DSiemens Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Very nice! Yeah this forum has been very slow. I've been debating it. Truth is its costing me monthly to keep it. If it doesn't pick up I may have to consider closing it. I hate to do that I like providing the information we have but there's just not much interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 (edited) It is a pity that interest seems to have died away. Maybe it would be better for you to develop your group on Facebook, as that is free and has a much larger audience, and it does appear to have a good following. Bob Edited October 5, 2017 by Shipbuilder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasseur Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) Yeah for me ships in bottles is just one of many hobbies and pastimes I have. Also 2017 has been a brutal year for me. Lots of family issues with mother in law, father in law passed in February and work has been challenging. I will try and post something in November when I have some time off however if you close down the forum Daniel it is what it is. Jeff Edited October 6, 2017 by Chasseur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted October 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Yeah just as I posted that it looks like they upped the price on me. If it isn't a mistake then yeah I think this may be it for us. Bob I agree the Facebook group is a much more active place. I don't actually own that one. I just own the facebook page related to this forum which is more an advertisement and not a group. Really Facebook and Model Ship World has all the activity where ships in bottles are concerned. I think MSW has more SIB activity then this forum though not as much as the facebook group. We're in a fading art. As Jeff said it is what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 It is easy enough to set up your own group on Facebook, and it is free of charge. You have the facitity to ban or block unwanted members as well, so no trouble with SPAM. I was banned by the "great dictator" Chuck from Model Ship World, several years ago for having the audacity to compain about his aggressive moderating. He even banned me from MSW on Facebook for the simple act of posting some model ship images in the group. My Facebook group is thriving "Merchant Ships in Miniature," with about 160 members at the moment, many of them active ship modellers. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted October 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 I will have to check that out. I wont be starting another forum though. Theres plenty out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 How long is this one scheduled to last? I assume it is OK until the renewal date. Will it just disapear, or remain, but locked? Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exwafoo Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 Hi Dan, Sad news. I've been a bit slow in posting updates, as there are other activities that have to be done in the summer months. Please make sure that we are kept posted with dates and the links to the Facebook etc, sites before any closure. Also, please remember that the EASIB (http://www.shipinabottle.talktalk.net/) is still going, with a reasonable subscription and the four quality, A4 sized full colour member's magazines, 'BOTTLESHIP' a year, and a Bi-annual convention (next one is Sept 2018 in Great Yarmouth, over on the East Coast. New members are always welcome, and although the name is 'European' we have members from all over the world. A lot of the past issue mags are available on disc (very reasonably priced) and I'm slowly digitizing the rest so they will be available as well. I also suspect that there is more interest than posting activity if you know what I mean. All the best Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseLee Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 It is sad news to me too. Although I haven't started a SIB in a while (because I am building a Syren kit) I do check in every day. I have learned a lot from others here. Being a smaller group it is less formal and more friendly than places like MSW can be at times. If I wasn't disabled and lost my career I would help pay to keep things running. I will miss it if we close down. Jesse Bernard Kelly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Kelly Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 I, like Jesse Lee, have not started a model for quite some time. This is due to ill health. I am on the forum seeing what others are doing everyday and look forward to seeing the photos and build logs. This is a very good group with some excellent builds and good advice and tips. I hope that it carries on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseLee Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 I forgot to mention my chronic illness also. Jesse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted October 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2017 Well its intereting. Apparently its traffic based. Since traffic to the websote increased the monthly payment went up. Its gone back down so now we're back to the $20 a month. I guess that's good news. People aren't posting but they are coming to the site. Here's what I'm thinking. I will see if I can get a link set up with a donation button to PayPal or maybe a patreon page. I think I can get one of those thermometers too that shows the funding. Here's the reality. It costs me $20 a month to keep the site running. $30 if the traffic goes up. So $240 a year up to $360 a year. Its not a whole lot but its enough to cause concern in my budget. If there is enough interest I will keep it going. I would hate to see this site go down too. I agree it is less formal than msw and I appreciate the comradare we have. exwafoo and JesseLee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluenoser Posted October 9, 2017 Report Share Posted October 9, 2017 I for one am more that ready to pay my share via a Paypal account. I dont contribute a lot except the odd comment.. But this site is more that worth it.. I dont like Facebook or any such sites. Just out of curosity, what is the mean age of people here? Im 66. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseLee Posted October 9, 2017 Report Share Posted October 9, 2017 I cant give much bur I could throw in a few bucks once in a while through Paypal. bluenoser, I turn 52 this month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exwafoo Posted October 10, 2017 Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 willing to chip in as well Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasseur Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) Hey Daniel, There is a site Freeforum.org one of many free sites that a talented guy like yourself could set up. I agree you shouldn’t have to fit the bill on your own however I just can’t contribute right now too much other things are demanding my $$$ these days. I just turned 60 and I dislike Facebook and Twitter for that matter! Jeff Edited October 15, 2017 by Chasseur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 I have had a Facebook group for over a year now, and find it a very positive experience! It is called Merchant Ships in Miniature, and now has a membership of 170, from all over the world There is good participation, with a number of builds of various types of merchant ships progressing very well, with lots of comments and discussion. This has quite surprised me, as merchant ship models have never been very popular. A bye-product of this is that it brings in a steady income of between 60 and 120 pounds per month from my small practicums. Neither do I mind about members offering models or books etc for sale, as it all furthers the hobby. The biggest killer of forums, as far as I can see, is when members stop posting. Living in a model shipbuilders backwater has caused me to lose a great deal of interest, but Facebook has revived me considerably, although I am not a member of Twitter and don't intend to become one! I can really recommend Bottled Shipbuilder transferring to Facebook with their own SIB Group. It is easy enough to ban undesirables, and even prevent them from communicating with you, but I have never needed to do that with any group members! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluenoser Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 To All , I for one will not move to Fdcebook or Twitter or any other site similar to them. I have objections to them. As far as this site goes, if you choose to go Bob, so be it. Remember that there have been offers of help. I would suggest and hope that others with more electronic/.Internet savy then I would take it over even if I pay a bit via PayPal. I am building a Bluenose right now. Why haven't I put pics on, just lazy. I like this site. People do have other live other than modelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 (edited) The problem I have is that I am not a ship in bottle builder - never have been! As not much is going on, there is little to attract me here. I am not talking about my type of model - the whole site has gone pretty quiet. Bob Edited October 16, 2017 by Shipbuilder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluenoser Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 (edited) OFF TOPIC. This conversation should not be here.. Edited October 16, 2017 by bluenoser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 I know, but it was not me that made it go off topic. It has taken long enough for anyone to notice! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Just an updated you every one knows where this is at. First the sites not going any where any time soon. I'm intrigued by the idea of free forum services but at the same time I don't know what it would take to move all of the information. For now I'm looking into a way to add a PayPal button to make donations easy. I really appreciate all of your support in that direction. Once I have that running its my pledge that all donations go directly to maintaining the forum. Taking on this forum has never been about money. Its been about keeping this craft alive. That will always be the goal. I will say too be patient with me. I'm working on a masters degree on top of full time work and family. I appologize if I've been rather absent lately as all of you well know thats life. Perhaps though after I get this degree and a CPA certification behind me maintaining this site won't be a problem. Here's hoping. One more note. I am not in considering moving to Facebook or Twitter. Facebook has a ship in bottle forum and honestly its great. Theres no need for another. I will be maintaining the Bottledshipbuilder page on Facebook which links back to this site. Thats as far into Facebook as this forum needs to go. This forum has a great advantage over Facebook in that the information can be archived. As one who has scrolled for a half hour to find a tidbit of burried info Facebook I can tell you archiving is a wonderful thing. Thank you all for your support. We'll be here a while yet. JesseLee and exwafoo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted November 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 I got the button set up. It's right on the home page. The donate button will take you through paypal where you can donate to the site. All funds will be used for the monthly costs of the site. Donations are voluntary. I will never set up a monthly subscription or membership fee. Our knowledge needs to be shared with all who want to learn for free. Thank you all for your support. Whether it's donations or content I appreciate you taking the time to be a part of this community. We will continue to bring the fun of ship modeling to all who want to learn. In figuring this out I found another fun tool. The home page will now have five random pictures from the gallery. It's fun seeing every ones work so I thought this added feature would be good to have. Other than that it's winter time lets get some build logs going. exwafoo, JesseLee and IgorSky 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted November 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 Just a small update. Had to figure some things out with the PayPal process but thats all good and the donation button is working great. A big thanks to all those that have donated. We have enough now to keep the site going for the next few months. Thank you every one! Also a big thanks to those that have added to their build logs. Its been an active last week or so. You all are awesome. Onni, IgorSky, Landlubber Mike and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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