Signs 101 Business Model

[Marlene]

there are a few that I'd like to see just go away and I'm sure they would if they had to pay to post their comments that seem to only amuse them. the flip side of that is it will keep new people from coming here if it's too hard to find and I think that would be a bad thing for us. I've been in the business for 21 years and still find that I learn something here everyday. some of those things are from people who have been in the business for only a short time. I think the membership here with all the different levels of experience is what makes this a good site.

 

[copythat]

Paying for forum

I'm in the printowners forum. Recently found out that manufacturers were monitoring our threads. SOme owners found this as a threat! I look at it as an avenue to let them know how their machines are doing. I've suggested if they are coming in to pay a premium price ($1000) to be in the forum. Money can be used for scholarships for the future of our indusrty. Printing or Signs. Just my opinion.

 

[DARLAK]

If you don't like Fred or the forum, please just leave.

where did i say i didn't like fred or the forum?

fred chose to call me out as a trouble to him for posting inane posts, then admit's that this was really just an inane poll.

just pointing out the obvious...

 

[THATgirl]

wth you want to get rid of people for? Nobody likes everybody. But when people get picked on because they are new, their designs suck, they don't 'pony up' or they don't know as much as some, why do you want them gone? Then this would become a very boring forum.

I have been to sign meets, sign conventions and have met several sign people for coffee/dinner. What I have found is that most people are very different than we think they are. Some of the most annoying people with the oddest personalities and hardest to understand posts are the nicest, most intelligent people. And some who claim to be better and busier than everyone, more intelligent, most talented, really can't hand letter or design, and sit on their ass all day and have zero work. But everyone adds something to the mix, don'cha think?

If Fred is not making ends meet with this forum, then yeah I guess he needs help. My guess is you would get more help if it were 20.00 every six months? dunno, just giving my pennies worth of ideas.

 

[DARLAK]

If Fred is not making ends meet

is one thing

Would you prefer to pay membership dues for a smaller, higher quality forum

is another....

 

[Sign_Boy]

signs201 is on the way.... as soon as i can figure out what the hell php and MySql is....

Sorry to be a but that's funny

 

[TheSnowman]

I don't know what it is either, but I'm not tryin' to start a forum.

 

[Marlene]

maybe more of the current members should think about becoming contributing members so Fred can make ends meet. It doesn't cost much.

 

[gators2001]

maybe more of the current members should think about becoming contributing members so Fred can make ends meet. It doesn't cost much.

I don't think Fred is saying he is not making ends meet I think he was meaning we would have to pay if we wanted keep it all private cause he would loose revenue from advertisers. Fred can set me strait if I'm wrong. becoming a contributing member is something we should do anyway if we like the board. And while everyones on Darlak I happen to like him love to read his post makes me laugh. The ones I hate to read is the ones who think there better than every one else. you know who are.

 

[iSign]

where did i say i didn't like fred or the forum?

fred chose to call me out as a trouble to him for posting inane posts, then admit's that this was really just an inane poll.

just pointing out the obvious...

I guess I was wrong earlier when I said something like people who can be nimrods (like myself) can usually handle being called out for who they are... Darlak, some of your uselessness is funny, but some of your BS is quite annoying. Don't act surprised, you seem sharp enough to not have missed that fact.

Regarding this poll... you are completely missing the point. It was not a useless exercise at all, it was true genius in dictatorship ruling.

This ain't a democracy here... what Fred says, goes... but because he does act in our best interests, and he does spend way more time than us, with acess to way more information... he has chosen the best path long before the rest of us see the fork in the road...

...the other day some "new" insights (regarding potential "problems") popped up on the radar of some of the membership. Fred had contemplated these issues long ago, but the topic rose suddenly to a "natives are restless" sort of clamoring...

As a great leader, Fred immediately crystalized the ambiguous scary monster in the shadows into a simple decision of A or B... because in reality, that is what the clamoring comes down to. Option B (no change) wins hands down because the trade-offs make the price of change to steep to serve us.

I don't think Fred is saying he is not making ends meet I think he was meaning we would have to pay if we wanted keep it all private cause he would loose revenue from advertisers.

EXACTLY!!

The ones I hate to read is the ones who think there better than every one else. you know who are.

Who are we? ...uh, I mean they?

 

[DARLAK]

somehow this became a referendum on how darlak screwed up this forum...

 

[Bigdawg]

no darlak didn't screw up the forum, but he did add as much fuel to the fire as he could. Don't pretend like you don't know that - I assumed that was your intent.

The poll was just as iSign said - to let everyone see the black and white what choices would have to be made. Anything else that comes from it is peripheral including any feelings people may have about your fanning the flames of discontent.

Fred will do what's best for the board as a whole and I for one have every faith it will be the right thing.

 

[iSign]

somehow this became a referendum on how darlak screwed up this forum...

no, that was last month... :Sleeping:

 

[DARLAK]

Don't pretend like you don't know that - I assumed that was your intent.

my intent?

intent would mean i tried to do something.

i have tried nothing - i have simply been me, to some, that's obviously too much...

you want it back to 'normal' - shut down the NHB, boot me off and make me go make my own forum, because i certainly don't see where I alone have made this place worse than when i got here....

shovel posts dumb shit every day - does that bring this place down?????

 

[iSign]

cheer the hell up...
you "add fuel" ...big phucking deal... quit crying to get all this attention on yourself, it was never about you, but you were an easy target to be mentioned regarding drama... so if you don't like it... lose the drama... obviously you do like it though... so now you're burying us in more lame drama... GO MAKE YOUR OWN FORUM THEN... who cares?

 

[ProWraps™]

if you really want to make more revenue and limit access to outside people, KILL THE SEARCH AND PM'S FOR NON SUPPORTING MEMBERS!

and yes its possible. we do it on my forum that is vbulletin. outsiders cant search, so they will be less likely to lurk, and users will be more likely to pony up to use PM's. this is basically your "best of all worlds" scenario. its really the only option you have to keep a free forum, but limit access to the non subscribers. i can help you if need be.
-chris

ps darlak, you dont bother me. at least you stand up to the shovelheads, old paints, bobs and other jerks.

 

[skyhigh]

Well, I've decided to cast my vote for a paid site.

I admire Fred and all his efforts for building a wonderful site, albeit I must say that I'm not entirely happy with the way things are going...and I don't think I"m alone.

I have read post on here, and spoke with other members who say they don't always share alot of helpful information when it comes to techniques or contacts that it took years to research or perfect. 1) out of apprehension as to who's reading it, or 2) "Why share with lowballing newbs who buy their master cutter & call themselves a sign shop, ONLY TO LOWBALL those who do this for their livelihood. 3)Then pay to become a CM for the privledge of cutting their own throat by helping the #2's...or the occasional joke from the class clown (darla):Big Laugh

For the record...If there is something I'd rather not share on the forum, I will always send a PM to someone in need. I love to help others, I just want to know WHOM I'm helping.

Can I blame anyone who feels this way? nope. Do I feel this makes for a great forum? nope. Of course it wasn't this way a few years ago....this is the "new age" of signmaking.

Soooo things change....maybe its time for this forum to change also. A closed forum is what I believe, good for the industry. Freds decision is, whether he will do better protecting his MM's (they do better with an open forum) or take his luck with charging admission, and hope most will stay.

Sorry for the rambling....good luck on what you decide Fred. I'm only sorry that its a "one way or the other" scenerio...I wish there was a middle ground.

 

[Service Sign Co]

 

[BlueRidgeFabrication]

It looks like both sides have valid points, but the truth is that this forum is the most popular sign forum on the internet. There are always going to be people that get on each other's nerves whether they are paying members or not, but everyone keeps coming back for a reason. In my opinion--if you think you could create and run this forum better than Fred--then start your own forum. Fred knows what he is doing and that's obviously seen by the success of this forum. He puts a lot of time and effort into keeping this thing going, but he can't make everyone happy. I just don't want the complainers to ruin a good thing for everyone else.

Of course, on the other hand, if things change...I will pay to be a member without a second thought. I'm just afraid that the forum would not be a more "quality" forum as the goal would be. I am afraid it would suffer greatly from what it is now.

Jessica

 

[Fred Weiss]

where did i say i didn't like fred or the forum?

fred chose to call me out as a trouble to him for posting inane posts, then admit's that this was really just an inane poll.

just pointing out the obvious...

No Darlak ... inane was your description. My purpose was hardly inane. This is what I said:

The whole notion of a conversion to paid membership was primarily put out there to make the point that it isn't a good option. I would also hope that some of you would get the message that the lurkers and occasional objectionable new member is not a big issue. Going to great lengths like changing our entire business model or putting a dozen people on the phone verifying new members is pure overkill. Nine out of ten are straightforward, legitimate sign people and it is obvious from the information provided at registration.

When it comes to your posts, the only reason you're still here is a few regulars have stated they find your posts amusing. Personally, I find them a burden to deal with time wise, so I don't appreciate them. I cannot recall a post made by you which contributed any useful information. You apparently view yourself as the self-appointed court jester for Signs 101.

But just for the record

I have not much use for you and consider you a pest and a nuisance.
I think you are totally lacking in taste and counter productive to the aims of many of the members here at Signs 101.
I would love to see you follow through on your plans for a Signs201.com where I'm confident after a short time you would spend a great deal of your time talking to yourself because you do not apparently have anything to contribute in the form of experience or useful information.