CHANGE IS COMING - Editorial - Nov 17,2014

[Byron haugh]

Warren,
You overheated your keyboard but missed my point entirely.

Mark

Marco,
I re-read your post and Warren's. Please explain how he missed your point entirely.

[Marco]

My point was to comment on YOUR (Byron) initial suggestion to SELL/CHARGE for membership subscriptions for a FEE $ 10.00 per year. Your own "tone" in that post suggested you were expecting some feedback of disagreement. VOILA ! Your post suggest an EXCLUSIVE membership open only to those who paid in the $10 FEE per year. And a "listing fee" for posting on the "FOR SALE: etc ( Now That's a GOOD idea). Just how much money would the $ 10 FEE generate??. ( I'd really like to get the answer to your opinion on that ). And how many new members would a MANDATORY FEE entice ? Donations , as in "Friends of FAOL" could be a bit more obviously promoted and not necessarily limited to high or low. But to charge a yearly FEE (or else) would be a bad idea. Now just what does that have to do with how I "FEEL" about FAOL ?
And now, while you sit under the palm shade sipping your Mai Tai from an umbrellad hollowed out pineapple, I must to return to work. :>) NB- Smiley ?

Mark

[Byron haugh]

Wow.....
I wonder what my geographic location has to do with anything?
You indicated that Warren's response to your post missed your point "entirely". I don't find that it did......

[Tig]

I think maybe Marco is correct in that a user fee would kill this site. My suggestion would be that if anyone wants to donate to the site I am sure their donation would be accepted and much appreciated no matter how much it was. (JMTCW)

[The Chronicler]

You can all stop arguing about paying a fee for access to FAOL. We have no intention of going this route. We also did not post the article to illicit donations from our readers but we merely felt that it was important for our readers to understand what is happening and why our publication schedule is changing. I'm sorry that Marco apparently does not have a very high opinion of FAOL or the people that operate it, however we will continue to operate the website to the best of our ability. Thank you to all of those that have posted their concerns and comments, even Marco's.

[Ray Kunz]

I'll go with Byron. An annual subscription would be great.
It might even discourage those few who infrequently seek to annoy others.
It may sound trivial but at my age FAOL is very important to me.

[Byron haugh]

Ray,
I guess I didn't know about becoming "A Friend of FAOL". The link is on the home page.
I asked the Admin. To put a paypal option there and as soon as that happens, I will donate $25 to become a friend.
Unfortunately, currently out of bank checks, so need PayPal.
Hope others become "Friends" as well.

[pillcaster]

FYI, here is a link http://flyanglersonline.com/friendsofFAOL/

I posted this in its own thread also, maybe the best $25 I have spent in FF, except maybe for my hat clip magnifier.....

[hap]

As one with experience watching forums die I would like to add a few harsh realities in the genre.

First, heavy-handed moderation kills sites. FAOL is a nice place where you will seldom be attacked for a simple post. And if you are someone will be along shortly to clean up the squabble... but never to anyone's ultimate satisfaction. And that is not a knock on the moderators, just a fact of life. Even clear-cut winners want the chance to stick out their tongues. Most of the folks here prefer that type of site and they get it... Most folks in general want more freedom "to speak their minds."

As proof look at the flourishing websites attracting younger folks and more of them. They are very busy. Again, just facts as I have seen them over the years and not an attack on the way FAOL is run. It is a choice you make based on the language you are willing to tolerate.

Second, advertising money is out there to be had, but it causes its own set of issues. Some will not like the advertising that will slip in... There will be political ads, spam, and worse. All of the advertisers running their stuff through FAOL will cause nightmares in the form of spam, phishing, bad bugs in their servers, and lots more. The higher the profile the site is the more negative attention it will get.

Third, higher profile content is very important to the success of a site. Not that better known folks in the FF community actually have anything better to say, they do attract many believing they do.

This is meant strictly to help define the problems, not really suggest an answer because answers are much harder.
art

[rainbowchaser]

For what Is I worth, I read Mark's comments as questioning the value of a fee for FAOL as a business proposition, not a disparagement of the site, the adminstrators or the board members. From that point of view I think he is right as it would discourage new readers who would naturally go first to the many free sources on the web. This would only serve to decrease readership and discourage the remaining sponsors. One area a fund raiser might be useful if Neil and Deanna agreed to it is keeping the chat (which My ISP won't let me into. You guys are too rowdy for them) room open. If enough people who value it pledge to support it and come through with checks it would remove the drain on the main site's resources.