These Annoying Advertisements

[Stormtrooper1990]

Fellow members of the board.

Surely by now you've noticed these distracting advertisements on our beloved board that were placed by the admin without prior consultation.

I say these are an affront to the board and represent nothing more than a blatant act of capitalism on a forum that's a refuge from all forms of political leanings and the outside world. Not to mention they are annoying and practically screw up my web browser.

I would invite my fellow board members to add your voice to mine and call for these images to be removed so we can back to what truly matters: celebrating the glorious act of a woman stealing the clothes/uniform of another to disguise herself, whether threw fair means or foul.

And not as a potential money making platform. I for once do both wish to see this content flashed on my face whenever I write my stories.

Thank you.

[johnboy12]

I would appreciate feedback, but positive & constructive feedback regards banner content and sizing. We have an advertiser that is preparing banners to advertise here. It is not much, though it will help with hosting / bandwidth costs. I trust you understand

[Stormtrooper1990]

I would appreciate feedback, but positive & constructive feedback regards banner content and sizing. We have an advertiser that is preparing banners to advertise here. It is not much, though it will help with hosting / bandwidth costs. I trust you understand

Well isn't negative feedback also constructive as well?We live in a democracy John, not some dictatorship. We have a right to say that we don't advertisement banners flashed across our forum. Surely there are better ways for us to pay the hosting/ bandwidth costs without becoming a host to cheap and blatant advertisement? Discord works just fine without advertisements. Besides, where was the public consultation on this? You've made these changes without consulting us the general membership, first. And what we say matters.

I came on this forum to write and share stories, to converse with like minds like my dear friends meditions and hshws, who I'am working with to prepare a new and exciting series. To appreciate wonderful art drawn by cuccut, and the like not to be distracted by these 'in your face' advertisements. I'am passionate about USB and these advertisements do not reflect the spirit of our board.

Do I understand? Yes. Do I approve? No I don't.

And if you wish to have my opinion on banner sizing and content, here it is:- I don't want any. That's my official position and my opinion.

Thank you.

[johnboy12]

It's not going to happen that way. We have funded this forum, with all the associated hosting and bandwidth costs, over some years, and it troubles me that you take serious issue with our attempt to recoup or at least stabilize costs. The banners are here to stay, but I am happy to have feedback on sizing and content, and that is it.

[Stormtrooper1990]

It's not going to happen that way. We have funded this forum, with all the associated hosting and bandwidth costs, over some years, and it troubles me that you take serious issue with our attempt to recoup or at least stabilize costs. The banners are here to stay, but I am happy to have feedback on sizing and content, and that is it.

No you misunderstand me, that's not what I'am taking issue with. What I am taking issue with is the use of cheap advertising to recoup our costs. And how you did this without first consulting the membership and asking for their opinion on the matter.


It concerns me that you will simply disregard negative feedback that doesn't fall in line with your wishes. It doesn't present the board in a positive light to our members, who need the reassurance that their views are welcome even if those views are contrary to your own.

It sets a dangerous precident. Making it appear that the forum isn't a democracy but a dictatorship like I touched on before.

I've already made my feelings known on the matter, I will leave it to my fellow members to decide.

[micpop2]

its his forum, he can do whatever he wants, and we should enjoy the stability of 1 link for the last... couple of years? on the other hand, i see that the recent piepline doesn't have that much uniform stelaing on DiP, Johnny, any new content coming our way?

[Stormtrooper1990]

its his forum, he can do whatever he wants, and we should enjoy the stability of 1 link for the last... couple of years? on the other hand, i see that the recent piepline doesn't have that much uniform stelaing on DiP, Johnny, any new content coming our way?

So we are all beholden to him, advertising a product that doesn't even have any or much uniform stealing in it, on a forum dedicated to to uniform stealing. In what world does that make sense? This way I don't care much for DiP.


I was once told by Rufus that this board is a community that looks out for each other. What community allows itself to be used as an ad platform to raise money for someone else's venture, without at least questioning it first? It's essentially a benign autocracy, mixed in with a dollop of capitalism for good measure.

[rufusluciusivan]

Hello. I send this quick message on behalf of the moderators team to not leave you all high and dry. I'll let you know that we are currently discussing the matter with Johnboy, though given our various schedules (and the fact we live in different time zones), we're counting on your patience. It will take some time.

We understand people are feeling distressed or angry by the sudden appearance of commercials on the banner. We'll let you know it was circumstancial - Johnboy received a financial opportunity to gain some funds for the hosting of the website, but it required quick action.

However, we wish to also remind something important. As micpop rightfully mentioned, Johnboy is the owner of the website. He allows us to use this space for free, but at the end of the day he remains the owner of the website, and therefore it's his right to modify anything related to the architecture of the website. To extend the metaphor, consider us like something akin to tenants allowed to stay for free, and Johnboy as some landlord. A landlord has the right to have work done on their house.

It does NOT mean board members are not allowed to criticize Johnboy's decisions, but it means criticism must be done in a quiet and collected way. And most importantly it means we must NOT grab the pitchforks and torches and scream blue murder every time Johnboy changes something on the website. Johnboy isn't hosting a charity. It's his right to want to make money - especially since part of this money funds the hosting of the Board.

Personal feelings about Damsel In Peril nonwithstanding, everyone has to accept that it's as much part of this website as the USB itself. In fact, you could argue this website was first created for the DIP, and Johnboy was kind enough to allow the Uniform Stealing Board to also relocate here - FOR FREE - when the previous Board was lost. FOR FREE, I reiterate. A minima, we must never forget it is DIP that funds the forum's hosting and maintenance. We understand commercial adds are annoying, but they remain one of the cheapest ways to fund the Board and a way that won't completely turn upside down the working of the Board - the other alternative would be to one day have to ask financial contributions from the members themselves.

To conclude, this message was meant to be informative and to address the latest issue. We understand people can act on impulse and anger, but we do not expect nor require an answer to this message, unless it's to bring new pertinent elements to the debate - and we stress out the "pertinent" part. The complaints and the fears have been heard, and relayed, so there's no need to repeat them indefinitely. And, most importantly, we ask everyone to only write after their tempers died down.

[Stormtrooper1990]

Hi Rufus

It's funny you should use the analogy of Landlord and Tenant to describe the forums relationship with John as this in and of itself is a sore subject in the UK and to me personally. As myself and my family are currently living as subjects of a private landlord, who once again as seen fit to put up our rent...again despite the house we are living in falling apart and freezing inside, and not listening to us whenever there's a problem. But I digress.


The thing is if John is our Landlord then he can simply evict the rest of us if the forum is not living up to his projected outlay despite whether or not we are loyal tenants, similar to what happened to myself and my family. Ask yourself this: Why would John do this now, if there wasn't a greater more endemic problem that he's trying to cover with a plaster based solution? This is exactly what my last Landlord did, he wanted to sell the house in the name recouping his losses. Regardless of the hardships that would impact me and mine later down the road.


This is not me trying to raise an angry mob and inciting them to grab pitchforks and torches to storm Castle Johnboy. I'am trying to create a platform for my fellow members to engage in a lively debate just like the ancient Greeks to voice their concerns at what is in my opinion is a bad idea and to discuss whether or not this truly necessary. After all this is a forum, isn't it? As I'am certain in the 21st century there are better ways to raise money to keep the forum open, then capitalism and flooding the forum with tasteless, in your face ads that serve only as a meaningless distraction and annoyingly link you to a site you may or may not want to visit.


And now for the pertinent part of my reply. Going back to your analogy rufus, in the UK it's the right of all tenants to question their landlord if they are not fulfilling the terms of their contractual agreement or if they decide to make unsolicited changes to the home without prior consultation. The tenant can then decide to break the lease if it impacts on their standard of living. I ask if we are in this sort of relationship with John, as it seems to be in all but name, then where is the contract binding us to him? Are we not allowed as tenants a role in deciding the fate of our own house?


My second point is this: for the sake of board transparency could we not see the costs of the bandwidth and forum hosting costs and DiPs own books? So John can justify to us why he thinks it necessary to use advertisements to recoup some of his money. After all the relationship between tenant and landlord isn't a one way street. You cannot expect us to accept such sweeping changes based on faith alone.


In conclusion, I have remained civil and patient throughout. All I ask for is the same in return from the mod team or others if they wish to reply and for my fellow board members to consider the points I have raised.


Thank you.

[noochy]

I don’t like to chime in to the community drama unless it’s super important. But I’m a user experience and interface type of guy, and it’s got to be said that using this on mobile has officially become a bigger headache than necessary.