Member Organized Events

[marrone]

let me ask one where does all the money from the mr frag swaps go?

I'll should really leave this to Josh, but let me just touch a couple of things. First, none of the Mods get paid or do any of the people that help setup the swap, and by the way anyone that wants to help can, we always need help. As for running the swap, nothing is free, including the room, tables, chairs, decorations, badges, markers & supplies, having to have things shipped and trucked in, to the food, and we also have food the night before & morning of the swap for the people helping setup. The guest speakers that we bring in, and we try and get some of the best, need to be flown here and put up in rooms, all paid out of the swap. What profit that is made, hopefully there is a profit, goes into the board, especially since it's a free board and not everyone donates.


This does say it all:

welcome to the real world...there is no free ride!
we need to see more of these:

if everyone wants to keep enjoying this site!

 

[jerl77]

dude i know the back end is alot of work hands down i dont have time too do uit and yes you should get paid for your time i dont have a problem with it at all but why is the meet and greet a problem now ?

You just posted this on a very graphic intensive, feature rich, FREE website.

Just because you only see the front end does not mean there is not an incredible amount of work happening on the back end.

 

[InfernoST]

Id rather put my donated money to a cause that actually helps and is for this hobby.......

Even though I don't agree with the pulling of the M&G threads doesn't mean I feel this site is useless and strictly money driven, the truth of the matter is it does take money to keep the site running and to help keep it going we should all do our part if we can and if we can't they aren't asking us for anything in exchange except to keep it clean and follow the rules. This site does actually help advance the hobby by providing a place for us to exchange our experience and knowledge with one another and to help others that would otherwise walk away from it.
If you feel this site doesn't help and isn't for the hobby why are you here?

 

[Josh]

so we have to donate money to mr for what?
if some one give me alist where the money goes and what it get used for i have no problem with forking over some cash.
but every time i ask where the money goes no one steps up to the plate and say where it goes.

Honestly, do you think this place runs itself? If it was up to my wife this website would not exist, for many years it cost a ton of money to keep it online and moving forward.

Since you don't have a donor icon next to your name, the only "revenue" the site has made off of you is at the swap. You paid $25 to come in, get a free lunch, snacks, drinks, have access to world renowned guest speakers, have a nice clean room and space to sit and hobnob with the other reef geeks, etc. I assure you, no one profited from your attendance.

Yet you are complaining about a free online website.

 

[Josh]

dude i know the back end is alot of work hands down i dont have time too do uit and yes you should get paid for your time i dont have a problem with it at all but why is the meet and greet a problem now ?

I don't get paid for it, let's be clear. Someone came up to my wife at a swap and said something like "so this is what he does, what do you do?". Let's be very clear, I have an extremely rigorous day job. This site gets TLC in my off hours. Everything you see equals me and your moderators staying up pretty late and working long hours.

The problem with the M&G is being resolved. This is a large community, we received a LOT of comments and concerns about many different aspects of what was going on. We tried our best to put rules in place that would make everyone happy (just because you were not privy to the rules does not mean they did not exist). The rules were simply not well thought out enough and left too much room for other problems. We are revisiting the rules and when they are online and public people can go back to organizing their own events.

 

[jerl77]

i understand that it cools just seem to me latey it about the money and you guys should get paid for your time and if you dont thank you but you have 4 swaps a year thats alot of cash i know thing cost money but this is just my opinion:tub:

I'll should really leave this to Josh, but let me just touch a couple of things. First, none of the Mods get paid or do any of the people that help setup the swap, and by the way anyone that wants to help can, we always need help. As for running the swap, nothing is free, including the room, tables, chairs, decorations, badges, markers & supplies, having to have things shipped and trucked in, to the food, and we also have food the night before & morning of the swap for the people helping setup. The guest speakers that we bring in, and we try and get some of the best, need to be flown here and put up in rooms, all paid out of the swap. What profit that is made, hopefully there is a profit, goes into the board, especially since it's a free board and not everyone donates.


This does say it all:

 

[jay1335]

Even though I don't agree with the pulling of the M&G threads doesn't mean I feel this site is useless and strictly money driven, the truth of the matter is it does take money to keep the site running and to help keep it going we should all do our part if we can and if we can't they aren't asking us for anything in exchange except to keep it clean and follow the rules. This site does actually help advance the hobby by providing a place for us to exchange our experience and knowledge with one another and to help others that would otherwise walk away from it.
If you feel this site doesn't help and isn't for the hobby why are you here?

Im sure this site itself is self sustaining. But my comment had nothing to do with this places members giving back or advancing the hobby. All I mean is that there are better places I can donate my hard earned money that will do more for this hobby.

 

[Josh]

i understand that it cools just seem to me latey it about the money and you guys should get paid for your time and if you dont thank you but you have 4 swaps a year thats alot of cash i know thing cost money but this is just my opinion:tub:

We have 2 swaps a year. We also do a ton of other things that are net negatives.

 

[jerl77]

josh my hats go off to you for the web site hand down i am on all the time i think you did a great job with the site it just my opinion
i hope the mand g problem gets solve becuse it is a great thing where people get to meet and hang more then once or twice a year
didnt mean to hurt anybody feeeling i love all you guys :inlove:

I don't get paid for it, let's be clear. Someone came up to my wife at a swap and said something like "so this is what he does, what do you do?". Let's be very clear, I have an extremely rigorous day job. This site gets TLC in my off hours. Everything you see equals me and your moderators staying up pretty late and working long hours.

The problem with the M&G is being resolved. This is a large community, we received a LOT of comments and concerns about many different aspects of what was going on. We tried our best to put rules in place that would make everyone happy (just because you were not privy to the rules does not mean they did not exist). The rules were simply not well thought out enough and left too much room for other problems. We are revisiting the rules and when they are online and public people can go back to organizing their own events.

 

[marrone]

i understand that it cools just seem to me latey it about the money and you guys should get paid for your time and if you dont thank you but you have 4 swaps a year thats alot of cash i know thing cost money but this is just my opinion:tub:

We only have 2 swap, want to do more but that do take a lot of time and effect to setup and get going, and let face it, we all have jobs too, as do most people on the board. For some people it's about the money, though for a lot on the board it's about the hobby and the board itself. Like Josh already posted, the site does cost money to run, there are a lot of bells and whistle, not to mention the time involved, which I'm sure is high on the IT side.

 

[Josh]

All I mean is that there are better places I can donate my hard earned money that will do more for this hobby.

That is why donations are not required, nor are they actively solicited. No one told you to give anything. If you like this place and think it helps you as a hobbyist, donate a few bucks. If not, have fun on the site and don't break anything. :lol:

 

[Josh]

i hope the mand g problem gets solve becuse it is a great thing where people get to meet and hang more then once or twice a year
didnt mean to hurt anybody feeeling i love all you guys :inlove:

You won't hurt my feelings. :tongue1:

We used to do more events, lots of people have been busy lately. We understand people want to run their own things, we're not trying to stop anyone from socializing with each other, but there are some issues that have to be resolved when they get too big. That's it! :bablefish

 

[jay1335]

Hahaha wouldnt break anything even though I can be a klutz!!

 

[anthony27]

What about tank tours is that cool


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[jerl77]

and my hat goes off to you guys but what really is the big deal with the meet and greet then i am not getting it
if it not about the money what really is the problem? why dont you guys back the meet and greet? it free dont cost you anything?

We only have 2 swap, want to do more but that do take a lot of time and effect to setup and get going, and let face it, we all have jobs too, as do most people on the board. For some people it's about the money, though for a lot on the board it's about the hobby and the board itself. Like Josh already posted, the site does cost money to run, there are a lot of bells and whistle, not to mention the time involved, which I'm sure is high on the IT side.

 

[jerl77]

lol ok i hope it gets worked out thanks again josh for what you do for this hobby and your time too

You won't hurt my feelings. :tongue1:

We used to do more events, lots of people have been busy lately. We understand people want to run their own things, we're not trying to stop anyone from socializing with each other, but there are some issues that have to be resolved when they get too big. That's it! :bablefish

 

[prattreef]

Do people think producing a world class magazine is free? Or developing data bases or calculators, or site enhancements? Or any number of other educational, hobby advancing features of this place? I can absolutely guarantee you that beyond vendors who pay for the right to make money here, MANY and I mean MANY ordinary members who never contribute a dime to MR make Way and I mean way more money than anyone else off MR by selling stuff in the marketplace. I'm stunned, really stunned.

 

[Josh]

why dont you guys back the meet and greet? it free dont cost you anything?

Would you believe me if I told you we wanted/offered to provide food and drink for free?

 

[jerl77]

i believe you why would i not thats a good thing thank you
ha mabey you can make me a
? any chance?:inlove:

Would you believe me if I told you we wanted/offered to provide food and drink for free?

 

[pauliwalnuts]

Wow.
8 pages of this back and forth nonsense.
Please, lets get back to reefing and drop this thread already.