Rolling out the Bisexual.com Fanclub Today

[Brian]

Hi all,

Today I am introducing and activating the Bisexual.com Fanclub (premium/paid membership) features. You can check out the details here: Bisexual.com Fanclub And feel free to sign up anytime starting now. There might be a few little bugs to be worked out, but I've tested the major features. It is reasonably priced I think - less than 5 bucks per month if you join for a year.

All billing is non-recurring - meaning no automatic rebilling. You get a PM when your membersip is about to expire so you can extend it only if you choose.

I'm excited about the new features such as user-created chatrooms (with password or without), but there is slight downside... a few features have been rolled back from regular members, most notably that regular users will be limited to viewing 10 personal ad and album pictures per day. Sorry, but I gotta do it. Also, regular users are limited to 100 stored PMs, down from 200 - you may be over that limit now, and will want to delete a bunch of your old PMs if you are. Fanclub members can now keep 2000 PMs.

My priorities, after working out any bugs with the Fanclub features, will now shift to 4 things:
1. Group improvements for all members
2. Advanced Personal Ad features for Fanclub members
3. Album improvements for all members
4. Better profiles for couples

Those of you who helped me Beta test the new site a couple of months back... I have not forgotten your generosity with your time and I'll be gifting you an upgrade - will send you PMs shortly.

- Drew

[bigbadmax]

Hi all,

Today I am introducing and activating the Bisexual.com Fanclub (premium/paid membership) features. You can check out the details here: Bisexual.com Fanclub And feel free to sign up anytime starting now. There might be a few little bugs to be worked out, but I've tested the major features. It is reasonably priced I think - less than 5 bucks per month if you join for a year.

All billing is non-recurring - meaning no automatic rebilling. You get a PM when your membersip is about to expire so you can extend it only if you choose.

I'm excited about the new features such as user-created chatrooms (with password or without), but there is slight downside... a few features have been rolled back from regular members, most notably that regular users will be limited to viewing 10 personal ad and album pictures per day. Sorry, but I gotta do it. Also, regular users are limited to 100 stored PMs, down from 200 - you may be over that limit now, and will want to delete a bunch of your old PMs if you are. Fanclub members can now keep 2000 PMs.

Those of you who helped me Beta test the new site a couple of months back... I have not forgotten your generosity with your time and I'll be gifting you an upgrade - will send you PMs shortly.

My priorities, after working out any bugs with the Fanclub features, will now shift to 3 things:
1. Group improvements for all members
2. Advanced Personal Ad features for Fanclub members
3. Album improvements for all members

- Drew

And here comes the PAY SITE!

[void()]

And here comes the PAY SITE!

Don't worry, I intend to keep the user experience for regular/free members very much the same.
- Drew
Cite

What I understand is each user of the site may choose premium membership, or not. If you like and desire a few extra perks, you pay for them. If not, you don't pay.

Drew's site is not the only one to implement such a system. There are many game sites which do the same. You can play the basic game for free, infinitely. If you want say nicer armor, weapons for a game character, you pay something. If not, just enjoy the free content.

If it bothers a person too much, then not using the site is another option. Presently, I have no real desire to continue a premium membership after the award period. I appreciate being given a nice gesture by Drew. However, I am not defending him. It is his site and if he perceived your sentiment as a threat or undesired, he could address it himself.

I am stating the obvious, like you. And now my editors and suits recommend quiet time.

[baachus]

I found the page listing the benefits/extras for the fanclub by going to control panel>paid subscriptions and clicking on the 'see what you get' link within the text. The chart with the various benefits is a good indicator. One suggestion is to post a link to that on the home page to make it easier to find. It can be temporary or permanent.

[Flounder1967]

Ill Try it for a year and see if it any of the benfits merits work out for me. I hope so.

[*pan*]

it is true things change, one of the things that drew me to bisexual.com was it was free and open, most members were helpful and nice, and i had a sense that there was pagan dna to the site and felt comfortable even if there wasnt it was just a feeling. i am a poor person, and thank drew for the jesture of free 6 months membership, i dont go online very often but when i do i like to check out what ever and reply or post, i was wondering if i will be limited now as to posts or pics after the complimentry 6 months is over, will my profile stay the same, will i be limited to how many posts i can make in a day and how many pics i can view or put in my profile or album. will it be the same as the old site, with new options if one is a fan or will some of thoes old options be removed or taken away. i know the old site was unlimited to activity. i know some like me might not come on everyday and when they do get the chance they want to do it all in a day or two. wont this limit them more so then the person that is on here every day ? as i have read about daily quotas, just questions not judging.

[Brian]

@Flounder, thanks for your support!

@*pan*, That link in the first post answers all your questions I think: http://www.bisexual.com/forum/membership.php

- Drew

[welickit]

Drew, first we both thank you for the membership. The beta testing was a fun time as opposed to the usual get the software and test without any interaction with others. Testing as a team allowed us to share not only the bugs but also the work around.

Also we like the different time periods you have established for members of the fan club. Not being required to put out for a full year is easier on us for the moment. While we don't use the site every day and won't use all the benefits of membership, we do intend to continue to support the site beyond our present end date.

Thanks again and keep up the good work.

[DuckiesDarling]

I think it's rather cool, but the limits on non members... well it had to happen eventually I suppose, I hope that this will help the site grow and become less dependent on ads and more on members.

[RockGardener]

I hope that this will help the site grow.

I don't believe it will help the site grow at all. It's just become a premium site. You've throttled all the people who have been here for 4, 5, even 6 years, but can't afford to pay the membership. Especially those who have individual profiles for each member of a couple. We had a better site in the old incarnation. You're now charging for member titles, individual chat rooms, and viewing pictures and profiles, among other things. These are things we already had in the old days. The minimum it will cost the two of us to be full members is $100 a year, if we want to spread it out, it will be $160 a year.

You've just thrown a lot of long time members away, Drew. Sorry to hear that!!

[DuckiesDarling]

Rock, way to take what I said out of context. I meant to grow as in less people getting frustrated with the ads. Now as for the rest of your post, you can still do the things you used to do on the old site with a free account. So it limits the inbox... do you really need 200 messages rather than 100? So it limits the amount of profiles you can view per day? All that does is force the ones who are here to do nothing but hook up to actually pay for the ability to scroll through tons of personal ads. Drew may fine tune some of the amounts as it goes along but for now, he has to do something to support this site. It was never FREE for him and it wasn't fair he paid out of his own pocket for us to enjoy so many privileges on this site for years. I say, good on ya, Drew.

[Brian]

@RockGardener, I think the rollback of features is very modest. And based on the benchmarking I have done with similar sites out there, they are not way out of line. Regular/Free members still have access to 90% of the site.

One of the things coming is better member profiles for couples. But some couples may still want to have 2 accounts for their own reasons.

- Drew

[Long Duck Dong]

drew, you made the toilets fan club members only and I have to go..... NOW !!!!! can you provide a shovel for the non paying members so we can dig holes...lol

as a long time part of the furniture, I can not see the changes affecting me adversely, I can still view 10 pics a day, ( not that I really look ) we can not have a custom user title ( mmm oh the inhumanity ) and much of the changes to the chat will not affect me as I generally do not use chat but nor do they infringe on my ability to go and chat... in fact, if I read it right, a paying member can create services that I can use with them, such as a private chat etc.....

the forum is unaffected, and for me, thats my stomping ground....

I personally think that you managed to walk a very fine line and did a near perfect balancing act...... something that is bloody impressive indeed.......

now about the toilets......

[jem_is_bi]

So, how are we to sign-up for this?

[RockGardener]

So Drew, even though Marie has been on the site since Dec 2006, and I have been on the site since Nov 2007, you would suggest that we start a third profile so we can be a couple on here?? I hope that the new improved couples' profiles are really improved because as they are now, sucks. Especially since most of the couples are really just one of the pair anyway.

I don't really care about the 200 messages going down to 100. Notice I didn't mention it.

The thing that really affects me and irks me is the 10 profile/pic/album limit. When I am in chat, I would like to be able to see who I'm talking to. I am one who reads profiles, unlike many others. I think it's very irritating to post a profile and then people don't bother to read it. At least now, some will have the excuse that they couldn't see it because they had reached their limit. There's no reason to even bother posting a profile if only the premium members can be sure of seeing it. You've got some people that have been here for quite some time, have brought members to the site, have kept members on the site, that are very upset. And I'm not just talking about my household.

[bicurcple]

I don't believe it will help the site grow at all. It's just become a premium site. You've throttled all the people who have been here for 4, 5, even 6 years, but can't afford to pay the membership. Especially those who have individual profiles for each member of a couple. We had a better site in the old incarnation. You're now charging for member titles, individual chat rooms, and viewing pictures and profiles, among other things. These are things we already had in the old days. The minimum it will cost the two of us to be full members is $100 a year, if we want to spread it out, it will be $160 a year.

You've just thrown a lot of long time members away, Drew. Sorry to hear that!!

I agree....I am sorry, we have been here since 2005 and we are sad to see the site change. Nothing good is free in life I guess.....be seeing ya all!!

[mariersa]

I just looked at the premium benefits, none of which I use, so hopefully I'll be OK until the next income statement analysis. I think some folks are being premature in leaving, why? not much would change but!? Remember, Drew built and managed the site since inception(that means he paid the overhead) and he's tested these waters inquisitively and quietly through the last few years. The result was as it is, "we don't want to pay". Apparently, economics have changed the scenario, so Drew has identified certain services which by charging, may offset the overhead, why not. If it doesn't affect you, don't panic!

[void()]

It was never FREE for him and it wasn't fair he paid out of his own pocket for us to enjoy so many privileges on this site for years.

Fedora Mandirva Slackware OpenBSD NetBsd Debian / Apache MySql Php Perl

The first six are complete computer operating systems. They include a range of software, everything from a simple graphical reminder to fetch tea to the next four. Apache is web server software and has been free quite some time. The other three software applications have been as well.

I can feasibly build a good computer to act as a web server for around $400 - $600 depending largely on desire and demand. That server could run uninterrupted for years using Unix / Linux. Support for Linux, Open Source software can normally be found online freely. At most you may wait a day for a reasonable reply to a question, ticket, posting of trouble.

And at most you may need a day to fix a problem on the software side. Normally, as an average user most of my troubles, aside from botching due to forgetting to read manuals, take on average of ten minutes to fix.

The manuals are included too. You type man and the command name, you get back documentation on the command. If honest, could set up a Rasberry based server and only need about $100 - $150, that includes a new keyboard, mouse, monitor.

As far as DNS registration that can run from $0 - ~ $50 depending on who you get. Here's a rough analysis of hard drive costs too. I can usually find deals for around 50% less what C Net lists.

My point is that while it may not have all been free, there is much given freely. Costs if you're smart like I know Drew to be, ought to be minimal.

; <<>> DiG 9.7.3 <<>> bisexual.com
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 5502
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;bisexual.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
bisexual.com. 83172 IN A 11.123.34.567

;; Query time: 6 msec
;; SERVER: 123.123.0.0#53(123.123.0.0)
;; WHEN: Sat Mar 31 22:11:01 2012
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 46

ftp bisexual.com
Connected to bisexual.com.
220 ProFTPD 1.3.1 Server (CW) [::ffff:33.123.45.678] The D after proftp means it is running as a deamon process, in the background. Not sure Windows uses a similar process management. The numbers in the IPs are fictional, altered by me to post in public.

Whois -

Registrant:
Individual
100-1039 17th Ave SW, Ste 461
Calgary, AB T2T0B2
CA

Domain name: BISEXUAL.COM


Administrative Contact:
K., Andrew whoisonly2@threepillows.com
CA
4032091003
Technical Contact:
K., Andrew whoisonly2@threepillows.com
CA
4032091003


Registration Service Provider:
CWnic - $10 domain registrations and hosting, domainmanager@cwnic.com
888-874-4592
http://www.cyberwurx.com
This company may be contacted for domain login/passwords,
DNS/Nameserver changes, and general domain support questions.
http://cwnic.com/contact.php


Registrar of Record: TUCOWS, INC.
Record last updated on 10-Jan-2011.
Record expires on 08-Jan-2014.
Record created on 09-Jan-1996.

Registrar Domain Name Help Center:
http://tucowsdomains.com

Once initial outlay for a adequate computer to act as a server is met, the software does not need to cost an arm and a leg. Suppose you spent $1,500 on server hardware, still not a great cost when probability exists to have it pay for itself in a year or two. Don't know about Drew's data retention policies, but if he uses offline and offsite back ups, that may cost a negligible amount. Drop Box offers 100 Gigabytes for $200 a year, dropping it to $125 year per person per year up to 1000 Gigabytes for storage. I'm sure rates would be comparable elsewhere, if not cheaper.

I understand anyone feeling pinched. Times are rough for many. Please do not try blowing smoke, though. Clear enough the major cost would be hardware. That investment could have been paid off after a year or two, maybe even three to six months. Software wise, you might pay $7 - $15 to get cds with a distribution on them, or just grab it all from a net based install freely. So, yes, I can empathize a bit with being pinched. No, I don't exactly see how it costs a fortune to host and maintain the site.

Of course, I am not taking into web design, which can be costly. However, using a lot of templates as this site does would reduce that cost quite a bit. Linking is free, too. That's how we get chat, Youtube videos, pictures.

Sorry for rambling. Thinking about it, been here since probably 2006 as well. Had another handle for a bit, needed to change it. Agree with Rock about reading profiles in chat. I too like reading about folks, only seems polite and proper. Know who you're talking to, least what they put on the profile. ...

[DuckiesDarling]

You just proved my point, Void, it was never FREE for Drew

[curious married m]

Actually MarS,
Some of us were chatting at this site since 2003 and before, much earlier than Drew took it in March of 2005. And to make it premium, I do see where some features that were free before, like forming a password protected room to get away from the jerks in the main room on some nights or I do like to check a profile when someone has rudely PM'd me before I decide to answer them. LOL and MarS I have been known to view your pics more than once or twice or 5 times. Maybe Drew can go back and tweek a few of those features. I was teased by the cam /voice chat since the latest switch, but noticed most of the new kids don't wanna cam with this old fart. HMMMMM MarS have I ever asked for your e-mail addy?

[Long Duck Dong]

I would be very surprised if the site uses under 10 terabye a year, in bandwidth ( excluding storage ) then add in the cost of choices ( comic ) and the articles .... the software and hardware may be reasonable cheap... but the other costs would be considerable....

either way, its drew that has been footing the bill for it all....

[void()]

You just proved my point, Void, it was never FREE for Drew

Then my opinion of his intellect may be dampened a bit. Open Source has been around twenty to thirty years now, and making plenty of noise during that. Running a business, I would seek out lowest cost solutions to problems. Open Source can, has, continues providing that.

[MarieDelta]

Have removed all of my blog post and will be removing my pictures. I wont have them where I don't have control of them. Can't afford to pay for premium services (I don't elsewhere either.) No malice. I get where drew has been footing the bill , it was nice, but it has changed. Will go elsewhere with them, maybe. For now the chat/forum may be the only thing I choose to use. I can and do get free services equivalent to (or better than) these elsewhere. I can't delete the groups I started , but I have removed the messages and pictures. Again I choose to go where I can get these services for free. Simply put - there is no way I can afford to pay for these services.

The only constant is change...

[void()]

Not privy to access logs and stat logs. But I have difficulty believing over 2-4 terabytes a year. Not privy to what the writers of articles were paid. Back in 2006 - 2008 or so I asked about submissions, pay. Then, was told as now writers were not paid. I recall only one being paid, or so was the discussion, and he quit because he grew tired of criticism. Not sure what was paid on the comic strip. What other content would incur fees?

And yes, please do check it out. http://www.bisexual.com/forum/showth...-Wanted!/page3

Notice that link uses PHP for the forum posting.

[BiDaveDtown]

I don't believe it will help the site grow at all. It's just become a premium site. You've throttled all the people who have been here for 4, 5, even 6 years, but can't afford to pay the membership. Especially those who have individual profiles for each member of a couple. We had a better site in the old incarnation. You're now charging for member titles, individual chat rooms, and viewing pictures and profiles, among other things. These are things we already had in the old days. The minimum it will cost the two of us to be full members is $100 a year, if we want to spread it out, it will be $160 a year. You've just thrown a lot of long time members away, Drew. Sorry to hear that!!

Have removed all of my blog post and will be removing my pictures. I wont have them where I don't have control of them. Can't afford to pay for premium services (I don't elsewhere either.) No malice. I get where drew has been footing the bill , it was nice, but it has changed. Will go elsewhere with them, maybe. For now the chat/forum may be the only thing I choose to use. I can and do get free services equivalent to (or better than) these elsewhere. I can't delete the groups I started , but I have removed the messages and pictures. Again I choose to go where I can get these services for free. Simply put - there is no way I can afford to pay for these services. The only constant is change...

Typical Marie and Rockgardner as usual creating strife and tons of drama where there's none at all. Last time everyone here on this site checked neither of you are running this website, you don't own this site, or help maintain it. Websites do take money to maintain, and as others have posted this site has been free all along. If you don't want to donate to the site that's your choice. $50 for a year is not all that expensive. A lot of people pay $50 a month for their internet connection, or even more than $50 a month for their cellphone. It's not as though the site owner has made it so you must pay for the site every month or for an entire year, or else you can't post, chat, or use the site at all like many other sites have done.

[MarieDelta]

Didn't claim to run this site. It's Drew's site & he can do whatever he wants.

Lots of people do lots of things, they aren't me. I do not have the cash for to pay for these services.

[binow123]

All of this "stuff" is free to us, but not to Drew! He is the one "footing the bill" to keep Bisexual.com up and running! If he wants to have a pay site, go for it Drew!!

[Brian]

Please don't be too curt with one another. I really don't mind people voicing their displeasure with the fact that part of the site is now paid-access, and I don't view them as ungrateful in any way - not even slightly. I understand where they are coming from. Change sucks, change that removes something from the internet that you liked to do sucks even more, and having to pay to get it back sucks yet even more.

But this is a path that is not uncommon on websites - it has to be this way for us, because ads don't cut it. If some of you choose to go elsewhere then we will miss you, but I understand. Hopefully you will come back in the future, and you will be welcomed with open arms if and when you do.

Whatever income we get from Fanclub memberships goes right back into the site, mainly in the form of programming, to make the site better. I am really excited about the future of the site now - we are on a program of continuous and never-ending improvement. This is the start of a new phase for the site. It is my goal, and I am certain that, if any of you were to stop visiting the site but come back 18 months from now to check the site out, you will be very pleasantly impressed to see how much better it is, for both free and Fanclub members.

I am very grateful for everyone's feedback and thoughts - the good and the "bad". It is all good.

Thanks for your ongoing support.

- Drew

[csrakate]

Please don't be too curt with one another. I really don't mind people voicing their displeasure with the fact that part of the site is now paid-access, and I don't view them as ungrateful in any way - not even slightly. I understand where they are coming from. Change sucks, change that removes something from the internet that you liked to do sucks even more, and having to pay to get it back sucks yet even more.

But this is a path that is not uncommon on websites - it has to be this way for us, because ads don't cut it. If some of you choose to go elsewhere then we will miss you, but I understand. Hopefully you will come back in the future, and you will be welcomed with open arms if and when you do.

Whatever income we get from Fanclub memberships goes right back into the site, mainly in the form of programming, to make the site better. I am really excited about the future of the site now - we are on a program of continuous and never-ending improvement. This is the start of a new phase for the site. It is my goal, and I am certain that, if any of you were to stop visiting the site but come back 18 months from now to check the site out, you will be very pleasantly impressed to see how much better it is, for both free and Fanclub members.

I am very grateful for everyone's feedback and thoughts - the good and the "bad". It is all good.

Thanks for your ongoing support.

- Drew

This is the reason why I will join....not for the features because I really don't need them..... but to thank this man for what he has done and has allowed us to participate in for the last several years for FREE! I support Drew's vision and I stand behind his vision for this site.

[tenni]

" I am really excited about the future of the site now - we are on a program of continuous and never-ending improvement. This is the start of a new phase for the site. It is my goal, and I am certain that, if any of you were to stop visiting the site but come back 18 months from now to check the site out, you will be very pleasantly impressed to see how much better it is, for both free and Fanclub members."

I think that it is really great that drew is excited about the changes that he is making. I am less convinced that some of the changes are good for the site. Time will tell. If certain sections are not used, I would assume that drew will drop them? There will be some upheaval at that time.

I agree with CSkate. Those of us who can afford to pay for the fanclub should if we wish to support the site. Even if it is just one month a year, you are showing your support for the site. It doesn't matter whether we will use the benefits. Those that can not afford to support or don't want the benefits can remain on the site. It is not that much different as far as what privileges that you had in the past for free are concerned.

However, with all the changes in play already maybe it is becoming too much change at once?