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Thread: Re : "I do not have permission to view photos"

  1. #106
    It seems like ad-blockers have had a huge negative impact on SMC. Yet, in some of the other forums/sites I visit, I notice prominent ad placement that isn't filtered by my ad-blocker (one example). Other sites (including Canadian Woodworking), have a pop-up that requires you to disable your ad-blocker before visiting. Are those not realistic options for restoring the lost ad revenue? (I genuinely have no idea)

    I read several FIRE (Financial Independence / Retire Early) blogs/forums that are fairly transparent about their ability to produce 5- or 6-figures of advertising revenue per year. As Lee alluded to, the $6/member fee seems like it would be peanuts compared to that.

  2. #107
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Friedrichs View Post
    Are those realistic options for restoring the lost ad revenue?
    Why not ? They couldn't be more counter-productive or aggravating than blocking potential new contributors from viewing pictures.

  3. #108
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    I know I'm going to be seen as an old grouch, and I won't argue with that, but I've never seen so much fire and fury over $6 per year.
    Dennis

  4. #109
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Hayes, Virginia
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    Lets say that we did implement a pop-up that required you to disable your ad-blocker. Then a couple months later the ad-blocking software is revised to block the pop-up, then we used another tactic and then the ad-blocker is revised again......and on and on. I am not going to play games and waste my time and energy fighting a battle I know I cannot win. People want to block advertising and they are going to do it because someone will always produce the software people want.

    You receive updated ad-blocking features every time you upgrade your browser, its not that easy for forum owners. Last but not least I don't really care what other forum owners do or don't do. My goal to make the majority here happy and provide a friendly place for woodworkers to share and communicate.

  5. #110
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    USA
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    5,582
    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Outten View Post
    Lets say that we did implement a pop-up that required you to disable your ad-blocker. Then a couple months later the ad-blocking software is revised to block the pop-up, then we used another tactic and then the ad-blocker is revised again......and on and on. I am not going to play games and waste my time and energy fighting a battle I know I cannot win. People want to block advertising and they are going to do it because someone will always produce the software people want.

    You receive updated ad-blocking features every time you upgrade your browser, its not that easy for forum owners. Last but not least I don't really care what other forum owners do or don't do. My goal to make the majority here happy and provide a friendly place for woodworkers to share and communicate.
    At the top of every page I see an ad but thats the only one I see. Are there more ads I'm not seeing, because these are about the least innocuous ads that exist. Are they the ones being blocked? How much lost revenue due to ad blockers? Which users are responsible?

  6. #111
    Quote Originally Posted by dennis thompson View Post
    I know I'm going to be seen as an old grouch, and I won't argue with that, but I've never seen so much fire and fury over $6 per year.
    I agree Dennis....this topic has been beat to death.... either you pay and stay or don't and go...simple....

  7. #112
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
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    Carrollton, Georgia
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    1,815
    Quote Originally Posted by dennis thompson View Post
    I've never seen so much fire and fury over $6 per year.
    The $6 is hardly the issue. The issue is blocking content from potential new donors. How could someone know if they want to join or not if they can’t see the benefit .. if they can’t see the beautiful woodwork and instructional photos shared here ?

  8. #113
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    1,295
    It is not just the $6 here. What if you belong to 5 or 6 more favorite forums?? The donations and fees do add up. I believe this site is too big. There is way too many subforums. This site site got to this point somehow and yes times change. But one thing has not changed with time is the posters. There is always a a certain core group that follow a forum and then there is the occasional contributor. Those numbers you guys throw around are so misleading for member counts. This happens on all forums. If the site was streamlined more I bet it would not cost so much to run. If you held donation events or even have the ads limited would bring in revenue. I never implemented an add blocker and the only ad I see is at the top of the page. Have no problem with some ads to navigate through.

    Dead horse syndrome, maybe but if you are going to do it then do it already and be done with it. Do not do a partial thing like blocking photos only that is kid stuff. Whoever owns the rights to the site implement what you think is best. But remember it is a 2 way street. There is no site without you but also there is no site without members.
    John T.

  9. #114
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So Cal
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    I never did like the idea of anyone in the world viewing my woodworking for free. Giving away free words is one thing but a picture is worth a thousand more.
    I can appreciate others work so much the best way to give back is sharing my work.
    It’s a better place when there’s contributors taking and giving.
    Still no free lunch.
    Aj

  10. #115
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
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    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Hughes View Post
    ... but a picture is worth a thousand more.
    Ha, every time I see that phrase I can't help but think about what I heard a guy say once: If a picture is worth a thousand words that must mean a word is worth a milli-picture.

    I really enjoy this and other wood forums where so many people seem eager to share rather than just take - I've learned a lot.

  11. #116
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    Anaheim, California
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    6,903
    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Hughes View Post
    Giving away free words is one thing but a picture is worth a thousand more.
    At the speed I type, words are expensive and pictures might as well be free.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  12. Quote Originally Posted by Dan Friedrichs View Post
    It seems like ad-blockers have had a huge negative impact on SMC. Yet, in some of the other forums/sites I visit, I notice prominent ad placement that isn't filtered by my ad-blocker (one example). Other sites (including Canadian Woodworking), have a pop-up that requires you to disable your ad-blocker before visiting. Are those not realistic options for restoring the lost ad revenue? (I genuinely have no idea).
    This is the best idea I’ve read on this (and every other thread) on this subject. A simple disclaimer that “this is how we pay the bills, please opt in for the banner ads” is exactly what should be done to keep this site as is.

    Ownership here has already made up their collective minds on what they are going to do, and they aren’t going to reverse course now. But keeping a step ahead of the ad blockers seems like a pretty easy task given the alternatives.... heck, with all the money coming in from the ads, they could hire a high school or college kid part time to keep ahead of it.

    i can’t help but think management is looking to downsize SMC considerably. I’m sure this site takes a lot of time and energy to oversee and my guess is, it’s getting to be too much. Nothing wrong with that. The admission from Kieth that he “doesn’t care what other forum owners do” tells us all what we need to know. Maybe if he did care and investigated things a little more to see how others are handling this situation, a better solution would have popped up.

    As it is, the “opt in” to see banner ads seems like a perfect solution.

  13. #118
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,675
    Quote Originally Posted by Harold Balzonia View Post
    As it is, the “opt in” to see banner ads seems like a perfect solution.
    Opt-in already exists for Contributors.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #119
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    SoCal
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    OK, now I want a refund on my outrageous $6 PER YEAR membership for the 10 minutes I wasted on this thread . Seriously, that's less than a beer at the ball game let alone parking . You'll have to forgive me. In SoCal where a coffee is a few bucks and parking is $25, we have a distorted sense of the dollar
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  15. Which is 10% of the site’s population? And what percentage of contributors choose to opt in at this point? Not many, I would opine.... if they pay $6, why would they also look at ads....? the $6 should eliminate all the ads.

    Let people choose.... see the ads and view/participate for free.... or pay $6 and see no ads and get other benefits (like access to post on classifieds (which is a nice perk!)

    Force everyone to who wants to visit for free to opt in to ads.... seems like problem solved.

    Unless the goal is to shrink the size of SMC, which is fine, if that’s what the goal actually is.... Maybe SMC is too unruly at this point for Keith and most people on here would prefer to only interact with like minded people willing to pay for a forum. So be it, if that’s the new business model, and let the market decide if SMC survives.

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