RAISE MONEY, BOOST MEMBERSHIP

[pirate paul]

Why not advertise this forum on flee bay, buy it now £0.99 membership of this forum.

I am happy to pay £0.99 for membership I am sure most of us are.

This would increase membership and pay for improvements.

 

How about charging traders for advertising.

 

How about a World pay (BUY BRITTISH) add to cart on the for sale board of this forum too.

[carlt]

This would increase membership and pay for improvements.

Yes the toilets, in the Virtual Bar, have needed redecorating for ages now.

 

I think the beauty of this, and other similar forums, is that it is free to be a member and it is provided by an enthusiast, not looking to make money, rather than a businessman.

Edited August 4, 2009 by carlt

[magpie patrick]

Yes the toilets, in the Virtual Bar, have needed redecorating for ages now.

 

I think the beauty of this, and other similar forums, is that it is free to be a member and it is provided by an enthusiast, not looking to make money, rather than a businessman.

 

I would add as well that one problem with any contract (which paying for membership would be, however small the amount) is a two way thing. Jon may not want the burden of that, at the moment he can tell any or all of us to duck off without reason and without having to resort to any contractual small print. He rarely does but he has the right to. If we have paid he ends up with more obligations

[deletedaccount]

this is a terrible idea for a million reasons

[carlt]

this is a terrible idea for a million reasons

I demand that you list each one!

[RLWP]

I demand that you list each one!

 

What's happened to Bertram Russell's teapot?

 

Richard

[carlt]

What's happened to Bertram Russell's teapot?

 

Richard

Couldn't afford the upkeep.

 

We all have to tighten our belts, in these days of recession.

[RLWP]

Couldn't afford the upkeep.

 

We all have to tighten our belts, in these days of recession.

 

Well, I'll still believe in it if that helps.

 

 

Richard

[pirate paul]

Well, I'll still believe in it if that helps.

 

 

Richard

I am not surgesting that this organization should be a .com As a none profit making org it is able to charge a fee ,free of tax.

Who pays the host fee etc?

The fact is sombody is paying for this web site, people are working and paying thier own costs.

I am perpared to pay a quid ... given this money and lots more members this is a powerful organization ... one in which the members pull the strings.

[magpie patrick]

I am not surgesting that this organization should be a .com As a none profit making org it is able to charge a fee ,free of tax.

Who pays the host fee etc?

The fact is sombody is paying for this web site, people are working and paying thier own costs.

I am perpared to pay a quid ... given this money and lots more members this is a powerful organization ... one in which the members pull the strings.

 

And I think that is exactly what Jon wishes to avoid

[RLWP]

one in which the members pull the strings.

 

If you want to contribute towards the running of the site, pm Jon: Jon's profile

 

Richard

[carlt]

given this money and lots more members this is a powerful organization ... one in which the members pull the strings.

Have you heard the expression "If it aint broke, don't fix it"?

 

This is by far the biggest and most successful inland waterways forum based website.

 

Why change it and to what ends?

[deletedaccount]

I am not surgesting that this organization should be a .com As a none profit making org it is able to charge a fee ,free of tax.

Who pays the host fee etc?

The fact is sombody is paying for this web site, people are working and paying thier own costs.

I am perpared to pay a quid ... given this money and lots more members this is a powerful organization ... one in which the members pull the strings.

 

The best model I've seen for funding community based forums like this one is a voluntary contribution anoymous server fund.

 

How will charging people and making them jump through hoops to use something increase the number of users? That's the most baffling part of your 'plan'.

[pirate paul]

The best model I've seen for funding community based forums like this one is a voluntary contribution anoymous server fund.

 

How will charging people and making them jump through hoops to use something increase the number of users? That's the most baffling part of your 'plan'.

I was brought up on canals, I have lived on boats most of my life, my motivation is to improve the canal network (see naw canals thread, ignore the spam) This is the canal forum which comes up on google search, I dont care who owns the site, they can have thier say and one vote each on these pages, jump through the same hoops, the same as every one else.

The funding of this site must be effective and up to its members to dictate.

What ever the funding options the more members it has the more powerful it will be.

Empowerment to the canal users seems to me to be a worth while aim.

[carlt]

Then set up your own website and go for it.

 

I don't think you'll get much support here, though you could try trolling the other sites, to see if they're interested in a coup.

 

(see naw canals thread, ignore the spam)

Not sure what you mean by "spam" unless you are just dismissing your critics (ie, just about everyone else).

[Chris J W]

Yes the toilets, in the Virtual Bar, have needed redecorating for ages now.

 

Oi!! Them porta-potties were brand new when The UnStable Bar opened! And I even saw Willi and the SEF blu-tacking wallpaper up at the same time.

 

Grump. You just can't keep some people happy.

[RLWP]

Oi!! Them porta-potties were brand new when The UnStable Bar opened! And I even saw Willi and the SEF blu-tacking wallpaper up at the same time.

 

Grump. You just can't keep some people happy.

 

Yes, but I have been campaigning for a nice, new, shiny galvanised bucket for the gents for ages!

 

Richard

[deletedaccount]

I was brought up on canals, I have lived on boats most of my life, my motivation is to improve the canal network (see naw canals thread, ignore the spam) This is the canal forum which comes up on google search, I dont care who owns the site, they can have thier say and one vote each on these pages, jump through the same hoops, the same as every one else.

The funding of this site must be effective and up to its members to dictate.

What ever the funding options the more members it has the more powerful it will be.

Empowerment to the canal users seems to me to be a worth while aim.

 

wat.

 

The funding of this site is nothing to do with it's members, it's all to do with the owners. This isn't a democracy. It's also not a campaigning site afaik. I'm sure it can be discussed here though, along with any other canal related topics.

 

If you want to sent up a site with that specific agenda and fund it through ebay auctions you're welcome to go and try it. But I'll tell you now, building online communities is hard enough without making people pay for the privilege. I speak from experience here.

[Chris J W]

Yes, but I have been campaigning for a nice, new, shiny galvanised bucket for the gents for ages!

 

Richard

 

Oh!? Is THAT what the buckets were for? Nobber's been painting them, sticking spouts on, and flogging them off to unsuspecting tourists as Buckby cans. We've been using the monies to replace the full porta-potties ...

[RLWP]

Oh!? Is THAT what the buckets were for? Nobber's been painting them, sticking spouts on, and flogging them off to unsuspecting tourists as Buckby cans. We've been using the monies to replace the full porta-potties ...

 

Hmm. It seems we don't really know what we are doing. Perhaps we should ask a question up in General Boating. Something about porta-potties vs galvanised buckets or perhaps some other way of disposing of waste.

 

What do you think? Will anyone have an opinion on this subject?

 

Richard

 

It's your round. again.

[Chris J W]

Oh, I doubt it. It's a well know fact that people are perfectly capable of understanding the requirements of others when discussing other folks loos. No-one could ever argue over it, really.

 

As for the waste ... well ... we've been slinging the full porta's into a big-recycle-a-tron-doobie-ferkin that the SEF created. It separates the waste, renders it into perfect compost in under 2 seconds, and recycles the plastic to remake new portas in under a week. The junior engineering faeries only charge £10 per porta to recycle. They take it into their Electronic Lavatory Sterilization And New-making hut. Quite impressive, really.

 

<and so saying, the HBF flicks an eight track of Des O'Connor and a pound lard into the dishonesty box, and mans the pumps to serve up several pints of Old Sock>

[soldthehouse]

Yes, but I have been campaigning for a nice, new, shiny galvanised bucket for the gents for ages!

 

Richard

a cassette would be better ...whoops awaits incoming

[carlt]

YOU SEE!

 

This kind of off-topic indiscipline is exactly the kind of thing that PP will stamp out, with his new forum order.

 

If the site is to become the well oiled campaigning machine that will enable his dream of a mechanoid 21st century waterway eutopia to be realised then we must stop enjoying ourselves IMMEDIATELY!

 

[County4x4]

I can't see that ebay ads are going to increase membership for a minute, or that paid membership is the way forward for that matter. I'm a regular contributor to several forums on mower racing, alternative energies and Ford Transits - and I don't pay for the privilege at any of them. Some of these forums have branded merchandise available which you obviously pay for, but membership is always free. My sister belongs to a Toyota Hilux forum and they have some kind of sponsorship program, where you can contribute towards the running costs of the site and become a "sponsor member" or similar, but this is entirely optional.

 

Personally, I wouldn't pay for membership of ANY forum as such, though if it was a useful resource to me, and if it's continuation was threatened by lack of funds for hosting etc (which isn't that expensive in all fairness) then I would be happy to contribute if "volunteers" were asked for by the forum owner.

 

And why ebay incidentally? Does it not occur to you that anyone net savvy enough to use ebay might just possibly be aware of something called Google, where you will find this very site at the top of the list if you search for "canal forum"

 

To be honest, and without wanting to sound harsh, this idea, to me at least, seems about as useful as your earlier ones!

 

Andy

 

Edited to say that after reading back through your posts, it seems you are aware of google and the top ranking this site enjoys. It's just that you want the "members" to stage some sort of coup and take it over. Well good luck..........but don't count me in

Edited August 4, 2009 by County4x4

[soldthehouse]

YOU SEE!

 

This kind of off-topic indiscipline is exactly the kind of thing that PP will stamp out, with his new forum order.

 

If the site is to become the well oiled campaigning machine that will enable his dream of a mechanoid 21st century waterway eutopia to be realised then we must stop enjoying ourselves IMMEDIATELY!

 

stands in the corner drawing on the wall planning revenge