Blatant (*) kissing

[Mike]

Originally posted by axrph@wycol.com

.....and of course, a Holiday Card from Mike, and a place to stay when you visit Oregon, and........just kidding!

Not sure about the card, but, if anyone needs to come to Oregon... I'm not opposed to playing host. But, there isn't much in Albany anyway. So, I'm sure I won't be fighting people out of my house.

[Mike]

Hey axrph,

I noticed that you paid via eCheck. How was that experience? Easy, hard, confusing, or just right on the money? I'm curious because I'd like to promote that option in case people don't have a credit card.

I'm also planning to provide options like the mailing address for those who want to send a check. Again, a Saturday morning jobbie.

Originally posted by axrph@wycol.com

okay, okay, i made my "first" donation to Mike's cause!

Now about that star....

i'd like it 2001 Viper Yellow, with a black interior- like my 260!

Hope everyone will toss in a couple bucks if this site has ever helped them out (ahem)

Everyone here's great, really- Thanks.

BTW Mike- a mailing address for cash customers isn't a bad idea-

poor credit card-less 18 yr olds and such..plus i could send more w/out the wife thinking i have joined some craZy Z cult or something....

[guy_geo]

Count me in as this morning!

Where is my oscar, I mean my STAR!!!!

[2ManyZs]

What do you mean there is nothing in Albany, Oregon???? What are we ALL supposed to do when we get there??

I've already been to Mollala once, so I guess this next time it will have to be a little further south!:eek:

Don't worry Mike, we'll let you know a little in advance.

[Alfadog]

I'm one of those "Holy Mackerel - $20?!?!" kinda guys

Quite frankly $20 US to me is a bloody fortune - I havent spent that much on anything since I bought my Z !!

I like to think my contribution to the site is being a mod (since I can't pay the $5 for shipping of that microfiche CD hehe)

[AxtellZ]

Mike,

beats me what "echeck" is- i just paid through Paypal, out of my bank account rather than a credit card. must be their flag.

Jeremiah

[Mike]

Originally posted by axrph@wycol.com

Mike,

beats me what "echeck" is- i just paid through Paypal, out of my bank account rather than a credit card. must be their flag.

Jeremiah

Yap, ok... I think that's their version of an actual 'check' instead of a credit card. Did they ask you for the information from one of your checks and a check number? Just curious.. I haven't used the Paypal Echeck feature.

[Mike]

Originally posted by Alfadog

Y'all might want to have a geez at www.cafepress.com if you're into the T-shirt idea.

Alfa, I didn't see this post earlier. Awesome stuff. I'm going to take a closer look at this.

[EScanlon]

Bluntly and succintly.

This site has an incredible amount of potential, which although present has not yet been tapped.

If any of you visit www.zcar.com and take a look at the activity there in any ONE of the forums, you'll know what I mean. As much activity as we have here in one day, they can match it in a few hours.

Personally, as much as I visit zcar, I prefer this place (even if it does take 4 times as long to load).

This place needs to be promoted, in order for it to be as busy as zcar. BUT HOLD ON!!

Before we all go out and start mass e-mailing everyone we know that owns, likes, or has ever SEEN a Z-car, think of this. Part of the cost of running this place is no doubt the amount of bandwidth it uses. For those not familiar with that, think of it this way, How many people stop by AND how many items they look at. The server that houses the information included in this site, charges for the volume of bytes it transmits via the internet connection related to this site. The more people you have requesting the home page, the more bandwidth this site uses, and therefore, gets charged more by the owning server.

Usually these fees are offset by using advertising, or user fees, or as is probably the case, the "deep" pockets of some altruistic individual that's been doing it cause ... However, deep pockets can run dry, and sometimes they can only do it for a given period of time, before it gets to be a major nuisance. (If you don't believe me, remember your old friend (X) who used to borrow money from you all the time but never paid it back? When did you finally get so "p'eed" off at him that you told him to get lost, regardless of how good a friend he was?)

In order to get people here AND keep them coming back, there have to be items that, bluntly, are available here that aren't available elsewhere, both FREE and for those that have "paid" the dues.

This site offers picture hosting, I've not seen at other sites. There is a chat room, there is instant messaging, there is news feed. Need I say more? This place has everything it needs to literally ROCK. But before we open the doors wide and invite the masses, we need to realize that we could literally bankrupt Mike, and find ourselves kicked out of house and home.

Cash contributions are a good way for this site to recoup or get the funds necessary to continue to operate, i.e. the electricity, the server fees, the phone fees and other fees involved in just keeping it plugged in, turned on and running.

However, some individuals have, for WHATEVER reason, reasons for not wanting to effect that type of contribution.

That's where the sale of items that generate a profit comes into play. Don't ask me why, but just giving money away grates on my wife's nerves. Give me a silly mousepad or coffee cup that I won't use but I got "something" for my money, and my wife doesn't mind within reason (she won't let me get that huge coffee cup at Starbucks).

This site ALSO needs the services of Moderators and Contributors as well.

The moderators ensure that no one is posting bad material as well as keeping an eye out for trends / individuals that may be undesireable. This isn't a discussion on those, just on the function of the moderator.

Contributors come in two major varieties, the ones who have a lot of questions, and the ones who have a lot of answers. Some of the first like to test those of the later, some of the later like to feel that they are knowledgeable or important enough to earn some sort of recognition. Again, not being a discussion of what constitutes a contribution, nor what motivates contributors, we'll keep on.

All of these components are what make a site successfull. If you lack any one of these, then the place can literally die for lack of a better word.

I mention this last because I've been in and out of the Chat room half a dozen times. I can only recall ONE time when someone else was in there. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS SITE FADE AWAY!

Mike has the final say in this, and I don't even imagine that what I write here is anything other than reference material for him, and hopefully I don't offend him or anyone.

As much as you may wish to maintain this place completely open and free to all, you need to identify areas that are available only to certain tiered users. You already do so, in that unregistered members can't go everywhere. What you need to do is define that THESE areas are for those people who've contributed X amount of credits, THOSE areas are for those who've contributed a bit more, and finally these last areas are only for those who have reached this level, while at the same time, brand new registered users can only glimpse here and here.

The requirements for given areas would be based on points within a given time frame. That way someone who wants access all the way to the top of the pyramid, can effect a sizeable cash contribution and be allowed in. Conversely, someone who is posting a lot of answers has received credit for that and only needs a smaller cash outlay, if at all. Moderators also would have reduced requirements for maintaining their access to various places.

All of the items I mentioned previously must be weighted and assigned some sort of "value" towards maintaining this site. Obviously the cash contribution weighs heavy, but Moderation is a required item, and as Administrator, I'm sure Mike is willing to assign some value to others doing what he may find is a burden on his time, or a chore. Contributors, people who post often, and continuously are what give you the base of knowledge that makes this place a VALUABLE resource. Each one deserves a share of the credit towards making this place successful. In essence you value their contribution by assigning "credits".

Cash Contributions let's say that each buck is worth 100 points. Each moderator receives 25 or 50 points for logging on to the site, and in turn assigns 5-10 points for every answer to a question that a user posts. Articles written and accepted for inclusion in the "Reference Library" are valued by the moderator of that forum or the Administrator of the site.

The object is to allow those people who just log on and either can not or will not effect CASH contributions to still participate in the development and improvement of the site. In order to do so, certain elements of the site will have to become tiered. i.e. available only to members in "GOOD" standing, or bluntly, those who've paid for the privilege, whether with money, or by contributing, or by getting involved and performing services this site needs, or by buying coffee cups, badges, t-shirts etc.

There are so many more things to mention, and I hope I haven't bored you guys to tears. Mike, I apologize if you fell asleep. I'm not trying to say that it must be this way.

What I am trying to say is this: I give you 20 bucks. I'm now a supporting member, great! For how long do I get to keep that icon? A week? A year? Forever? What if I give you a $100? Does that mean I can go 5 times as long before I contribute again as opposed to the $20 buck guy? How long is 5 times forever?

How do you propose to continue receiving contributions once you've used up the money you received this time around? So back to my selfish question, how long does $20 bucks give me the right to say "I'm a supporting member"?

And what if I just provide the answers to a bunch of people's questions and therefore provide what people come to this site to find...ANSWERS.

And, what if I help administer this site? Or what if I buy a bunch of merchandise that this site sponsors?

See what I mean. Hopefully I didn't obfuscate the issue.

This is getting deep, but it is extremely interesting. Mike I hope that you can see that there are many of us who definitely want to help keep this site going. The manner and amount of what we each can do is by no means a judgement of our intent, each person has different strengths.

2¢

[Alfadog]

Bloody hell you didn't have to write a thesis...

It's all well and good, but I strongly suggest not introducing the whole point scheme thing. It's a fancy idea, but too complicated and from my experience (watches the old folk snort at the 17 year old) the simpler things are the better they work.

This place is better in every sense than zcar.com, but as mr. type-happy has said, this place doesn't have as much exposure.

However, Mike may not want a monster of a site with a hundred new posts a day. Sometimes a smaller community is better than a huge one. It gets more... personal...

[2ManyZs]

Does that mean I can "snort too"??

A thesis is a good thing, that's what my teachers always told me anyway.:sick:

I agree with many ideas that have been "put to page" since this discussion started. I also agree that we don't need to try to be the biggest site on the net, just the best! I personally don't like the other sites as many of the questions are not only redundant but at times very naive. It is easy to see that this site hosts a large group of true Z enthusiasts. Why do I say that? Well, how many people have taken the time to take apart a tachometer and knows how to fix it on those "other sites"?? Not many, I'll bet.

I believe what we need to do is this, let's not change too much, let's not get greedy, and let's all work together in whatever capacity we are able too, and let's keep this site just like it is. Period. We don't need all the latest and greatest, we just need to support this site. I'm a "techno-idiot" so I gave Mike a donation so that he can put it to good use. If someone else can't donate money but can donate time, great. If Alphadog has time to moderate and I don't, why does it matter that I gave money? We are both working towards the same end.

If Mike needs help all he has to do is ask. I think it's says something that he has never asked before. So let's all just pitch in however we can and not worry about stars or titles or any of the other petty little things.

My $.01, after my 401k contribution.

[Rattfink]

Errrr...

I think the proverbial can-o-worms has been opened. Unfortunately once the can is open, it is nearly impossible to recan them. Now for my $.02

I'm new 'round these parts and don't know the situation of the admin for this site. It is certainly good enough for it to be marketed into making some coins... if that is the goal.

However, if it is more a matter of someone's passion for Z's and a few minutes of their spare time (HA, few... just kidding) then perhaps things are getting out of hand and off topic.

In a nutshell:

1. I'd probably buy apparel if it were available.

2. I will donate as possible (when I can pry the checkbook from the wife's grasp).

3. If I bought a Tee or Hat, I would probably not donate too. Just funny that way I guess.

4. I think donations should be rewarded with a hearty "Thanks" and nothing more. I know that Mike intended the "supporting member" tag to be just that, but I'm afraid it could be a slight to some folks.

5. I think anyone with three digit numbers following their "posts" field should be labeled "All Seeing Master of Time, Space and Dimension" of similar lofty title. Maybe I'm getting a tad carried away here.

6. Everybody's situation is different and my opinions don't necessarily reflect that of anyone but me. Did I really have to mention that?

Just tryin' to help.

'Fink