And that’s the problem really, isn’t it. It’s not a private forum at all. It’s a sub-forum for full members to discuss their membership details. All hail the publicity fail.

If the FOMO is that severe then you can always subscribe in order to take part in conversations about your subscription.

This forum is a good forum and has good advice discussion on bikes and good discussion about everything else (it helps that is generally fits my balanced to left view of the world so not full of right wing nutters)

Saying that, I wouldn’t pay for it though as not something that fits into my category of paying for and it is more of a time filler.
I also find it surprising that it costs much to run (especially with advertising) but then I have no experience in running a forum so wouldn’t make any assumptions. Be interested to see the P+L

Adverts are paid in high numbers…cost per click might be 0.001p, so you start to see why ads need to be clicked often and why there are so many. Also helps highlight why the 2 quid a month per digital subscriber is so good as it removes a huge number of clicks on ads.
Server costs will be high due to volume of traffic – this won’t be getting served from a spare room using a dial-up modem. If you want fast for the volume of people this site gets then you need a lot of server(s) and connection speed – which all costs a lot of money.
The site has developers so there are staff costs and those won’t be cheap – even minimum wage would be about 5 digital subs every hour…
So, yeah, this does cost a lot of money – if you have none, as flagged earlier in this thread then even 20 quid is a lot – so needing money to pay and support this, does mean it needs monitised to help cover costs of everything.
Flagging this in case people still think the web can be run off the back of a Freeserve dial-up account with webspace – it can (webpage with some holiday snaps), but not to do everything this place does.

Flagging this in case people still think the web can be run off the back of a Freeserve dial-up account with webspace – it can (webpage with some holiday snaps), but not to do everything this place does.

The needs can be quite high with video. Pinkbike used to handle a massive amount of traffic thanks to all their videos. Their IT side would seem out of proportion to their content provider staff but it is needed.

Saying that, I wouldn’t pay for it though as not something that fits into my category of paying for and it is more of a time filler.

You appear to have a lot of time to fill. 😉

I just can’t understand why some people post here, whilst harbouring a clear disdain for the forum, and it’s posters.

It is because brads is a man’s man. He is fed up with being silenced by the liberal PC brigade.

Silenced so much he can never miss an opportunity to talk about it.

You appear to have a lot of time to fill

Yep, I am very lucky that I can fill time while working and use it as a distraction from the stress! Don’t typically post as much on weekends in my own time (currently just having a rest after this mornings ride)
You will also notice my posts tend to be very short, none of that war and peace nonsense that nobody has time to read through.
But anyway, thanks for noticing.

Flagging this in case people still think the web can be run off the back of a Freeserve dial-up account with webspace – it can (webpage with some holiday snaps), but not to do everything this place does.

Thanks, good explanation. Although those developers should not be getting paid much as they don’t seem to be very good (joke!)

Did anyone actually cry over this?

I’m FUMIN!!1 since despite my being a card holding subscriber, I can’t post in the (no longer) secret Members Only Forum.

It’s an outrage, and OP is entirely correct that it’s a sad state of affairs.

I can’t post in the (no longer) secret Members Only Forum.

Results of a secret ballot 😕

A (no longer) secret ballot, I think you mean.

😉

Ah! The greater good. You should have said. That’s all ok then.

Did anyone actually cry over this?

Not at the time, but now I’ve noticed there were some “sexy secrets” to be had I’m absolutely fuming!

Flagging this in case people still think the web can be run off the back of a Freeserve dial-up account with webspace – it can (webpage with some holiday snaps), but not to do everything this place does.

That’s one of the (few) things I hate about working in IT: people seem to think that just because nothing physical exists computing is basically free and having to pay for it is unreasonable. I remember reading (back in the day) someone complaining that it was unfair Microsoft charged for Windows when CDs only cost 50c to produce… It hasn’t changed much, and people still conveniently forget that programmers (and the rest) need to eat, too 🙂

They’re also used to getting stuff for free, and haven’t ever really considered how a billion-dollar company like Google might be different to a small company like STW… after all, if Facebook doesn’t charge me, so why should STW?

They’re also used to getting stuff for free,

I blame millennials, they all think they’re special and everything should be free 😉

OK Boomer.