Announcement regarding the site

As you can all see, 606v2 is growing day by day. And for that, we have you all to thank.

The effort and dedication that you have all put in to help this site grow has been nothing short of phenomenal. Every day I am surprised at how you all contribute in making this forum such a great place for us all to carry on the community spirit that was born on 606. And that is only part of the story. I can now see how we have outgrown our beginnings and are attracting new posters from outside our original home.

And I thank all of the new members for this too. Your continued contribution has helped us continue to flourish and become so much more than the original 606. Through the hard work of the moderation and admin teams, we have managed to get some incredible exclusives that were not possible under the BBC banner - interviews, competitions, special offers. These will continue to come and will get bigger and better the more the forum grows.

However, all of this has come at a price.

The original set up of this forum was facilitated by the use of free software. At the time of inception, this was the best and most cost effective solution for us all. And hopefully, you all really like the features of the forum. However, due to the incredible growth in our forum, the costs for housing us have risen dramatically (it’s now 10x what it started at). The owners of the software (forumotion) have to give us more server space, although they benefit from the fact that we generate more advert revenue for them.

The more hits the site gets, the more the forumotion gets from the ads. And it therefore costs us substantially more to remove them (to recompense them for their lost revenue). On top of this, forumotion also charge us more to retain the domain name. All in all, the costs have become much more than we had anticipated, and should the forum continue to grow as we plan, these costs will continue to grow too. So this leaves us with several choices.

1. We continue to pay for the ad removal out of our own pocket.
2. We leave the forumotion ads in place.
3. We introduce ads of our own.
4. We move to a new forum platform

So let me cover these off one by one.

1. The costs are now so great, it is not fair to ask the moderation and admin teams to continue to pay for these ever increasing costs. It’s not fair to ask members to contribute. The moderation and admin teams already give up their time for nothing and to ask them to pay to do this is unfair. For the founders, this is simply not an option.
2. We can leave the adverts in place and pay the domain cost from member contributions once a year.
3. The revenue generated by our own ads will pay for the domain name and removal of forumotion ads.
4. If we move to a new platform, we would lose the historical posts, the name (possibly) and a chunk of our membership possibly. We would also be faced with the same problem as now when we once again get to a certain size. It is merely delaying the problem unless we build our own software. This would cost us money to develop and we would still need to host any bespoke software.

So this means that the only viable option is to go with option 3 - the introduction of adverts that will pay for the domain name and removal of forumotion ads (so hopefully no misleading ‘you have 1 new message’ type). Any excess could potentially be used to advertise the site, as well as potentially paying for our own software to be developed.

So you will shortly be seeing adverts on the site. This is not being done through choice but as a means to better the forum and take away the burden from the members.

Hopefully you will continue to use 606v2 - we have some exciting developments ahead of us. We still aim to achieve our goal of being the best multisport forum in the UK (and beyond) and the addition of adverts will allow us to get there more quickly.

I would just like to finish with a final thank you. When I started this forum, I honestly thought it would be a nice little home for my friends I had made. But due to the work that you have all put in, I can now safely say that it has exceeded all my expectations. From thinking I would keep in contact with a dozen or so friends, I have nearly 3000. So I may not be the next Mark Zuckenberg but I can tell you that I consider you all to be my friends.

Hero

Aren't the forummotion ads only when you aren't signed in? If so, I see no problem with them.

Terrific post, hero. Delighted that the forum has prospered as it deserves; ads seem a small price to pay to ensure its continued success.

Well done to everyone concerned with the foundation and upkeep of the venture.

Could you reassure me that none of these adverts will be sent via the e-mail address I provided to join the site.

No, Scott, that is only because money has been paid to remove them for members.

What Hero is saying is that the cost to do so has now risen so dramatically that this cannot continue to be funded by the admins.

Cymroglan wrote:Could you reassure me that none of these adverts will be sent via the e-mail address I provided to join the site.

Consider yourself reassured.

Thank you

Fists of Fury wrote:No, Scott, that is only because money has been paid to remove them for members.

What Hero is saying is that the cost to do so has now risen so dramatically that this cannot continue to be funded by the admins.

Ah, OK

Can i ask, is it 10x what you paid originally? When the site first started?

Hero wrote: So this leaves us with several choices.

1. We continue to pay for the ad removal out of our own pocket.
2. We leave the forumotion ads in place.
3. We introduce ads of our own.
4. We move to a new forum platform


Hero

I vote for option number one, when will we know the results of the poll?

Just to reassure everyone - the adverts have nothing to do with peoples log ins/email addresses.

Just as you dont receive communication now through your emails, that will continue.

If anyone has received unwanted emails from forumotion, please contact the admin team and we will investigate.

King Beer wrote:Can i ask, is it 10x what you paid originally? When the site first started?

Yes.
Every single month

i think we should leave the ads to help save money for the admins who have put a lot of hard work into this

The donation link needs to be made more visible I was not even aware of it until somebody else mentioned it.

The sponsorship of my Prediction League is available for a price...

The realities are that even if it was made more visible, only some would donate and too infrequently to cover the costs.

This way, no one is having to pay and you can save your donations for a more worthy cause.

Agree with Cymroglan - in fact, I still don't see the donation link now. Can anyone help a poor blind soul?

i change my mind i think option 3

Viva here.

Nice to see you guys asking us.

I don't mind advertisements as long as they are work friendly, none of this web dating rubbish or anything like that.

Hero wrote:

King Beer wrote:Can i ask, is it 10x what you paid originally? When the site first started?

Yes.
Every single month

Ok, so by my recollection (and correct me if i'm wrong) but removing Ads should be around £150 for a 6 month period? And there are what 15-20 Mods and Admins. It's not a huge amount of money (providing it's a one off)

Surely it would make sense to pay one more chunk and then look at raising funds to clear the adverts? Either that or encourage people to donate but they become 'silent partners'. They have a somewhat vested interest, perhaps are involved in certain decisions but have no admins responsibilities.

Should this site ever make money (i assume thats the point now) then those people who helped out would be reimbursed?

VivaPaulScholes wrote:Viva here.

Nice to see you guys asking us.

I don't mind advertisements as long as they are work friendly, none of this web dating rubbish or anything like that.

Yes I agree I come here to get away from the wife I don't want her face plastered on every thread.

King Beer wrote:

Hero wrote:

King Beer wrote:Can i ask, is it 10x what you paid originally? When the site first started?

Yes.
Every single month

Ok, so by my recollection (and correct me if i'm wrong) but removing Ads should be around £150 for a 6 month period? And there are what 15-20 Mods and Admins. It's not a huge amount of money (providing it's a one off)

Surely it would make sense to pay one more chunk and then look at raising funds to clear the adverts? Either that or encourage people to donate but they become 'silent partners'. They have a somewhat vested interest, perhaps are involved in certain decisions but have no admins responsibilities.

Should this site ever make money (i assume thats the point now) then those people who helped out would be reimbursed?

We've been doing that already, members of admin have been chipping as well and they'll be the first to be reimbursed if there is an extra amount coming in, after that any extras can be used to improve our footfall through facebook etc.

Cymroglan wrote:

VivaPaulScholes wrote:Viva here.

Nice to see you guys asking us.

I don't mind advertisements as long as they are work friendly, none of this web dating rubbish or anything like that.

Yes I agree I come here to get away from the wife I don't want her face plastered on every thread.

Is your wife on many web dating sites then?
And do you have a link?

Hero wrote:

King Beer wrote:

Hero wrote:

King Beer wrote:Can i ask, is it 10x what you paid originally? When the site first started?

Yes.
Every single month

Ok, so by my recollection (and correct me if i'm wrong) but removing Ads should be around £150 for a 6 month period? And there are what 15-20 Mods and Admins. It's not a huge amount of money (providing it's a one off)

Surely it would make sense to pay one more chunk and then look at raising funds to clear the adverts? Either that or encourage people to donate but they become 'silent partners'. They have a somewhat vested interest, perhaps are involved in certain decisions but have no admins responsibilities.

Should this site ever make money (i assume thats the point now) then those people who helped out would be reimbursed?

We've been doing that already, members of admin have been chipping as well and they'll be the first to be reimbursed if there is an extra amount coming in, after that any extras can be used to improve our footfall through facebook etc.

You didn't really answer my question, if it is that much, £10 for 6 months isn't really a huge amount, why such a struggle to raise funds?

My other question would be, shouldn't things like the ongoing maintenance of the site take priority over say a site 'shop' which sells obscure Rugby shirts (not knocking by the way)?

King Beer wrote:
My other question would be, shouldn't things like the ongoing maintenance of the site take priority over say a site 'shop' which sells obscure Rugby shirts (not knocking by the way)?

I would beg to differ regarding obscure shirts.

Australia is one of the most supported rugby teams in the world, and the Ospreys are one of the biggest club sides in the world (from a support view).

And with regards to site maintenance - what site maintenance are you referring to? And how has it been effected by the shop exactly?

The cost is just growing exponentially at present, we paid last month and immediately the fee went up again. It's unfair that individuals that already put in a huge amount of time into the site should then too feel they have to then contribute financially to it's upkeeping when there's an alernative available that could potentially benefit the site in the long term.

Hobo wrote:

King Beer wrote:
My other question would be, shouldn't things like the ongoing maintenance of the site take priority over say a site 'shop' which sells obscure Rugby shirts (not knocking by the way)?

I would beg to differ regarding obscure shirts.

Australia is one of the most supported rugby teams in the world, and the Ospreys are one of the biggest club sides in the world (from a support view).

And with regards to site maintenance - what site maintenance are you referring to? And how has it been effected by the shop exactly?

I was referring to Canada, Georgia and Romania.

The removal of site ads is one of the biggest selling points of 606v2, yet it's now a case of they have to return, and quite out of the blue. I would assume (and again correct me if i'm wrong) that you must be taking a small profit from the shop? Which in return would help to pay for the removal of ads etc, now shops obviously take time to get off the ground and profits will often start off slow, so any revenue generated would be minimal, yet the fees for the site are a constant. I guess my point is why didn't you flag this to your near on 3000 members sooner. Surely any contribution is better than no contribution?

Cheers Hero. Well this site has to be paid for somehow because it's not covered by the BBC TV licence. I don't mind the adverts as long s they're not too intrusive i.e. you can click on an X to close the advert.

KB - the costs are not constant - that is the point. They are going up the busier the site gets.

The margins we make on the shop are miniscule and would even cover a tiny percentage of the costs.

The decision has been made by Hero and although its not ideal, we have all discussed the options and feel that this is the best one for the forum to move forward with.

If you wish to discuss this further, I suggest you PM Hero.

Hobo wrote:KB - the costs are not constant - that is the point. They are going up the busier the site gets.

The margins we make on the shop are miniscule and would even cover a tiny percentage of the costs.

The decision has been made by Hero and although its not ideal, we have all discussed the options and feel that this is the best one for the forum to move forward with.

My point regarding the costs being constant is that they are always there. You know they have to be paid.

Why isn't KB an admin any more? Can't you make him one again and let him pay?

Scottrf wrote:Why isn't KB an admin any more? Can't you make him one again and let him pay?

What makes you think that admins have some sort of right to pay it though, KB?

Admins have already been contributing, and it is not fair in the slightest, given the amount of work that admins and mods put in for free on this site.

I'm of the same opinion as many,

I'm fine with adverts, dependant upon the advertisers attracted. If I've got some slag pouting at me on the side of the screen I'm not up for that, because if anyone at work catches a glimpse of it, it's really not good. If its a hotel or something I can put up with it - doesn't look too bad.

Still not ideal, but I acknowledge it as a "needs-must" situation, and probably the best solution.

Scottrf wrote:Why isn't KB an admin any more? Can't you make him one again and let him pay?

Haha!

Electric Demon wrote:I'm of the same opinion as many,

I'm fine with adverts, dependant upon the advertisers attracted. If I've got some slag pouting at me on the side of the screen I'm not up for that, because if anyone at work catches a glimpse of it, it's really not good. If its a hotel or something I can put up with it - doesn't look too bad.

Still not ideal, but I acknowledge it as a "needs-must" situation, and probably the best solution.

+ 1

Cari wrote:Cheers Hero. Well this site has to be paid for somehow because it's not covered by the BBC TV licence. I don't mind the adverts as long s they're not too intrusive i.e. you can click on an X to close the advert.

The ads will be approved by the admin team and will be banner ads similar to the ones removed.

You shouldnt click on anything on them unless of course you are interested in the product!

Fists of Fury wrote:What makes you think that admins have some sort of right to pay it though, KB?

Admins have already been contributing, and it is not fair in the slightest, given the amount of work that admins and mods put in for free on this site.

I don't. It was a suggestion. With great power comes great responsibility and all that.

However, you are all banging the v2 drum, looking at ways to set new links and affiliates, yet it surprises me that very few of you are willing to contribute to a cause; and what i would consider a worthwhile one and at the same time have yet to approach the members who may be willing to contribute even the smallest amount.

Without giving a basic maths lesson. If 100 members donated £0.50, that's £50 less that you have to find and reduces the costs. If it covers it for 6 months that gives you 6 months to either...

a) Find alternative funding (shop, links, donations).
b) Explore the option of moving to your own site.

We can't force people to pay. The option to donate is there, if members want to donate, they can, yourself included, KB.

With regard to power and responsibility, our resposibilty is to give up our spare time in order to ensure that this site is a pleasurable experience for everyone. We all put a lot of time into this site and to expect us to fork out when not all of us are made of money is simply unfair.

Pr4wn wrote:We can't force people to pay. The option to donate is there, if members want to donate, they can, yourself included, KB.

With regard to power and responsibility, our resposibilty is to give up our spare time in order to ensure that this site is a pleasurable experience for everyone. We all put a lot of time into this site and to expect us to fork out when not all of us are made of money is simply unfair.

You say the donate option is there, but when have you actively explored it? How many members are aware of it? When have you 'reached out' to members to see how people would feel about donations? I'm guessing never?

I've had notable problems with most of the admin team, yet, if asked i'd happily donate. I get plenty of enjoyment out of the site. I keep in contact with friends whilst being bored to tears at my desk. If a few quid here and there helps me to do that then i'm all for it.

Spending spare time on the site to try and make it better is not exclusive to admin and mods.

Gaining donations from members simply isn't an option. There would be a small few that donated, but that would be nowhere near enough to cover the costs.

Fists of Fury wrote:Gaining donations from members simply isn't an option. There would be a small few that donated, but that would be nowhere near enough to cover the costs.

How do you know without trying it first ? Make it obvious that people can donate if that fails then try the next step.

Cymroglan wrote:

Fists of Fury wrote:Gaining donations from members simply isn't an option. There would be a small few that donated, but that would be nowhere near enough to cover the costs.

How do you know without trying it first ? Make it obvious that people can donate if that fails then try the next step.

Exactly.

You've stuck a global up. Here's some feedback regarding globals, unless it's relevant to me, i don't generally care and therefore do not read it.

You're admins for reasons and you also come from specific sections, when have you bothered to address the people you speak to on a daily basis and ask for a few pence here or there? Again, i'm guessing never.

Spending spare time on the site to try and make it better is not exclusive to admin and mods.

Exactly. If it wasn't for the 100's of members that post a day you'd have nothing to admin.

I look forward to your donation, KB.

Fists of Fury wrote:I look forward to your donation, KB.

Good answer. I look forward to yours.

An important factor in this that is being forgotten about is the guests.

That is where most of the site hits are coming from and that is what is pushing up the cost for add removal.

The cost has increased 10 fold because of the site hits, and in another 6 months, that inflated cost will itself increase ten fold again.

We can not expect the mods to pay anything, they already give up all of their free time to mod the board, and expecting them to pay is not an option.

Member contributions will help, but will not cover the total costs. This is the only viable option available.

Y I Man wrote:An important factor in this that is being forgotten about is the guests.

That is where most of the site hits are coming from and that is what is pushing up the cost for add removal.

The cost has increased 10 fold because of the site hits, and in another 6 months, that inflated cost will itself increase ten fold again.

We can not expect the mods to pay anything, they already give up all of their free time to mod the board, and expecting them to pay is not an option.

Member contributions will help, but will not cover the total costs. This is the only viable option available.

No offence but we've already debated that point.

Fists, i've made my donation, are you planning to put your hand in your pocket or do i have to call you 'tight' first?

Hobo wrote:The ads will be approved by the admin team and will be banner ads similar to the ones removed.

You shouldnt click on anything on them unless of course you are interested in the product!

Even better Hero! I was thinking of the sort of ads they have on You Tube where you have to close them to see what you want to see. I use another forum similar in layout to this one, and they have ads which don't get in the way at all. They're usually somewhere between the top bar and the posting lists, and at the bottom of the page which doesn't bother me.