Goodbye

[quote]Originally posted by thirdfey:
<strong>

So then what are you saying? It looks like you say you would chip in the money if the site needs it, so now the site needs the money and you won't?</strong><hr></blockquote>

No. I'm saying that if this site was Scott's, and the money went to Scott, I'd be the first in line to send $$.

But I'm not sure about sending the same $$ to a cie. that took what was a free service, DONT ADD ANYTING TO IT, and all of a sudden decide to make a $ of it.

1- The $ isnt going to Scott
2- A warning of some sort would have been in order
3- It needs value added something
4- Scott, I like the suggestion you setup a PO box. I think u should.
:rolleyes:

What about us 'Grant Based" non-profits? I can't see how we are going to be able to use grant money for a subscription to a web site. Sure is a nice site to search for drivers for all of our outdated equipment. Goodbye Windrivers.

--Oh, and the no warning thing wasn't very nice or professional.

[quote]Originally posted by Danimal:
<strong>

Are you saying it will become free after they make some money?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Are you asking me to clarify a question that i asked to clarify someone's statement? Is that even possible? Then again, now I'm asking you to clarify a question that tries to clarify a question that tries to clarify a statement. My head hurts now, I'm going to go lay down.

I appreciate all of Scots hard work over the years and I can understand the need for some sort of payment. The difficulty is the broad range of users on this site. Seems that many are corporate and USA based, so charge them by all means for using the facilities that Windrivers offers. Many of us do not belong to companies and are not USA based, I personally cannot afford the subscription price nor the added difficulty of not having a credit card to convert UK pounds into US dollars. Maybe, a corporate and a personal user price scheme would be more advantageous in the long run. Say $10 for a years personal membership? Is it possible?

Why I am not supprised.....

Actually Internet.com were quite smart to make windrivers into a subscription base. Thinking about it this site have the Avid users demographic thay will be willing to chip in for a site like windrivers to stay up as It was. Normaly when you have a comunity like Windrivers it is quite simple so make a subscription service.

The wrong thing is the way it was done IMHO.
Looking at anandtech making a subscription service for example,-
** The main services are still being offered for free.
** The subscription only give you an advantage, Faster server accsess and goodies.
This way without hurting any body's fealing they made some Extra $$$ from the Avid comunity users by actualy giving them a better service/more optional services without hurting the general users.

I guess that internet.com idea is to make the site more "Corporat" orianted. What I am afraid is that the general visitors to this site are not corporat oriented. If they were they's click the banners that are oriented toward them and the site will stay as it is.
I will LOVE to put my hands on the site statistical data.

If you will look at sites like <a href="http://www.geekvillage.com" target="_blank">www.geekvillage.com</a> were web masters try to come up with ways to keep on with the web market ad as it is you will see that it is much more complicated to run a site then you think.
My small site cost me more money then it made me so far and I am only looking at server hosting and domain registration. If you will add to this the work I have put into it I am way behind any profits. But my site is more of a Hobby to me, and the adds in it is more of a joke. Now you try to run a site with 4Mil page impressions a month. Web masters are digging under the flors for ways to keep on with there sites, not to mention lifes....

In windrivrs case Scott was not supposed to do the marketing/ad serving mony thinking and such. Internet.com ware supposed to do so and they Blow it up. (Big Time).
Sites like tom's hardware are selling merchendise directly from the sites. Anandtech are giving a Optional subscription service. Sites are selling T-Shirts (much more simple then you think since there are services that do all the work for you).
But here - internet.com - instead of finding advertisers and products that will sell to the site demographics they decided to set up a subscription fee that the demographics will not agree to.

I don't envy Scott. He made the best site I know on the web and the way he is repayd by the Stupid organisation that own his site is to see the site crumbling down.
I hope the site will stay up cause he trully deserve it.

GOOD BYE WINDRIVERS!!!!!!!
I'm have deleted you from my favorites and will never return!!!!

David G. Senn

[quote]Originally posted by sennister:
<strong>GOOD BYE WINDRIVERS!!!!!!!
I'm have deleted you from my favorites and will never return!!!!

David G. Senn</strong><hr></blockquote>

If it was really one of your favorites you would support the site, now wouldn't you?

[quote]Originally posted by Venom:
<strong>Well said Scott. Like Larommi said, good to see you finally stand up for yourself.

I became a "regular" at WinDrivers just before Internet.com took over. If it was you personally who was still owned the site and made any and all profit from it, I'd have no problem subscribing, whether I'd actually use the service or not. But I'm not gonna help internet.com. Not for anything.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Ditto...

[quote]Originally posted by Darren Wilson:
<strong>OK. Put it in this perspective.

Do you charge your customers to find drivers for their systems, with or without using WD???

If you do , then what is the difference between that and WD charging for the same service???? Everybody wants something for free, and when it isn't free, everyone complains.

I bet that nobody complains at spending $30 on a night out at a club or bar, or buying something else that lasts lesss than a year. The charge is to keep the site running, not to fatten anyones pockets (although a profit may be made, but I highly doubt it).

Ok instead of complaining about it, why not start your own site up that does the same & keep it totally free & have no advertising/banner ads???? Unless your name is Donald Trump or Bill Gates, I wouldn't think that you could keep a site that uses the amount of bandwidth & resources that WD uses free for a month. Most of you don;t know Scott or the insides of what this site takes to run. I DO and believe me it is frightening!!!! Running on 4 x T1 links out of Scott's basement at one time with a quarter of the users that use it today and the bandwidth still wasn't enough. Scott paid for all this out of his own pocket as well!!!!!

If people are going to desert the site because of this, then all the better for those of us who will still use it as more bandwidth will be available to us.

I bid those that are leaving a GOODBYE, and like most that leave (including myself) we will see you in about 6 months ;) ;) </strong><hr></blockquote>

I think the hardware companies should start charging for drivers too! And maybe M$ should start charging for IE! That would rock!

Ok, so I was being facsicious.

I don't charge customers to install drivers. :D

[quote]Originally posted by sennister:
<strong>GOOD BYE WINDRIVERS!!!!!!!
I'm have deleted you from my favorites and will never return!!!!

David G. Senn</strong><hr></blockquote>

You will be missed.......wait a second, who are you again?

:p

[quote]Originally posted by thirdfey:
<strong>

You will be missed.......wait a second, who are you again?

:p </strong><hr></blockquote>

Everyone, let's remember one thing...the forums are still free, and still alive. Let's just all get along, and continue posting.

[quote]Originally posted by WebHead:
<strong>I've posted some stuff for sure (mainly to increase my post count) :D But I hope you haven't taken anything I've said personally towards you. I have much respect for you and the fact that you had the motivation to start the site in the first place. The only problem I have, is that I don't see the value in paying for links to mfg websites. But hey,.. it's not my website, so wtf do I care. Just stating my 2 cents. Anyway, I don't want to sit here and bitch and whine because this whole thing really doesn't affect me at all. So I would like to end here by saying, "More power to you Scott!" :) </strong><hr></blockquote>

Ditto that. I am getting a little tired of the whining myself. I have not made a final decision whether I will pay or not, but in my current position my need for the driver search engine has diminished to nearly nothing.

[quote]Originally posted by sennister:
<strong>GOOD BYE WINDRIVERS!!!!!!!
I'm have deleted you from my favorites and will never return!!!!

David G. Senn</strong><hr></blockquote>

Take care.... who ever you are!!!!!

[quote]Originally posted by sennister:
<strong>GOOD BYE WINDRIVERS!!!!!!!
I'm have deleted you from my favorites and will never return!!!!David G. Senn</strong><hr></blockquote>

All I have to say is Hell yeah DG and who cares sennister, If your not going to pay at least be supportive. Blow of your steam in PMs people. No need to start a digital civil war. When I can give cash I will. As it goes now I have a son on the way and I need to look out for him and my family first. You'll get your share as soon as I can DG.

Good bye to all as well, I will not pay for something that is free from all other sites, so what if it has links to all the comp's sites for drivers, hell i can go to them and get drives, always have. hell there are forums all over the net and no one has to pay..

I could see maybe 1-5 bucks a month but this much is too much.

If you can't run a site on that get better management.