forum make over

[Donn Hewes]

Hi all, Here is a report fresh from a DAPNet board retreat. We would like to re-invent our web forum and other web sites. We would like to use one web site (this one) to be the face of DAP and DAPNet. We would like to make sure that DAPNet news, events, etc, are easily available while we use the forum. We need to reinvest in our server space and security in order to insure our future ability to save and archive information. Our costs to complete these updates and the continuing costs to manage this combined website is estimated to be $9,000 this year. We are planning multiple funding streams to pay for this, but two will effect us here on the forum.

First we hope to initiate targeted advertising that would appear on the left or right side of your screen while you where on the forum. Targeted advertising to us means clearly identified businesses, events, or products, that conform with and share our DAPNet mission of “Advancing the use of draft animals and promoting sustainable land stewardship by providing resource connections and shared learning opportunities while building community.” Our hope is that this targeted advertising will be seen as an enhancement to all of us, while also helping to finance this web based community.

Finally we are planning to change our membership arrangement. We would like our forum users and DAPNet event goers and supporters to all be members of one single organization. This membership would be a sign of your support for all DAPNet does to promote the practical application of Draft animal power. In the future this donation would be needed to gain access to posting and photos, but the donation can be of any size, (more than one dollar). While this money directly helps pay for our forum and and Field days, it also allows us to count all of our supports whether we pursue advocacy, or grants and other funding. Better to be an organization of thousands than hundreds!

This decision on membership is not final. While we believe it is the best way to bring our organization together and proceed with big goals we have set for DAPNet, we would like to know how this change might effect each individual member, forum user, or supporter. Obviously, in order to make this change we would want to first put our new web page in place, and then allow plenty of time and notice to all of our current forum users to rejoin. Andy Carson (countymouse) and I will be heading up a new Web Site Committee for DAPNet. Please let us know what you think or any questions that you may have.

[Carl Russell]

Abso-frickin’-lutely awesome…….:o Can’t wait to see it.

You have my support, Carl

[Eli]

Sounds great, I m sure it will be Awsome. Eli

[dominiquer60]

I like how by everyone donating (at least a tiny bit) to register we will be able to sort out the hundreds of spammers and hopefully a makeover will solve the problems we’ve been having with real people not being able to register successfully.

[fogish]

@dominiquer60 39221 wrote:

I like how by everyone donating (at least a tiny bit) to register we will be able to sort out the hundreds of spammers and hopefully a makeover will solve the problems we’ve been having with real people not being able to register successfully.

I agree, those are very good points. Has anyone done an informal poll of the newest members to see if they would have donated $1 or more when they joined? Will you be rotating ads in from the existing DAPNet.org Sponsorship Circle and Business Directory or will advertising be separate, with the forum ads being much more narrow in scope?

It’s important for the people reading this to either state your opinion here or let Donn and Andy know what it is. I recently became a member because of what I get from the forum and I wanted to support that. I think we can maintain certain types of ads that will not detract from the forum and that is very important.

*Edit – Recently became a paying member of DAPNet to support the forum. I’m in Washington so I won’t be making it to many meetings back east.

[Andy Carson]

@fogish 39223 wrote:

I agree, those are very good points. Has anyone done an informal poll of the newest members to see if they would have donated $1 or more when they joined? Will you be rotating ads in from the existing DAPNet.org Sponsorship Circle and Business Directory or will advertising be separate, with the forum ads being much more narrow in scope?

It’s important for the people reading this to either state your opinion here or let Donn and Andy know what it is. I recently became a member because of what I get from the forum and I wanted to support that. I think we can maintain certain types of ads that will not detract from the forum and that is very important.

I don’t think we have detailed answers to some of these question yet, and a poll is a good idea. We did discuss the types of ads. We plan to screen ads for appropriate focus. It is not an “ads go the highest bidder” situation. For example, we expect ads for equipment manufacturors, harness makers/retailers, trainers, and similar. NOT ads for Nike, Coca-Cola, and McDonalds.

[Eli]

I don’t think I would have donated anything to join. I would have figured it was a scam. I wouldn’t have a problem now with a small donation I under stand things cost money. Also a foaling thread or just more pictures and stories of horses would interest me I know this is not a big pet sight but I think many of us think of our animals as more than just work animals. Keep up the good work and good luck. Eli

[Andy Carson]

thanks for the thoughts Eil, this is exactly the kind of feedback we need. To be most precise, we are planning on maintaining the website as free for the public to view (other than photos). The small donation would be required before new members could post questions, replys, or view photos. We were hoping that the free content would convince people that we are a legit organization. Does this clarification change your opinion, Eli, or would you still think it might be a scam? Thanks again for your response. We especially need the opinions of new people on this issue.

[Jim Ostergard]

Great news about the retreat! You all are to be praised for putting in the time to keep this going. I thank you all. In regards to Eli’s concern I wonder if there is a way to time tag a membership so somebody could view forums, then photos for a short period of time and then have to chip in? Sort of like a free app that lets you do a few things for a while then if you like it you can get the full monty. It was never an issue to me to join when-ever I did and seems I donated before that. But that was in the old days when it was such a find to have a place to go where other serious horse loggers lurked.
Great work all.

[Carl Russell]

@fogish 39223 wrote:

…… Will you be rotating ads in from the existing DAPNet.org Sponsorship Circle and Business Directory or will advertising be separate, with the forum ads being much more narrow in scope?
…..

Excellent question, and one that speak directly to the concept of a Network…… deepening commitment by sponsors, broadening their exposure, increasing access for members making membership more meaningful, and tying everyone together in one place…..

Carl

[Tim Harrigan]

That was the tone and intent of the discussion, we will continue to refine our approach to make sure any changes are consistent with our mission and add value to the overall network. The overall effort is to weave a tighter web and to continue to find ways to refine all our activities including the web site, field days and events, etc. and make sure they complement and strengthen each other. Part of this process hinges on the ability to hire a part time administrator to take care of many of the details so we can harness the creative energy of the board of directors and other interested contributors. We are very confident that there is great value in the content and activities that DAPNet creates and are equally confident that our supporters will help keep it active and moving forward.

[Andy Carson]

We honestly didn’t have an in depth discussion of the specific nature of ads for current sponsors, new sponsors, and the specifics of how sponsors for, say, the field days will be represented on the website. This will definately be a topic of conversation in the future, to nail down the specic answers to these questions. My conceptual goal is to be very inclusive in who is listed on the website, and not appear to have one faction that supports DAP.com, another that supports DAPnet, a third that supports Field Days, and perhaps another that supports other events. I believe we are diverse, but also unified, and the website ads should represent this concept. I am sorry I don’t have a more specific answer, but I have a good idea of what we might do and will send off some emails and report back.

[Kevin Cunningham]

I think this is all a great idea and I am fully in support of this organization making a way to fund bigger and better projects. I myself was lurker on the sight for a while before finally jumping into the discussion, and what I have gotten out of it is worth more than any amount of money than I could donate, and so I joined up. I wonder if having to input a credit card number will discourage more lurkers from joining. It is a big step to go from watching, to writting, and then into paying. I am glad that everybody is putting in the nessecary time and energy to make this work because the information and community here is invaluable. Keep up the good work.

[sean518]

I think that all of these ideas are great. I wouldn’t find the kind of advertising you’re talking about intrusive at all. An open site to view and a small donation to post/view pictures sounds like the perfect idea. I’m sorry to say that I still haven’t contributed financially, and I feel guilty about it every time I’m on here gaining the incredibly valuable information that’s available (although I have volunteered and designed a couple print ads!).

– Sean

[Marshall]

The advertising sound good, but what about people such as myself that do not have any credit cards? I have notice the last while that there seems to be less activity. How would that be effected by having to pay to join? Just some thoughts.

[Author]

Posts