Subscriptions

[Jason]

Is there no other way forward other than to put up a paywall? (I realise this has no doubt been discussed behind closed doors, but not in public.) Other sites seem to manage it. I assume it’s understood that it’ll be the kiss of death?

[RSB]

It has been discussed in the forums “Sort Off” but none the less, unless other sugestions are put up I cant see what else can be done. Ive always been open to suggestions but when I ask for them there never there! Here is your chance to show me the light :yes:

My head hurts from all the other thingking  in my day to day duties so I have to some times think of the easiest solution and have done.

Oh, and so it is clear in the future. There is only me behind any closed doors, only me sorting the site, and only me coming up with ideas behinde closed doors. And all that is put foward on here to gain some insight. No secret meetings, chats etc… Just me and the Cat, Chewey. :yahoo:

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[Jason]

Well, I’m not knowledgeable in how sites operate. It’s not my field. I just know that other forums are free. I guess ads pay for the costs. I think it’s a cast-iron certainty that a subscription will see half the current users leave and no new users sign up (especially if they can’t view the forums first). After all, there are lots of other forums available, plus social-media sites. I’m not trying to be argumentative, just realistic. Some current members are also on the breadline (myself included). It’ll die very quickly, unless the few who are left are happy to be part of a very small, closed group (they may well be).

Would it not be possible to work out the minimum cost for hosting the site for a year and see if a donation drive can’t raise the funds? Then it’s free for all.

[RSB]

The problem is them sites have thousands of members were adds would benefit companys, forumite has not. Now the dilema begins. So ads are a no go. What else is left?

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[RSB]

I am going to pin this thread and let others have there say and this way it will not get lost in the other topics.

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[Jason]

What about an annual donation drive to cover the hosting costs?

[Dave Rice]

I think it will be the death of it. The thing is I can imagine people stumping up £40 in an annual donation drive but not £3.50 a month.

I think you need to be upfront with the annual costs you are facing and see what pledges you get before deciding.

[RSB]

£695 as I got the dedicated server on special offer, with an upgrade needed in the near future double that then there is specialest items I am unable to repair or modifie and so on. :wacko: I am not going into all the details but this gives the gist of it.

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[Jason]

That’s a non-starter, then.

[RSB]

There is bits missing of that Jason believe me. A costly back up solution will have to be eventualy put in place for example. I am backing up the best I can at the moment and prety much sure it’s safe for the time being. Membership was to ensure there was enough to cover things on regular monthly basis incase things got worse for me and like many I am 1 bill from the streets, perhaps not that bad but not far off.

However I am still open to ideas, Infact the subscription is going to cost me to set-up so if there is an other way I’ll listen.

Has mentioned I have put a lot of long hours into this place and try not to do things by half and have so far got the best of what I can afford at the time.

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[dwynnehugh]

I know nothing about forums and how they work, but I do understand that they must ‘cost to run’ and I truly appreciate the time and effort that has already been put into this one.

Personally I would have no problems with £3.50 to £5/month on a DDR.

The more you meet people the more you understand why Noah took animals instead of humans

[Jason]

I understand. Given the low number of users, is there not a cheaper hosting option? That seems like a massive amount of money, out of all proportion to the usage model, but as I say, I know little about these things.

I think you will struggle to cover those costs even with a £3.50 monthly fee. I reckon you might start with maybe a dozen subscribers, but those will steadily drop off. The user base is highly unlikely to increase.

Think of it like this: at the end of MM, most forum users didn’t even buy the mag, not even the odd issue at £2.25, with a free forum thrown in. Are the same people likely to pay £3.50 per month just for a forum? I can’t see it. I don’t know what the solution is, but that’s not it.

[RSB]

No the hosting is already bottom line. I could send it to india, but I am not. I could put it on shared hosting and have it die much more often than it is at pressent, but no I wont do that either. VPS is a possible but the savings aint massive.

Dont get me wrong, I know where you coming from but as far has hosting sites I do it ever day for my customers I know where to save and were not to. When a site starts to give up due to poor low cost hosting the stress involved is not worth the savings. :negative:

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[RSB]

And yes I did not expect the subscription to cover all the costs but it would help.

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[blacklion1725]

Firstly let me add my gratitude to Lee for helping keep the ship afloat.

 

Possibility 1: I also know very little about Forum hosting, but I wonder whether the small community and relatively low traffic levels makes this a candidate for one of the free forum hosting options out there.

Since I read the post, I google “free forum” and followed the first link which got me to

http://formerlymm.freeforums.net/

in about 10 minutes….no idea if it is good/kosher/viable and it is certainly add supported but maybe something along these lines could be adequate?

Possibility 2: Given that the site is non-commercial. could something like a limite hostgator plan (I have one) be adequate?

Possibility 3: I much prefer a forum style to Facebook but as a last resort could a Facebook group be a means to keep what is a small, friendly and sociable group going?

Suggesting this as I think the subscription model just won’t work.

I’m all ears as I would hate to see one of the few nice places on the internet go!

[doctoryorkie]

Hmm…

A difficult one.

How many ex MM people are on here? Assuming (as Lee asked) we all used the same or similar names then I can only see around twenty people who visited in the last day.

I would get a feel for any takers before putting up a paywall. As Jason says, not many would want to climb it.

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[RSB]

The first and last options are viable and people want to go to them then they should. As for as hosting is concerned the only way is up. I would not run this place on anything else but a UK service, with a UK service centre.

I have had three votes against and one vote in favour now. Others who reading should also let me know what there opinion is so it’s clear on a bigger scale. :mail:

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[Ed P]

Jason wrote:

That’s a non-starter, then.

Don’t dismiss it so quickly.  I’m up for a fiver/month. It only needs nine others who are willing to match and it is mostly covered. Whether there are nine who can afford to give regularly is another question to which I do not know the answer.

Whether it needs a pay-wall is a totally different question. Earlier Lee offered some sort of flexibility but it really depends on the degree of commitment he receives. If he gets (say) £800/year committed he obviously has more scope for flexibility.

[JayCeeDee]

doctoryorkie wrote:

Hmm… A difficult one. How many ex MM people are on here? Assuming (as Lee asked) we all used the same or similar names then I can only see around twenty people who visited in the last day. I would get a feel for any takers before putting up a paywall. As Jason says, not many would want to climb it.

 

If you click on Activity then on the Member Tab, as you scroll down, there are a lot of people on there that I recognise, ( and some I recognise from their @ name, rather than their Login name ), but you’ll find a hardcore of regulars. The others seem to drop in and out on an irregular basis – just like back on MM really.

[RSB]

Ok so sticking with the subscription idea. I’ll put another idea accross. As said £3.50 a month but if you decide not to you are still free to use the forums. How ever the problem with the donations as mentioned in an other post was people would simply forget. What I would do is put something in place to remind people, somthing a little annouying.

As BL mentioned there are other alternatives, Facebook and the other one. I aint going to force people to stay here if there not happy. Every body is free to make there choices but I have to try and take a little bit of the pressure of me.

So in short if you are a paid member you get a gold star and if not you do not :yahoo:

Edit: There is atleast 60 or more members from MM. Just a handfull of attempted spammer names and there is total of 128 members. Often 30 users active one 24 hour period.

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

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