Um I recall being told the premier membership was devised so there would not be any advertising from retailers on the site. Now I see there is advertising and participating retailers we can buy through who will contribute a portion to NJGF. So I am confused. Is the premier membership going away now that there are some other sources of income ?

I've noticed this as well today... what gives Maks?

I don't really understand why anyone has a problem with an affiliate advertiser banner on the site.

 

It doesn't interfere with the usability of the forum, and it's a lot less intrusive than advertising banners on some other sites I visit.

I have to wait for the banner to load before the page opens..

I do not have a problem with advertising at all, just curious as to the recent addition of it. I too thought the "premier" membership was to help offset costs and not have the advertising shown to those members..

I don't really understand why anyone has a problem with an affiliate advertiser banner on the site.

 

It doesn't interfere with the usability of the forum, and it's a lot less intrusive than advertising banners on some other sites I visit.

 

Yeah, but once it starts it get's a little worse and worse until WHAM! Instint Glock talk or M4 forum, yuck

Nothing wrong with keeping the machine running. Whatever works.

You guys see ads?

 

I occasionally see a little thing for Brownells or another up at the top.

websites.. servers.. not to mention actual time.. it all costs money.. if Maks can put a few bucks in his pocket running non intrusive advertisements I really don't have issue... I mean it is a very modest banner ad.. If the site was filled with giant flashing popups.. then yeah it would be pretty annoying.. lol but the ones I see don't seem really all that annoying.. and hey at least they are for gun things.. lol

You guys see ads?

 

 

AdBlock Plus Chrome and Firefox Extension: For The Win?

AdBlock Plus Chrome and Firefox Extension: For The Win?

+1

for those of you who can not see it.. it is a color advertisement that is about 1/6 the size of the rules and guidelines box at the top of the page..

 

edit here is one..

they are just little advertisements..

 

The huge page of rules is annoying as well. It doesn't need to be there every time.

Few updates...

 

Premier will not be seeing ads.... ever. Past few days was just playing with the forum software, at not point it was my intention.

 

What did change... non premier had google ads.... on the bottom of the page. It was not a long term solution as personally as much as google provides great tools, I am not 100% on board with their privacy policies and not too sure how pro gun they are. So... they were replaced with a company that only deals with firearms friendly companies, in the sporting goods industry. So that is why non premier members have gun ads instead of the google ads on the bottom. I think this is a huge win.

 

Anyone who has known me knows that I am not a big fan of ads, nor websites that now look like glocktalk, xdtalk, and ar15.com

 

The deal reached with the company means there is no need for ads anywhere else, and as the site grows, they will be keeping up with the costs for us to break even. The bottom line, the local vendors pay a nominal monthly fee for their forum sections... in return, they get their own piece of the board, and receive the firearms price requests. Instead of charging the local vendors anywhere from $300 to $500 a month like other gun sites do, I would rather have them pay a minuscule fee, less than 1/10th that they would get anywhere, and have companies like Remington, brownells, and others pick up the rest of the forum fees. End of the day, your privacy is safe (away from google), the local vendors are happy, and the site is operational.

 

As far as the rules page... deal with it. I still get plenty of emails about stuff covered there... and lets be honest, less than 1% of the users actually read the rules and faq's previously.

 

Carry on.

if you were to have banner ads, would premier members be able to access them on at least one thread ?

 

would like to purchase from forum supporters or if lookinjg for something the banners ads could provide a service.. just would not want to see them plastered all over.

You can see them when you are browsing any thread while you are not logged in.

ok, that works..

 

 

 

 

 

As far as the rules page... deal with it. I still get plenty of emails about stuff covered there... and lets be honest, less than 1% of the users actually read the rules and faq's previously.

 

Carry on.

 

Dont be rude and dismissive dude. "Deal with it" what an ahole comment.

 

Edit.. hahaha -5. Some of you guys sure like to butt kiss

I always click on the dang ad banners too. Something about those AR pics in them.

Dont be rude and dismissive dude. "Deal with it" what an ahole comment.

 

 

 

Not trying to be rude or obnoxious. Not everything that occurs on the forum pleases everyone. At the same time, this was covered numerous times in the past. 1300+ members here, not one person has sent me an email, a private message or told me in person that the rules being on the page are annoying to the point that it takes away from the pleasure of reading the forum.

 

People MUST read the rules, and know what they are for everyone's sake, as well as not to waste anyone else's time. the alternative has been to post rules and faq's in a thread.... it does not work. In fact, less than 1% of the people ever read them.

 

No one should have to write up a 2 page essay as to why we believe the rules should be in place there. If you wanted to, you could of write, call, email or ask me in person about them, at which point I would be glad to discuss it at length, however making an off topic, unrelated pointless remark gets you that answer. As evident by the rankings of your posts in this topic, we are not alone.

I would rather have advertisements than pay to be a Premier Member. The rules portion Is a bit annoying.

Perhaps there is an underlying agenda to turn it into a money making business. Which I have no problem with had it been presented as such in the beginning.

I would rather have advertisements than pay to be a Premier Member. The rules portion Is a bit annoying.

Perhaps there is an underlying agenda to turn it into a money making business. Which I have no problem with had it been presented as such in the beginning.

 

Running a site with the sort of traffic this one gets costs money. I would be very very very surprised if Maks is doing anything more than just breaking even.

I would rather have advertisements than pay to be a Premier Member. The rules portion Is a bit annoying.

Perhaps there is an underlying agenda to turn it into a money making business. Which I have no problem with had it been presented as such in the beginning.

 

I swear it seems like the only time you post on this forum is to complain about how its run. If you don't like it that much, just leave, none of us will care one little bit.

I would rather have advertisements than pay to be a Premier Member. The rules portion Is a bit annoying.

Perhaps there is an underlying agenda to turn it into a money making business. Which I have no problem with had it been presented as such in the beginning.

 

 

not to be an a** or anything.. but why do you care if he does make money... if you appreciate the site wouldn't you want the owner to make a few bucks..

I would rather have advertisements than pay to be a Premier Member. The rules portion Is a bit annoying.

Perhaps there is an underlying agenda to turn it into a money making business. Which I have no problem with had it been presented as such in the beginning.

 

 

the underlying agenda, as it has been for the past 2 years is to design a community of gun owners, and then get the brady campaign to come in and try to get everyone here to turn in their firearms.

 

Joey, you dont have to be a premier member. you still have 99% of the forum. Rules are staying, and I dont even notice them being there anymore.

 

Lastly, not sure if you know or not... it is very very very difficult to make money with any sort of a website, at best, we (forum admins collectively), are mostly concerned with breaking even, and if we are lucky, to be able to be compensated for the hours upon hours of work that goes into starting, growing, and administering the forum.

 

Btw, those google ads, generated $7 a month or so.

 

If you think this forum, or other local community forums are started to make money, you are dead wrong. There are plenty of forum admins on the board who have ran forums in the past, that will be able to tell you that. If you wanted to make money, you do not start a local forum... in fact, you are better off not starting a forum at all. Getting a part time job at McDonalds at minimum wage will make you more money in a month than a typical forum in a year.

 

If you are running a site like Glocktalk, XDtalk, TheHighRoad, Calguns, or ARF, it is a full time job at that point, and it only works if you are retired, a college student, or pay yourself to do it full time. How? You plaster as many ads as you can, in every nook and krany there is. I would rather shut the site down than have it turn into glocktalk, pic below.

 

Even THR, and TFL had to go to banner ads. the only way they were able to stay without them, were the sites were run by someone retired, and the forum hosting was donated by GeoVario/Calguns/ etc. Trust me, I consider an exit strategy at least a few times a month because I feel this sucks up too much time. You should be thanking the mods for donating their time to deal with the bs that comes with running a place. =)

 

 

So why do we do it? The friendships and relationships that are formed from the forum. My mechanic, local car wash, Anastasia's Chiropractor, gun dealers, Broadway ticket connection, photographer, graphic designer, t-shirt printer, P&C insurance connection, all came from the forum, forum members and their friends. And if I ever buy a boat... it would be from Regulator72. In turn, yes, I have numerous clients that came asking for my professional help over time because they knew me from the forum, but never once did I start leg-humping them trying to solicit them.

 

In short, and I am sure it goes for many many folks here, the friends that I have made, and people I have met from this forum, are irreplaceable. That is why I keep doing this.

Man, I am missing so many fun threads. Leg humping, thats hilarious.

 

Who cares, it's Maksim's site. He can do as he pleases. Most come here for entertainment. If you don't like it, leave.

 

I've met and formed friendships with lotsof members and that wouldn't change for stupid adds. I didn't notice them and I have no idea what the rules page thing he speaks of is.

 

It has nothing to do with butt kissing, it has a lot to do with mind over matter.

So why do we do it? The friendships and relationships that are formed from the forum. My mechanic, local car wash, Anastasia's Chiropractor, gun dealers, Broadway ticket connection, photographer, graphic designer, t-shirt printer, P&C insurance connection, all came from the forum, forum members and their friends. And if I ever buy a boat... it would be from Regulator72. In turn, yes, I have numerous clients that came asking for my professional help over time because they knew me from the forum, but never once did I start leg-humping them trying to solicit them.

 

In short, and I am sure it goes for many many folks here, the friends that I have made, and people I have met from this forum, are irreplaceable. That is why I keep doing this.

Well said, Maks.

 

As far as I'm concerned, you have nothing to explain, and certainly nothing to apologize for.

 

You've done a good thing here. You've brought at least part of the shooting community together in friendship and camaraderie, helped us develop a sense of community, inspired some of us to take further steps towards growing and strengthening the shooting community in NJ, and provided a friendly and low stress place for us to hang out and jabber mindlessly about damn near anything that comes to mind.

 

Thanks for that.

I couldn't agree more!

1300+ members here

 

Hey, a year ago when it was around 500, I bet you wouldn't have expected to make this that statement so fast

 

Just a suggestion on the rules for posting, maybe make it a part of a "I accept the terms and conditions" checkmark when signing up for an account.

 

Doesn't bother me one way or the other just a thought.