Everglades Exploration Network

The broadcast e-mail that I sent out last week about the membership limitations of our Ning service provoked a number of reactions that I'd like to open up to discussion by the group. I had a couple of new people who were concerned that they would be cut from the membership roster because they hadn't posted anything yet, so it seems I could have worded my announcement a little more clearly. If anybody needs to be cut, I will start with the oldest accounts first, and only those who had never posted anything. A message will be sent notifying them before they are removed, so they will have a chance to respond with a reason why they shouldn't be cut. Nobody will be summarily cut from the group without warning.

 

For anybody who has taken the time to read my posting on how this group got started, you know that it came down to a matter of convenience that would provide a much-needed forum without all the extra work it would take to code a forum on my Everglades Diary website. If I had the time, I would much rather have done that, but as anybody who has visited the Diary lately can see, it's in a pretty sad state because I am unable to devote the time necessary to keep it up to date, let alone expand it to include a forum that would require a fair amount of admin time, which Ning takes care of for me.

 

The Mini subscription that we now have costs $19.95/year, and limits us to 150 members. The Plus subscription, which would give us unlimited memership, costs $19.95/month, or $199.95/year, quite a jump in price. I have no problem covering the $19.95, but $199.95 is a bit much. I've had some generous offers to help pay for the premium service, but after some thought in regard to accepting donations or charging a membership fee, I'm not sure that I want to open up that particular can of worms at this point, for the same reasons that the group exists in the first place.

 

Therefore, I believe it's time that we as a group begin thinking about how we want to move forward, and there are many questions that will need to be addressed and answered. What do you think we should do? Should we solicit donations to upgrade, or charge a membership fee? What issues would that possibly raise in terms of access and editorial control? Would you consider volunteering to help out with site admin duties if that became necessary? Should we be looking at alternatives to Ning, and if so, what are they? What about soliciting ads from local outfitters and guide services to help pay for the service? 

Let me know what you think...

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Well, it seems that an unexpected source of funding has been made available to me, and as of Jan. 1 2011, the site will be upgraded to the Plus plan. Having said that, I don't intend to let the unlimited membership benefit result in a huge pile of member 'deadwood', so to speak. If you join, then you will be expected to participate at some level. The new member form now asks for your reason for wanting to join the group and your intention to actively participate in group discussions. Starting today, new members must also make an initial post in the new Introductions forum. Nothing fancy is required, just a simple 'hi' and a little information about yourself is fine. This isn't limited to new members. Anybody who wants to introduce yourself to the group, regardless of how long you've been a member, is welcome to do so. In fact, if you nave never posted anything up until now, I actively encourge you to do so and let the other members know a little more about you. I've started the ball rolling with my own introductory post. Hope to see yours there soon!

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