New Features Questions and Answers

My Lady said,

completely agree it's called visual blackmail many have offered to donate without having to resort to this assault on the eyeballs don't think I will visit as often if this persists.

 

Thank you, my lovely Nut for a bit of backup there .... thought it was just me but obviously not.

Edit ... why hasn't walnut's quote of what I said appeared?

 

You can revert to the original skin if you prefer. There's a tiny drop-down menu at the bottom of the page. Or you can change the font colour with the WYSIWYG editor which is now available in Quick Reply as well as Advanced Reply.

The subscription has been put in after many, many members have requested it over the years we've been going.

I can see it, Vicky. Has it appeared yet?

 

Cricky!

What a harsh colour, it should carry a health warning, at least.

Me, I have reverted back to a white background,much more pleasant to view!

.

 

Thank you Daisees ... I have reverted to the original skin as I really couldn't cope with that orange.

Here is where I can't see what I said (well I can see it in my original post) and what walnut quoted but not when I quoted walnut ... it doesn't show what I said ... So, if someone is only looking at the last post (as people often do) it looks like he is saying I say what he is saying ... do you see what I mean?





Please note the gap after walnut said

My Lady said,

completely agree it's called visual blackmail many have offered to donate without having to resort to this assault on the eyeballs don't think I will visit as often if this persists.

... and I didn't say that last sentence, walnut did ... see what I mean?


And heaven only knows why the print is so small as I did the normal 'print screen' so you may need to get your magnifying glass out .... :hehe:

 

That thought did cross my mind, Vicky! Has it improved?

BTW, Rich has changed to black fonts and for the post background white. Is much easier on the eyes.

 

You can say that again. It's "Dull" but better

 

Its a shame that gardeners corner has had to become a paysite or else be assaulted with ads. I understand fully the need to raise funds for the things to run a site, but assualting members with ads spoils gardeners corner...heavily!

I'm certain that those who wanted to donate would have done so with just a link to the paypal account, but for those (like myself) who cannot afford the yearly subscription its a little unfair to be bombarded with ads.

Other bonus's could have been given to those who donate, using the arcade for example or increased space in the album area or something else...

You'll probably take no notice of this message from me anyway...but please consider the new members who join then quickly leave due to the ads...before paying to get rid of them...

Steve...

 

"I'm certain that those who wanted to donate would have done so with just a link to the paypal account, but for those (like myself) who cannot afford the yearly subscription its a little unfair to be bombarded with ads."

If you don't like the Ads or the Donation prompt its a five minute job to set up a script that suppresses them. I don't see Goggle Ads on any site I visit, and when I visit here I don't see any posts listed for Forums I'm not interested in ...

I think you (and I) are jolly lucky that the site has been "free" for so long, and that some people are now prepared to donate to help keep it going. Free, in this context, has meant that a VERY few people have been very generous to date, and everyone else, me included, have had a free ride.

Personally I would have set the donations to have a voluntary element - i.e. instead of a single fixed price have voluntary higher amounts - possibly with different Badges associated with them (wouldn't be my wish, but might entice others?), and I would reward contributors - which would be a way of people with limited means getting a "discount" if they contributed to the site (which, lets face it, causes it to "sell" to newcomers - e.g. to find it on Google)

The site has two aspects, and two sorts of "regulars", I reckon:

Some people (like myself) who enjoy passing on some knowledge, and debating the finer points of gardening. Those threads add to the "knowledgebase" here, and that attracts new people (e.g. via Google) and I would hope also attracts knowledgeable people with more tricky questions.

Community folk who enjoy having a "chat" on the forum (speaking for myself, I have those forums turned off, so have no real idea what goes on there), or using the Arcade, or whatever

There are also folk who are in both camps.

It may be that the regulars are the only likely source of subscription revenue? or it may be that someone getting a Wow! piece of advice to their first questions is then comfortable to make a "thanks" donation? Some companies may Sponsor the site too?

If the regulars will be the source of all donations then rewarding them with a discount is a foot-shooting-exercise of course!

But with a voluntary overpayment it may make no odds, as they may choose to pay the "norm".

What I'm thinking of is a subscription form that looks something like this:

As a significant contributor over the past 12 months you qualify for a £5 annual subscription

The normal subscription is £15

Choose your subscription: £5, £10, £15, £20, £25

If you are going to have badges I would show them next to the subscription levels - to encourage people to dig-deep. ... so a £5 or £10 discounted subscription would get you a "Contributor" badge, £15 a "Subscriber" badge, above that a "Sponsor" badge. Higher amounts (for the same badge type) could have Bronze, Silver, Gold colours or somesuch.

The discounted subscription would still enable someone of limited means to subscribe (if they are also able to contribute to the Google-ability of the site :thumb

But Pah! What do I know? I rarely get involved in "marketing"

 

Yes, I havw blocked google ads now that they are in within the topics themselves. I was more than happy for them to be top of the page as they where previously....and up until yesterday eve...they where not blocked by me...I have in the past "clicked through" on a few of them too.

Yes we are lucky for the site to have been free for so long and if I was in a position to pay...I would do so without quibble. I have on my own community a subscription for the very same purpose, but for that subscription members get something quite substantial for it (and other things too that are in the pipeline)...and they are not bombarded with ads if they choose not to upgrade.

I am a novice gardener and have learned many things since being here...and I hope that continues. Like you Kristen, I feel the need to give back but for me I cannot as my gardening experience is very low. I've offered to help the site half a dozen times or more and posted a few photoghraphy tutorials to help give something back. So in my way..I do what I can.

But the ads in the topics present (to my mind) a problem whereas new members are concerned, faced with the ad onslaught...how many will click away to another community I wonder?

I like GC, I like the new changes, but I do not like the ads so they are blocked. It does not affect me now. But what about new members?

As for revenue for GC, the help I offered would have contained money saving help..I would think it would be relatively easy to save a minimum of £300 annually, but hey ho...all my offers have been ignored.

Steve...

 

Not ignored, Steve but bear with us. :wink: I have some thoughts on the subject!

As for the Google ads, it might be annoying atm because we've never had them before. But tbh, many sites/fora I go to have them and I hardly notice them any more. Eventually they just become wallpaper.

I'll have a chat with Nathan and Rich - I have an idea! But may not be any time too soon - Nathan's a busy lad!

 

Normally, sites with ads would deter me...hence my initial posting here about it and the wrroy it might scare other people away. I'm using ad block script only now because this is a site I wish to stay at. I cant believe that flashing ads can become part of the surroundings though...maybe its just me alone, but if I am reading something the last thing I need is something flashing away at me.

Steve...

 

Actually, I've not seen a flashing ad - can you send me the details? Who the advertiser is and which page it was on? We should be able to get it taken off.

 

Here is one http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/imgad?id=COu-9rWn-NOiZxDYBRhaMgg4lrAfpT-fLw

Text reads "No1 Tip of a fat belly.....Cut down 3lbs of your belly every week by using this 1 weird tip" then background flashes alternating between white/blue. There are others but I've blocked them all now in firefox.

Steve...

 

Thanks for reminding me, I've now done the same. Doesn't make the google stuff go away but at least the flashing and annoying stuff has gone:thumb: