Kingfisher
Forum Supporter
Admiistrators, I suggest you make it easier and obvious how to help support this forum with a donation. Reward donees with a small something. :!: 
Support the forum
- Thread starter Kingfisher
- Start date
Hi Kingfisher, we used to have a member donation button, with the use of a private member forum, and other benefits.
The idea went over like a lead balloon.
Members said they would not, or could not donate, and would not use a private forum, citing that it wouldn't be fair to others, and that they preferred to be on the main forum.
The idea went over like a lead balloon.
Members said they would not, or could not donate, and would not use a private forum, citing that it wouldn't be fair to others, and that they preferred to be on the main forum.
Kingfisher
Forum Supporter
Hi CarolK, Theres a world of information on this forum. Looks like it would easily be worth $25.00 a yr. Thanks for the reply,Ron
cableguy417
Full Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2006
- Messages
- 114
i agree..
Don
Forum Supporter
Carol, maybe you could take another poll, if it's been a while.
Hi Don, yes it has been awhile, but I think Vlad is still leaning toward getting more advertisers. He just doesn't want members to have to "pay to play."
All members have the same benefits and privileges, and access to all the forums. There's nothing secret here.
We do accept donations though, and we would like to add more new moderators too.
So if you are interested in either one of these please PM me.
All members have the same benefits and privileges, and access to all the forums. There's nothing secret here.
We do accept donations though, and we would like to add more new moderators too.
So if you are interested in either one of these please PM me.
Florida Tabdigger
Elite Member
Here's my 2-cents and I hope no-one gets offended. The detector sales from this forum is phenomenal and the sponsors should be "footing-the-bill". Charging membership would devastate the sales by discouraging newby's from coming here and asking questions for advice. In the end, keeping the site free, will benefit the sellers more(and everyone else as well).
simonthesearcher
Forum Supporter
Florida Tabdigger said:
I agree,it would certainly keep a lot of new people from joining.Another suggestion could be to have an auction every couple of months or take a small percentage of whatever people sell on the forum.Im in the UK so its not that easy from this side but if i can help i will.
bobbulge
Elite Member
I kind of agree with Simon and Florida Tabdigger, may be open the classified up and charge people to sell there stuff and have auctions similar to ebay where it costs to put an item on and then charge some of the dealers to sell some of there used items. I think because it is free there are a lot of knowledgeable people who come to share there thoughts and help us newbies starting out with the hobby. If you charged too much some people would drop out and then the site would lose some of there more knowledgeable people who give some of the best personal advice that sometimes makes more sense than some of the pros who really know what they are talking about, but where some of us just can't understand them. Also if you Google Metal Detecting Forums there are a ton out there and I think right know we have some of the best, friendliest and more people with actual MDing smart. Please Keep it free!!! I enjoy the company we have here and would hate to see people leave.Thank You for the best site for MDing around.
Guys, it will always be free! No one is going to ask you to pay.
What Carol was saying is to add a private forum to the list of free forums.
There are some subjects that you just don't want to share in the open. It doesn't mean those who can post in the private forum will never do so in the open forums.
What Carol was saying is to add a private forum to the list of free forums.
There are some subjects that you just don't want to share in the open. It doesn't mean those who can post in the private forum will never do so in the open forums.
spittfire
Elite Member
My opinion (for what it is worth) is that if you start an "Ebay like" auction, you are asking for trouble. It would require a lot of work for the people who run this board just to keep up with that end of it. One bad deal and the board would suffer in general. The classifieds are cool, control is cool but open it up wide to anything, and that is what will happen, and you will be getting huge amounts of people, email and such coming through like a train. This board is perfect the way it is run now. I agree you need more support whether it is moderators or administrators so the ones who are working to keep us going don't get swamped. If I knew what a moderator or administrator did, I might volunteer 
If you could explain what you need then I think you would get people jumping in. This forum has given me a group of friends that make me smile, entertain and frustrate me all at the same time and I love everyone of you 
I look forward to getting onboard everyday when I can, showing what I have found, looking at the amazing finds of everyone else and feeling humble at the praise I get from the mighty detectors out there who are gracious with their praise of my "junk". We are a great forum, we have our "Characters", or youngsters, oldsters and those in the middle. We have a wealth of knowledgeable people who share their wisdom. Other than the "facade", leave the "house" intact, because it really is a home for us. 
If you could explain what you need then I think you would get people jumping in. This forum has given me a group of friends that make me smile, entertain and frustrate me all at the same time and I love everyone of you I look forward to getting onboard everyday when I can, showing what I have found, looking at the amazing finds of everyone else and feeling humble at the praise I get from the mighty detectors out there who are gracious with their praise of my "junk". We are a great forum, we have our "Characters", or youngsters, oldsters and those in the middle. We have a wealth of knowledgeable people who share their wisdom. Other than the "facade", leave the "house" intact, because it really is a home for us. I have been on other non-metal detector related sites and they hold raffles to cover operating expenses. How it would work is sort of like this (note this is just one example of what you could do).
Offer a good metal detector as First Prize, good headphones as a second prize and maybe a nice digging tool as a third prize. Have a set amount of raffle tickets you wish to sell (maybe 400). Sell "raffle tickets" for maybe 5.00 each with all proceeds going to run the forum. People can mail in a payment, or use something like Paypal (paypal is quick and easy and people will use it). They can buy as many tickets as they want. When all tickets have been sold hold the raffle and award prizes.
Offer a good metal detector as First Prize, good headphones as a second prize and maybe a nice digging tool as a third prize. Have a set amount of raffle tickets you wish to sell (maybe 400). Sell "raffle tickets" for maybe 5.00 each with all proceeds going to run the forum. People can mail in a payment, or use something like Paypal (paypal is quick and easy and people will use it). They can buy as many tickets as they want. When all tickets have been sold hold the raffle and award prizes.
stick
Senior Member
just support the advertisers and sponsors, and this forum will survive. i just ordered a couple of coils for my 250 from tony. i enjoyed talking to him and he was willing to listen to what i had to say.
My opinion (for what it is worth) is that if you start an "Ebay like" auction, you are asking for trouble. It would require a lot of work for the people who run this board just to keep up with that end of it. One bad deal and the board would suffer in general. The classifieds are cool, control is cool but open it up wide to anything, and that is what will happen, and you will be getting huge amounts of people, email and such coming through like a train. This board is perfect the way it is run now. I agree you need more support whether it is moderators or administrators so the ones who are working to keep us going don't get swamped. If I knew what a moderator or administrator did, I might volunteer
Its not going to happen... WE don't even like the classified section here, its only up for members who use the other parts of the board. We try to catch those who come here to just post their stuff and when we do we delete it.
B. Positive
Full Member
Amen, Spittfire!This forum has given me a group of friends that make me smile, entertain and frustrate me all at the same time and I love everyone of you
X
Xray
To bump this subject back up, I think a simple paypal donate button would very much be in order, with no obligations for anyone, and no special priveleges for those that do [I remember that lead balloon, in fact I think I made it a little heavier].
Just an unobtrusive button with "Help support this forum" under it I can't see anyone objecting to - And perhaps donaters of $25 or more can have a little charter member icon, and/or the ability to create a custom title or something but, as I said, I don't think any recognition is really all that necessary.
Just an unobtrusive button with "Help support this forum" under it I can't see anyone objecting to - And perhaps donaters of $25 or more can have a little charter member icon, and/or the ability to create a custom title or something but, as I said, I don't think any recognition is really all that necessary.
Silver Nickels
Junior Member
Hungarian is right. I would buy a raffle ticket or two for a chance to win a new detector. And I use PayPal all the time. We also need more advertisers and sponsors. We also need to remind people to click on the sponsor links. Most have counters to tell them where their money is best spent.
Kingfisher
Forum Supporter
XRay..... Thats all I asked for in the first place....Then a lotta folks panicked.....
.....STRICTLY VOLUNTARY DONATION. ONLY REWARD A LITTLE RIBBON OR STAR OR SOMETHING by your user name.....
.....STRICTLY VOLUNTARY DONATION. ONLY REWARD A LITTLE RIBBON OR STAR OR SOMETHING by your user name.....
XRay..... Thats all I asked for in the first place....Then a lotta folks panicked.....
We had a donation button on the bottom of the page on the other forum
