End of year email...

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy R The idea is simply to reach out and update our members in an effort to see if we can engage some of them to participate again.

Among the relentless quest for eyeballs & subsequent clicks, consider this: a number of rabble-rousing posters have elected to leave E-R.org before they were banned, or have at least agreed to be silent. What possible benefit, especially to the moderators, is served by reminding them that we're still here and that we'd like to engage them in some exchanges of holiday spirit?

I think the E-R.org membership has demonstrated time and again that we prefer to not be marketed to and that we would like to exert a modicum of control over the amount of attention we attract to ourselves. Discussing early-retirement goals and financial management is not the same as swapping recipes and outdoor recreation stories.

How about this compromise: use those admin/tech powers to uncheck all the "Receive Email from Administrators" boxes in all the E-R.org user accounts. Everyone here who's really interested in getting E-R.org mail (and I think that's a small minority of the total members) will have to opt in again to receive admin e-mail. Better yet, the people who we no longer wish to talk to will be allowed to remain blissfully ignorant.

[SteveR]

I would rather see a forum-wide stickie than receive yet another notification that my SPAM net caught yet another one. I also agree with NORDS on the concern about dredging up some former muck we all had to endure for months or years before they finally left the board. I would hate to see the board subjected to these types again and a APB email would do just that.

If a Holiday (aka Christmas and New Years) email is desired by management then I would request it be posted on the board and not emailed.

[Khan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveR I would rather see a forum-wide stickie than receive yet another notification that my SPAM net caught yet another one. I also agree with NORDS on the concern about dredging up some former muck we all had to endure for months or years before they finally left the board. I would hate to see the board subjected to these types again and a APB email would do just that. If a Holiday (aka Christmas and New Years) email is desired by management then I would request it be posted on the board and not emailed.

I'll vote with the post option.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan I'll vote with the post option.

Whatchu mean option? We ain't heard about no stinkin' option.
Ha

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha Whatchu mean option? We ain't heard about no stinkin' option. Ha

That's because neither of our IP addresses have been clicking on ads.

[HobbyDave]

I'm somewhat fascinated by the reluctance of some board members to receive a single email from the forum administrators. As others have mentioned, almost all online communities / products / etc will send update emails about their service. I think a yearly email is nothing close to SPAM, and it's somewhat funny to even compare the two.

A "Happy holidays, we've updated our privacy policy, added a new board, and here are a few of our best posts" is not even a drop in the bucket.

I think there may be a decent list of users who previously signed up for the forums and forgot to come back. I'd love to see those people return, if only for a short time. I don't think their value is negated just because they're a temporary visitor. How many "hello, my name is" posts were made, and the user never returned to see our replies? It would be great to see those threads revived.

So what if a trouble maker or two shows up? They went away before, and they'll go away again. I'd like to see this community become more active, and if trouble makers come with that, oh well.

[CybrMike]

I second this. You guys are REALLY overreacting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HobbyDave I'm somewhat fascinated by the reluctance of some board members to receive a single email from the forum administrators. As others have mentioned, almost all online communities / products / etc will send update emails about their service. I think a yearly email is nothing close to SPAM, and it's somewhat funny to even compare the two. A "Happy holidays, we've updated our privacy policy, added a new board, and here are a few of our best posts" is not even a drop in the bucket. I think there may be a decent list of users who previously signed up for the forums and forgot to come back. I'd love to see those people return, if only for a short time. I don't think their value is negated just because they're a temporary visitor. How many "hello, my name is" posts were made, and the user never returned to see our replies? It would be great to see those threads revived. So what if a trouble maker or two shows up? They went away before, and they'll go away again. I'd like to see this community become more active, and if trouble makers come with that, oh well.

[honobob]

I WANT my MTV, uh, End of year EMAIL. I want it homespun and heartfelt with something chuckle inducing. AND I want it before the end of the year! I want it personally emailed to me, not posted on the bulletin board and I want it sent to all my friends here and even those that aren't! Season of giving and all.

If you really can't see your way to do this then CASH is the only substitute that I will accept. It's your call Andy. Time to step up and show us why you're making the Big Bucks.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I like my forum troublemaker free, thanks.

But then I show up and post more than once a month. And had to do a lot of the heavy lifting involved with getting rid of the troublemakers in the first place.

[Goonie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HobbyDave I think a yearly email is nothing close to SPAM, and it's somewhat funny to even compare the two.

"Definitions of spam usually include the aspects that email is unsolicited and sent in bulk." - Wikipedia -

Quote:

Originally Posted by HobbyDave So what if a trouble maker or two shows up? They went away before, and they'll go away again. I'd like to see this community become more active, and if trouble makers come with that, oh well.

Sure they'll go away.....AFTER they've stirred the pot and caused trouble, p*ssed off a bunch of people, and then finally end up getting kicked off and/or get banned.....AGAIN! I don't see any reason to go through all that hassle. IMHO, it would be better to leave sleeping dogs alone, and just post the greetings, info, and updates in this section of the E-R Forums.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CybrMike I second this. You guys are REALLY overreacting.

Maybe I'm over-reacting to having to delete another piece of $%&^ing spam from my IN box, but at least I'm not asking for it.

Of course in terms of website traffic and ad revenue this whole idea makes perfect sense... but I still don't see why I should have to share the e-mail burden with the one or two posters in the western hemisphere who might actually click on a mesothelioma ad.

[daystar]

Whoa, I didn't even notice that there were ads on this board until you mentioned them. I guess I've become adept at tuning out advertising.

If you want to do a newsletter, maybe you can start a separate newsletters category on here. But don't send me e-mail about it.