User Panel
Posted: 11/2/2002 7:30:30 PM EDT
Right now, only Team Members have access to the search function. The reason for this is that is it quite a resource hog.
Goatboy is working on streamlining everything, and will bring it back when he is able. |
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I don't use my search button much. I suppose I could lend mine out to someone for awhile.
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My first instinct was to tell the people searching for the search button to use the search button to search for threads explaining where the search button went.
[:D] BTW, that's an open invitation. If you want to look for something, IM me and I'll do it. |
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I am looking for a smart female, big chest, independantly wealthy, nymphomanic, that owns a liquer store and a gun shop. Bi sexual tendancies are a plus.
Can yu help me out. The search engine here could not come up with any. mike |
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I think the paying Team members should vote on whether non-Team members should have that ability restored.
I also have suggested that we develop a multi-tier membership structure that ensures everyone supports the site. New members would be given a week or 100 posts to decide whwther to join the site. After that they would need to pick a membership plan. Standard called a "sustaining member" would be a measly $10 a year which includes unlimited posting and search functions. Gold members would receive the above plus access to a premium forum and eligibility for certain giveaways. $25/year. Platinum members would receive all of the above plus eligibility for annual board rifle raffle and perhaps discounts on group buys offered by the board, maybe at cost versus a small mark-up for everyone else. $50/year. There is not a person on this board who can not afford $10 a year and this gives people the chance to choose a level of support that meets their needs while assuring that the board has the resources to grow and imrpove. [b] BESIDES TROLLS WILL NOT PAY TO HARASS US! [/b] |
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Quoted: [b] BESIDES TROLLS WILL NOT PAY TO HARASS US! [/b] View Quote There are plenty of trolls who are already Team Members. |
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Quoted: Quoted: [b] BESIDES TROLLS WILL NOT PAY TO HARASS US! [/b] View Quote There are plenty of trolls who are already Team Members. View Quote [:D] |
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Quoted: Quoted: [b] BESIDES TROLLS WILL NOT PAY TO HARASS US! [/b] View Quote There are plenty of trolls who are already Team Members. View Quote OK jetlag, that was frickin funny! What I meant is you won't have the antis showing up and playing games if we ban memberships with hotmail accounts and if they had to submit a check or a credit card to pay for their membership and they couldn't remain anonymous. |
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I tend to agree with Hiram Ranger. I've said repeatedly that I would not hesitate to send $20 as a donation to the site for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. No extra services, nothing. I think most people wouldn't sweat it either.
I don't need alot of extra services. If you let me search and contribute information by posting that would be more than enough. I don't need to post pictures or to have an ar15.com email address, though I do think the ability to put a picture underneath my handle is pretty neat. $20 is the magic number nowdays. Anything over $20 and most folks start to think twice about spending it. $60 is a bit steep for me. I am a sole breadwinner for my family and have a handicapped wife. $20 is fine though. |
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I think that getting kicked off the sight is enough to motivate people to join. I get kicked off frequently nowdays.
I'd pay $20 to make sure I don't get kicked off anymore and to be able to search again. Even a three tiered payment scheme would be good. I propose: Team Member-$60-all the deluxe features Contributing Member-$20-read,post,search,will not be kicked off. Guest-read,post,can be kicked off when needed to make bandwith for monitary contributors. |
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I've stated in the past that I would rather donate with no strings attatched than be a "lodge member" and see this site turn into a "memeber's only" club. I do agree with Hiram Ranger that if this site is going to go to a "member's only" format and you can only access it if you pay, then a tiered system might be acceptable, but it would kill this site deader than a doornail.
To be honest, I don't see any value in the membership except supporting the site. I don't need e-mail service, I don't need photo hosting, I could use a free gun, but seriously who's going to join for a chance at a drawing? I'd get to have a nifty pic under my name, and to be honest, one of the reasons I haven't joined is because I just don't have a cool enough pic to put there yet, and frankly I don't want any different status than anyone else who's on the board for free. Are the constant threads rehashing the same subjects over and over again because people can't find the "search" function using less bandwith than the search function does? (That's a real question, as I'm an idiot when it comes to how much bandwith use is in technical terms) Is the witholding of the search function mearly blackmail to force this into become a pay site, which if I remember Goatboy when the "Team Membership" idea first floated said this would always be free. I offered to pay more than $60 as a donation, no strings attatched, but the Admin's were adamant about not making this a "secret handshake" society. As I've said, I'd pay to use the site, but I'm not going to be blackmailed into it. Is Hiram Ranger reflecting the opinion of the owners of this site? Is this the direction that we are going? Ross |
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Socio, I can live with that BUT I'm tired of lurkers, you should have to have an account (even a guest account) to browse the forums. Too many people sneaking around here.
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Hiram Ranger-
So just how active is the "member's only" forum? I mean does it have enough traffic and quality (which admittedly varies considerably) that it would be able to support the site on it's own. I mean if you right now only counted the people who are actually team members, would this site be a ghost town or not? Who cares about lurkers? Why do you think they are "sneaking around" and why would you care? I certainly have no beef with freemasons[;)] (my dad's a past master), but how many other team members share your view that this should be a "secret society"? Ross |
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GB has always stated that he wished the site to be free. He wanted to add some features for members, such as the email, photo hosting, and gun contest. I don't use any of those features but I still consider the $60 a year to be a bargain for the amount of time I spend here. We've had the memberships for over a year and it still hasn't turned into a "members only" lodge. Hell, traffic on the member's board is very slow. I frankly don't think anything needs to be changed, other than getting the search back for everybody, but GB said he is already working on that.
Besides, trolls are fun for when things get slow around here. [:)] |
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Quoted: GB has always stated that he wished the site to be free. He wanted to add some features for members, such as the email, photo hosting, and gun contest. I don't use any of those features but I still consider the $60 a year to be a bargain for the amount of time I spend here. We've had the memberships for over a year and it still hasn't turned into a "members only" lodge. Hell, traffic on the member's board is very slow. I frankly don't think anything needs to be changed, other than getting the search back for everybody, but GB said he is already working on that. Besides, trolls are fun for when things get slow around here. [:)] View Quote Ditto. |
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Sociopath- I forgot to add that everyone gets kicked off the site if they are idle for too long. It does get annoying but isn't that big of a deal. Only happens to me if I go to read other boards and come back to this site later.
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[b]WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE!![/b]
Do you mean that I don't have to keep paypalling $2. to Paul to have him do each of my searches? [:D] |
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I think the search feature should be reinstated to all members as planned. Every other board that I have seen has a search feature - it is pretty standard. Besides, the amount of newbies asking the same question would SERIOUSLY increase.
There was talk of having a server just for Team Members - which would increase speed. I think that is a good idea. The gun contest alone is a great incentive to join up. If we limited the site to just paying members, I fear it would die off before too long. How can we gain new members if there are no lurkers? |
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just curious but how much do advertisers pay to advertise here? How much would they pay if membership dropped to almost nothing due to a requirement to pay?
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Give me a break, if you aren't willing to pony up $10 under my proposed (personal proposal, NOT an official site proposal) tiered structure that we have a problem. There are too many freeloaders around here that spend hours on this site a day and offer nothing financially to support the operations and maintenance of this site.
Site sponsors and a handful of paid members should not be carrying the burden, nor should the Avilas be paying out of pocket for your amusement. Nobody is looking to get rich off of this. $10 a year is nothing for everything you get from this site. Hell, split the $10 between an operations fund and the brotherhood assistance fund. I don't care, but enough already with people hanging out but not ponying up. [b] ONCE AGAIN, THESE ARE MY OPINIONS AND NOT THOSE OF THE AVILAS OR THIS SITE... THOUGH THEY SHOULD BE ;) [/b] |
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If and when I have an extra 10$ not allocated for a creditor, It will be sent to the NRA or GOA. There are many other message boards on the net, this one just happened to be my favorite.
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How about a doantion button up on the header. For those that might want to contribute but don't want to/ or can't spend the 60.00. i have to admit 60.00 is kind of steep. Especially for a newbie that has not hung out here long.
I like the tier membership idea. BUT, this is the internet. Heck people online won't pay for vital things like porn. Getting the general surfer to pony up cash is hard to do. Cutting out the unwashed masses will hurt this site. jmho. mike |
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That is a very good idea. I would be more than happy to donate.
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Site sponsors and a handful of paid members should not be carrying the burden, nor should the Avilas be paying out of pocket for your amusement. View Quote kinda reflects real life doesn't it. Does Ed take foodstamps? mike |
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HiramRanger sounds like he is in the Christmas spirit! I am one of the hated ones who lurks on a daily basis (for at least the past 6 or 7 months) and posts very rarely. I dont really want to have to dish out the cash for the way I am using this site. That being said, would I pay to stay here?....yes, but not happily.
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my only gripe is the guys with 1000+ posts in a year. They should be pitching in. jmo
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Everyone should be forced to register and pay. And if we decide to raise the rates later, no one will be allowed to withdraw from our once voluntary system. No one should be able to participate in our society and retain any sort of privacy if they desire. And if they are not good enough and say things which we disagree with we should confiscate their privileges.
Sound familiar? |
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The site should remain free and accessible, othewise it'll die off. I do think that anybody who actively benefits from this place shold feel some sense of obligation to make a financial contribution. Even a few dollars can help. It should remain voluntary, and I think Goatboy's got his head in the right place. That's why this site is so cool!
No one should be forced to pay. But again, you'd think that anyone who posts alot, finds great deals on the EE, or just uses the site for general entertainment would eventually want to help out. How many thousands of posts do you have to have before you'd start feeling bad about not paying some of your own freight? Think about it: the cost of a computer, internet access, AND all those guns everybody is always bragging about is so much more than a $60 membership. $5 a month is 16 cents a day. Really, spare change! Two people can barely go out for dinner and a movie one time for an annual contribution to AR15.com. One of the best things about joining is you get to bitch about the site guilt-free! That's worth it's weight in gold... [;D] |
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Before the end of the year, Sea Dweller will send in 49.2 Cayman Island Dollars.
Sorry, big gun nut show this month. And I don't like paypal. One other thing, I was gonna do it before the search button disappeared but haven't got around to it. Has nothing to do with this bullying thread. Thanks to the EE, my AR supply has been substantially diminished![:O] |
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I don't mean to be an SOB about this, but I totally agree with Ken. I just made a good-sized contribution to the NRA to help with the campaign season. I have a lot of other places the money can go, but that seemed important to me. If I have money I wish to donate, that is the direction it is going. I like this place...it seems like home and I will miss it if I can't post here anymore. But I sure as hell won't be bullied or blackmailed into contributing. (Note, I am NOT saying that the Avilas are doing this...but I sure get that distinct feeling from the tone of some of the posts by Team Members in this thread.)
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Guys,
lets not get into a pissing match over this. Lots of good points on both sides. The posts here are just personal opinions. We all know what those are worth [:D] GB has stated over and over and over again he wants the site to remain free. Donations are appreciated but not obligated. He stated that the pic hosting and email and such was just a thank you to the guys that are helping out. Unbunch your panties and get back to having some fun around here. mike |
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Quoted: GB has stated over and over and over again he wants the site to remain free. Donations are appreciated but not obligated. He stated that the pic hosting and email and such was just a thank you to the guys that are helping out. Unbunch your panties are get back to having some fun around here. View Quote TBS, as I said, I didn't get the bullying impression from the Avilas. But Hiram Ranger is making a habit of shooting off his mouth on the subject. |
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Guilty as charged. I find a certain degree of hypocricy in people complaining that the site doesn't have this bell and that whistle, who have thousands of posts, who save scads of money through the EE, who have the money to buy a computer and pay for Internet access and ammo and guns but can't find their way to support the site. I offered what I think is a more than fair system of a free trial period and a tiered membership structure that everyone can afford. However, there seem to be a lot of people who expect something for nothing. Why is it we can bitch about people who expect that from the taxpayers (society as a whole) but think its pressure when it comes from those people who DO sacrifice for this resource?
You may think I'm shooting my mouth off, but hey, I PAID for the right to shoot it off and express my [b] PERSONAL [/b] opinions on this site. In other words I paid to play, what's your excuse for shooting your's off? |
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WTF I saw my name on print here and I don't like what is going on!
[b]The site is free for those who want to use it.[/b] The Team Membership goes this way: If you wish to help sustain the site, and you want to contribute money, we are very pleased to see you do that as a Team Member. In return,and knowing full well it is not enough,we try to give those Team Members something back in terms of perks. One of those things is a raffle for the LEGP rifle(or whatever we call it next) issue # 223 as a token of our appretiation. It is never enough to repay your generosity, it is only a gesture on our part to thank you for helping out. [b]Now please,let this not be a divisive thing among us.[/b] To those who want to help ,we are extremely greatful . Those that do not (or cannot),they are welcome to the site as well. While we appretiate your intentions,please stop this us vs them attitude, since it does more harm than good to the community. Thanks,and enjoy each other's company. |
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Hey ED!
I still think a donation button would be good. It would make it a lot easier to send you guys spare cash. I know your not in it for the funds but damn. No sense in going to the poor house over it. |
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The Avilas are great aren't they?
This sight really does cost alot. This isn't just your home p.c. on a dsl line......... There's some REAL money involved in this. I used to run an ISP and we spent thousands a month on our T1's. I think it says a lot for the Avilas that they care enough about our freedoms that they are willing to take it on themselves to have a site like this. I don't know what the real numbers are, but I "lurked" for a couple of months before I had something to say. When I did, I found I couldn't post without signing up, so I did. Now I post as sociopath all the time. I'm a recognisable entity on the site, when I come back and log in, you know who I am. There's nothing anonymous about that. |
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Quoted: You may think I'm shooting my mouth off, but hey, I PAID for the right to shoot it off and express my [b] PERSONAL [/b] opinions on this site. In other words I paid to play, what's your excuse for shooting your's off? View Quote I don't feel a need to PAY for the "privilege" of expressing my opinions. I find the idea skin-crawlingly similar to those people who joined fraternities in college since it was the only way they could make friends. I think you should read Ed Avila Sr's post and think about whether you are making the situation better or worse. |
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Hmmm... I thought we covered this issue when the team membership was first brought up?
If people have issues with the system mabey they should take it up with goatboy to have things resolved. There is an explosion in people on this board latley and something has to give. |
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I hear what everybody's saying and it is the Avilas decision how this runs. I respect what Ed Sr. says and am not trying to be devisive, though I can certainly see how I have been. I apologize for that.
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Quoted: Give me a break, if you aren't willing to pony up $10 under my proposed (personal proposal, NOT an official site proposal) tiered structure that we have a problem. There are too many freeloaders around here that spend hours on this site a day and offer nothing financially to support the operations and maintenance of this site. Site sponsors and a handful of paid members should not be carrying the burden, nor should the Avilas be paying out of pocket for your amusement. Nobody is looking to get rich off of this. $10 a year is nothing for everything you get from this site. Hell, split the $10 between an operations fund and the brotherhood assistance fund. I don't care, but enough already with people hanging out but not ponying up. View Quote If you don't want to ante up $10 per year for the site then freeload somewhere else. |
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I want to first say how honored I am to see so many of you feel such ownership of the site. It really was one goal for the Team memberships to create a special bond with the site like that. The same goes for advertisers and dealers who help us keep the site running... each person playing their part and owning a piece of the place.
With that being said, I have not changed my thinking from day 1. The site is here as a resource for the community. The focus needs to remain on fighting the good fight and educating others. As well, the comradery and spirit of the site should never change because one person wishes to take a more active role in support and another person does not. The search will return when a few things are completed to relieve a bit of the server load and more importantly Bandwidth usage. I have a more efficient system being finalized as well as a few changes before it goes in. Because the Team guys do support the site and are active "owners", I feel an obligation to them to listen to their needs and wants. I am always trying to improve things for EVERYONE, but some work is specifically done for their benefit. (Photo hosting expansion for example.) I think that it's fair as long as everyone knows that it's a temporary limit on the general user. ([b]SEARCH IS COMING BACK!!![/b]) I also may consider a lower end "membership" and may eventually move the search to that. ($20/year or something along those lines.) At this time I can see that as a possibility simply because that function alone causes the most system stress. With 1000 people constantly on the site we need to focus on improvements that make sense for everyone. (Keep in mind that it's 1000 ACTIVE connections, they are not held in check for 30-45 mins as they are on other sites.) If by limiting searches to Team members, we can increase the speed and usability of the site, then it's something we will need to consider. Again, if we go down that road, I would like to do something nominal such as a $12 or $20 a year membership. ($1/month is nothing IMHO) As was mentioned in here, the members contributions are put to use on other aspects of the site outside of bandwidth. The idea of a TEAM ONLY server being added to the cluster has been brought up. Basically this would be a special additional server accessible only to the TEAM guys. This also benefits the general community as the number of users on the regular servers would drop. (Everyone wins in this scenario!) For the record, this site will [b]NEVER[/b] be a pay only site. It doesn't do anything for us to close our doors and make it an exclusive club. Our voices must be heard and opinions shared in order to win the battles we must fight. I will always do what's best for everyone to keep the site running and running as well as possible. (The 1000 user limit was implemented to keep the site from lagging up so bad. If the site's too slow to use, then it doesn't server any of the 1600+ users we had on here. This is not a permanent addition either, but a temporary fix along with the search.) |
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Is there any way to set up a pay over the phone type of deal? Maybe sent to an honest gun dealer in your area,where it could be be collected [?] I dont like pay-pal,dont go to the post office,and dont know if there is any money in the checking acc. from one day to the next. If I could call and donate/join before the wife finds out we have more money, I would gladly do so. If not I'll make a speical trip to the P office one of these days.
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I hate paypal as well and am working on getting normal CC system in place. It's just hard to juggle 30 things at once! [=)]
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