The future of aussiefrogs > The Proposal For Keeping aussiefrogs (post#288) > Subscriptions/ Donations Active (post#392) - All threads Merged

I can’t add much to what’s been said, as someone else has previously said.

But I’d like to specifically say thank you to Gerry for the idea of aussiefrogs and the time, money, and other resources that he has put in the site. No doubt his family has paid a price, too, with his unavailability on occasions. Thanks to them as well.

And thanks also to my fellow members who, for the most part, have been willing to help me and put up with some of my dumb questions.

It isn’t just the knowledge that will be missed, I think. The exchange/sales of cars and parts will be a huge loss to the French car community in Australia. I don’t think that that side of things can be underestimated.

All the very best wishes to Gerry (and family) in whatever path they take post aussiefrogs.

Cheers,
Andrew
 
A few options:

There are other hosting services that offer various levels of free/easy forums, or paid ad-free hosting.

We don’t have any clear idea of the actual cost/time in maintenance. Cost is possible to manage through either subscriptions, or services like patreon. I know if the runner of aussiefrogs put up a patreon link I and many other even infrequent users would gladly throw money in a pot.

Moderation is time consuming and depends on the platform being used, but there are people to share it with, one only needs to ask. I don’t know how much moderation aussiefrogs needs: new member requests, maybe some spam posts etc, doesn’t seem like it would be a huge load.

There are other options: a new Facebook group or expanding an existing one: but many people don’t like Facebook and don’t want to sign up just for that.

A subreddit on reddit.com is possible, although is more public and widely accessible than would be ideal (people like to sell things and post relatively private info on aussiefrogs.)

Whirlpool.com is a hugely establish forum that has an automotive section, and one that unfortunately doesn’t have its own French subcategory - I think there’s Peugeot but no Citroen. But probably not suitable: better for aussiefrogs to be it’s own standalone group rather than part of something much bigger like whirlpool or reddit.

Anyway, it doesn’t feel like an unsolvable problem - and the owner has provided a door of saying “when we close we’ll point you in whatever direction happens.”

And although it feels like it might have been better to start the conversation with “hey guys, I don’t think I can keep this up, can anyone help/take over/come up with a new idea”, I also respect the owners decision simply to say “I’m finished with this, if people want something else, go ahead and sort it out”, rather than embroiling themselves in a long and complicated conversation about the forum’s future, which would be even more work than the current demands on his time.
 
tonyfelix said:
There are other options: a new Facebook group or expanding an existing one: but many people don’t like Facebook and don’t want to sign up just for that.

A subreddit on reddit.com is possible, although is more public and widely accessible than would be ideal (people like to sell things and post relatively private info on aussiefrogs.)

Whirlpool.com is a hugely establish forum that has an automotive section, and one that unfortunately doesn’t have its own French subcategory - I think there’s Peugeot but no Citroen. But probably not suitable: better for aussiefrogs to be it’s own standalone group rather than part of something much bigger like whirlpool or reddit.
Click to expand...
Having read through the thread very early this morning, I recall a few comments about not wanting aussiefrogs to end up on Facebook. Although I didn't say it in my post, I'd be another one who would not be happy going there simply for AF.

I hadn't thought of either reddit or Whirlpool, but, as you say, they are both quite public. There are enough invasions of privacy and we have to work hard at keeping ourselves (relatively) safe online. We probably don't need to make it any harder than it needs to be.
 
There’s already a Facebook group called Aussiefrogs. Is this the same?
 
Thankyou...

Although my pug owning days are behind me (for now) I am always coming back to the forum to keep up to date with the frog community!!
 
I wonder if a suitable mix of investor trustees could supply seed money to be invested, but without expectation of control like directors of trustee companies are legally required to exercise, but provide the means to finance and retire as and when they can no longer actively devote the time and structured as a non profit steering group. I am sure that we have legal experts and accountants that could advise on such a structure where monies or sponsorship are donated without expectation of return and the size and structure of the "board" of sponsors or donors determined and how to manage retirement and suggested level of donation.

Perhaps 10 to 15 on the initial board at say $1,000 donation each might be a good figure to commence and shape up the structure, then it is recruitment of suitable moderators among volunteers or paid a token stipend to keep the forum functioning within the recommended conditions set out for those that seek to participate on the Forum. Commercial advertising or sponsorship would be a separate matter as determined by rules of non-profit organisation, again such sponsorship would be to assist members and member businesses without pressure or control on the day to day running of the forum.

The main function of the board would be determining the future makeup of the board of directors and level of finance and investment that is needed - Moderators should be able to provide collegiate support to each other and deal with issues of good order at their level. The board would determine if there was a need for an administrative guiding hand or controller oversighting the application of rules and moderation.

I am sure that those that have dealt with both legal and dispute resolution in the past would be willing to advise on the most effective internal structure to deal with legalities and disputes and statutory rules that need to be complied with to protect those staff that are needed to run a French Car Forum.

Sure it is a sketchy outline, but can it be made to work to the satisfaction of the founding visionaries.?
 
luthier said:
No way it should cost anything like that.
It's free! But as I said it costs $10per month to keep the ads off it.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately there's no such thing as "free" - the two biggest problems with services like that are 1. It'll close down at some point and 2. If no/minimal money is changing hands, then you are the product for sale.

To run a forum properly, then you are looking at some real money - bowie's post https://www.aussiefrogs.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-future-of-aussiefrogs.143211/post-1709158 gives some idea !
 
At a less ambitious level... No new postings next year probably means no new PMs either. So someone Googling around reads one of the old articles and finds it interesting, but wants more information. It would be good if they could send an "enquiries" e-mail to someone in control of the complete AF user contact info. They could forward such messages without divulging private info. I think that might increase the value of the archived website quite a bit (even though we will all gradually drop off the perch -- very gradually, I hope).

Have fun,

Rob.
 
I don't think I can afford to run French cars without this website. The expertise here is far in excess of the available dealer network, and gives me knowledge to tackle much maintenance myself. The parts network here is invaluable.

Aside from that, the sense of community and the shared passion and enthusiasm is a core part of my identity.

A huge thanks for creating this place for so many years already.

Before this website goes into archive mode, I think many people here would like to know what is needed for a handover instead. There is potentially enough community sentiment to maintain this vibrant part of the world into the future.
 
I, too, would like to thank Gerry for all the years he's provided us with such a wonderful forum. It will be greatly missed.

This forum has been a very appreciated resource for me in the dark days, and there are many as I have GAD and PTSD. It has been great to be able to connect with others as well as read up and find out stuff about Peugeots. I've also greatly enjoyed the "once upon a time" thread which I've found very humorous at times.
 
PeterT said:
There’s already a Facebook group called Aussiefrogs. Is this the same?
Click to expand...
It is not connected with this Aussiefrogs forum, other than being about the same topic and having some common members
 
Some notes;
I think i recall Gerry had foreshadowed this coming some time ago so applaud the way he has done this, and his respect for us in what he proposes to do ... as it seems all good frogs are willing to come to the aid of our forum, now that it comes to this, we should discuss every option while we have time.
there is considerable Intellectual Property, both archived and potentially, here.
can it be made self-supporting by;
subscription to accèss - like PSA's Service Box, or the UK C4 owner's forum (http://c4owners.org) i.e. a paywall
sponsorship by the like of, i dunno - Stellantis or l’aventure peugeot and la regime? Longstone ? Alliance Francais? Supacheapautopro? Meguires? Shannon’s?
(hell, shannons could host it and not even notice, in their huge digital footprint ..)
- to be continued
 
Last edited:
I'm gutted and echo the outpouring of dismay. I have not been as active here as I would have liked to have been - but when I have had an issue or just needed cheering up AussieFrogs was where I came. I have absolutely no actual facts as to what the issue is or why it can't be carried on by someone else, but if the decision is final and cannot be revoked in any manner - then I offer my sincere thanks to Gerry and the team for keeping this resource going for as long as it has. There are few sites on the interwebnets that is one of my defaults for true facts and discussions on a topic. AF is in the top 2.

If there is anything that can be done to retrieve this situation I would help out. Money, time, ideas etc. This site is International in scope and so so valuable. Especially to the mechanically willing but lame and incompetent (me, I'm referring to).

As we get older, our mechanics and other resources corrode into the final state of entropy and I hoped to get to be a more present part of AF for a lot longer. Dammit I'm just about to debut my restored DS23 to the public and came here to tell you guys first!

I'm at a loss for words. The car is running fine BTW - update to be posted later when I can think straight.
 
is there a way to continue this site. it would be so sad to see it go, does it require more time input, or a financial thing ?
 
further to monetisation
incorporating to such an extent that remote members got club registration rates for their cars without joining any other car club?
 
Last edited:
incorporation is a good idea but would require membership fees, which seems to be supported by many people who posted here earlier.

There are several aspects that need to be considered, such as technical support, moderators, business model, as well as financial. im sure it could all be done with the right people.
 
Last for the night at 2:03
whereas capital city clubs can have meetings and libraries, a future AF‘s mission might be ‘sharing the knowledge’ as a decentralised - indeed global ( if anglophone ) 24/7 resource.
Remembering the ‘covir‘ for 203s, its not hard to imagine the licensing ( with royalties if needs be via blockchain ) of intellectual property; patterns, files and formulations enabling restoration or repairs - headlinings, etc., floor panels, 3D printable widgets or steering wheels (?) anything, to be made up anywhere ...
 
Last edited:
A couple of things:
1.I don't like FB for several reasons but the main one is that you cannot search easily for a post. You saw something the other day and want scroll down to it again? Good luck. It is very clunky. It just would not work for something like AF.
2. I for one would pay and pay royally for access to AF. BUT the model does have its problems. Example: I buy a Land Rover product and after a long absence go back to what was a very busy forum. I discover it now has a paid sub model, so I can look but not post without paying. If I pay more, I can do more (advertise a car for sale or whatever). So I pay and begin posting again.
The problem was that I began to feel ripped off. Why? Because since it went to that model, hardly anyone else posted in the model section I was in anymore. It wasn't the same. I'd have a problem with the car and I would get zero repsonse. Or post about a success with the car and get zero response. It was disheartening. I had to join some FB pages, where there was a busy exchange of ideas and problem-solving absent on the LR forum about that particular model (Range Rover P38).
Maybe this community would be different, but some people are not prepared to pay. Are we prepared to lose them by having to subscribe to enter or to post? It is easier to say 'yes, let's get rid of those tight-arses', than to get them back later because we realise their contributions were invaluable.
I don't have an answer, all I know is that I am willing to subscribe but we might lose others that can't/won't pay to play.
 
I see this as the French Car Club of Australia, with quite a few overseas members.
It does far more for me than any actual club I belonged to before.
Being in a relatively remote location, it's many miles to the next French car owner, and years since I've been to an actual club meeting.
This is right here and now every day.

While i support the idea of a subscription, would it be possible to have free access to the forum for a trial period, say 50 posts or 6 months? This is to encourage new and infrequent members, until they get comfortable with paying a sub.

I gave FB away 3 years ago, and would not go back.

Since my return to AF last year, i have accessed it only from my phone, and find the format and function to be VERY attractive, efficient and without fault.

Bob Dircks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top