*Heads up on upcoming changes*

[OverkillZJ]

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.)
3. 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
4. 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.
5. 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]

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]

Cool! Good luck!

[OverkillZJ]

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]

Getting kicked off the server wouldnt be an issue. Either way, I understand.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

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]

I concur this is about the only site that puts up with my senseless ramblings...

[Deadman 94 xj]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I'll become a supporting vendor

[justin'sbig7]

Im interested in being a supporting vendor possibly... Member definitely. What kind of prices are you thinking?

[88wd21]

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

[RalphXJ]

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]

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]

ill pay for supporting member, no big deal, love this site and the people ive met so far on it!

[OverkillZJ]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I was hoping for shekels!

[88wd21]

It's all about the rubels!

[Bird_Flu]

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.