Okay, as the new guy, I felt it necessary to read as many posts that address my questions about the new frontier i entered.
I also found this one, and feel compelled to comment. Please understand that I in now way mean to offend or alienate anyone. Each person has reasons to do,say, like and hate the things that they do. And while I may not agree, I will defend the right they have to express that opinion with all of the power the lord gave me.
The Facebook comments don't offend me, but I think that rather than posting about how much it's taken from this site, embrace it for what it is. A means of reaching out, finding and encouraging folks to join this site by using that one. It could be used as tool helping to filter quality new owners into new members. The more people there, who direct people here, the better. And you are all absolutely correct when you mention the permanency here versus the temporary nature of information there. And that brings up my next point.
Why buy the cow, when you can get the milk for free.
I was reading this forum prior to my even looking at the car I bought yesterday. When I arrived to look at the car, I already knew the answers to most of the questions I asked the guy. Why, so I could gauge the honesty of the answers I got for the questions I had left.
I bought the car, came home and bought a membership here. I didn't join, I invested, there is a difference. My suggestion is to create, in each section, an advanced area for registered users. And the marketplace should be revised so that merchants can be viewed by any one, but only registered users have access to private sales. And the elimination of the search feature for unregistered users is a must.
As far as paying members go, perhaps encouraging merchants to give paying members a small discount by some means would help to boost sales there and paid memberships here as well. Honestly, I don't even know what I got for my $25 aside from access to to the members only forum. I did it because I support those who support me, if my cash helps keep this ship afloat, gimme an oar and I'll row.
I guess the whole point of this post could be summed up by saying this.
Don't jump ship and don't point fingers, join forces, turn a weakness into a strength and give the good stuff to those who deserve it.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.....