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Discussion in 'Announcement' started by SnoSheriff, Nov 12, 2014.

  1. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I have my stuff set up so that the first page I get is the plain FORUMS list, not the "watched", or "new", etc..... The eBay stuff just stays in that particular heading, and doesn't interfere now for me. I just don't click on them unless need be. For me, I just go right to eBay and search for needed stuff now.
     
  2. SnoSheriff

    SnoSheriff Site Owner Staff Member Administrator

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    I think it's fixed now. Please check New Posts and report back.
     
  3. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    It is indeed fixed. Thank you for all the work that you do to keep everything shiny :)
     
  4. KDub

    KDub Member

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    Looks like it's back to regular posts now. Thank you.
     
  5. FtUp

    FtUp Well-Known Member

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    I agree, as long as we don't have to wade through them to keep up with the forum. when I have a need, I look up all my options, starting with len, then on to every other source I can find using google, ebay and on and on. my google fu has saved me quite a bit of coin to spend on other bike parts. it's an addiction. but it's one I can live with.

    FU
     
  6. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    Are any of you seeing Ebay ads filling up your new posts page? I ask because that issue was resolved a month ago.
     
  7. MattiThundrrr

    MattiThundrrr Not a guru

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    I've been on here for months, and only noticed Ebay ads once. It was a Saturday Morning, and all were posted by SnoSherrif. I just thought he was having a yard sale or something! I use the new posts daily, and there are no ads there except for the "For Sale/Wanted" stuff.
     
  8. MattiThundrrr

    MattiThundrrr Not a guru

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    Another thought for revenue would be tshirts... perhaps black with a small XJbikes logo! I'd buy that.
    PS I was not aware of the "Donate" button until I read this thread. Perhaps something could be done to increase its visibility.
     
  9. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Really? The last thing I want to do is to have ads blinking around through what I'm trying to read----

    Can they be limited to a particular forum, like the eBay stuff is a particular forum?
     
  10. Bigshankhank

    Bigshankhank Active Member

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    Meh, they are on the bottom, I don't even notice them.
     
  11. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Ok, I notice they are on the bottom on my laptop/desktop, but they show up all over on my iphone. That's the only thing I was on til now........... If they stay that the bottom on the laptop and desktop computers, I guess it's ok.

    I'm NOT saying to get rid of ads, I'm sure they help pay for the site. I just found it disconcerting when they'd show up in my signature, on a forum, in a post, etc.......
     
  12. Beekman

    Beekman XJ Grasshopper

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    Must be an iPhone thing, or maybe the browser on the phone. I just have them showing up at the very bottom, on my phone, comp, and surface. I run chrome and IE
     
  13. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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  14. SnoSheriff

    SnoSheriff Site Owner Staff Member Administrator

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    I merged this old topic. Ads are here to stay because they generate $. Right now I'm experimenting with the ad banner placement.

    Since I moved this site to the new platform (over 6months ago), I had only TWO people donate to this site. Guess who pays the bills and spends countless hours working for free?

    We had shirt merchandise and the sales were minimal.

    Another option I'm thinking about is 'Supporting Member' site membership. This will give new functionality to Supporting site members. Examples would include: removal of some ads, garage showcase with photos and descriptions, ability to bookmark threads for quick navigation, ability to change your own titles, larger signature limits, Supporting member banner for recognition... There are other ideas but I'm listing this off the top of my head. Would this interest you? What features would you like? What would be a reasonable monthly fee?
     
  15. BaldWonder

    BaldWonder Innocent Bystander

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    Wait, we had shirts? When was this?
     
  16. Rooster53

    Rooster53 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    I know enough about software and programming that you have got to have a great deal of your time invested - you deserve some payback.

    So, make that three donations, and my apologies for not doing it earlier. Even if I don't get advice here, I still get a lot of enjoyment just reading what is going on in the XJ world.
     
  17. BaldWonder

    BaldWonder Innocent Bystander

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    I think it might be best to emulate NPR and Wikipedia with yearly/semi-annual/quarterly fundraising drives. And the pledges made could be in the form of monthly recurring donations. And part of that would be to let us know what the intended goal is - I honestly don't know what you're paying for hosting, or what kind of hosting this site has been requiring, but knowing what's been collected and how bad the site is hurting would do a lot to drive incentive to donate.

    Also, maybe some of us, at our little mini-rallies, could collect donations - though maybe it'd be best to set up a way to text donations to the site instead of collecting cash you may or may not ever see. And you could avoid having to convert currencies, as well.
     
  18. SnoSheriff

    SnoSheriff Site Owner Staff Member Administrator

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    Store was setup many years ago. Not very successful so it's a bit dusty with cobwebs www.cafepress.com/xjbikes

    I'm not a big fan of asking for $ and fundraisers. I'd rather offer services that people want and are willing to subscribe to because they find value in it.
     
  19. BaldWonder

    BaldWonder Innocent Bystander

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    I know the feeling, but it's not bad when it's optional. You'd just be making yourself heard. I liked how on Wikipedia's page it added a header (hard to miss) with a personal letter from the head of Wikipedia (relatable, personable) explaining the need for money, and several options for donating, including saying no. Anyone who decides to be angry with you for asking for help isn't worth keeping around anyway.
     
    k-moe likes this.
  20. BaldWonder

    BaldWonder Innocent Bystander

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    Also, add your own story to the mix. People get warm fuzzies knowing they're helping out a real person. Write an open letter explaining how you got into XJs and why you started the site, and how much you've put into the site. It's not badgering, it's not bragging, it's just telling the story. Then simply say that you could use help in the form of donations. Throw in some quick figures like "X people visit the site every year, and Y dollars are spent on hosting, so if everyone donated just Z dollars, the site would pay for itself" or something like that, and make it ridiculously simply to click a link and make a payment of their choosing.
     

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