Are webmaster boards dying out?

[Rochard]

Originally Posted by Panky

Boards who offered the points system saw a decline when they removed value for the points. More than one board stopped offering stores and misc incentives in exchange for points. The point whores moved on.

Many people have left the industry or spend less time in the industry when they sought employment offline and/or began to focus more of their attention in the online mainstream world due to adult income taking a dip or they had a hard time breaking into the online porn world, got frustrated, and left.

Some people have jobs and careers in the real world and those real world jobs and careers might be eating into their online time now more than ever.

Some people on webmaster boards were never serious and few of these people ever will be. They found something that interested them, treated it like a hobby, and spent a lot of time just goofing around on the boards. Some of these people may have grown tired, bored and moved on. Others might have experienced a dip in non-adult income and had to leave to focus on that so they can later return and indulge in their porn hobby.


Some people are feeling the financial crunch for one reason or another. One might see less activity due to more people working towards staying in the black or keep from digging themselves deeper into the red.

The dynamic of a persons home board or favorite boards may have changed and they no longer enjoy posting there as much as they once did in the past.

One board is seeing a growth spurt and increased activity because they played the game well. They saw a board or two having some drama, members getting pissed off, so they went and exploited the weakness, drawing attention to their own board in the process. Boards are ultimately a business. They can be as cut throat as one affiliate program trying to outdo another.

Some boards declined or died completely because of their own internal issues. All the behind the scenes BS that occurs from time to time. Sometimes conflicts can't be resolved or eventually the internal politics boils over to the public side of a board, potentially causing issues.

Some people make their money and then walk away. They use the online world to build bank accounts and residual income. When they reached their goals, they invest that money into something else and entertain other interests.

This is a most interesting post. I've never posted on a board because I was hoping to get paid for it, and I've never got dime from any board for posting (although one board did send me a gift last year).

I think such boards bring out the worse in posters.

Besides, I'm not desperate to the point where I need to make an extra $40 a month for posting on a board.

[Rochard]

While I'm at it, I post here mostly because I like Evil Chris, wish to support him, and think he's really super smart about the industry. Also, I post here because it's both fun and productive to be here.

[TheEnforcer]

Dying? Maybe not dying.. but most certainly changing. It seems to me the adult biz has become way too corrosive and we're paying for it. I see a number of mainstream webmaster boards that are thriving in a big way and and very busy an managing to still talk a lot of business.

[rhetorical]

Originally Posted by Rochard

This is a most interesting post. I've never posted on a board because I was hoping to get paid for it, and I've never got dime from any board for posting (although one board did send me a gift last year).

I think such boards bring out the worse in posters.

Besides, I'm not desperate to the point where I need to make an extra $40 a month for posting on a board.

Wow, you can make that much?

[Evil Chris]

Originally Posted by Rochard

While I'm at it, I post here mostly because I like Evil Chris, wish to support him, and think he's really super smart about the industry. Also, I post here because it's both fun and productive to be here.

Thanks mang!

About the $40 thing... I'm with you. If I get paid by any board at all, it's like a surprise to me. I'm not one ot wrack up a ton of posts anywhere. I was a little taken aback with all the broohaha about the points system being revoked at Netpond, for example. I had a ton of points accumulated, but I had no idea what to do with them.

[rhetorical]

Originally Posted by Evil Chris

Thanks mang!

About the $40 thing... I'm with you. If I get paid by any board at all, it's like a surprise to me. I'm not one ot wrack up a ton of posts anywhere. I was a little taken aback with all the broohaha about the points system being revoked at Netpond, for example. I had a ton of points accumulated, but I had no idea what to do with them.

People were using their points as currency for services. Management just cancelled them and flew the coop leaving people with a bunch of worthless currency. Whatever you think of the value of these points, these folks worked for them and then had them stolen. There were other problems as well. Funny thing is, no one has made a big deal out of the principals doing a runner. I think because they were bros.

[Evil Chris]

This "bro" thing is out of control. It's an insecurity issue for people who don't feel they belong.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by rhetorical

Funny thing is, no one has made a big deal out of the principals doing a runner. I think because they were bros.

Actually, there were many complaints from many voices. Granted, many still act like nothing bad happened, also.

[rhetorical]

Originally Posted by Wolf

Actually, there were many complaints from many voices. Granted, many still act like nothing bad happened, also.

That is what amazes me. Guys get ripped off and don't walk. Someone rips me off, I never do business with them or their associates....ever. That just seems like common sense. And the interesting thing is no one has ever defended them and people still keep buying advertising from them. That is a symptom of how greedy this business is. Anything for a buck. But the problem is, that in that case its anything for a nickel. In the long run, that attitude is shooting us all in our collective feet. One big wrong move at gfy and it spawns huge outcry. Over at NP, a bunch of whining and the same folks that decry the state of our business still work there taking money. That is wrong.
Dig this....a quote from NP shitlist forum.....

Beware of the following Individual as he is not to be trusted.
He has abused the goodwill of our community and he may do the same to you.

[Panky]

At first, it really did surprise me a bit that people were so loyal. People were getting blatantly used and abused, but they still continued to post and support the forum. They are loyal to their home board. The place they feel most comfortable, as if they owe the board something. It's almost like the mentality when a victim begins to become attached to their captor or abuser. Some members are insecure about branching out and exploring new boards to participate on because that would mean they would have to leave their comfort zone. That's not an easy thing to do for many people.

The veterans began to leave one by one, though it took quite some time. They held on to the memory of what the place used to be. The place they were apart of and helped build. The place they once learned from.

Some people held on because they couldn't fathom that Meat & Aga could be involved in such things and that they would make things right in the end. That it had to be some outside force preventing them from paying their affiliates. Those two themselves would never do such a thing to their affiliates or board members.

Sleazy will never fully leave because that is all he knows. He is somebody there. He has power and control, the feeling of importance. None of the newcomers and few of the loyalists are going to question him. Many don't know enough to question him on anything he tries to teach. They hang on his every word. Others like him because he once helped them and made them feel comfortable when they were fumbling around, trying to gain sure footing before taking the first step. IF Sleazy tries to rebuild somewhere else, he'll get eaten alive. He'll be the low man on the totem pole. He doesn't have thick enough skin to survive the critics.

The advertisers know that NP has a loyal following. They will also see a steady flow of new arrivals because Netpond has a strong foundation that spreads far and wide across the wild wild web. They could care less about the problems of NPC cash because they have a fresh set of eyeballs looking at them who have no clue, nor care, what went on in the past.

NP & NPC are messed up, but they sure as hell knew what they were doing when building a community, sucking people in, and ensuring a fresh supply of newcomers. They still have a base of loyal members, even if it appears the blind are leading the blind, and the number of blindly loyal will continue to grow bit by bit.




People can protest all they want about not doing business with such an such a company or individual. A good percentage of those who do all the ranting and raving, protesting as loud as they can to anyone who will listen, never pull links or stop promoting in one form or another. They just spout off because they want to be liked. What one does and says in public is often very different when they are behind closed doors.

Greed fuels the affiliate. Sponsors know it. That is why you see the $100 bonus days, $30-$40 PPS on a $1.00 trial, and the likes. Many affiliates won't even consider a program unless it has a PPS option.

Sponsors, in general, are just as greedy. Some will do anything they can to make that extra buck whether it is a good long term strategy or not. It's about the quick buck. Create creative ways to screw the affiliate and surfer, grab as much as you can before anyone notices.

The "bro" club mentality too is ridiculous. We are supposed to be grown adults, yet few seem to be able to stand on their own and go by what their "gut" tells them is the right thing to do. God forbid people have an opinion of their own, dare to go against the grain, and stand on your own two feet.

[rhetorical]

It would be like keeping a job with Bernie Madoff and still sending him business. In any other industry, most of those involved would face charges. They are still putting money in the pockets of those who have left the freeking country. My fav is the story everyone told about the "lawsuit" and why they should all help to pay to fight it.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by Panky

God forbid people have an opinion of their own, dare to go against the grain, and stand on your own two feet.

Sometimes you have to buck the system or lose your integrity. If you have any to lose.

Of course, as a little fish in the biz it's easy for me to say that.

[Ronaldo]

Originally Posted by Evil Chris

Obviously, the days of remunerating webmasters for posting are gone, and I feel that this system only brings out the worst kind of posts anyway.

I've always been HALF joking when I say that if boards had implemented a pay per WORD or MINIMUM posting before being paid, they'd have been a lot better off.

With the exception of mocking people, I can't think of a single time I EVER posted a two word response in a thread. If I didn't have something relevant to say, I wouldn't waste my time.

Look at Panky's posts in this thread. Posts like THAT should be rewarded. Posts of "I'd hit it", "She look good", or " " SHOULDN'T be rewarded, but they were and THAT was part of the problem.

[Evil Chris]

Ron... right, so a post like "Go Leafs Go" despite having great significance, shouldn't be rewarded, but probably was anyway.

[Ronaldo]

Originally Posted by Evil Chris

Ron... right, so a post like "Go Leafs Go" despite having great significance, shouldn't be rewarded, but probably was anyway.

No, posts like that shouldn't be rewarded. In fact I'll take it a step further. Posts like that should not only NOT be rewarded, but the poster should LOSE points that you were already rewarded WITH...just for their stupidity.

[Cyndalie]

They way I see it, and I met most of you back on the Ynot boards back in the late nineties, you post to either learn, find new business, or socialize online with colleagues you like.

As we get older we are less interested in coaching newbies, new business is found in upper management levels - and rarely from newbies, reps, or lone webamsters on boards, and alot of us have dropped out , separated paths, focus on work more and post less, see posting as a liability as the number of trolls rise, or just don't see the ROI in any sense anymore.

It's harder to find quality communities to retain your interest. Like Rochard I like to combine several of these factors and support the people and places I like.