Forum Stuff

Thanks Tripp'n - your comment

"if no one likes what someone posts, then don't read it or reply to it, simple as... "

is how we wish people would use the site. However in reality, it appears some people cannot help themselves and have to post to everything, which is the problem.

First thing to do Chaba is to Join the site as a Member. Costs you $50 for 12 months.

Once registered you can access a personal Home page where you can upload your rig photo and other info. Hopefully it is a Toyota!!!

Cheers

Muddy 'doe

Hi Chaba; Don't rush in membership is good but not necessary.
You can get membership for free if you buy ex$$$ of goods from the shop ( I think its under Rewards) also $5 for someone if you nominate them when joining.

If you like friendly people & a laugh & funny CRAP check out
Recreation4wd on Yahoo

Cheers

I could not agree more, however it is the traffic charges that are the real problem. It is great to have a place to go and chat etc however an interesting fact that most of you will not know is that every post in the forum costs us around $1.25 in terms of traffic to render within the first month. So you can see why "I'm bored" or "a......" etc has the effect of upsetting us. We have noticed an increase in these posts over the last few months and decided that these have to go.

Additionally lately we have had advertisers leave the site due to "issues with the forum". So if the advertisers go then I ask where is the revenue to come from. Michelle works very hard to secure the advertisers to help cover the costs of running the system. So when they mention issues with the forum as a reason for not renewing it increases the cost of the forum.

Over the last few weeks we have wanted to start to address the situtation as best we could and to have a vocal minority shoot down Michelle shows a complete lack of respect for the people who conceived, created and pay the bills that make this place work. This will not be tolerated. This site is managed and moderated by Michelle and David - so do not hide behind the words moderater in a dig at us. You may as well say David or Michelle.

It is also interesting to note that over the last three weeks, stats are up, membership is up and shop orders are up so it would appear that not everyone disagreed with the course of action that was and still is to be taken.

ExplorOz is a free standing business not support by a major corporation just two people who most of the time love what we do.

It is unfortunate that we cannot please everyone all the time and this is to be expected when the numbers increase. We endeavour to provide excellent resourses, friendship and a good place to spend some time. If you do not like to rules then please go elsewhere.

Okay. We have now all learnt that there is a definite monetary issue to consider in regards to posts on the forum.

Michelle has already outlined this, but it was also disguised as graffiti.

Dollars & cents, I’m hearing you, and there is no distortion.

Please don’t think I am also hiding behind the word “Moderator”.

I think it would be worse if I had said one of your names, as a singularity, moderator IS David & Michelle, we all know that. I do not wish to name names..... simple.

I am not grandstanding here David. This may well be my last post.

I simply have watched what has happened, and thought I would have nothing to lose in making a suggestion about rolling posts, which is what I have brought up with other members. After all, I know nothing about 4 x 4s & stuff, so all I know is ..... well..... not 4 x 4 stuff!

I do not wish to discuss the rolling post issue here with you, perhaps email may be better.
Although, now you have mentioned the $1.25 @ post, I don’t know if my idea holds merit.

I wish you both continued success in the forum.....

Thank You

Ian Bee

(Wolfie )

Well said wolf!!!!!!!

Thanks Ian,

As mentioned I am very happy to make all posts and chat facilities available it is simply that someone has to pay for it. Currently a lot of it falls back onto us. I have had no problems in covering off a lot of it however there does become a time when we need to get the house/business back inline. If we can fund it then we can do it all - simple (I thought). We have had a huge usage growth and we are trying to ensure that the system has longiviety and can stand up in the long run. If we continue to increase our costs and have less or sustained income levels then the maths are simple. Will it effect our revenue if the forum is scaled down - maybe/maybe not most of our advertisers believe that forum advertising is of less value as in a majority of cases it is read with a very high repeat readership. Hence the much higher level of non forum advertising that exists on the site.

I have seen the email about the rolling post idea however the traffic is the killer not really the server space. In some cases we have been removing threads just prior to archive. So in effect we were sort of manually doing this already.

As mentioned any ideas or suggestions are welcome we are trying to do this for everyones benifit. What is the point in the arguement if we just have to simply turn it all off due to rising costs and lack of revenue. This is not on the cards (as it takes a lot for me to crash 9 years of work) however we need to ensure that we keep moving in the right direction.

Wolfie - I have no problem with you or what you have posted in the past (except once when you told the world I would not give you a sticker). We do not even want to have to clamp down on the posts however a line needs to be drawn somewhere or the system is simply not worth running. Again if it is fundable then I have no problems in doing it.

For those that want to bag and slag us for trying to make it work or threaten us with non renewal then I believe this site is not for you. This is not directed at anyone in particular however the number of threats lately is becoming very boring - just leave if you do not like it. If you think the system here is worth trying to build with the non related posts and for want of a better word CRAP posts then please help us to work out how to fund it instead if sitting at your desks threatening & complaining about us trying to ensure that it will be running for many years.

If anyone wants to comment (off system) or supply feedback or ideas please email me directly david@exploroz.com.