Originally posted by moonbus
I do not know what percent of the revenue the site generates comes from advertising and what percent comes from paid subscribers. However the divide falls, the two groups have markedly different behavior patterns viz a viz a Wiki article.
The revenue which comes from advertisers is independent of whether visitors to the site actually play chess or use any of ...[text shortened]... ove?
"Free beer for new subscribers! Limited time only!" would fall afoul of Wiki policy.
Originally posted by moonbus
"I do not know what percent of the revenue the site generates comes from advertising and what percent comes from paid subscribers..."
I'd suggest that you privately ask Russ if this revenue represents a significant part of the total?
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"Regarding paid subscribers,
their interest
is content-specific; in this case, text does matter, as you say. But what matters to
them is chess-specific, not
marketing specific. So what are you suggesting?"
"But what matters to them is chess-specific..." certainly sounds plausible; however, the paragraph which appears prominently as the header of this site's public forum menu appears to reflect a contrarian point of view:
"The forums are the core [1] of the 'Red Hot Pawn' community. Feel free to just read, but please consider posting a comment. Most posts will develop into a conversation (called a 'thread' ), so be sure to check back and follow up on any of your earlier posts." -Russ moonbus, what I'm suggesting is that our Wikipedia text embrace the interests of all prospective members.
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"Free beer for new subscribers! Limited time only!" would fall afoul of Wiki policy." / Would reconsider the wisdom of this policy which may be viewed as discriminatory by those "new subscribers" who prefer wine or Kool Aid. lol
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[1]Relevant Anecdote: Late one Friday evening decades ago, our informal chess club met at the home of Emil M. Reubens[2] in Sharon, Massachusetts, about a forty five minute drive west of Boston and a half hour east of mine. There were seven accomplished chess players there along with yours truly. Following our conversational round robin games (during which refreshments were served) six of these older men had already left to return to their own homes. Emil and I were still at his front door saying our good byes. "You know, EM, chess is the best game in the world." "Not quite, Bobby, it's the second best." "Really?! Then what's the best game?" This kind sage looked at me [in my mid twenties] with his wry smile as he spoke these sententious words:
"The talking game is the best game in town." Think about it. Talking [communicating] is second only to breathing as the most dominant waking hours human activity, whether in our homes or visiting friends or in an online public forum and has always been. Little wonder that Russ has wisely stated:
"The forums are the core* of the 'Red Hot Pawn' community." Gives one pause, don't you think? [2]"Emil M. Reubens: U.S.C.F. life director".
http://boylston-chess-club.blogspot.com/2008/06/reubens-landey-u2200-bcc-championship.html