Jokestrap

Do you think this site is self-sustaining? Maybe 'TAKO' is using this money to help maintain the site. You have no idea how he spends his money. You only assume that he breaks even at best on this site and makes money using ads like The Rich Jerk just to make a bunch of money. These forum sites are not gold mines. They are a place for folks to give and take info. If he uses that to make a buck to move the site forward then it's all good. You act like he's getting rich off of you alone much less everyone else. It just doesn't work that way. Life doesn't work that way. The owners of the site work hard to make sure that users have something to talk about.

Everything in life is for profit. No one does work for free. If anyone has ever thought "wow this site sure does give me good information for free" is a complete dumba$$.

dutchboy350Z

iTrader: (5)

My only problem would be with the tampering of the actual poll (god ... I sound like a liberal democrat when it comes to election time) ... I'm not sure how the "get rid of the ad" vote went from 75% to 51% ... can any mod explain?

iceco1d

I agree that forums are in business to make money (well, 95% or more of them anyway). But to say that forums "aren't a gold mine" - i'm not really sure. I'm not saying they are, or they are not, because I really don't know. I was doing some research the other day for a website I manage, and just for fun I typed my350z.com into Alexa..it's ranked pretty high. You can see how much traffic it gets just by checking how many users and visitors are online when you come on. If you DONT manage to get some cash flow out of that kind of traffic, you are pretty stupid. I don't think that advertising for this site has to be very high, it is naturally ranked on the first page of most major search engines for relative search terms, and community members pretty much do all of the advertising for the site by word of mouth (or by word of posting on other sites). Assuming the owner isn't paying $100 an hour to some techie for every little change that is made, there shouldn't be too much cash going out either...also, I can't imagine more than a few hundred bucks a month go into a hosting package either, or even buying their own servers.

I seriously wish they would just put a BETTER and MORE PROFITABLE ad in that spot...and that they wouldn't be so shady as to mess with the poll.

I still ask the question to who put that link there: HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE YOU MADE FROM IT OFF OF THIS SITE? I bet very little, if any.

LegionnaireZ

iTrader: (1)

I don't see how that has ANY impact on the outcome of the poll itself...

especially considering YOUR hypothesis...
if he is making nothing on it... then O-well... looks like he is putting up with all of your complaining for NOTHING...

if he is... i refer to previous comments... get over it... people generally do not work for free... we all need to make a living...

now i do agree with you... there could be something else there... so then shouldn't this poll be called "Put Something Else There" and "Leave it the way it is" or "I don't give a rats a$$"

I don't know if you don't like it because it's content is mildly offensive, or because it comes off as (IF it is) a pyramid scheme... or you just don't like the colors of the letters...

but IMO if it's not over here poking you with a stick then WTF???

I1DER

Intseresting survey. Let's see, if we subtract 20 from each side of the poll as it is now (121 to 21) it comes out 100 to 1. I'd say that is some feedback for whomever is responsible for allowing that tacky add. I doubt that it will matter. Someone once said that the definition of a fanatic is one that redoubles their effort when they find out they are wrong.

I'm wasting too much time opinionating on this issue. I like this site. I hope the add isn't a cancer that that grows and kills it.

GodZilla

Ok so, how many people made a second or third or even more accounts just to add to the poll?

A bunch more than people think. No different than messing with the poll, and not to point any fingers but I know of at least one member that made 10 accounts for the sole purpose of this poll. So how valid is a poll when people do not see the whole picture?

Call me a jerk but I would never do anything to degrade the value of the forums. Yes I flipped the poll I admit to it at least I'm being honest about doing it. I wish I could say the same for some of the members that posted to the poll and those that did you know who you are.

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

Kyle, who is the rich jerk actually? Some hasa down in Miami?

GodZilla

As far as I know its a guy in Cali. I believe his name is Kelly Felix
He also runs a site called http://www.guesswhatiheard.com/ at least thats what I got out of researching him.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Kelly+Felix

I dont even know him and sure I've done about as much research on him as anyone else. Fact is and I willl be blunt about it I know how to research more than most online and I woudnt be running this site if I didnt.

visionboy

iTrader: (7)

i don't care if its there or not, but i would prefer for it to be a little smaller, less conspicuous. I mean...with its color and font size..its like BOOM look at me, click me! I'm sure that's the purpose but it is a little annoying, but it's not my site so it doesn't matter what happens.

MySunset350Z

iTrader: (23)

you know what a hasa is frank?

GodZilla

Fair enough and point taken. Like I've said in the past I do listen to members on the site and if I see it degrading the site I will take it down.

iceco1d

I have one question for you:

1. How much respect do you have for us if you are UNDERHANDED enough to flip the poll? How do you justify it? Looks to me like "the rich jerk" really made an impression on you huh?

iceco1d

Listen, brainchild, I specifically stated my intention of POSTING that it probably wasn't targeted at the right audience, and listed a quick alternative that might be more profitable. And I feel it was relevant to this thread...if you don't...well that's right, I don't particularly care.

As far as "people don't work for free" - congrats, you are the 349584th person on this thread to point out that this site exists TO MAKE MONEY, go get your cookie.

As far as adding "put something else there" ...anyone with half a brain could figure out that the TOP OF THE MAIN PAGE OF THIS SITE, will have an ad, and if that one goes, another will take its place...but thank you for feeling that we needed that option on the poll.

And I don't like it, because it is out of place, it cheapens the site, it isn't relevant to anything on here, it is mistargeted, and apparently it benefits someone who is not the owner of this site. Tell me something, do you think a highway authority or turnpike would allow toll booth attendants to sell advertising space on their booths? I'd rather doubt it. How about this, would a restaurant owner, allow a server to pass out flyers that said "STOP BEIGN A PATHETIC LOSER, BUY MY SYSTEM AND START MAKING MILLIONS!" to the restaurants CUSTOMERS?! The people that keep him in business?- also, doubtful. And if you would let an employee call your customers a "PATHETIC LOSER" as soon as they walked into your store, restaurant, or other place of business, then you won't be in business long.

That being said, I couldn't care less personally whether it stays or goes, but I think the RIGHT move is to remove it. I also think the right move is to remove whoever altered the poll. Integrity is an important part of a site where people go to gather information, a person that is willing to compromise that integrity for their own good doesn't belong.

GodZilla

Um if I didnt respect you guys I wouldnt have told you I flipped it.

Nic@CiNcity

iTrader: (93)

Would have voted "Don't care". Since it wasn't an option, voted to keep it.

Mike Wazowski

iTrader: (113)

obviously you havent been paying attention . THIS BANNER AD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAINTAINING THE SITE! Kyle the admin placed it up for his own gain is making money off of it NOT THE FORUM.

GodZilla

I agree it seems out of place
How so?
Almost half the post here arent relevent to the 350z does that mean we should remove all those?

How is that anything in comparison? You say mistargeted but how many people here actually own their cars out right with no payments or have intrests of making money online? And last how do you know its only benifiting one person?

Again how is this a comparison, when I am not even an Employee?

Again point taken, but we should also remove all the people who created extra accounts am I wrong?

The thing that gets me the most is why do people automatically assume the link do not benifit the site? Do they know something that I dont?

Mike Wazowski

iTrader: (113)

Other than you admitted in the other thread to YOU making the money from it???

GodZilla

Wow bold statment USN HM are you sure you have been paying attention

GodZilla

And what else do I do here?