Probably leaving the forum

[RonDean]

OK, second thoughts...
I was considering what might make me more willing to "contribute." I still hate the term. As someone else pointed out, this is not a charity.

Perhaps offering "Supporting Members" (SMs) something besides an ego-pat green banner.

Just spitballing, but maybe...
Only SMs can start new threads,
Only SMs can choose to cancel threads they started.
Only SMs can edit their posts.
SM's can block non-SMs from posting in "their" threads.

I'm sure there are many more possibilities. As I remember from my web hosting days, there are usually levels of access below Admin that could be granted. Offer some of that, call it something besides "donations" and I'll be on board.

 

[RonDean]

OK. Now I'm packing up. I posted a suggestion on this subject that didn't violate any forum rules. Now I find it has disappeared. If the site owners are going to censor such innocuous posts without a darned good reason, I want nothing further to do with the forum.

 

[Malamute]

We already had someone deeply involved with the forum that was doing it pretty much out of pocket, that is how it ended up being sold. He didnt have the financial and time resources to continue, nor for a much needed upgrade. He wanted it to continue, and it has, with mostly the same moderators, and with the same general focus.

New owners do the upgrade, invest time and money, but people now expect them to take a vow of poverty to keep the forum operational and do this all for nothing because they have nothing else to do with their time and life. OK.

I support a couple forums I participate regularly in and receive much benefit and learning from. This isnt on that list at the moment, but when i start my project and dig deeper into the knowledge base I can easily see my way to help support it. No big deal, if you can or cant so far as I can tell, everyone gets access to the same information. Some appreciate the access and effort that went into collecting the knowledge and are willing and able to help support, some cant. Part of life.

I see no issue with the owners making something from their time and investment and helping keep the forum up to date and functional. Im sorry not everyone feels that way. I do favors for people now and then, but I normally charge people when I do work for them (back when i could work). There probably arent many people that feel they should work for free. If you want to volunteer your time for a cause, awesome. Most of us cant live full time like that though.

 

[rvwandering]

OK. Now I'm packing up. I posted a suggestion on this subject that didn't violate any forum rules. Now I find it has disappeared. If the site owners are going to censor such innocuous posts without a darned good reason, I want nothing further to do with the forum.

RonDean - I can't find a post of yours that has been deleted. Please repost.

 

[Camper]

Almost anyone can afford $10 or $20 a year, but in today's world most refuse to for some reason.

I do know that the more I give.... way more is given back to me in many ways, including financially.

 

[Morgana]

Almost anyone can afford x amount once, maybe, but we are not being asked for it by only one person or organization. These are complicated decisions and I think we just have to respect each other's choices. Remember, however it has evolved, this forum was built for people on very tight budgets and I hope it will stay a home for them/us.
Personally I don't mind being hit up for money occasionally as long as the hitter upper doesn't mind being ignored ...I would hate to see this become a two tiered community with more rights for some than others. ... I give where/when/how I can and how the recipients pass it on is their business. What goes around comes around (or at least, might as well act as if!) somehow.

 

[Gypsyjoe#1]

Just spitballing, but maybe...
Only SMs can start new threads,
Only SMs can choose to cancel threads they started.
Only SMs can edit their posts.
SM's can block non-SMs from posting in "their" threads.

I have to say if only SM could post new threads you might as well close the forum now, as how could someone who wasn't ask a question if they couldn't start a new thread about it?

 

[RoamerRV428]

Its been a few months since the forum was sold.
Now I'm getting direct messages asking me to contribute to keep the forum viable?
(More than once I might ad)

obviously this triggered something in ya and I get that. we all have triggers and this one is yours. Do what you feel is best. Not a darn thing wrong with that. But in the end do you really have to leave, being in that your irked, but at that same time you can choose to ignore that crap and just keep enjoying the site what little you do use it. But you do you boo!!

 

[machinephilosphy]

Forums cost money to run.
Advertisers $$ only goes so far.
For those that can help out financially, $20 isn't the end of the world.
For more frugal folks, the "lights" are still on for them here as far as I can tell...

I could run this entire site on $20/month, maybe half that. Did it for 15 years with unlimited bandwidth, unlimited databases, etc. with one of the largest sunglasses websites on the internet--$11/month. All kinds of free forum software, plugins, etc. including live chat if I had wanted to run such things.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Hey folks, please remember to remain cordial to each other. Several posts have had to be deleted. The primary focus of this forum is for newcomers to find help and advice, and for us 'old timers' to help out if we can.

Nothing wrong with being on a forum to discuss the forum you are on....but lets play nice!

 

[RoamerRV428]

Hey folks, please remember to remain cordial to each other. Several posts have had to be deleted. The primary focus of this forum is for newcomers to find help and advise, and for us 'old timers' to help out if we can.

Nothing wrong with being on a forum to discuss the forum you are on....but lets play nice!

where's the not nice, I personally thought the thread read well kinda?

OHHHH deleted, well heck I can't comment on the not nice cause it was deleted and I can't see it LOL......ugh... wee.....but I'd like to know were the deleted posts supported members paying bucks or non-members? JOKE here!!

 

[tx2sturgis]

I'm new at being a 'moderator' here. Be gentle with me!

 

[RoamerRV428]

I'm new at being a 'moderator' here. Be gentle with me!

I truly am joshing with ya on that you are doing very well I think!! more power to ya to get thru it day to day!

 

[gizmotron]

I'm new at being a 'moderator' here. Be gentle with me!

How in the heck did you let yourself get talked into that?

 

[gizmotron]

Since even the mention of politi*s will get a post deleted, I think I will call it doggyTics. So all I tried to suggest to the owners was starting a Van / Boondocking Life doggyTics centric discussion forum. It would be moderated much the same as this by deleting all personal attacks. Now I'm wondering if there isn't already a vanlife forum somewhere that talks about NIMBY issues that directly effect living in vehicles? Anyone have a website in mind, please.

 

[RvNaut]

Since even the mention of politi*s will get a post deleted, I think I will call it doggyTics. So all I tried to suggest to the owners was starting a Van / Boondocking Life doggyTics centric discussion forum. It would be moderated much the same as this by deleting all personal attacks. Now I'm wondering if there isn't already a vanlife forum somewhere that talks about NIMBY issues that directly effect living in vehicles? Anyone have a website in mind, please.

Part of the challenge faced is that we have diametrically opposed facts being tossed out as absolutes.

When people are invested in a certain thought processes, they tend to not want to accept information that is counter to what they believe to be true. So then having the type of discussion you speak of becomes a quagmire. Discussing issues with the members of Hale-Bop would not produce effective communication, and toss Jim Jones in there as well.

I sure and heck-fire would not want to mod that mess... I have spent a lot of time online in the past 14 years and have found that facts no longer apply.

 

[tx2sturgis]

How in the heck did you let yourself get talked into that?

Since Mark Zuckerberg was busy, I was next on the list. lol

 

[SierraCamper]

I feel the pain on both sides.

I have owned and moderated a number of forums for RV's and Motorcycles. Most started out as a hobby to gather folks into a forum that wasn't already addressed by another forum. Yes, in the old days, you could run a forum for 20.00 MRC or less. I guess some that are smarter then me can still do it for 20.00, but in general, forums cost more nowadays. I ran one forum for 7 years and received small payments from Google that allowed me to break even and have a few extra dollars. My hosting provider raised my annual cost 900% which ended a well liked forum with more page views per month then this forum site. The forum software was proprietary so even though I had a very large commercial buyer for the site, they backed out of the deal since the resources to move the site were beyond what they were willing to have their IT staff spend on the conversion.

I have never charged my members or asked for donations because I like keeping things free on forums. If the members have to look at a small ad at the bottom of the screen to help support the site, that is fine. No pop ups though! LOL I contacted vanlivingforum to advertise here for my vanlife tiny business. They were very friendly and provided all the info I needed. However, I am just not at a place to be able to spend what they are asking for being a site sponsor. Maybe down the road I will be able to afford it.

I am a supporting member and I do feel that if someone can afford to support the forum they should. If others cannot, let's support them with our van living comments and knowledge.

Cheers,

 

[dustytrailhead]

Van Living Forum Supporting Membership Benefits

• Recognition of your Supporting Member status
• The ability to post in Classifieds without waiting
• The ability to turn off advertisements.
• Longer self editing time.
• Unlimited private message space.
• Unlimited file attachment space.
• Unlimited gallery space.
• The satisfaction that you are supporting Van Living Forum's future and it's role within the lifestyle as a library of knowledge and community.

There is value added by being a Supporting Member. As it stands, I don’t find enough value to become one. And, I don’t feel shamed or threatened by their advertising it. Why should anyone?

 

[JP-SLC]

Van Living Forum Supporting Membership Benefits

• Recognition of your Supporting Member status
• The ability to post in Classifieds without waiting
• The ability to turn off advertisements.
• Longer self editing time.
• Unlimited private message space.
• Unlimited file attachment space.
• Unlimited gallery space.
• The satisfaction that you are supporting Van Living Forum's future and it's role within the lifestyle as a library of knowledge and community.

There is value added by being a Supporting Member. As it stands, I don’t find enough value to become one. And, I don’t feel shamed or threatened by their advertising it. Why should anyone?

Thanks for posting those benetits for the sake of the conversation in this thread -- I had forgotten what they were.

I'm very new to the forum and getting a feel for it, but if I end up feeling like it's a good resource/community, I'll likely become a supporting member. There's one thing about the DM requests for funding that repelled me for a moment. The opening line was "I need help. Please don’t ignore this message. Van Living Forum needs contributions badly to cover costs so this is a plea to YOU for help." I felt like it implied that it was more an emergency plea for help from a struggling, desperate, at-risk-of-going-under org than one just kindly and positively encouraging/requesting that I pitch in if I can. Perhaps it's a nit-picky thing, but it gave me a sour immediate impression. I think it could be presented a little differently. Just my 2cents and hopefully constructive criticism.

Cheers, all