promotion of S_E specific services - time to charge a fee?

[GregR]

I take your point. It looks like people think it would be difficult to establish enough of a direct link between a member's involvement and a profit derived from it to justify a contribution. The intention had been to class it as specific Elise-related businesses and I guess that could arguably limit it to Dan/Ali. t'would be nice to see discounts offered for members from these businesses though

*runs off back to the day job*

[Sanjøy]

[DDtB]

How about a charity boxing match then... kill 2 birds with one stone..

[Stu160]

I dont post that much these days, but I have read (some) of this thread and would like to add my 2p.

SE is ( or was?) a group of like minded people from many different walks of life, all of whome bring something with them into SE. I have used MANY services from members of SE, and many have used my sevices.That is the way it has worked all the time I have been around.

I hear what you are saying about the charity side of it, but cant see how that could be set up and run in a group that has no real management structure.

As was said right at the start, when money gets involved is a group it always gets messy.

Stu

[tut]

"I suspect you can achieve 9/10ths of what you want by just asking for some cash

Cheers,
Robin"

I think that is the best suggestion that has been made, and one that i would like to start the ball rolling on.

We are rather hard up at the moment, and coincidently it is the Pearl + 1 year today, but without the great party that was thrown for us last year, so I would quite like to go and buy a couple of lobsters, a dozen oysters, a large crab and some scallops and wash it down with a couple of bottles of vintage champagne.

So if there are any spare cash donations going, I am sure most of you know the address of tuttowers to send them to.

Yours in anticipation.

tut & Verian.

[Sanjøy]

"I suspect you can achieve 9/10ths of what you want by just asking for some cash

Cheers,
Robin"

I think that is the best suggestion that has been made, and one that i would like to start the ball rolling on.

We are rather hard up at the moment, and coincidently it is the Pearl + 1 year today, but without the great party that was thrown for us last year, so I would quite like to go and buy a couple of lobsters, a dozen oysters, a large crab and some scallops and wash it down with a couple of bottles of vintage champagne and a few blue pills.

So if there are any spare cash donations going, I am sure most of you know the address of tuttowers to send them to.

Yours in anticipation.

tut & Verian.

[Peter]

As a personal opinion (and that of someone who has barely been here a year).. I like the way this is a fairly open forum, most people know each other or at least the people who have vested interests in certain areas.

It already works in a give and take way with a reasonable balance. On one hand people ask questions (and get free answers from technicaly knowledgeable people) and on the other, our resident experts get to show their credibility and attract business (can be pretty tough in an open forum).

It would seems a shame to break the current balance and also potentially increase the effort required of the moderators and hosts who support SE for free..

Tut, where do you want the irradiated shell fish (from my local beach) sent to? I reckon they may also do the job of the blue pills as well

[tut]

Not worried about a bit of mercury Peter, could hardly cause more damage.

tut

[tut]

I know where Greg is coming from with his suggestion, and that is all that it was, but we should keep money out of the equation, and any form of officialdom apart from the Mods, out of it.

Only exception is if free hosting and upkeep ceases, then we would obviously make that up between us to keep S_E going without membership fees etc.

tut

[Victor Meldrew]

I take your point. It looks like people think it would be difficult to establish enough of a direct link between a member's involvement and a profit derived from it to justify a contribution. The intention had been to class it as specific Elise-related businesses and I guess that could arguably limit it to Dan/Ali. t'would be nice to see discounts offered for members from these businesses though

*runs off back to the day job*

And you think they dont offer discounts for people they know through the forum...

How about,

I'll come and pick you up from the station f.o.c.
You can use my wifi, f.o.c.
I'll come up to Glenrothes to trailer the car down for you f.o.c. "because I'm just a nice guy and your a good customer.."

If the "company" involved wants to show that they are posting as a company, then let them stick the company name down on the signiture. But only if they want to. I dont think that you should automatically be entitled to a discount just because your a member of SE. Customer loyalty is a earned not given.

[tut]

"You can use my wifey, f.o.c"

Have not had that offer yet, but that would definitely swing me.

tut

[graeme]

I actually know a guy from Forfar who pronounces Wi-Fi as 'wifey' completely innocently. Cracks me up every time.

[Victor Meldrew]

"You can use my wifey, f.o.c"

Have not had that offer yet, but that would definitely swing me.

tut

Not had that one yet...

[campbell]

A long long time ago when the earth cooled there was a system called Barter.

I certainly like the way that Barter continues to this day within SE.

Whilst I would never want to do a charity out of some well-meaning donations, I think I would prefer to select the charity I wish to support on its own merits rather than be implicated into supporting it because I've utilised the services of whichever SE-affiliated businesses are signed up to whatever system is being proposed here.

Greg, I commend you for bringing the topic to the table but I fear the popular masses have given it a thumbs down and we are left with "only" the sterling efforts of AMP3, Ed Paine Inc, John Stewart and certain others whom I forget, to fly the flag for the odd charity from time to time. Feel free to bring your charity of choice along from time to time as well, if you have an event or activity that merits it.

We look for balance in the behaviours of those with any commercial leaning within SE and from what I recall over the years, they have all self-regulated fairly well. Also as far as I understand it, no-one has actively profiteered from this membership and many have had their share of difficult public press as well. So you could say that they do get "charged" in a self-adjusting kinda way anyway.

Just my two drogna* there.

Campbell

* fictional currency from a slightly obscure telly programme, one extra drogna to the saddo who can name it. And Alistair you are not allowed to enter your guess.

[bertieduff]

* fictional currency from a slightly obscure telly programme, one extra drogna to the saddo who can name it. And Alistair you are not allowed to enter your guess.

The Adventure Game! I'd forgotten about that! (Uh, someone old and sad said to me recently ) Give the prize to charity