support?

boatdoc

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 9, 2018
Messages
969
now that we have this shiny new forum and it is obvious that at least 2 other 1911 forums have been bought by commercial enterprises..the ? begs: do we continue toi support sites that have commercial backing? if yes why>?

they have the $$ to buy forums. theya re planning on making a profit from our usage so why would they need our $$?

obviously this forum sites owner deserves support for starting this forum for us to enjoy.

so what do you folks think? support only the fanatics or support( as usual) all the forums we enjoy regularly ?
 

busykngt

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Messages
138
Location
Metroplex, TX
[Warning: first & last paragraphs are germane to the thread - the rest is anti-FB rant]

Sometimes I can be a little slow (read: "dense") on the 'up take' from someone's posting or comment. I read the posting the other day about forums having been sold off. Something, I guess, I had just never thought about and wasn't aware of. But it makes sense - especially if it's a large forum. Lots of people to advertise to and a more-or-less, {targeted} capitative audience.

Years ago when FB was just starting to gain a following, I joined (as it turned out, for a VERY BRIEF amount of time). My sisters and nieces all convinced me it was 'the place' to be, for the family to stay in touch with one another and "share stuff". On the surface, it sounded like a good idea.

But then came the advertisers. Rather suddenly, I started getting gun-related offers... lots of gun-related stuff.... did I mention, Lots & LOTS? (Ammo offers, Range bag offers, free target offers, go here for 'tactical training', go there to that range... the stuff just did not end!). Irritating, to say the least. Some, perhaps, you could "turn off" - but why did "I" need to be proactive in doing this? After all, I was just here to see pictures of the latest baby to join the family.

The final straw, for me, came when some of the more "liberal" members of family began to see (or receive) knowledge of my "gun culture" stuff! Needless to say, that didn't sit well with my little sister and her daughters, their husbands, their family pets, cats & dogs all "had it in for me"! I went from being the 'cool uncle on FB' to the 'crazy old prepper uncle' on FB, all in about a one month period of time.

Quitting FB was difficult, even back then. You had to do about 27 different steps, all in the correct order, on a Tuesday during a week in which there was a full moon. And then you still had to ignore all the emails they sent, threatening to send the FB Gestapo to your house to forcefully sign you back up!

Thankfully, the "forum" internet format has never been that bad. And now that I'm using a smart phone or iPad with Tapatalk - I did pay the nominal one time fee for no advertising - it's actually an enjoyable experience to participate on the forums! [And I'm still forced... errr... get to see all the new baby pictures - they're just emailed to me, now!]. I wish the new owner/creator of 1911Fanatics much success with this new form. Maybe a thread on 1911 history, development and/or war time use stories?
 
Last edited:

boatdoc

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 9, 2018
Messages
969
I posted my thoughts on support of third party owned sites in another thread. Once a site is bought, the membership goes from being the "membership", to being the "product" the media company is selling to advertisers.
that I understand and THAT brings me to my ? do we support company "owned" forums as we would a privately owned forum such as this one. once ads show up--I do NOT feel a forum needs my donation to keep running--JMHO
 

boatdoc

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 9, 2018
Messages
969
@busykngt--I read it on the internet ;) (.. several threads and posts on different sites indicate that one company or another has bought a forum). not saying it is good or bad. it means they see us( the members) aS a source of income to be cultivated through whatever means they see fit. some forums have handled the transition so smoothly , most members do not even know the buy out happened. others become FUBAR. one forum had so much trouble , thei r members had HUGE issues just signing up to support it.
 

busykngt

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Messages
138
Location
Metroplex, TX
Yeah, my question was meant in a general, generic sense.

For instance, I'd *really* like to know (by name... or by company name) who actually "owns" a forum?

If I sign into, say, a Ford pickup truck forum: is there a way to discover if that forum is owned by Ford Corporation or just some smuck operating it out of his mom's basement?

I've entertained the idea of sending in a donation to help out some guy doing it on his own. But I see no point in doing that if some wealthy company owns it. And to take it one step further, how do you know if the guy is not just doing it, in hopes of selling it off down the road for big buck$?
 
Last edited:

Blackbeard

Administrator
Staff member
Fanatic Family
Joined
Nov 30, 2011
Messages
884
I think you bring up some great points.

Do I support large corporate owned forums?
-Not usually, unless I'm getting something there I can't get elsewhere. Like access to unique content, or being apart of niche community.

Will that happen here?
-I have no plans of commercializing this place. I want it to be a safe haven, if it gets to a point it is an issue financially for me, I may consider ads for guests, but not for members.

I am looking into more historic stuff for the sites like the history of the 1911, etc.
 

busykngt

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Messages
138
Location
Metroplex, TX
Blackbeard, please don't think I was impinging or casting aspersions on your motivation - I most definitely was not. Mostly just thinking out loud (so to speak) and more, just wondering how all this private verses commercial stuff works regarding "forums". As I mentioned earlier, I really didn't realize there was such a commercial aspect to them [forums].
 

boatdoc

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 9, 2018
Messages
969
of course ,part o f my reason for starting this thread was finding a way to support this site. I find no links or way to do this and I want to support this forum for many reasons. anyone know of a way to be a supporting fanatic?
 

FWoo45

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 8, 2018
Messages
224
As soon as it's an option I will support this site. I only support one forum now but I won't be re-uping on that. I started on my birthday last year. Seemed like a good idea because I spent a lot of time there and appreciated what I got out of it and the members there. I don't feel the need to support a corporate owned forum that is just selling my info. They either charge you or the advertisers. Then also get paid in both cases by selling your interests. Its eery how no matter where I am online, all the ads are related to guns or watches. Then a few weeks ago I started researching higher end hobby drones. Guess what I'm seeing a bunch of ads for now?
 

busykngt

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Messages
138
Location
Metroplex, TX
Hate to ask dumb questions and maybe I'm missing the obvious but how do you know if a forum is owned by a "corporation"? Is the forum's owner required to be identified somewhere?
 

busykngt

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Messages
138
Location
Metroplex, TX
I don't believe so. I would suggest contacting the Administrator via message or e-mail and asking.

I guess the Administrator would be a "paid" individual if the forum was owned by a corporation? (i.e. on the payroll?... an actual employee of that corporation?)
 

boatdoc

Well-Known Fanatic
Joined
Jun 9, 2018
Messages
969
As soon as it's an option I will support this site. I only support one forum now but I won't be re-uping on that. I started on my birthday last year. Seemed like a good idea because I spent a lot of time there and appreciated what I got out of it and the members there. I don't feel the need to support a corporate owned forum that is just selling my info. They either charge you or the advertisers. Then also get paid in both cases by selling your interests. Its eery how no matter where I am online, all the ads are related to guns or watches. Then a few weeks ago I started researching higher end hobby drones. Guess what I'm seeing a bunch of ads for now?

my wife searches for stuff and ads for what she is shopping for come up on my computer. she uses a macbook and I use a desktop with windows 7...so weird
 
Top