Forum Service Outage

[Italian girl]

2 hours ago, downzy said:

Hey All,

Appreciate those who became Club Members.  It does help and it is greatly appreciated.

Going forward (and I'll make a proper announcement about this), the forum will be limited to Club Members during shows.  Perhaps it's just me, but I found the discussion more fun and engaging when it was a smaller group of dedicated forum members.  I think it would benefit those who choose to support this forum to limit access during shows to Club Members.

The forum will remain open to all visitors outside of concert hours.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm happy to keep the forum open and online to everyone if and when GNR is doing something interesting.  Considering they played a new song and it's hopeful they play another, we'll be keeping the doors open for the forceable future.  

Again, thank you to everyone who bought Club Memberships.  

do a simple process and I'm in 

 

(I'm so bad at technology)

[Stay.Of.Execution]

4 minutes ago, Italian girl said:

do a simple process and I'm in 

 

(I'm so bad at technology)

It's not much harder than logging on to a forum.

[ChristianGNR]

Ok, so i`m really proud to announce that i`ve just become a club member! =)

Thanks RussTCB, Dean and alfierose for helping me.

[ChristianGNR]

2 hours ago, downzy said:

I really appreciate the sentiment but I'm very against the notion of this forum's survival dependent on charity.

What I would suggest as others have been doing is to buy a membership for another user who you think deserves it.  Someone you admire or appreciate but hasn't become a member.

If that's the case, please send $15 USD via PayPal to membership.mygnrforum@gmail.com and in the payment notes please indicate who the membership is for. 

Thanks again!

Great ideia. Just did that to a friend of mine, also! I`ve indicated in the payment notes the name of the user.

Thank you guys.

 

[FabioRoses]

What I need to do to be a club member?

Edited August 4, 2021 by FabioRoses
typing

[alfierose]

2 minutes ago, FabioRoses said:

What I need to do to be a club member?

https://www.mygnrforum.com/store/?/store/=

[ACDC8]

I'm in - I'm like VIP treatment lol. Seriously (although I do like VIP treatment): been here since 2006, found out about the Hammerstein shows through here (eternally grateful) and even though I don't say much, you guys (not all of course) are like "fam" (and of course I'm rolling my eyes with the highest level of cringiness inspired by ultra-cringe GnR social media posts). Best forum EVER, true fans and not just a bunch of sycophants 

[Pedrolg]

Well, I do understand where you are coming from, Downzy. I am annoyed, but I do understand. I'm not gonna say that I don't have $15 dollars to spend on something, but for us Brazilians right now, with covid and currency devaluation, $15 dollars is a bit on the steep side of things. Adjustinf for cost of living, I reckon it would be the equivalent to something around 70 dollars for you guys. 

This is great forum and I will consider donating, but I will work a bit internally to cement inside my mind the belief that I'm investing in this community and not shelling you yet another bit of my hard earned money in something related to GNR.

[alfierose]

17 minutes ago, Pedrolg said:

Well, I do understand where you are coming from, Downzy. I am annoyed, but I do understand. I'm not gonna say that I don't have $15 dollars to spend on something, but for us Brazilians right now, with covid and currency devaluation, $15 dollars is a bit on the steep side of things. Adjustinf for cost of living, I reckon it would be the equivalent to something around 70 dollars for you guys. 

This is great forum and I will consider donating, but I will work a bit internally to cement inside my mind the belief that I'm investing in this community and not shelling you yet another bit of my hard earned money in something related to GNR.

That's understandable. I know all countries are not equal and it's fantastic that we've had a lot of generous members step up today to help others who are in more difficult circumstances and/or whose posts they enjoy.

The forum going from virtually dead to a deluge of posters put us in a tricky spot and we've been trying to figure out how to best manage that. If GNR continue to put new music out and do enough to keep everyone interested we might be okay in the future with ad revenue.

Thanks for understanding.

[AppetiteForDestruction]

2 minutes ago, alfierose said:

That's understandable. I know all countries are not equal and it's fantastic that we've had a lot of generous members step up today to help others who are in more difficult circumstances and whose posts they enjoy.

The forum going from virtually dead to a deluge of posters put us in a tricky spot and we've been trying to figure out how to best manage that. If GNR continue to put new music out and do enough to keep everyone interested we might be okay in the future with ad revenue.

Thanks for understanding.

Can you start a GoFundMe me or something? Because I would totally donate, I've been here since 06 as a lurker and mainly am, but decided to finally break out my old name and become a member to help out. 

[alfierose]

2 minutes ago, AppetiteForDestruction said:

Can you start a GoFundMe me or something? Because I would totally donate, I've been here since 06 as a lurker and mainly am, but decided to finally break out my old name and become a member to help out. 

The thing is with crowdfunding we aren't really giving anything in return and it's not a longer term solution. The forum ideally does need to be self sufficient to a point whether that's via ad revenue (so please don't use ad blockers if you can bear it) or Club Membership for which there are benefits to the forum member.

As downzy has said above he does and will continue to bear some of costs whilst fans are still getting something from the band and the forum but there is a limit as to how much one person can carry when the hosting costs spike after a very lean period. Hopefully over time things will even out a bit.

[AppetiteForDestruction]

1 minute ago, alfierose said:

The thing is with crowdfunding we aren't really giving anything in return and it's not a longer term solution. The forum ideally does need to be self sufficient to a point whether that's via ad revenue (so please don't use ad blockers if you can bear it) or Club Membership for which there are benefits to the forum member.

As downzy has said above he does and will continue to bear some of costs whilst fans are still getting something from the band and the forum but there is a limit as to how much one person can carry when the hosting costs spike after a very lean period. Hopefully over time things will even out a bit.

You don’t have to give anything in return, I’ve donated to many bands, and other things that i clearly just donated, I didn’t want nothing in return,I would hope many people would feel the same way, but not everything is about giving back In return, it would raise money so you wouldn’t have to shut down. If everyone else is doing it, I don’t see why you couldn’t.  In the end even if the goal was 5000 you’d have some money at least. 

[alfierose]

Just now, AppetiteForDestruction said:

You don’t have to give anything in return, I’ve donated to many bands, and other things that i clearly just donated, I didn’t want nothing in return,I would hope many people would feel the same way, but not everything is about giving back In return, it would raise money so you wouldn’t have to shut down. If everyone else is doing it, I don’t see why you couldn’t.  In the end even if the goal was 5000 you’d have some money at least. 

I know we could but that's just not something we're keen on doing right now. I really appreciate you wanting to help though.

[NightmareAtTheBraineHotel]

3 hours ago, downzy said:

Yes.  Eric had all but closed the forum down because he wasn't managing costs with respect to revenues.  At some point TB provided payments (with the idea that they were buying the forum; which turned out not to be the case). 

Subs bought the forum and HV ultimately ran it for him for four or five years.  If it wasn't for Subs' financial investment (along with others who did not get any credit for helping Subs pay hosting costs) and HV's expertise and time, the forum would have folded.  

I'm not sure if they were disgusted.  But Subs wasn't willing to figure out how to manage the finances of the band and do the hard work to keep the forum's ad revenue in compliance with Google's policies.  HV lost interest in running the forum due to the demand on his time (the man was a machine, and deserves the most credit for keeping this place afloat than anyone) and moved on before I joined the mod team and eventually became owner when Subs couldn't figure out how to make the finances work.

Maybe.  I've thought about that.  But I'm not sure such a person exists.  Keep in mind this person would be willing to spend hundreds, potentially thousands of dollars, out of pocket to keep the forum running like it use to.  All for a band that you yourself have described that hasn't been all that fan friendly and seem more interested in their bank accounts.  I still have a lot of affinity for the forum and the community.  I know the place well enough to know how to manage the forum where its existence isn't threatened.  

That said, everything changes.  This forum won't be around forever is it currently stands.  Nor should it.  Eventually Axl/GNR will retire, there will be a moment of reflection on this forum and elsewhere, and then people will move on.  There are plans to allow people to review this forum going forward, but there will come a point where this place will no longer be an active fan community.  And that's okay.  I'm hoping it's years from now but there is a shelf life to everything.

As I expressed in the post before, my lack of faith had much to do with the lack of new music or anything new at the Hershey show.  I think most people, like myself, saw what we got at Hershey and just assumed that it was another round of the same stuff from the last five years.  

Now that they're at least playing something new, it's changed my orientation for what is possible going forward. 

I don't think it's a lack of faith, but a reflection of where this band is right now.  One that I think most people who don't see the world through rose-tinted glasses can see.  If this was simply another greatest-hits tour with zero to no interest in doing anything different, why would anyone pay hundreds of dollars to keep this place open to everyone?  There is a way to keep it open to those who have provided some support for this place.  I think that is a fair solution for everyone involved.  To those who feel differently, well, there are hundreds of other places to discuss this band.  And I wouldn't want or expect anyone else to have to fork over hundreds of dollars a month just to give people a place to shit on a band that only deserves shit.   Life is too short.  

 

Thanks for your response, Downzy. It was good to get your point of view. Personally, I think it sounds reasonable enough. As you said, nobody is being "forced" into doing anything.  At most, they might be getting a slight nudge to do the right thing and help finance a forum that they supposedly enjoy viewing and being a part of. Assuming most fans have $75 per month for internet access, it's not a stretch to think that most could afford making a one time donation to support a forum and band that they love. And keep in mind, many are currently receiving stimulus money from the government. Even if some of these same people are currently out of work, or opting not to go to work because they're in fear of the virus, that $15 is definitely well spent, especially considering the amount of free time that they might currently have to work with.

I also think it's great to see that other already paying members are paying for members that might not be able to. I think this was a great idea on your part and it really highlights the strong community spirit. Just to throw it out there, if it's discovered that there aren't enough members that are willing to pay for another member's membership, maybe you could consider raising the membership prices of those who can afford to pay to $20 or $25 to help offset those unable to contribute. It would be similar to that of our current healthcare system in the US. And it's still a great deal and reasonable enough for those that can afford to pay more.

Anyway, thanks again for the reply. Even if I'm bored to death of this band, and disagree that a reworked 20 year old B-side is a reason for optimism, I might make a donation myself sometime soon just to show my community spirit. Take care all & stay safe!!

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by NightmareAtTheBraineHotel

[batman007]

I hardly post nowadays, but still check in from time to time . I wanted help out , btw, I don’t need the shirt .

[Powerage5]

On 8/3/2021 at 7:30 AM, James Bond said:

Honestly, I wouldn't even have blamed you for hearing that Welcome to the Jungle and pulling the plug permanently to begin the conversion into MyIronMaidenForum.com.

Hey, uh, @downzy - the people have spoken  

[janrichmond]

4 minutes ago, Powerage5 said:

Hey, uh, @downzy - the people have spoken  

I'd want a refund 

[Swedish]

I became a Club Member back in 2017 and I haven't looked back since. It's totally worth it for the unlimited likes alone, not to mention supporting the forum and the community we have on here!

[double talkin jive mfkr]

hi i think TB went after your hosting and bought them out so these deposits won't add up? 

[Chris 55]

Whatever happened to the guy who started all this? I just remember it was years ago and in the GNR mailing group I was in, he called himself "TAxl" 

[AppetiteForDestruction]

41 minutes ago, Chris 55 said:

Whatever happened to the guy who started all this? I just remember it was years ago and in the GNR mailing group I was in, he called himself "TAxl" 

I have my tea and crumpets,I’m ready for a  story!

[felixGNR]

i am one now.

[DownUnderScott]

10 hours ago, downzy said:

I really appreciate the sentiment but I'm very against the notion of this forum's survival dependent on charity.

What I would suggest as others have been doing is to buy a membership for another user who you think deserves it.  Someone you admire or appreciate but hasn't become a member.

If that's the case, please send $15 USD via PayPal to membership.mygnrforum@gmail.com and in the payment notes please indicate who the membership is for. 

Thanks again!

Just a suggestion, but what about inviting some serious members to become shareholders? With you being the majority to retain ownership? 
 

I appreciate all that you do to keep this place going and certainly understand your reasons for outages.

I have just joined with the membership, and I have also paid for another via PayPal as you suggested above. I’ll let you decide who to give it to.

[jimisbatman]

8 hours ago, alfierose said:

https://www.mygnrforum.com/store/?/store/=

No doubt that's USA dollars. Can we do like installment payments? Know that sounds stupid, but in our dollars it's like $21. Can definitely raise over 4 pays. 

[downzy]

Here is a fuller explanation to everyone of what has transpired and my thinking on the matter...

This change in philosophy has more to do with me and the limits I'm putting on myself with respect to what I can contribute to the forum.  There have been many months where I ate significantly higher hosting costs knowing revenues would not cover most of the increases.  There is no consideration for making money off anyone who frequents here.  It has never been my interest or desire to use this forum and the GNR fanbase to make a dollar.  

My thought process with the new tour was that I didn't hold much hope that the band would do anything that would generate sustained discussion or interest.  I assumed that we would be the same old thing.  I also assumed other people would guess the same outcome.  What I didn't anticipate was the strong curiosity for the band still. Nor did I expect many would return here.  There are many more places to discuss GNR now than there was ten or fifteen years ago.  Other forums, Facebook, Reddit, Discord.  There is no shortage of other options for anyone who still, strangely, wants to follow this band.  

Both assumptions were wrong and we quickly saw an eight to ten times the level of traffic for the first show in Hershey than what we have seen the past couple of week.  I shut discussion down shortly into the first show expecting nothing new since the direction was heading was going to be very costly.  And for the most part, it was the same show.  I expected people would lose interest and move on.  That's why we re-opened the forum a few days later with full access to all members. 

And then they play Silkworms, I mean Absurd.

I woke up the next morning to find that our traffic had gone up dramatically, even with the forum shut down for maintenance.   It was still below the threshold that would induce a significantly higher hosting plan, but not by much.  I could have kept the forum locked down and avoided the higher fees but there's no point in running a GNR forum if we're going to shut down any time the band does anything remotely interesting or novel. 

At that point I decided to open everything back up to everyone and just eat the cost (with the slight hope that the increased traffic would provide some measurable increase in ad revenue).   

I also decided after discussing with the staff that we would limit access to the forum during show hours since we found the discussion to be better with a smaller, dedicated forum fan base.  That's not to say that non-Club Members don't have great things to say or contribute.  But I think most people involved in the discussion last night were more familiar with each other and the conversation just flowed better. 

The decision to limit access to Club Members during show hours felt like a solution that solves a lot of problems.  It makes show discussions better (in my opinion), provides Club Members an additional benefit or perk for their financial support, and gives incentive to anyone who would like access and support the forum (ultimately reducing my financial burden whenever traffic spikes). 

So that's kind of a run down on how I've approached the forum the past 48 hours and going forward. 

The forum will still be 100 percent open to non-Club Members, save for during a show.  Concerts are no more than 15 percent of any given day.  Hence, for most of concert days, non-Club Members will still have access to all areas of the forum.