Should some topics be visible to club members only?

[elecplus]

There has been some discussion about the "Great / Interesting Finds" thread being changed so that it is visible to dues paying club members only. It seems prices are going up all over because DT members post finds here that they don't want, and the the number of bidders (and the prices) go up incrementally. This prevents DT members from getting good finds at great prices. Outside people are also browsing, looking for what the value of their item might be. Knowledge is a great thing, but do we want to educate everyone on our finds?

[Slom]

How do you want to avoid me starting this thread again?

What about my post in GIF ... would be funny If I couldn't read my own posts anymore

Make your own thread ... keep it hidden if it makes you feel better ... gosh

[elecplus]

Why not just pay the $13?

[Wingpad]

I'll admit I am a bit of a lurker so I might be speaking out of place. That being said, it is fun for me to scroll through this post every once in awhile. I haven't actually bought anything off of it (mostly because of the overseas shipping) but I think the community would be losing something awesome if a pay barrier was put around it. You could always just set a posts requirement instead, that way only relatively active members can access the Great Finds, just my 2¢. I have contributed to it in the past (albeit minorly) and I would like to do so again in the future, even though I am not a club member.

[seebart]

Interesting Cindy, I was just in PM with someone about exactly this topic.

[elecplus]

I find it interesting that there are 89 views in 47 minutes, but no votes!

In case you did not see it on the other thread, if you want to be a club member but don't have the $13, send me a PM and a donation will be arranged in your name.

If you don't know how to donate the $13, send a PM to webwit or muirium.

[seebart]

I find it interesting that there are 89 views in 47 minutes, but no votes!

Ha, good point. I for one voted.

[Slom]

I find it interesting that there are 89 views in 47 minutes, but no votes!

89 - 5 = 84 lurkers that might become contributing members some day ... if we don't scare them away that is

Not at all interesting, nor surprising.

[seebart]

Why should lurkers be scared away? Silly IMO.

[Nuum]

A third option would be to make the thread only visible to registered member. While this only provides a very small hurdle, it might be just big enough.

[seebart]

A third option would be to make the thread only visible to registered member. While this only provides a very small hurdle, it might be just big enough.

Agreed, it should be an option.

[Slom]

Why should lurkers be scared away? Silly IMO.

Scared might be the wrong word ... discouraged maybe. I can only speak for myself, but:

Most active forum:Other external
(30 Posts / 39.47% of your posts)

[shreebles]

Yes Nuum, that's what I thought also should people decide club members only is too harsh.

How about this.
Keep the current thread, but make it visible to members only. In fact, make the whole marketplace members-only.

Make a second thread in the club members section.

Post the bestest of stuff in the second thread.
After the things have been bought/acquired/expired, post the stuff in the regular Great Finds to show people what they are missing by not signing up

[seebart]

Why should lurkers be scared away? Silly IMO.

Scared might be the wrong word ... discouraged maybe. I can only speak for myself, but:

Then I encourage you to join DT:

club-member-talk-f39/how-to-become-a-de ... t6798.html

Most active forum:Other external
(30 Posts / 39.47% of your posts)

That's right, I spent a lot of time posting in that thread, I got 405950 likes sofar

[Findecanor]

In another collecting community I am in, it is highly forbidden to post to live auctions no matter which area of the forums it is in or who you are. That is to avoid auction prices rising too much. Of course, links to vendors are allowed.

The biggest forum in that community also also restricts the creation of threads in the "Marketplace" to paying members only but allows every member to see items for sale and to comment on them. It used to be only an activity requirement in older days (number of days member and a number of posts).

[webwit]

We're not that other collecting community, so who cares about them?
As counter arguments I'd like to first provide that deskthority never had any rules or restrictions, it defines deskthority and made it, and despite that possible recipe for anarchy, we're actually a decent bunch that manages pretty well, so we got it all going. Things like "highly forbidden", "restricts", "allows" leads to forum police and stupid drama and banned people. If you need policing at a simple hobby forum, it's not very adult.

Second, if a Van Gogh comes available in the market, its intrinsic value is determined by the highest bidder, not handicapped by restricted information to potential bidders or possible bidders otherwise not being informed of the auction. What I'm saying is, information will find a way, it's a futile exercise to try to limit it at a single source, if the exercise is to lower prices.

[ohaimark]

Edit:

The inherent question isn't about the free market or information distribution. It's about whether paid members should have exclusive benefits or not.

I think they should have exclusive benefits if they want them, primarily because they tend to provide useful services to the forum. They should be able to choose who they want to initially share information with. If people want access to that information, payment railroads them into supporting the club even if they're a lazy or annoyingly rabid collector. That makes some people feel better.
_____

I think that people who spend time and possess knowledge should see some return from it -- they're providing a service, so it's reasonable to ask for something like a finder's fee. Helping the club would be one return (as paid membership might rise). Two would be potential lower prices and a lesser pool of competition. I think that's a small price to pay, as the information will still be available if unpaid members search hard enough.

It isn't like I'd want to stop people if they copied posts from the paid "Finds" thread to the unpaid one. If sharing keyboard deals with inexperienced users is your addiction, so be it. The honor system would be all that held it together.

I only post to the current "Finds" thread because no semi-private alternatives besides PM exist -- I can't keep track of other members' (paid or unpaid) want lists, making PM somewhat useless. Yes, I do favor some members over others. I also favor unknown/new paid members over unknown/new unpaid members, which is the only reason I'm considering this at all.

Your Van Gogh point assumes that the seller knows he has a Van Gogh, documents it thoroughly, and publicizes it.

That isn't always true for paintings. The same point applies to keyboards. If someone can find a diamond in the rough, looking in a place where no one else has, why shouldn't they be able to choose who they share the information with initially? Private auctions/sales with entry criteria aren't unheard of.

Ultimately, I don't really care what happens all that much. It's probably because I'm a paid member who doesn't feel threatened. However, it's worth noting that I'm a paid member because the community is worth supporting. I don't think I would have felt any different if there were a paid only "Finds" thread because clubs have always implied some level of exclusivity to me.

[chuckdee]

I think that people who spend time and possess knowledge should see some return from it -- they're providing a service, so it's reasonable to ask for something like a finder's fee. Helping the club would be one return (as paid membership might rise). Two would be potential lower prices and a lesser pool of competition. I think that's a small price to pay, as the information will still be available if unpaid members search hard enough.

Is not the helping of the site return enough?

[ohaimark]

It's fine to opine that helping the site is enough.

It's fine to opine that helping the site isn't enough.

Both lines of thought can be backed by solid reasoning. Both have their pros and cons. It's a matter of finding out what the majority of paid club members want.

I simply happen to fall into the camp that sees nothing wrong with an exclusive "Finds" thread for those who give a bit more than the rest, if they want it.

[kbdfr]

Quote from the Great/Interesting Finds thread:

[…] I would not have a problem donating money ... but paying? YES!

You do not appear on the donations list:
deskthority-f17/deskthority-donations-t2552.html#p45351
Are you one of the "anonymous", or just talking bullshit?

[Slom]

"would"

[Slom]

"would"

Edit: So I just donated some money ... Or did I rather pay some money so that people finally start taking me not serious for the right reasons? Not sure right now, sadly.

[matt3o]

I find this the equivalent of "security by obscurity", anyway if club members want a section where they can talk between them, I'm not against it. It would be like having a private IRC channel.

Let me know what you think club-discussions-votes-f41/should-we-ha ... 14274.html

[shreebles]

Edit: So I just donated some money ... Or did I rather pay some money so that people finally start taking me not serious for the right reasons? Not sure right now, sadly.

Not everyone who has donated/paid membership is taken seriously.

Not everyone who hasn't donated/paid membership isn't taken seriously.

Being taken seriously is a result of your actions and your words.

kbdfr was taunting you... Don't feel forced to donate if you don't want to.
If it helps the club I'm all for it but you shouldn't feel forced into doing something you don't want. Unless it's what you want, in which case you shouldn't be complaining.

I simply happen to fall into the camp that sees nothing wrong with an exclusive "Finds" thread for those who give a bit more than the rest, if they want it.

For me it's a bit more clear-cut: There's nothing wrong with an exclusive thread for those who actually do give anything (or, a lot, as in many cases), keeping out those who do not give anything back but take take take.

[seebart]

I understand this is a sensitive subject for some, I do like your suggestions matt3o. I hope we can work something out where everyone is happy.

[ohaimark]

"would"

Edit: So I just donated some money ... Or did I rather pay some money so that people finally start taking me not serious for the right reasons? Not sure right now, sadly.

There are a few reasons why people might not take you seriously, to be frank. You aren't very active, 42% of your posts are in "Finds," and you haven't fleshed out your profile information. Becoming a paid member helps, as that shows some interest in helping the club, but you're still a relative unknown.

[seebart]

That's right. Donating is fine, taking part is better.

[Slom]

"would"

Edit: So I just donated some money ... Or did I rather pay some money so that people finally start taking me not serious for the right reasons? Not sure right now, sadly.

There are a few reasons why people might not take you seriously, to be frank. You aren't very active, 42% of your posts are in "Finds," and you haven't fleshed out your profile information. Becoming a paid member helps, as that shows some interest in helping the club, but you're still a relative unknown.

Yeah, I know that I'm not the most active member. But isn't the fact that you only start this discussion after we finished the stupid donation/payment discussion exactly what I complained about? It's even exactly what I wrote in the snip you quoted.

For context you should remember that this whole thread is about paying member being entitled to some benefits, which was not started by me.

[ohaimark]

Your argument doesn't make much sense to me... What, exactly, are you trying to prove?

[lot_lizard]

Side note... I realize our treasurer is tied up with real life, but I know of at least one club membership that is pending . If we could clear that queue before implementing anything, I would appreciate