Forum Moderators: open
I would like a forum for my website ON WEBMASTERWORLD. That way I can point my forum link to it and still answer any posts related to MY site, BUT, and here is the biggie, my users can then see the fantastic benefits of webmasterworld more easily (since they would then already be here) and would certainly move on to other topics here that interest them.
I'm one of those not concerned about sending people away from my site to somewhere else, especially if I think they will love the place. And I know they would love it here.
Please. Can I have a forum? Would you at least consider this idea, it would be like having an affiliate program, but you wouldnt have to pay anyone, and it certainly would add more backlinks (not that you need any).
Please, with a cherry on top.
--Kenn
Scott
TJ
[edited by: trillianjedi at 5:43 pm (utc) on Oct. 2, 2003]
Can you please name mine "TJ's Bumper Google News 2003" to avoid similar confusion.
And make my please with two cherry's.
;-)
TJ
The forums would be named the same as the domain name of the website requesting the forum.
I'll be sure to stay out of this forum from now on though. I didnt come here to be treated like a jerk, and I understand why people can certainly be 'afraid' of posting something. I've got a thick skin though, and not afraid to say things... even if I'm wrong.
[edited by: kwasher at 5:57 pm (utc) on Oct. 2, 2003]
There's no way that Brett would agree to it I'm sure - it's just passing all the bandwidth problem over to him, and I'm sure he has enough of a problem with that anyway.
It also would tend to dilute the value that is to be found in these forums.
TJ
Don't do that mate ;)
I think some folks just joking around is all.
On a serious note: Can you imagine how many people would maybe want that? - Could be a huge demand.
But then what about moderation, what about the dilution of content from existing forums etc etc....
It's an interesting idea and I've seen someplaces do somthing similar with merchants etc but I don't think it'd fly here.
just my personal 2p's worth
Regards
Nick
Just link to here instead!
Not only do I link to here, but I have pointed domains here (I still have a hundred or so kicking around to play with). I've never been to a site more valuable to me than this one.
Oops, sorry - no offence was intended - I actually thought you were joking....
Ah. Yes, but someone seems to have deleted the parts of my post that said "Just Kidding" and "LOL" and such. (sarcasim - wink wink nudge nudge)
NO! Don't do that mate I think some folks just joking around is all.
Thanks for making me feel wanted (smile). I understand what you are saying, and them too. Todays lesson? Post with respect and laugh along WITH people, not at them. At least until you KNOW for sure they are a jerk. Tonights homework? A fifty page report on the evils of verisign.
There's no way that Brett would agree to it I'm sure - it's just passing all the bandwidth problem over to him, and I'm sure he has enough of a problem with that anyway.
Can you imagine how many people would maybe want that? - Could be a huge demand. But then what about moderation, what about the dilution of content from existing forums etc etc....
Hmmm. A website with a huge demand. Wouldnt want that!
Looking at the depth of webmasterworld, I dont think Brett would find it impossible. I think it
would be quite easy.
1. A request for a forum is sent.
2. The site is looked at to make sure its not a
scumbag site.
3. The forum is then created. The forum would be named the same as the domain name of the website.
4. The siteowner would moderate his/her own forum, but would be responsible to an 'overseer', who could cancel their forum if there were any improprieties reported
or noted.
5. There must be someone who would be willing to be an overseer of a topical program of this potential greatness. Jenstar is brilliant, lets ask her. Would it be any different from the many fine moderators doing this now? Maybe even easier since a serious webmaster with a forum would not want to jepordize it in any way.
This is not a sudden impulse idea that I posted. I've been thinking on it for a week now. The more I think about it, the more I think its a WIN WIN situation. Heck, I SEE MORE WEBMASTERWORLD SUBSCRIBERS! Read that: paying subscribers (a requirement to have a forum, of course).
Similar systems cost over $500 a month. Would you be willing to pay those types of costs? I feel in order to make it work, that it would have to be the bottom end of the fees.
(On the otherhand, Brett, weren't you going to be selling this forum software? ;) )
for lack of a less insulting word
I dont know where you people come off thinking insults for someone posting an idea. No matter what it might take, all things are possible. I'm thankful you are not responsible for any of the inventions or technology developed today or in the future. You would probably still be burning witches and driving horses.
Why on earth would Brett want to rebrand webmasterworld
Rebrand? What are you talking about. IM talking about a simple message area, but instead of it saying, for instance, WebmasterWorld Community Center, its says YourDomainName.com. People post messages, people then answer.
or let you use the forum technology here via his own bandwidth?
I already send people here, and that already uses up bandwidth. Via subscription there would be some revenue to go with it.
If you want some claim to having your own site, well then build up your own site without using the resources here.
How presumptive of you. I happen to already have a number of popular sites. I have owned literally HUNDREDS of domains since getting on the net in 1995. Before there was even an internet, I was developing and running online bulletin board systems. Im no slacker.
Anyway, regarding 'using the resources here'. I see zillions of people here every day using the resources. Thats why the site is here. Or maybe you have a different reason why this site is here?
Whats wrong with simply naming a message area MYDOMAINNAME.COM and letting me send people to it, I already send people here, so whats the dif (besides moderation)?
You want the benefits of both for no effort on your own part.
I am thinking of some nasty things to say to you, but I will stick with 'horses patutie'. Your assumptions are insulting.
On the otherhand, Brett, weren't you going to be selling this forum software?
You must have missed the part where I mentioned I already have forums. Sheesh. This entire conversation has NOTHING to do with forum software creation or anything of that nature. It is quite simply a message area named MYDOMAINNAME.COM that can be POINTED to via a link.
The business model exists on other forums but, as Brett mentions, it's expensive. It also usually involves a certain amount of co-branding (in some cases, massive co-branding, it's just a sub-forum).
amznVibe, like rc said, it is already out there. It would be something like www.webmasterworld.com/~joeuser/ for their forum homepage.
Ok. Now I'm fairly certain that everyone has missed the way it works. All it takes is you create an message area called MYDOMAINNAME.com (replaced with the paid webmaster subscribers name). Thats it! Its EXACTLY like the others here, see below-
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Google Toolbar
Topics directly related to the Google Toolbar. Brett Tabke 4,254 Sept 26, 2003 - 5:16p (EST)
Google Adwords
Google Adwords and other advertising venues through Google. Shak 10,033 Oct 2, 2003 - 5:20p (EST)
Google IPO Watch, Finance, and Business Operations
The business end of Google. A prep work forum for the most anticipated dot com IPO ever. open 2,294 Oct 2, 2003 - 4:26p (EST)
Alltheweb.com
Fast provides results
MyDomainName.com
A forum about mydomainname.com
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There is NO ~homepage, no $500 a month software. Just a simple message area like every other message area here.
Then, instead of me referring people to the adsense forum (I already have a domain name pointed there, for instance), I refer them to the mydomainname.com forum on webmasterworld.
IN that forum (mydomainname.com) I could answer things
like "Hey, your stupid link exchange program isn't working".
When folks finish with that topic (hey, how long does one actually spend in ONE specific forum), they would already be here at webmasterworld, and they would become a webmasterworld user. WIN WIN
It would all have to be monitored and managed.
Just like every other topic here. You wouldnt even have to let the mydomainname.com owners be moderators, as they can post without that anyway.
It WOULD take one/two moderators to oversee it. Since the mydomainname.com owners would also be PAID subscribers, you would not be overrun with requests (especially since its only a ONE topic forum) because that would eliminate the people seeking things for free.
Brett, am -I- missing something here? I dont understand why the thoughts of special software/bandwidth/~hompages/ etc. None of these apply. Its exactly like it is now, just as if you added a new topic/forum. It would be like, lets say there was NO adsense forum here, the year is 2002.(twilight zone music begins here...)
Google just came out with adsense, and you decide to create a forum for it. Then I see the new forum, like it, and I put a link on my site directly to the new adsense forum.
These two sentences above... this is EXACTLY how my idea would work. You decide to create a forum/topic/message area (whatever its called here), you name it mydomainname.com, then I put link on my site directly to that specific forum.
--Kenn (who thinks prying minds open to consider ideas isn't so easy as it sounds. When I told people at one of the ISP's I helped cofound that AOL should buy a cable/media outlet, they laughed and said "what for". Four months later AOL bought Time/Warner)
the board is well structured with hand picked moderators, it's the WebmasterWorld community and a business, who says what can and can't be posted in your own little area, it all reflects on the members and WebmasterWorld here.
we drop allow url drops would you?
we don't discuss certain products or areas of the web would you?
DaveN
It's like having the sponsor banner at the top right for FREE. Pretty much. Your site would benefit from free exposure to a LOT of qualified visitors. Heck some folks probably make a good buck droppign a url and having it visited for a few minutes before a mod notices.
On hte other hand the complete oposite of the idea might work. To set up a forum hosting site (like blogger) that uses Bretts forum software and provides the hardware and bandwidth to webmasterworld. (for free). It then makes a profit by letting others use the same software to place a forum on their sites. Of course you wouldn't have a link from webmasterworld to the site.
SN
So why do you need access to your own area on this site then?
WebmasterWorld aint broke so it don't need a fix but I don't know about your site/s with multiframed layout and Left/Right scrolls.............
How many people should brett do this for you , 10 , 1000, 10,000.
1,000 * $500(month) * 12 months = $6,000,000/gross/year
10,000 * $500(month) * 12 months = $60,000,000/gross/year
Don't see it ever happening here, but this amusing thread's been worth the glance. :)
>kwasher
>I dont know where you people come off thinking insults for
>someone posting an idea.
>I'm thankful you are not responsible for any of the
>inventions or technology developed today or in the
>future.
Speaking of insulting, perhaps you don't know who some of the people here actually are?
Search at uspto.gov for my (real) name and the name of at least one of the other posters here. You will find that we are responsible for numerous inventions and technologies developed today, and back as far as the 1970s and if you keep watching, you will find many more inventions and technologies we developed there in the future.
I find lots of things wrong with the proposal that should make you unhappy and lots more that should make Brett unhappy. Even a rudimentary requirements analysis by a fresh-out Systems Engineer would get this idea tossed out.
I can however see your point, but to be honest I don't see what you have to gain from it. I am thinking that perhaps you would like your forum to be accesible from the webmasterworld forums list ;-)
well thats easy, just build a search engine, index every website and send us all thousands of users every day, im sure Brett will set up your own forum then no problem.
If I where you I would concentrate on building my own community, Every community has something to offer it's users. Concentrate on trying to gather users, get regular posters in-board and things will start to take off.
Good luck.
Mack.
How many people should brett do this for you , 10 , 1000, 10,000.
As it would be in its own area, named perhaps WEBSITE FORUMS, it would be done for anyone who requests and pays the fees, and has a site related to webmastering that is approved by Brett/staff. Just like any business.
who says what can and can't be posted in your own little area, it all reflects on the members and WebmasterWorld here. we drop allow url drops would you?
we don't discuss certain products or areas of the web would you?
A rather nonsensical question. OF COURSE everyone follows the TOS of Webmasterworld. It still an AREA JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER AREA HERE.
So why do you need access to your own area on this site then?
Go back and read the posts from the beginning. Brett has specialized in forums. I'm not in the forum business, im in the webmaster business. Why does Yahoo partner with anyone? Google? Microsoft?
It's like having the sponsor banner at the top right for FREE.
Did you miss the part about approved and PAID SUBSCRIBERS only? (uh, it also says 'thanks for keeping us banner free' so I'm not sure what you are getting at). Even if there were a million banners here, they are HERE, not on the forum-owners website.
set up a forum hosting site (like blogger) that uses Bretts forum software
Forum hosting softwares are a dime a dozen. I could care less about Bretts forum software (over at Jimworld, they rather dislike this forum software- though I told them I loved it). The software is not the point. The partnership of like sites is the point, as well (something I mention later on). Why does Yahoo partner? Google? Microsoft?
If it aint broke don't fix it.
Not that I said anything was broke. But you'd obviously be one of those still burning witches if advanced thinking people hadn't changed that. Baaaaaaaaaaa. Thats the sound a sheep makes.
your site/s with multiframed layout and Left/Right scrolls
Hey, thanks for the attack on my website. Maybe you should stop surfing the net with a gameboy. My sites are designed for a minimum of 800x600. I test them thoroughly. They are always being tweaked (I sleep 4-6 hours a day, the rest are online). Frames are used where frames are necessary. Sorry you are more concerned about what lays behind a site instead of whats in it or its presentation and content. YOUR closed-minded loss. (I can't wait to see YOUR website).
ooops, I almost missed one.....
1,000 * $500(month) * 12 months = 6,000,000/gross/year
10,000 * $500(month) * 12 months = $60,000,000/gross/year
Im glad to see you can do math. Now if only you werent pulling meaningless numbers <snip>.
Don't see it ever happening here, but this amusing thread's been worth the glance
Glad to amuse you. [begin sarcasm]I've enjoyed your logical methods of discussion.[end sarcasm]
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Listen. When mp3.com got started I was publishing a 10,000 user per month music review ezine practically all by myself(only reviewing unknown artists on mp3com - I still manage four bands there [three of them crap], . I consider Michael, the founder of mp3.com, a friend. We used to tell people about mp3.com and they would look at us funny. "MP3 is just a codec" they would say and "what happens when MP4 comes around". Most people had no clue at all and said "What the f*** is mp3?". We knew better. We knew we had something. Michael intended on shaking up the industry. And LOTS of people like you gave us ****. But we knew it was a BRAND. And it would stick.
So feel free to give me all the sh*t you like. I know a good idea when I see one. If people like Michael had taken you lot to heart, there would be no mp3.com and we would all have MP4 players. I've met lots more narrowminded people than you. If you can't discuss something logically without giving someone sh*t for posting a mere idea, then you shouldn't be posting at all. You want to discuss, I am more than happy to address your issues and thoughts one by one like I have been doing.
Time for me to start my second shift (updating the local towns website). Please come up with a reason I can not counter. I am always happy to admit when I am wrong. I've been wrong plenty of times before. I will no doubt be wrong many times to come. But Im still going to say what I think... at least until I KNOW its wrong.
--
Speaking of insulting, perhaps you don't know who some of the people here actually are?
Then perhaps you can discuss using logic. Not that it matters "who" you are- that never means you're always right. I give you the same equality with anyone else who can post here. I dont care if you're God or a 12 year old chipmunk. Its what you say that counts.
I find lots of things wrong with the proposal that should make you unhappy and lots more that should make Brett unhappy. Even a rudimentary requirements analysis by a fresh-out Systems Engineer would get this idea tossed out.
Try me with some fact and not general meaningless statements like this. You could the same thing about Apple to Microsoft... yet one still invested in the other.
[edited by: Marcia at 4:38 am (utc) on Oct. 3, 2003]
it will look as if webmasterworld is suporting these sites.
It will look like webmasterworld is partnering with these sites.
I don't see what you have to gain from it. I am thinking that perhaps you would like your forum to be accesible from the webmasterworld forums list
I'm not personally out to gain from it. Not my character. The second ISP I helped build, I worked for free. It was my passion. I build for my users. Why build a small crappy forum, especially when its not where ones passion lies, when a heaven like webmasterworld already contains everything that would make my type of users beyond happy?
If I where you I would concentrate on building my own community
I mostly covered this already above, but primarily I dont want to build a message community as my focus. Perhaps this analogy will help-
Why not build your own car?
Already have ;-)
Mack.
i'm kind of liking the tension and sarcasm. really. there isn't too much of that here normally.
I don't think you answered if you'd be willing to pay, and if so, how much?
if not, this would have to be like any other partnership. I would think you would approach brett with your site, visitor info, what you will bring to webmasterworld including number of converted signups and what you would get in return. Until that is done, it's not worth discussing on a purely theoretical level.
would you partner with a site to use your resources if it's like your site? that's pretty vague.
another thing...this site is mostly sponsorship/partnership free and it's partly that reason that it has flourished and continues to do so.
Im glad to see you can do math. Now if only you werent pulling meaningless numbers...
I'm glad to see you can't punctuate "I'm" or "weren't"? Sorry, was just quoting Brett's monthly rate for your silly requests. It's no wonder you're looking for a new pulpit. [begin sarcasm] I bet your readers just flock back for more of your windbag rants. [end sarcasm]
I don't think you answered if you'd be willing to pay, and if so, how much?
I did answer that.
I'm glad to see you can't punctuate "I'm" or "weren't"?
Lets see. So far you've attacked me, my website, and now my 'punctuation'. I expect hate email from you next. You haven't made ONE single valid comment on, or related to, this entire thread. Further comments from you will be ignored. P.S. My users love me. I bend over backwards for them. If you check the threads I've contributed to on THIS website, you will notice:
- A stranger asked about a web page problem and how to solve it. I knew that no one would help him to the degree he needed the help. I rebuilt his webpage for him, uploaded it, then tweaked it. I continued to help him until he was satisfied.
- A stranger was worried that someone was trying to steal his domain name. I know a little about domain names, and offered him my complete assistance. I spent 2 hours researching his problem, and reported back to him.
And off this site- I just finished updating a local towns website. (Its 2:27 AM here).
And in general- I helped found two ISP's. The net was 'new' to most people then, there were no commercial sites or media advertising (ah the good old days), there was not a local ISP anywhere around (1994-1995) and no-one had any idea of how to make the general public 'get it' (understand what the net was about and why they should be online). The other cofounders didn't want me around for my technical prowess (though I probably know enough to be dangerous)... they wanted me around because I can 'think out of the box'. Both ISP's became successful. One was sold to WorldPath. The other still exists.
Around this same time (1995), the publisher and editors of the newspaper here asked me to stop by their offices. Their question was (and it was a valid question at that time): "Do you think this net will be anything, and should we run with it." (Makes you kind of laugh in retrospect.) Whats my point? Well... you know what, if you dont get it by now you never will.
In all of the examples above, I never asked any of these people for anything in return. I help people, its my nature. I hope this gives you a little insight into the relationship between me and my users. Let this be my last words to you: I hope you have a good life.
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[Update: After I posted this message, I checked my email (one last time for the night, as I have to 'wake up' in 3.5 hours). Here is the email:
Dear (my domain name omitted) Support,
Thank you so much for your fine service of fulfilling my request. It's good people like you that helps me trust the internet even more!
Sincerely,
Your
true pal, (name omitted)
Ironic timing. One of lifes sweet mysterys.
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"Why not build your own car?"
Already have ;-)
You know, as soon as I wrote that I thought to myself "this sounds like a person who probably HAS built his own car". I also knew you would understand the point.
