Quote:
Originally Posted by consultantmark  I appreciate the explanation. I think you are doing some great things here, and there is a value. |
Thanks, I hope there is value too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by consultantmark Have you tried to find a volunteer to help with any aspect of it? |
Not at this point. Right now it would probably take me longer to explain what needed to be done than to do it myself. The site is really new - only 6 months old - so right now most of what I am doing is trying to put together a solid infrastructure that will be easy to maintain in the long run. In addition, there are very few people who are qualified to do what I need done in terms of server management, and I would have to either buy additional hardware to grant them remote access, or they would have to be local and come to my house to work on them. Some things just don't make sense to have someone do anyway. Right now I am re-installing my Virtualization server operating system and tweaking the servers for the best performance. Unless I can find a server guy who has more experience than I do (about 10 years) and who will do it for free (good luck with that!) then there is no benefit to me having to manage someone else. Plus, then I do have to wait on someone else, and sometimes I can't wait. I have monitoring software which checks the robots every 15 minutes, and if one isn't working I can't wait a few hours for someone to "get around to it." Letting a robot stall for more than 15 minutes is something that could materially affect the outcome of the test.
Quote:
Originally Posted by consultantmark Have you polled current members to see who would pay to have access to the forum? If someone isn't willing to pay to join, perhaps they're not likely to ever be an investor anyway. |
I was just joking about that. I would never charge members to join my site. Never. It simply won't happen. I would like to provide the best information to the people who want to take the time to learn about it. Why should I restrict that just to people who can pay? That feels greedy and unfair to me. Sure, there are sites that do that, and yes it does have it's benefits, but I've always been the guy who pays my bills but then doesn't have a lot left over to spend, never can get ahead, and so forth. Heck, I have only been on vacation ONCE in my life, and when I came back I was laid off from my job.
I want to give back to people who are in my shoes - average people who have life happen to them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by consultantmark If I bought a robot, I'd put a lot more at risk than $250, so sure, I would pay $20 to access a forum where someone with integrity was testing robots. I'd probably pay $20 a month as long as there was value. |
I used to think that way. Now, with all these reviews, there is no WAY that I would put more than $250 on a robot at first. If it proved itself for 6 months, then I would consider adding more funds. Besides, if a robot can't handle itself with mini or micro lots and $250, why would I want to take $20 from members to put into a (hypothetical) $2000 acount just to lose it. That doesn't make any sense to me. The dollar amount in the account doesn't matter. The performance of the robot does.
Quote:
Originally Posted by consultantmark I don't know if there is a way to create different membership levels for forum members, where free have certain rights, and then based on donation levels you get access to other material, but that might be an alternative. |
Yes. However, in my experience, that is a good way to kill off the site. While donating members do get some extra benefits, they are not so great that it would make the site useless or semi-functional to all the other members. I have no desire to cripple my site as a way to nickle-and-dime members to pay me. My goal is to make a GREAT site, and if it's great, people will voluntarily give back. If my site sucks, they'll go elsewhere. The success of my site, in my opinion, is directly related to the quality of content, ease of use, and fairness applied to members. It's like that airline that is thinking about charging passengers to use the toilet. (Have you heard about that in the news? Go check it out if not.) Why in the WORLD would they do that. Ideas like that make me want to AVOID them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by consultantmark Keep the ads, I don't think anyone blames you for selling space; in fact, a paid membership site might garner higher ad rates. |
I am more likely to "turn off" ads for donating members, which is something I have done with great success in the past. However, again, it's not such a compelling reason to donate, it's just a nice "little" bonus. It in no way affects the site. Besides, people can use ad blocking software. Heck, I use it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by consultantmark I want to reiterate, I don't have a problem with you being an affiliate, because I think you're demonstrating well-enough your credibility through the daily management of the forum. I DO think the market as a whole will judge you differently for it though. |
I am sure they will. And that's fine. I just hope they do what I do - judge me in the context of my competition. Anyone who is here and is complaining ... isn't on another site, and there is probably a reason - my site is just a little BETTER!
-James