SNOWEST FORUMS: Member Comments on "Letter to All Members"

[Adrenaline Revolution]

Very well said MtnDoo.
You are spot on.
If there was only some way Christopher would read this...Study this and realize you are not slamming him but instead you are giving him some well worded, heartfelt constructive criticism that could help him understand why he's being met with such resistance from the forum community.
Hint Hint....

It's snowing in them thar hills!

 

[suitcase]

Points taken but please get your facts straight.
First, The fee will be $10 PER year for the existing, "old" members who stay with the forum. That's $30 for 3 years.
Second. For new members AFTER the initial year of old timers paying dues the fee goes up to $30 per year or $90 per 3 years.

That's the way it reads in the original post, Get it?
Third, THE AMOUNT IS NOT THE ISSUE.
It's been said time and time again but I'm willing to pay and see what transpires. This will just not be the only site I use anymore.
Most of the Washington guys that I ride with have already left to the "Other site" that we can't even name anymore because now there is a software program that automatically changes the name to SnoWest,

We all have tens of thousands tied up in our little winter hobby so yes, any one of us can afford it.

That was a typeo on my part (fixed it) thank you.
It is not my intention to ruffle feathers, I just think there is a bigger picture with the new direction, and we are all free to stay or go.

 

[HOBB-Z]

I don’t think that, but its flat out wrong that you used you MOD power to tailor the content of a thread that will somehow benefit what you are selling or people you support…..that my friend is “special interest” and should not be tolerated. You’ve done nothing to the other 1000 bash fests threads in the cat turbo section……but you jumped up and down like a gorilla when others had content that did not praise the “push turbo kit”


Understand I agree you made a good choice in removing the bash content,. but you went way over board in tailoring the thread to your “special interests”

It was very clear you felt the need to make that thread look like gold as you are installed this kit and support it..

For all the reasons above our current moderators have got to be dealt with before I would support this site with one cent...

 

[BigJake]

I know all about it, and have spoken to some of them about it.

Believe it or not, i try not to be rash in making important decisions. Lets give it a little time before we decide to hang anyone Jake.

Good to hear that you are doing something about it, but I still say HANG EM!

 

[mmaxcarver]

Pay site?

Never heard of a pay forum site, hope all goes well with that idea. I'll sit back and watch awhile I guess, my visitation has diminished over the years anyhow and all this new stuff that has been added is just a distraction IMO, besides it just put you in a hole the way it "sounds".

 

[Boondock]

Let me be clear: Most (not everyone) of us don't care about paying ~$10 - we're more than willing to contribute for what we use and support SnoWest and Harris Publishing - on a voluntary basis!

overwhelmingly negative effect on the larger community in numerous ways.

So far, our likable but stubborn new administrator seems to have a tough time understanding this community and their desires. Furthermore he simply has created a plan that DOES NOT reflect the desires of many of his most invested users.

We DO NOT NEED MORE BELLS AND WHISTLES!!!
Some, limited well thought out features would be appreciated.

One thing that our pal Christopher doesn't seem to have much perspective on was the camaraderie that evolved early based on the general nature of the few select forums that started this community - the evidence is that the General Snomobiling forum is lost in the mix. That used to be the primary area - now everyone is scattered. That community aspect has been largely lost with the minutia of subdivided forums.


MtnDoo

Well said MD!!!
General used to have a lot of great info and updates for a variety of things but now I don't check it but once a week. I look at the CO section and the UT section and a private topic. To many sub forums to search through to help or get any info IMO.

 

[Dunatic]

WOW!! after reading through this thread I don't know what to say, they are sinking all this money into the forums to make it faster, better, more informative & entertaining for all of us and there are people complaining about having to pay a few bucks for it....

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

We should know by New Years how this is going to work, one way or the other.

Obviously, on this end, we think its going to work out just fine, and we are putting our money where our mouth is.

Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words.
We are making a huge investment in the forums going forward.

Christopher, I too will take a wait and see aproach here..but I agree with the others on harris publishing.....lining their pockets on our hard work...we the members with our knowledge..weather it is a company like fastraxs or a person like ron..or mountain horse that have thru their own costly experiences helped members with threads such as Ron's(2009 Dragon 8 163" has arrived)are the definative answer on how to properly setup a sled, mod a sled or repair a sled...or what gear is worth buying and what gear isnt worth owning....or even where to ride..all of it is information that select members here freely donate to help others..and if harris publishing profits from it..then these members should too....maybe those here who provide so much help and knowledge to this site should be rewarded with free membership that is earned thru their helpful post...its just a thought..but I think it rewards the members you should want here...since if they all leave...your knowledge base will dry up and evaporate........

 

[suitcase]

Its more than just that though.

There is a real wealth of industry players out there that don't touch any of the sites for professional reasons.

We expect to bring many of them into SnoWest in the coming months as things change and settle down here.

We believe, we will have content that no other snowmobile site has ever been able to offer.

And if those are any of the things that I could think of that I would like to see, that will be very usefull to a large majority of the members. I will be looking forward to the new content.

 

[christopher]

Very well said MtnDoo.
You are spot on.
If there was only some way Christopher would read this...Study this and realize you are not slamming him but instead you are giving him some well worded, heartfelt constructive criticism that could help him understand why he's being met with such resistance from the forum community.
Hint Hint....

It's snowing in them thar hills!

Sigh.
Do you really think that I just sit in my ivory tower all day long and look down upon you with disdain?

That I dont' read what you write, nor discuss it with all the rest of the staff.

Or is it that there are other members who hold equal and opposite points of view to your's, but that they are somehow less important that you are?

You make me out to be some kind of an ogre who has complete rule and control over these forums. And I am sorry to say it just ain't so. Much of what I do, is only done by specific instruction from the owners.

The Snowmobile sub-forums seems to be your #1 hotspot. So let me say it again, I did NOT come up with that structure. It was given to me, and I was told to implement it EXACTLY as it was provided to me. If you really want to effect a positive change on that subject, then I suggest you take a different tact in your campaign.

 

[christopher]

Good to hear that you are doing something about it, but I still say HANG EM!

Understood, and your obviously not alone.
Many are asking for a neck tie party.

 

[Get Lucky]

**** this bull**** see you all at the free site( sןǝqǝɹ ʎɹʇunoɔ ʞɔɐq) have fun with all the mods sitting in one thread rubbing one out I'm out




[Back Country Rebels ]

 

[christopher]

To many sub forums to search through to help or get any info IMO.

Have you ever considered pressing the BROWSE ALL button?

 

[christopher]

WOW!! after reading through this thread I don't know what to say, they are sinking all this money into the forums to make it faster, better, more informative & entertaining for all of us and there are people complaining about having to pay a few bucks for it....

For most people I really don't think it's the money at all.

 

[christopher]

maybe those here who provide so much help and knowledge to this site should be rewarded with free membership that is earned thru their helpful post...........

I Would NOT be opposed to this at all.

Ponder on this one for a while and let me know how we might go about rating such posts in a manner that is NOT ABUSED like the REP SYSTEM was or the THANKS SYSTEM.

 

[winter]

Wow

Wow, some very interesting reading.
I most likely won't take advantage of the bells and whistles although there are pleanty of other resources that I have and will continue take advantage of on snowest.
When I joined the snowest forums years back, I was very suprised at what it offered me at zero cost, at the time I was looking for a race sled to purchase as well as finding info on a particular sled, it was the only way I could access the race community and its mechnics, I had tried other sites with very little luck. Since then I have bought and sold at least 20 sleds on snowest and when I have a question about something I don't understand I can usually get it answered on the forum within 30 minutes. So far this has not cost me a dime, to this day I am still greatful for that. When the site becomes a pay site I will support it along with many others who have gained as I have.

 

[hatchers]

WOW!! after reading through this thread I don't know what to say, they are sinking all this money into the forums to make it faster, better, more informative & entertaining for all of us and there are people complaining about having to pay a few bucks for it....

im guessing 99.9% of the cry babies dont post in "sled" related threads.....so, i say....goodbye, and thanks for calling

 

[Boondock]

Have you ever considered pressing the BROWSE ALL button?

Nope but thanks for asking

 

[tudizzle]

For most people I really don't think it's the money at all.

 

[diamonddave]

While there can be no doubt that we WILL LOOSE some of our members, I think it is also very likely you will see some new faces show up and start participating who have been avoiding this place like the plague because of the constant bickering and in-fighting that has come to color this place over the years. But again, you will simply have to take a wait and see approach to see how it all shakes out over the winter and next spring.

Had someone taking control of this, it wouldn't have been the problem it has become. I've seen some of the latest made moderators engage in most of this you call, "constant bickering and in-fighting." Blaming a non-paying member type usage for this is hardly a valid excuse. Becoming a pay site is not going to magically make this "constant bickering and in-fighting' go away and make this some magical place.

The idea that making this a pay site to rid the site of the "bottom feeders" is a lame attempt for what it really is...to be more profitable. If this site wanted to more profitable, you could've been charging the hundereds of users getting free advertising using their signatures to pimp their products...for free instead of running it like other successful sites doo that I won't mention.