BladeForums.Com is shutting down! PLEASE READ!

Well, it's more than 45 people now, since I finally got around to subscribing, but it will take a bunch more than 46 or 50 of us to make it worth Mike's or anybody else's time to do the work to create twelve full issues of the magazine.

It's par for the course to expect that 10% of the people involved in any voluntary activity will be doing 90% of the work. Consider how much of a knife's work is done by the thin strip of steel at the cutting edge. But without the rest of the blade behind it the edge steel would be useless. In voluntary activities, the equivalent of the spine of the blade is all those people who pay basic dues.

1% of the participants doing all of the work and all of the support it a situation that won't last indefinitely.

So that's why we're sounding like public radio in Pledge Week.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
You might get more people if you offered say a three month trial, six month subscription, or such. For us working stiffs with kids and all it's hard to justify $30 at this time of year for an online magazine.
 
Please do not start clicking on the banners thinking that will help us. We charge a flat rate for the banner and no click through charges.

Thanks for all the support guys. I will start posting the number of subscriptions later today.

Insted of making a FREE 3 month Trial I may make the Trial issue itself bigger. The problem with a 3 month FREE trial is we would then have to wait three months to make any money to help pay for the site and then there would be no guarantee we would get enough subscribers.

Another reason for the magazine is that even though we fixed a problem a few weeks back, we still have a serious resource hog looming over us with both www.thefiringline.com and www.bladeforums.com on the same server. We will soon be looking at getting another new server.



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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!

Support BladeForums! Check out the BFC Store!
www.bladeforums.com/store
Subscribe our NEW online magazine!
www.bladeforums.com/magazine
 
May we have an Update, please? What's in?
What do we need? What's the plan?

This is like watching "Titanic." The ship is sinking, and the Band is still playing, and some pasengers are just annoyed by the inconvenience.

I don't know Mike, my guess is, he's not the kind of guy to go around yelling, "The sky is falling." I'm sure he's not looking for anyone to take food off the table to support the Forums. For those that can help, and know they should. Do it now, don't make these good people squirm. Let's get it done, over the top, and then back to business as usual.
 
But if I subscribe, it will just encourage you to publish the magazine. I'd rather just send you money.

I've done "modest" publications and they are incredible sinks for your time and energies. I really like your work supporting the forum and don't think you need more work to do. I'm afraid that the publication is just a very difficult detour on the road to solvency. I think you need a mechanism for "subscribing" to the forum itself. This subscription would not be mandatory for participation, but would entitle us to some special discounts and stars by our names when we post. You already offer more service than I would ever expect.

If you offer me no other choice I will subscribe to the magazine. I just remember that subscriptions are actually debts (of magazines) that you owe to the subscribers. It sure was a hastle to shut down an old family publication and give pro-rated refunds to all the customers. I sure hated the publication deadlines. My brother works for the Wall Street Journal and I haven't seen him in years. I can't even talk to him on the phone in the afternoons because he's "on deadline".
 
Good thoughts Jeff.

I think the difference here is that I like knives and writing about them. I especially like testing them and that will be my personal main focus plus letting you all know about NEW stuff and inside scoops. I will rely on many contributors to help out and that is where I could use some real help.

Anyone wishing to submit articles should do so. You could win something!

I would also like more pictures of members with there knives. Don't just send a pic and say "thats me with my AFCK" send a little story with it.

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!

Support BladeForums! Check out the BFC Store!
www.bladeforums.com/store
Subscribe our NEW online magazine!
www.bladeforums.com/magazine
 
Hi Mike-

Now I feel guilty for being a non-paying lurker. I thought your piece of the store action was higher, thus my multiple Busse purchases, photons, batons, etc... I would have rather saved some of those pennies so I'd have some left over for this project, which is all cash to you...
 
On the months we do knife projects it comes out OK. The average over time is what I showed above. We would need to sell $10,000 a month to break even. I may put more items in the store that dealers don't carry. I did that with the security products. The results are less than spectacular.

I don't want to make it sound like the ship is sinking. I am just saying that based on our growth curve, we must act now to protect our future.



------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!

Support BladeForums! Check out the BFC Store!
www.bladeforums.com/store
Subscribe our NEW online magazine!
www.bladeforums.com/magazine
 
When I suggested a 3 month trial I didn't mean a free one; just offer the subscriptions in lower amounts and time periods than a year.
 
I am able to subscribe today, finally. You wouldn't believe two days ago I had $11 left in my account. It's crazy time during this holiday season.

Indeed I think the 6-month option someone suggested is not a bad idea. When I first subscribed to a magazine I usually start with half-year to see whether it suits my interests. On-line magazine is quite new. There may be a few of us who are too wary to give a full-year commitment. Of course, the rate should be somewhat higher than 12-month sub (and perhaps no gift).

Above all, there's nothing to lose.

Dew.


[This message has been edited by Dew (edited 11 December 1999).]
 
Mike,

I've been around this forum pretty much since day one and I've tried to support it through the BF store. I've just sent my subscription to the magazine but I'm less than impressed by your decision not to ship to foreign countries. Makes me feel like some sort of second class member. Not only that, but I'm at a loss to understand your reasoning. In the last couple of years I've received quite a number of parcels from the US, all without any problems.

I hope you'll reconsider.



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Clay
Sydney, Australia

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....here it's tomorrow already.


 
Mike, It is my suggestion that you put the Knife Exchange portion of the forums in the Magazine. That way those who regularly buy/trade and sell on the forums would have to help support it.

Yes I signed up as soon as it became available.

Thanks to Mike and everyone who has made this possible.
 
Boy, is my face Red! Sorry for over reacting, and being an alarmist. I don't know where I got it from? Oh, I remember, it's 2 AM, and I read, "BladeForums.Com is shutting down!" when I first noticed it I thought you were talkng about, KnifeForum. Then when I understood, you meant us, I read it. What do I see in bold type?

"Folks this is serious!"

I think, Mike says this is serious, now I'm not serious about anything, but Mike is. What can I do to help? Maybe opening my mouth and inserting my foot, wasn't called for. Well, it's not the first or the last time I've come off not knowing what I'm talking about. In fact I've said before, "I admit it, I don't know much, but I know what I like." I really like coming to the Forums, and the folks here. We may have a Transit Strike, here in NYC, that's a pain. No more BF, that's a problem. All I can say is my heart was in the right place, but does anyone know where I can get a clear Lexan bellybutton?
 
Mike- I had been putting it off, have now subscribed. With my new DSL, I cannot wait for the(our) online magazine.


James- Good tip about the Photon lights, another sister in-law needed one.
I have bought about 7 to 10 now, they are that good I believe.
And where better to buy them, then from here.

MC
 
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