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View Full Version : *Heads up on upcoming changes*



OverkillZJ
01-31-2012, 12:59 PM
Everyone,

I'm making this a thread instead of an "announcement" so you can respond to it, I'm always open to input. As you know I've run this place and hosted it for free for about 6+ years, including paying for the software and donating my time. It will remain free, but I'm about to start making changes to monetize the site a bit. I know I've talked about it before, but changes in my life are making me realize that this now needs to become a reality.

My fiancee and I are selling both of our houses, and moving into her parents basement so that we can build my business (EchoSystems.US) in such a way that doesn't rely on me being available 24/7 - it is killing me being so busy. Eventually we’ll be building a bigger house with a bigger garage, but priority 1 is building the business in a way that it can stand on its own, without me taking care of everything. I say this because as I've been going through bills, I realize that I need to at least make changes to this site to make it break-even at a minimum. The possibility of living in a basement for years has been an eye-opener that I need to cut out any non-necessary spending, and this site has been an expense on my personal bottom line.

I am not looking for pity or donations, but announcing this because I don't want anything thinking I'm trying to steal money back from the Jeeping community - but there are changes starting today that will start bringing in money to compensate for running it, plain and simple.



So here's the down low:
This site will ALWAYS be free to post and read as a user and for personal jeep parts for sale - I will never change that.
I wil be adding options for both "supporting vendors" and "supporting users. These are optional, but will include the ability to change your own user title, have more PM space, upload pictures to the server, etc. I will also have a FREE premium account for any legally organized offroad club - in order to promote themselves on here, post about events and their group, etc. I want Pittsburgh Offroad to be an organizing venue for other clubs, free of charge, given that they are a real club and not a competing website (think Pit4x4 for those that were around for that fiasco.)
I will be adding both banner ads, and ad-based links within the posts. I am going to attempt to make these show up only for non-supporting members, and have them "disappear" for anyone who is helping out
There will be a server change: I'm currently hosting this on shared hosting from my business account, and vbulletin has grown to the point it is taxing the SQL database past what shared hosting is stable for. I will be upping this site to a dedicated server in order to make the premium features worthwhile. This will involve downtime to be announced at a later date.
There will be a "Pittsburgh Offroad" online store soon. I know everyone has been asking for it, but with me fixing up 2 houses to sell, building an apartment in my future in-laws basement, not to mention moving my business to new office space - I simply haven't had the time. But it will happen in February. I know that some folks have "stock" leftover from other pgh-or products in the past, if you want to unload it send me a PM, and depending how this works out I might buy it off of you to get this rolling and take it off your hands.


To sumarize: this is a good thing for the group, but I wanted to emphesize why these changes are coming about before anyone gets their panties in a bunch. Knowing this site will no longer be a drain on my wallet (and free time) will force me to get off my @$$ and make the changes I've been talking up for years.

-Matt

Mykal
01-31-2012, 01:15 PM
I can host it if youd like to save you a whole lot of work and adding ads, and needing money.
I can help admin as well.

Otherwise, let me know how I can help.

Deadman 94 xj
01-31-2012, 01:17 PM
Cool! Good luck!

OverkillZJ
01-31-2012, 01:18 PM
Thanks for the offer - but to do what I have planned for this place I'll really need to dedicate a lot of resources, and would prefer to maintain control of the database. We grew MallCrawlin to the point where we were kicked off of shared and even VPS hosting, when you have lots of supporting members with lots of photo's taxing the database, the server load is obnoxious, I want to move it to a box I have control of and be done with it essentially.

Mykal
01-31-2012, 01:24 PM
Getting kicked off the server wouldnt be an issue. Either way, I understand.

joshs1ofakindxj
01-31-2012, 02:03 PM
I've been free-loading here for a long time. I'll throw in 25 bucks or whatever to be a supporting member. Throw out a paypal address and watch it rain.

Super Scout
01-31-2012, 02:11 PM
I concur this is about the only site that puts up with my senseless ramblings...

Deadman 94 xj
01-31-2012, 02:18 PM
If you want to really make this place big, other than the advertisments,... classifieds! That's just my uneducated opinion but a good, solid, properly organized, east coast classifieds section would be tits!

muddeprived
01-31-2012, 03:00 PM
I've been free-loading here for a long time. I'll throw in 25 bucks or whatever to be a supporting member. Throw out a paypal address and watch it rain.

x2! I haven't spent much on my xj lately so i got lots of $$ to share with you if you need it!

ridgerunner97
01-31-2012, 04:17 PM
You know damn well i'll pay a supporting membership fee. I agree with Tom about the classifieds thing that would be a great addition.

joshs1ofakindxj
01-31-2012, 05:01 PM
What kind of classifieds are we talking here that is different from what we have now?

Just don't switch to "pay to use" classifieds like steel soldiers does. That is annoying.

Deadman 94 xj
01-31-2012, 06:20 PM
No, that's not what I meant Josh. I don't have anything worked out but I think the two biggest classifieds sections that I know of are PBB (West Coast) and GreatLakes4x4 (Great Lakes). I personally hate the way Greatlakes is setup but it gets a lot of traffic.

Properly categorized would be the key to making it work.

In my head I'm thinking of a sort of offroad craigslist. I've thought about pursuing something like that myself but I don't have the knowledge, time, or interest. Plus I'd rather buy shit...lol

JeepGeneral
01-31-2012, 07:05 PM
I'll become a supporting vendor

justin'sbig7
01-31-2012, 07:22 PM
Im interested in being a supporting vendor possibly... Member definitely. What kind of prices are you thinking?

88wd21
01-31-2012, 08:37 PM
I've been free-loading here for a long time. I'll throw in 25 bucks or whatever to be a supporting member. Throw out a paypal address and watch it rain.

Something along this line is about how I feel, I may be a broke ass import owner but would throw some coin in so I can keep reading about meet and greets and wheelin I never make it to :082:

RalphXJ
01-31-2012, 08:49 PM
I would be interested in being a vendor as well once I get the CNC Plasma side of the business to a point where I'm ready to start advertising!!

chux72vette
01-31-2012, 09:36 PM
Me and the bride are in as far as Supporting Members. Just let me know the same as far as the $$$$. Maybe a perk of a "Hoodie" for paid,,,LOL. I know, I sound like Fred...Post up the address for PayPal.

newyj's son
02-01-2012, 03:44 AM
ill pay for supporting member, no big deal, love this site and the people ive met so far on it!

OverkillZJ
02-01-2012, 07:14 AM
I'll become a supporting vendor

Sweet - please send.... one milllion dollars.

Ok maybe that joke got old. I only have a draft for a fee schedule for memberships so far, I'll have it up in a couple of weeks at this rate, have some testing to do!

SirFuego
02-01-2012, 09:48 AM
This site is going to go to shit and become ridden with popups and advertisements! It's going to become heavily censored and everyone's going to leave! This is just going to turn into another Vertical Scope-like debacle!

I'm organizing a new wheeling club -- OIAS (Overkill Is A Sellout). Please set me up with a free premium account to advertise the club. I'll forward you the incorporation information once it filters through the state.

Seriously, though. I know you have been talking about it for a while now and it definitely makes sense to at least try to make the site break even. I'll pony up for a supporting membership when the time comes since I've gotten a lot out of this site and made some good friends over the years. Plus we just had an offer accepted on a house, so I know how it is saving up -- and it looks like your ambitions are much larger than mine when it comes to houses :-)

JeepSteeler
02-01-2012, 10:10 AM
Massive life changing steps, holy crap! Best of luck on all that, sounds like you are going for it, good for you man.

Agree with all above - I'll pay for supporting membership for sure. Pic hosting and such would be great. Do it!

DixieJeeper
02-01-2012, 12:48 PM
I am down with "making it rain" just let us know when and where to send the money.

Oh by the way are you going to take Starfleet credits? Or pesos?

Ragnorox
02-01-2012, 02:51 PM
I was hoping for shekels!

88wd21
02-01-2012, 07:35 PM
It's all about the rubels!

Bird_Flu
02-02-2012, 02:06 PM
This site is going to go to shit and become ridden with popups and advertisements! It's going to become heavily censored and everyone's going to leave! This is just going to turn into another Vertical Scope-like debacle!

I'm organizing a new wheeling club -- OIAS (Overkill Is A Sellout). Please set me up with a free premium account to advertise the club. I'll forward you the incorporation information once it filters through the state.

Seriously, though. I know you have been talking about it for a while now and it definitely makes sense to at least try to make the site break even. I'll pony up for a supporting membership when the time comes since I've gotten a lot out of this site and made some good friends over the years. Plus we just had an offer accepted on a house, so I know how it is saving up -- and it looks like your ambitions are much larger than mine when it comes to houses :-)

Note his user name and you get an idea of the kind of house Matt wants!! And he got me hooked on one as well, hoping I can scrimp and save enough to get my family into a house half the size of the one Matt wants. Seriously though, Matt this is long overdue, make it happen buddy, you know I'm willing to help if need be.

commando72
02-02-2012, 05:26 PM
I've been free-loading here for a long time. I'll throw in 25 bucks or whatever to be a supporting member. Throw out a paypal address and watch it rain.

Post up, I'm for the membership fee or whatever you decide to call it.

tjblair
02-02-2012, 05:37 PM
post up, i'm for the membership fee or whatever you decide to call it.
x2

sethman15210
02-03-2012, 01:56 AM
X3
But I don't do PayPal. Cash is king

DMG
02-03-2012, 12:56 PM
I will be a supporting vendor.

jim91303
02-06-2012, 05:39 PM
i think its a great idea. no 1 man should spend all his time and money to opperate a site for free for all to enjoy. i think this is deffinatley the way to go!

XJ_Sean
02-06-2012, 07:17 PM
I agree! no problem sharing a little KA-Ching with the guy that lets me post endless pictures of my hoopty jeep

OverkillZJ
02-06-2012, 09:23 PM
Hoopty, haha, I laughed.

Thanks for the support everyone, it is much appreciated. While i'd love to post up my paypal and say "send money" I want you guys to feel like you get something out of it - so let me finish beta testing supporting memberships and plan the server migration before I accept any contributions. I just moved my business to new office space over the weekend (thanks to help from great friends) and will be moving all operations from this site there as well as the dust settles, but at the moment I'm 150% burned out and need to rest my brain, which some times has trouble finding the bathroom let alone revamping a website. Stay tuned, great things coming.

Mykal
02-06-2012, 09:54 PM
Dont we get one of these threads every year? :064:

:icon_hang:

OverkillZJ
02-06-2012, 10:09 PM
Haha, yes, it is my way of saying happy ****ing new year!

Mykal
02-06-2012, 10:12 PM
LOL I hear ya!

OverkillZJ
06-05-2012, 03:12 PM
I've been staying up into the wee hours of the night setting up supporting memberships... And they will be LIVE before the end of the week. Testing now!

OverkillZJ
06-05-2012, 04:21 PM
And... Supporting memberships are now LIVE! http://pgh-offroad.com/forum/payments.php

I (http://pgh-offroad.com/forum/payments.php) am still putting the final touches on things, but if you want to sign up, you will immediately receive the benefits of photo hosting, PM space, etc. If you get a premium account and wand a Pgh-OffRoad.com e-mail address, please send a request to sales@pgh-offroad.com and be patient for a couple of days, as this is a manual process to configure at this point.

There will be more changes coming, but if a few folks become supporting members, at least PGH-OR can pay my business back, for the large 6 year old unpaid invoice in the accounting system my accountant keeps complaining about :D

JeepGeneral
06-05-2012, 05:35 PM
There will be more changes coming, but if a few folks become supporting members, at least PGH-OR can pay my business back, for the large 6 year old unpaid invoice in the accounting system my accountant keeps complaining about :D

Just write that off.....I hear that everyday from my customers/employees.

Just sent over my payment as a supporting member

chux72vette
06-05-2012, 09:29 PM
Did the Premium Membership.

Dragonslayer
06-06-2012, 04:10 AM
Shweeeeeet!!!!!! WIll be onboard soon.

OverkillZJ
06-06-2012, 08:48 AM
Thanks guys - all of the stuff should be active in your accounts, I'll work on getting the membership status to show up under your profiles tonight or tomorrow

OverkillZJ
06-06-2012, 08:49 AM
Just write that off.....I hear that everyday from my customers/employees.

Just sent over my payment as a supporting member

I love that. "Just write it off." Folks always expect me to buy them drinks and dinner because I can "write it off" - no one seems to understand that's "Money you can't pay yourself or use in the business" - it's just money you're taxed less on...

Bird_Flu
06-06-2012, 12:41 PM
I love that. "Just write it off." Folks always expect me to buy them drinks and dinner because I can "write it off" - no one seems to understand that's "Money you can't pay yourself or use in the business" - it's just money you're taxed less on...

True story right there. Even if you do spend copious amounts of money on beer because you asked someone if they liked Microsoft Windows.