that ALL free sites are struggling. But banner ads are not a panacea. At the end of the day, if you don't want to pay, then you don't have to.

And articles about newspapers going pay for view is not valid.
No one is asking for a free digital copy of snowest magazine.
The newspapers are not written by their readers. The photos are not members photos. All the info on this site comes from it's members and not by a paid staff as it is on a newspaper.

Well, first off, this site is owned by a publishing company. Publishers are trying to figure out how to stay in business as people increasingly move to the web for information. I'm arguing it is valid in this case.

As for who the content belongs to: it doesn't really matter who owns the content. You are paying for access to the community, not content. Neither one would exist without the other (user content or the forums). If the forums fail to self-support, it doesn't make good business sense to subsidize something unless it provides some other benefit. You have to figure out how to monetize that benefit. Maybe it's a boost in magazine subscriptions. If they're not seeing that, then you have to find some other way to generate revenue.

 

[XC700116]

Bwahahaha, I might have to go over to Xtranormal and excercise my playwrite abilities

 

[MPS]

HMMM the poll is up to 300 hundred....anyone want to guess the percentage that opposes a paid site?

The percent was the same at 50 votes, 100 votes, 200 votes, and now 300 votes....

70 percent opposed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone want to guess what the percentage will be at 500 votes?


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[Snowizard]

Over 1,162 posts, and 24,425 views and nothing changes. Chris spends more time on the forum defending his position than solving the problem.
But as has been said, he's prob'ly just carrying out orders for Mr. "Big."
Chuck Harris is who snowest.com registers to.

The 'administrative minds' have been made up, no amount of 'tea parties' is going to change anything here.

TTFN

 

[Ollie]

The 'administrative minds' have been made up, no amount of 'tea parties' is going to change anything here.

TTFN

yep, they made up their minds that all our hard work and imput is now something they want to charge for.
Everyone keeps talking about how much info they got from this site and how much they learned.
It was made this way while being free, no amount of cash is going to make it better than it was.
Everyone talks about the 10's of thousands of user.
Of those users, only about 300 or so give out all the knowledge (in depth stuff, not fluff answers). Of those users, how many will be left?
If you lose all the knowledge, what's left?

The peeps with the knowledge came here because it was fun and entertaining. It's not anymore.
It hasn't been for a year or so.
I don't know when it really started to change, but it did and that's too bad.

Well, a lot of us have made up our minds also.
When it go pay, we go away.

I wish snowest all the luck they can use.
I will go where the fun has moved.
This will be my last post.
Goodbye.

 

[lynxer292b]

I am not sure what you are talking about Chris...I see this thread laden with posts like this from new users that have not been heard until now.....HMMMM....

When are you going to address the poll in fouled plug? I sure do feel like I am talking to a brick wall on this issue.



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"new members" like me are what makes a site like this what it is. Guys asking questions learning, sharing and riding snowmobiles.

if you only want members with 5000 posts and up this place is going to get real boring real fast.

In conclusion, there is no sense in even talking about this. Snowest has already chosen its trail. It will be interesting to see who follows.....

 

[ruffryder]

yep, they made up their minds that all our hard work and imput is now something they want to charge for.

Are you against companies making money? The forums COST snowest money. PERIOD. They need to survive on it's own. Should this forum be here for CHARITY? Shouldn't the members here pay our own way, you know, like most conservatives on here say? Yet they want this site for free? Interesting where the line between morality and reality exists.

People seem to forget, snowest does not make money. It looses money. The owners have decided that they will no longer operate the site AT A LOSS. Why should they?

 

[MPS]

With a poll its very easy to obtain the outcome you desire.

And while they continue to say its not about the money, and there is some truth to that, its also all about the money.

Two opposing views of the very same coin. While opposite still one in the same. You really can't separate the one from the other in reality.

Ok since you have given this poll no validity at all, why don't you post your own poll. What kind of evidence do you need? Wait...I forgot you were hired to do a job...so you are completely biased...if this site doesn't make it as a successful paid site...you have failed....who would have thunk!

BTW, I have always found it disgusting that some people choose to make a profit off the gospel. ....just my measly opinion, ya know.


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[ruffryder]

I think we should ask the government to pay for this site. Seems the owners don't like footing the bill, and the users want it all for free. What say you government, can we get another handout?

How about some forum welfare?

 

[MPS]

"new members" like me are what makes a site like this what it is. Guys asking questions learning, sharing and riding snowmobiles.

if you only want members with 5000 posts and up this place is going to get real boring real fast.

In conclusion, there is no sense in even talking about this. Snowest has already chosen its trail. It will be interesting to see who follows.....

You are exactly right!

Are you against companies making money?

I don't even know why I am talking to you. "Conservatives"...LMAO....you are something. We, conservatives, are smart enough to know we have already paid for this site! Do I need to write things out in crayon for you too?


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[HOBB-Z]

yep, they made up their minds that all our hard work and imput is now something they want to charge for.
Everyone keeps talking about how much info they got from this site and how much they learned.
It was made this way while being free, no amount of cash is going to make it better than it was.
Everyone talks about the 10's of thousands of user.
Of those users, only about 300 or so give out all the knowledge (in depth stuff, not fluff answers). Of those users, how many will be left?
If you lose all the knowledge, what's left?

The peeps with the knowledge came here because it was fun and entertaining. It's not anymore.
It hasn't been for a year or so.
I don't know when it really started to change, but it did and that's too bad.

Well, a lot of us have made up our minds also.
When it go pay, we go away.

I wish snowest all the luck they can use.
I will go where the fun has moved.
This will be my last post.
Goodbye.

I'm with Ollie on this one, at least I can move on knowing I tried everything
possible to stop the train wreck.

I may lurk a little, but I will never pay nor will I share technical knowledge on this site ever again.

AS FAB WOULD SAY, THANKS FOR CALLING

 

[MtnDoo]

Wow - a guy who can take a church site and turn it into a cash cow will have no problem denying the wishes of a snowmobiling community.

FUTURE: CLICKY: Features, Servers, Switches, Firewalls....

Danny, see your future, be your future. May, make, make it, make it.
Make your future Danny. I'm, I'm a veg',

-- Ty Webb

 

[ruffryder]

mps and others, you didn't pay a thing.

harris publishing did. they are the only ones that have paid anything at all to keep this site running. well except the one or two people that donated.

why do you guys want charity? Is this the american way? give me give me. I don't care that it costs money to host a website, I want it for free!

It is sad.

 

[diamonddave]

Are you against companies making money?

Funny, I've tried to respond to your whole post and this ^^ is all that will quote.

No, no one is against companies making money. It's the chain of events of how this has unfolded. The quality of the site even by Christophers own admission over the last few months has been rough. This is terrible timing. Now I see we're blaming a moderator for leaking this info out before they were suppose to. Why would a mod know this info to be able to leak it out? All leadership issues in my mind.

Remember the type of people this crowd is. They'll drive 6 hours to save $200 for a $10,000 plus sled. Not to mention there are a few that really can not afford anything right now.


Why is my question of free advertising of businesses in sigs leading to a reduction of revenue being ignored?

 

[MPS]

No Ruffy I haven't bought anything from sponsors on this site....you must have access to my checking account....LMFAO. I have always given you credit for being somewhat witty, but wow...LMFAO! You're like the North Star...so bright!

My thoughts exactly MtnDoo.....frankly it disgusts me!

 

[ruffryder]

yah, you bought from sponsors, big whip. They paid for advertising, big whip.

Why don't you guys understand this. THIS FORUM IS OPERATED AT A LOSS. It seems so simple it is silly.

 

[MPS]

So I guess you have proof this forum has operated at a loss....please let us see your proof Ruffy! OHHHH they say so, so it must be! hahahahahaha

Mr. Chris wants to bring up manipulation of a poll....well accountants manipulate numbers ALL the time!

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[Sturgis Sledder]

Hence the saying "figures lie and liars figure". There is no shortage of advertiser, there is a concentrated consumer base here and yet the geniuses at HP can't combine the 2 and make money. So pony up your $10 and provide the content, solve the manufacturers problems with providing a usable product out of the crate and like it.