Site was down?

Because if they couldn't, they would likely not bother posting here and we might miss out on some cool stuff that they might not know is worth more than the asking price?

 

Yo, I've barely been on this site and already I love it and the help I get. I'd gladly throw a dollar around here or there to help it survive.

 

SnoSheriff you cant buy much with it,but you have my heartfelt thanks.Oh and I have thrown some bucks in once or twice but it would take a lot of bucks to actually cover the knowledge base your site offers to all of us.Thanks again.

 

We all like free, and usually we get what we pay for, however on this site, we get so much more than we pay for. Knowing that many here have budget restraints, a fee based premium content would exclude many of them. A monthly or yearly subscription fee could be considered. Not knowing the exact expense structure, and exactly how many members are willing to help, I would say that a monthly subscription be offered on a volunteer basis to members. Only two perks come with membership, one, the site stays alive, and two, a members only forum which would be locked from view by non members. I know that I would be able to throw $5.00 a month at this site and with maybe 100 members that would add up to $500.00 per month. Just a suggestion......

 

Here is my suggestion:

Free access to all to see/read/search, but no ability to ask questions/PM/or view video (if we could get a video section going).

I would propose a buck for a "Monthly" subscription..this way those those in need aren't subjected undue fees, yet they could get help in the short run if they needed it.

Lastly, you could charge $10 for a yearly...have complete access. I'd also like to see some sort of "Contributing Member" policy...let's say you post an article or video, like "Airhead Valve adjustment" or "Church of Clean" or any of the invaluable stuff we all enjoy from the "experts"....If you produce content like that...perhaps you earn a free year long membership...

One more lastly...perhaps you could buy a "lifetime" for $50?

Just my $0.02 (which is actually what I just donated)

 

i like patmac's idea of the $1 a month or $10 a year, thats not all that painful and with the number of users on the site on a daily basis, that could definitely help bring in some cash and maybe get a few changes on here like Sno suggested, and possibly a 60 day limited trial period. i know i probably wouldnt have joined up at first if i had to pay, but after 60 days on here with all the info i certainly wouldve paid, and i have donated now as well. this site has saved me an uncountable amount of money over the past few months ive been here.

and with the paid subscription, you might cut down on some of the bots/spam that we get occasionally.

 

I agree with the above two! I like the idea of varying levels of membership as well. However, the unregistered should still be able to PM chacal for orders

 

I like it to be modled like the street fighter.com sight. If your a nonmember you have to deal with ads, the ad click throughs generate revenue. If you are paid member your dues generate the revenue. Win win.

 

Revenue, moderators, memberships, and more...

I am also a member of VFRdiscussion and Sport-Touring.net and we have a contributor's/supporter's level of membership and also a regular/freebie level of membership.

I think the differences are:
1. Uploads and galleries are bigger for contributors
2. Adverts disappear for contributors (banner ads on side and also embeded 1/2way through the threads in the forum.
3. You can have a bigger signature and/or avatar picture
4. a title under your name (moderator, supporter, etc)

The owner of STN wrestled with the idea of allowing external advertising, and some people left over it, but ultimately the idea of paying to be a member, and then having the ability to make adverts disappear, was a fairly good one. THe site gets a constant stream of revenue from advertisers, and people that hate advertising can put their money where their mouth is and watch it disappear.

VFRdiscussion has such a small, clicky membership, they actually get their full year's budget from donations usually by April or May and the rest of the year is gravy.




Regarding moderators, we have lost a few moderators in the forums, so we likely should revoke their privileges and appoint a few more active contributors

 

love the idea for 10$/year 1$/month or 50$for Lifetime... with the "Contributing Member" policy brilliant.
deffinetly needs a week/month trial time so people can see the amount of information going threw this site.

 

If things are to change. Should we have a grandfather clause? For at least a year.

 

I think SnoSheriff would like to keep this forum free and open, hence the suggestion of volunteer "paying" members. If one can afford to be a paying member they will have helped keeping this site going and have privileged access to a newly formed Private Subscription forum. I think making everybody who has a question will just force them to not to ask if they have to pay and I not sure that is what SnoSheriff wanted when he created this site. I know things change over time, but the original idea is still there I believe. Anyway, this would be better than what is happening now to raise income for the site.

 

Looks like the site exceeded the bandwidth this morning. Just curious if this site uses a web hosting service. My company uses Godaddy and have been very happy with it. Not sure what your monthly bandwidth usage and costs are, but they offer unlimited bandwidth and storage for $53.00 a year. But that is a shared virtual platform and if you are bundled in a group of high bandwidth users the site could slow down. We ourselves, use a private virtual web hosting account from them which gives us 1000 gigabytes a month of bandwidth with 40 Gig of storage for around $325.00 a year. Not sure what software you are using. But they have a Joomla type software. Not trying to butt into your business, just putting this out there in case your current costs are greatly higher than this.

 

a requirement of $ 1 donation by 14,000 members now plus $1 for all new joining members would take care of his expenses....

Does this sound OK ???? I don't think a $1 donation is much to ask of everyone ???

Your thoughts.........

 

10 bucks donated

 

There may be 14000 members but what percentage of those are active?
A great many people would join, solve whatever issue was the problem and drop off.
As a resource alone XJ bikes is to valuable to lose.

 

I'm new here... but I recognize the value of this site. Donated and will donate whenever I can. This resource for the community is too important.

 

Yea... every other forum I've been on is like this.... I don't mind seeing a few ads or coughing up a few bucks to cover the bills. nothing in life is truely free

 

One thing to keep in mind is that to be like those other forums there will probably need to be a change in the forum software.