Forshock 85TA

Ummm... why are there ads now? I know this site is free and all, but dont the Sponsors pay for it? Having the dedicated sponsors is almost useless now, they might as well sign up with google and have a targetted audience....

Please tell me its just temporary? If it isnt, tell me how much bandwidth you need...
----------
LOL targetted ads:

3rd Gen iPod Battery

12SecondTA

agreed, loose the gauges, or the sponsor will leave...

Red Devil

Wow, I didn't realize there were this many sponsors on the board. I think it's been mentioned in a couple of the other bitch threads. I guess you guys would rather an LS1tech type sponsor list? Profitability is the name of the game now.

3rdGenSS

I dont think it is the sponsor banners that anyone is talking about.. they have been there.. its the google ads junk at the top where ever you go on the site now.. whats with that? after all the years TGO has been around, now there is a need for google ads to keep it up? Just my opinion but the google stuff should go.. to each their own though right....

Wheel Spin

Hah, hit the Street Racing Board, see how "On Target" those ads are.

Dump the Ads, I'd rather pay dues.

Red Devil

I know what they are bitching about, but they aren't sponsors to bitch about that, and it was presumed by quite a few that profitability would be a concern, and here is the end result.

Dues would be the big nail for a quick coffin. TGO never recovered from losing the non-tech board and that would kill this slow *** transition to the tech only site everyone wanted.

IROCThe5.7L

:barf:

JBert

The nail in the coffin happened when this site changed and all this new ad BS started.

WWGTA

Where's the classifieds? Looking for parts from other users,not from retailers. If I wanted to search Google I'd do it myself, not be directed from TGO site.

crrllmich

You know I cam to this forum to post on it. I am a webmaster myself and I know those bring in a buttload of money on websites that bring in as many hits as this website does.

It really upsets me that the owners of TGO are now profiting off of us.

Forshock 85TA

I mean i dont mind covering costs, maybe a little extra for the work put into the site. I myself create and maintain ecommerce and small business websites. The amount of ads now showing is a little excessive. Three (3) locations with Google ads... The PRIMARY SPONSORS (tds, spohn, etc.) i actually LIKE, quick links to them , but the google ads provide nothing.

quick estimates based on the information i have:

36GB in posts (assuming 15k per post, which some arent of course i dont know the misc database overhead)
61GB in attachments/images (Assuming 1/8 of posters, which is REALLY high est., at 200kb per.)

assuming that 1/8 of all of those resources are used per day (once again, no hard numbers) you would need 12GB/day transfer (360GB +/- month)

so lets round up, lets say 200GB of storage, 500GB transfer/month. well with that much data, Dual CPU, 2gb ram, RAID 5...

using my list of providers the average costs look to be about $400/month. Root access, linux, etc...

basically what im saying is... I know there are costs involved, but making a living off of 1 website with a dedicated fanbase (this isnt myspace...) Maybe the sponsors should split the bill at $150/month (currently 8 sponsors... $1200) That is a great price for advertising on a large site like this, targetted.

BTW, constructive criticism...

crrllmich

As you probaly know it can be done for cheaper too, BUT lets say you projection is safe to say its not gonna be any higher lol.

So untill the owners can explain how they use the profits to manage this website and it doesnt go in pockets thats pretty rediculous. I could see a lot of pi*ssed off third gen owners very shortly.

Forshock 85TA

I dont think they need to explain where it goes, it just needs to have its limits... As i stated these are estimates, without spending more time (MY TIME=$$$ ) id say i got pretty close. Any sponsors listening?

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure what's going on with the ads. I can say I'm not a fan though.

Red Devil

Notwithstanding my hatred of google adcrap...

Why shouldn't they make money on the site. Why in the world would they want to 'just cover costs'? Who the hell wants to do just that? What's wrong with a little profit? It's a business venture as is anything else. Just like Wal-Mart, you don't like it, stop going.

Or ask the new owners what they would want to sell it. I know a few people that would be curious in that regard.

Wheel Spin

Absolutley nothing wrong with a profit-based business model. A GOOD model, however, will not insult or alienate the existing customer base. The current top banner, with Google ads holding a predominate presence over site recognition, ThirdGen.ORG (not.biz, not.com), and our FAITHFUL SPONSORS, indicates a greedy and callous mindset which IS insulting.

We finally have a "Do Not Call" list to stop the annoying dinner time calls for vinyl siding for your brick house. Either take the ads off the top banner, or give me a "Do not Google Me" button to turn the crap off. If I want to go shopping for Third Gen stuff, I read the POSTS on this board, then I shop the sponsors. If I don't find what I want, I'll go ask Google on my own. Don't push it at me!

Forshock 85TA

cough ... cough

That makes it look better

Wheel Spin

Forshock,

That is EXACTLY the kind of support I have learned to expect and treasure from this board! It is so refreshing to be reminded what a free country we are in. For those who have posted recently that we have to accept change, I say "Yeah. For a little while"!

George Khawahie

For the whiners that are going to leave unless the ads get pulled: Get the fudge out!

You guys have no idea how expensive a website this massive costs to run, maintain, upgrade, etc.

Having those ads makes future upgrades for hardware easier. And if TGO makes a profit then good for them! It's been on the 'net long enough and it deserves its credit!

Just think how many THOUSANDS Dirk has put into this site from his own pocket.

Me running the tiny 3rdgen.org compared to this site has hit my pocket book hard in the past few years. My latest estimates have it at ~$5000 since 2000!

gearhead0384

iTrader: (7)

HAHAHA!! The new adds are not thirdgen related, and we all know what that means. HAHAHAHA

George Khawahie

Touche!

Forshock 85TA

HHAHAHA

George, im not saying they shouldnt make money, i just think the amount of ads placed is excessive. Sponsors actually support this site, and they are being overshadowed by the google ads.

And the new site design is lacking... the CSS is junk, unclosed tags, etc....

George Khawahie

True.

On 3rdgen I only placed the one banner up top. But the more banners that are placed result in a higher click right which can turn into major cash flow.

I know people that started websites, ran them for a few years, added AdSense and they now live off the income that it provides. Two of my personal friends are living off Google's paychecks. It's pretty crasy.

Unfortunately Google disabled AdSense on 3GO because of the titty forum I have there.

urbanhunter44

iTrader: (3)

HAHAHAHA OWNED!!!

rx7speed

the one thing though is it is not your board. granted while we might not agree with it the owner has full right to do as he wishes. or would you like me going into your house saying I don't like that color sofa. I finally got mine changed to blue and I hate your green one. give me the option to have you change your sofa in your own house


but find it ironic later on you talk about how this is a free country yet are telling the owner how to run his site.



you dictator