Astonishing news.... absolutely astonishing.
The charm of SH is that it was a free community on the ideas and practices of those that many other sites have easily milked money from in the past.
The "upgrade for one year" is business speak for "help us make a mint and then you're on your arse".
Being an amatuer website developer myself, the only thing that has stopped me creating my own free swinging site as a hobby was that there was absolutely no point when there was already one in existence that did as good a job as you could wish.
Swinger paysites start off one of three ways.
A) Free to all and then gradual implementation of paysite system. (e.g whats happening here)
or
B) The owners create a load of fake accounts on their recently opened site to entice customers to pay out, and eventually the community comes about when so many mugs eventually join.
or
C) A "first 1000 people free" system to build up a core and then charge afterwards.
There is no other site in existence on the internet at all that compares with Swinging Heaven, and theres a reason for it - it has a genuine "good feel factor" to it where people are here to enjoy sex, enjoy the community and enjoy discussion.
To believe that making it a corporation won't change much and will be better is naive - no other website has been made "better" than SH despite being paysites - all the privileges we need are already here and will be lost in a years time anyway.
To the new owners - you really will have to tread water lightly because it will be very very easy for any number of "techies" on this site to create a "clone site" within a matter of hours - the only thing that has stopped people in the past is that they've had no need to!
My prediction - they'll make an absolute bomb for 6 months with increased advertising meaning that SH will become the number 1 swinging paysite, the core membership won't matter anymore because they've already achieved absolutely everything they've needed by having a new "paid" core membership, and we'll either have to shell out after 12 months (not bloody likely) or find somewhere else.
I hope i'm wrong, even though i know i'm not - i'm gutted and i'm not a "full-time" SH'er so to speak, so i feel really really sorry for the likes of Bluexxx and Jags (well all the mods) who have been dumped into this without any notice.
It's a strange corporate takeover from people who couldn't give a flying crap about swinging - the reason i know is because more than once i've had the thought "ya know, a huge core membership with devoted 'disciples'... if Mark turned this into a paid venture he'd make a bomb!" - i'm a bloody swinger and i've had that idea!!!
It's like a swinging club suddenly being taken over by EasyJet and becoming EasySwing.... or EagerSwing... EagerSlut... i'm confused!
Anyway i had to add my rant to this - and final note; whereas everybodies worried - don't be. If push comes to shove people will create a new site and transfer the whole thing over piece by piece - it's literally take a day or so to do!
T & L xxx
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Orgasminator
Quote by tallnhairy
No, it stands for Minesweeper Consultant and Solitaire Expert.
Actually it's Microsoft Certified Service Engineer, I got halfway through one in NT4 before I decided that working with Windows made me feel dirty and Linux/BSD was much more fun.
Well I am really good at minesweeper, and it is a systems engineer ;) I not allowed to say nasty things about microsoft, is in the small print when you signup for the exam
Funny world but the only bits of my MCSE I use these days are TCP/IP troubleshooting cause I work with DB's and non microsoft application software in the enterprise now anyway 
Morbious n blue, well said. Good to see things have settled down a little in cold light of day... Wonder when our new owners and techy friends will surface. On standby with the quiet room and dark glasses.
Oops, looks like Bill will be sending his goons 'round ASAP to repossess my MCP certificate and pin badge.
You'd be surprised at how much interest I've had from agencies when I admit to being certified on NT4 - I think it's a bit like COBOL, loads of places still use it, but most techies are quite happy to profess ignorance and leave it to somebody else (or are simply too young to have come across it).
Anyway, I'd better stop hijacking the really important announcement thread, it's not really fair.
Master of Sex
Waded through this thread and all the other take-over threads over the last day, my head is spinning. Various members have made excellent, valid points, some others have been shocked and angered by the events.
Any points or questions i have are already raised elsewhere, so i won't repeat them, but i am left with one overriding feeling: for the first time since i joined the site on Aug 16th, i've NOT enjoyed swinging heaven.
Hopefully, martin, elliot and co will listen to the moderators who KNOW this community and site so much better than they do, take their thoughts and opinions on board, and EARN our respect and loyalty. Sincerely hope there's a way the site can continue the way it has been doing, alongside the new company's ideas and improvements - only time will tell.
Any points or questions i have are already raised elsewhere, so i won't repeat them, but i am left with one overriding feeling: for the first time since i joined the site on Aug 16th, i've NOT enjoyed swinging heaven.
Hopefully, martin, elliot and co will listen to the moderators who KNOW this community and site so much better than they do, take their thoughts and opinions on board, and EARN our respect and loyalty. Sincerely hope there's a way the site can continue the way it has been doing, alongside the new company's ideas and improvements - only time will tell.
Casanova
Good Morning All,
We have been following this since we received a phone call last night telling us what had happened. It took us hours to read through the whole thread and did not want to post a hasty knee-jerk reply.
I lot of people’s statements have the same view as us, we don’t like the idea the SH has been sold and you are about to start earning money off the communities back.
:x
Whatever way you put, or dress it up, this is exactly what you will be doing. You may have bought the site off Mark, but as said before, the community is SH, which means you have bought us, without our knowledge or our permission. :x :x
So far a lot of people are feeling hurt over this take over and a lot of our friends are angry with the way that it has been handled.
Why is it that a number of the post’s in this thread have broken AUP rules, but their threads have not been edited or removed.
We have noticed that one thread has already been removed because it broke AUP rules, having seen a copy of this I can understand why, but it should not have been singled out, just because it was on the extreme side. Under these circumstances everyone has a right to view their opinion.
Somewhere amongst the mass pages of this thread the new owners have said (cant remember the words exactly ) These were Mark’s words and not ours. If this is the case the AUP/Chatroom rules were Mark’s and the Mod’s just enforced them, which they did very well and to the best of their ability.
You have not come along and chosen which parts of the site you want to enforce and which parts you want to rip out. (You can do this as you have bought the rights to do so.), but would have thought under the changes you would have given some lee way to allow the SH community to voice their opinion, whatever way they wish, and considering that Elliot broke AUP rule by swearing and that was not edited or deleted it does not show that the new owners have any idea of what they are actually doing, or even know the rules of this site, and if they do then they are choosing to break their own rules already.
We know that it was a Mod from the site that decided the post should be removed, but it was just a case of someone who cares a lot about the site and the community voicing their opinion, be it rather strongly. :shock:
As for everything else, what will be will be.
Just to make you aware there will be a couple of polls that might appear to be controversial going up by Mr Tigs but its not like controversial posts/threads have not gone up before, unfortunately on this occasion peoples nerves are very raw, but they will be within AUP rules, but the new owners are not going to like it FACT, they may have bought the site but they have not bought the right to tell us what we can and cannot say, as long as it is within AUP rules. So unless these have been changed overnight and if this is the case, the company that now own SH should have informed the community personally.
Hay Ho, been members now for well over a year and this is the biggest post we have ever done :D :D
P.S. Any Bi-Fems fancy a shag :lol: :lol:
We have been following this since we received a phone call last night telling us what had happened. It took us hours to read through the whole thread and did not want to post a hasty knee-jerk reply.
I lot of people’s statements have the same view as us, we don’t like the idea the SH has been sold and you are about to start earning money off the communities back.
:x Whatever way you put, or dress it up, this is exactly what you will be doing. You may have bought the site off Mark, but as said before, the community is SH, which means you have bought us, without our knowledge or our permission. :x :x
So far a lot of people are feeling hurt over this take over and a lot of our friends are angry with the way that it has been handled.
Why is it that a number of the post’s in this thread have broken AUP rules, but their threads have not been edited or removed.
We have noticed that one thread has already been removed because it broke AUP rules, having seen a copy of this I can understand why, but it should not have been singled out, just because it was on the extreme side. Under these circumstances everyone has a right to view their opinion.
Somewhere amongst the mass pages of this thread the new owners have said (cant remember the words exactly ) These were Mark’s words and not ours. If this is the case the AUP/Chatroom rules were Mark’s and the Mod’s just enforced them, which they did very well and to the best of their ability.
You have not come along and chosen which parts of the site you want to enforce and which parts you want to rip out. (You can do this as you have bought the rights to do so.), but would have thought under the changes you would have given some lee way to allow the SH community to voice their opinion, whatever way they wish, and considering that Elliot broke AUP rule by swearing and that was not edited or deleted it does not show that the new owners have any idea of what they are actually doing, or even know the rules of this site, and if they do then they are choosing to break their own rules already.
We know that it was a Mod from the site that decided the post should be removed, but it was just a case of someone who cares a lot about the site and the community voicing their opinion, be it rather strongly. :shock:
As for everything else, what will be will be.
Just to make you aware there will be a couple of polls that might appear to be controversial going up by Mr Tigs but its not like controversial posts/threads have not gone up before, unfortunately on this occasion peoples nerves are very raw, but they will be within AUP rules, but the new owners are not going to like it FACT, they may have bought the site but they have not bought the right to tell us what we can and cannot say, as long as it is within AUP rules. So unless these have been changed overnight and if this is the case, the company that now own SH should have informed the community personally.
Hay Ho, been members now for well over a year and this is the biggest post we have ever done :D :D
P.S. Any Bi-Fems fancy a shag
:lol: :lol: Casanova
Who thinks this takeover is a good idea
You have said that you want our input so this is a short and sweet poll to show you how the community feel.
Please do not use this thread to add comments just vote on the poll.
You have said that you want our input so this is a short and sweet poll to show you how the community feel.
Please do not use this thread to add comments just vote on the poll.
Only discovered the news this morning and have spent some time trying to catch up events.
I think that, given the way the site has expanded, it was inevitable that some changes were going to occur. I have no problem with Mark moving on and even making a profit on all the hard work he started but maybe some sort of explanation from the man himself would have been tactful.
I certainly do feel slightly worried that what was a "free" site/comunity can now be owned by a bunch of faceless people whose claim to success seems to be selling ring tones for phones and who have no idea at all about the swinging scene. As has been said before, this is now a commercial enterprise that will not be driven by members needs but by business reality and IF they fail and the whole site goes under then there is very little chance that we, the members, will be able to do anything about it or claim it back.
I am also worried about what a commercial business could do with our names and privacy etc. Even if I decided to leave/resign now, the new owners still have all my details.
So, what can we do? Not a lot really apart from waiting to see what happens and hope that our new owners - whoever they are - are genuine and that their changes are not too intrusive.
Sadly, I would not put any money on it.
McC
I think that, given the way the site has expanded, it was inevitable that some changes were going to occur. I have no problem with Mark moving on and even making a profit on all the hard work he started but maybe some sort of explanation from the man himself would have been tactful.
I certainly do feel slightly worried that what was a "free" site/comunity can now be owned by a bunch of faceless people whose claim to success seems to be selling ring tones for phones and who have no idea at all about the swinging scene. As has been said before, this is now a commercial enterprise that will not be driven by members needs but by business reality and IF they fail and the whole site goes under then there is very little chance that we, the members, will be able to do anything about it or claim it back.
I am also worried about what a commercial business could do with our names and privacy etc. Even if I decided to leave/resign now, the new owners still have all my details.
So, what can we do? Not a lot really apart from waiting to see what happens and hope that our new owners - whoever they are - are genuine and that their changes are not too intrusive.
Sadly, I would not put any money on it.
McC
hi all
i've only just read whats going on!
I know i don't post often, But we have two or three options
1 we can see hows its goes?
2 We can leave and find another site?
3 We get a groups of us and setup a site like it was?
4 We can work with Elliot and his team to keep the site how we want it and have the best of both worlds?
Whats your veiw on it yes we all nervious about what will happen but ain the mean time lets do what we set out to do by signing on to this sita !! Have Fun with Each other
Thats i think at the moment
Thanks Nights
i've only just read whats going on!
I know i don't post often, But we have two or three options
1 we can see hows its goes?
2 We can leave and find another site?
3 We get a groups of us and setup a site like it was?
4 We can work with Elliot and his team to keep the site how we want it and have the best of both worlds?
Whats your veiw on it yes we all nervious about what will happen but ain the mean time lets do what we set out to do by signing on to this sita !! Have Fun with Each other
Thats i think at the moment
Thanks Nights
Well, this is a shock, but it reminds me of something about Mark.
We orginally advertised on SH a couple of years ago and had our adverts linked to an online diary of our swinging exploits, Sue and Brian's Swinging Diary. We had quite a fall out with Mark over our website, partly because we were using a service called Adult Hub to create the forum and chat room. He accused us of trying to profit out of swingers, which was just not true. Adult Hub works in a similar way to how the new owners say that SH will operate in the future. There is a basic service for free with extras at a cost. Lots of swingers sites use Adult Hub because it is the only way that they can ever conceiveably inculde advanced features on a 'home made' web site.
Anyway, my point is that I find it pretty ironic that Mark could acuse other people of profiteering and then sell the whole community to a company who's knowledge of swinging probably doesn't extend beyond what they have read in the News of the World. To say that he has stabbed us all in the back is an understatement. If he had to get rid of the site, what was wrong with giving it to the moderators to run as a co-operative. Or, at the very least, what was wrong with having the balls to come here and tell us himself what was going on? In short, we are disgusted with the way that Mark has acted. He created a web site that had a sense of real community and fooled us with his promises.
"First things first. We get emails every now and then asking how to pay to use this site, or whether we will be making it a site you have to pay for to use in the future. We want to take this opportunity to say don't bother asking. No payment is required, no payment will ever be required. Keep your Credit Card in your pocket/purse/thong! You will NOT come to this site one day and find that you have to pay to use it. We'd sooner stop all together than start charging anyone to use Swinging Heaven - and we're not about to do that! So, let that be the final word on the matter."
"We are simply a genuine couple running a genuine site for the UK swinging community."
"Finally, so why/how on earth can we do all this for free? Because we care about swinging and the state of most 'swinging sites' out there, so here we are trying to make a difference. Of course we'd have to care, because the amount of time Mark puts into developing this site and moderating it (along with help from Helen and a few other very helpful people) puts him at a great expense of time. But, there you go, it's what he's decided he can and wants to do. "
Now we can all see what was really behind these fine words!
So we aren't happy that the site has new owners, but....... On the bright side, there are some aspects of SH that have not been updated for a long time. For instance, the dogging locations are terribly out of date. Maybe the new owners will get round to doing that. But as for paying, if we have to start getting our hands in our pockets then we will be off like a shot! I suspect that this will apply to most of the people here. If the new owners came here hoping to make some money they might have a shock coming to them.
Brian and Sue.
We orginally advertised on SH a couple of years ago and had our adverts linked to an online diary of our swinging exploits, Sue and Brian's Swinging Diary. We had quite a fall out with Mark over our website, partly because we were using a service called Adult Hub to create the forum and chat room. He accused us of trying to profit out of swingers, which was just not true. Adult Hub works in a similar way to how the new owners say that SH will operate in the future. There is a basic service for free with extras at a cost. Lots of swingers sites use Adult Hub because it is the only way that they can ever conceiveably inculde advanced features on a 'home made' web site.
Anyway, my point is that I find it pretty ironic that Mark could acuse other people of profiteering and then sell the whole community to a company who's knowledge of swinging probably doesn't extend beyond what they have read in the News of the World. To say that he has stabbed us all in the back is an understatement. If he had to get rid of the site, what was wrong with giving it to the moderators to run as a co-operative. Or, at the very least, what was wrong with having the balls to come here and tell us himself what was going on? In short, we are disgusted with the way that Mark has acted. He created a web site that had a sense of real community and fooled us with his promises.
"First things first. We get emails every now and then asking how to pay to use this site, or whether we will be making it a site you have to pay for to use in the future. We want to take this opportunity to say don't bother asking. No payment is required, no payment will ever be required. Keep your Credit Card in your pocket/purse/thong! You will NOT come to this site one day and find that you have to pay to use it. We'd sooner stop all together than start charging anyone to use Swinging Heaven - and we're not about to do that! So, let that be the final word on the matter."
"We are simply a genuine couple running a genuine site for the UK swinging community."
"Finally, so why/how on earth can we do all this for free? Because we care about swinging and the state of most 'swinging sites' out there, so here we are trying to make a difference. Of course we'd have to care, because the amount of time Mark puts into developing this site and moderating it (along with help from Helen and a few other very helpful people) puts him at a great expense of time. But, there you go, it's what he's decided he can and wants to do. "
Now we can all see what was really behind these fine words!
So we aren't happy that the site has new owners, but....... On the bright side, there are some aspects of SH that have not been updated for a long time. For instance, the dogging locations are terribly out of date. Maybe the new owners will get round to doing that. But as for paying, if we have to start getting our hands in our pockets then we will be off like a shot! I suspect that this will apply to most of the people here. If the new owners came here hoping to make some money they might have a shock coming to them.
Brian and Sue.
Quote by McCloggie
I certainly do feel slightly worried that what was a "free" site/comunity can now be owned by a bunch of faceless people whose claim to success seems to be selling ring tones for phones and who have no idea at all about the swinging scene. As has been said before, this is now a commercial enterprise that will not be driven by members needs but by business reality and IF they fail and the whole site goes under then there is very little chance that we, the members, will be able to do anything about it or claim it back.
McC
They have more idea about the 'swinging scene' ....or at least commercial swinging sites than they seemed prepared to admit at the outset. Some of their other nonswinging related websites have odd links to swinging information sites ....that ultimately lead to a uk swinging site that claims to have over 100,000 members and many of the new improved fetaures that we're being promised.
Orgasminator
welcome to elliot and the new owners very best wishes to mark and i wish him well as a long term member of this site i was thinking we should all wait and see what affect the new changes have on us all first before deciding on an uprising we can not possibly comment untill we know what is a foot so please elliott and co please bear in mind the communitys thoughts and take into acoount the mods feed back as these people represent the thoughts of the majority of usall and they work dam hard and deserve a big thanks so i will say it thanks guys and girls you do a grand job
Orgasminator
Good day, there is a lot of points being raised here again that have been covered at least a few times in this thread.
Quote by Martin_M
Good day, there is a lot of points being raised here again that have been covered at least a few times in this thread.
Martin - maybe start a locked thread where you can post the Q & As from this thread would be useful - then you can just direct people there - and no-one excepts admin and mods can post on it
Orgasminator
Blimey, this is not right there are only negative answers here.
Evie,
You are right, they do seem to have experience with other swinging sites.. Elliott said as follows last night :
Martin,
Could we ask what other Swinging Sites you have been involved in. Of course we appreciate what you have done with other sites might not be want you want to do here, but it would be very interesting for us to have a look.
I think it usually breaks forum rules to mention other swinging sites. Mods is it ok in these unusual circumstances?
Tim & Lene
You are right, they do seem to have experience with other swinging sites.. Elliott said as follows last night :
Ok im not exactly sure what happend, i left my pc for an hour for dinner!
kbuk - you couldn't be further from the truth. We are not just a 'fucking ringtone company', we run a LOT of other dating and swinging sites, and yes i do care about the people here, and no we are not here to fleece money at all.
Martin,
Could we ask what other Swinging Sites you have been involved in. Of course we appreciate what you have done with other sites might not be want you want to do here, but it would be very interesting for us to have a look.
I think it usually breaks forum rules to mention other swinging sites. Mods is it ok in these unusual circumstances?
Tim & Lene
I have just spent over an hour scanning through this Important Announcement and the For Mark thread and the Welcome to the New Site Owners threads. Although I hardly know anyone and practically no one knows me I feel the need to pitch in with something.
Having seen the simultaneous out-pouring of grief and joy, tearful fair-wells, congratulations and welcomes I know there is a COMMUNITY here of good, honest, genuine, sincere and loving people. A community that you MARK clearly created. Something, which you should rightfully be very PROUD of. Thank you is so inadequate.
At the same time, I can see a great deal of FEAR in the posts attached to the Important Announcement, a community in SHOCK. An understandable reaction to sudden change. All of you that have been so positive and grateful to Mark, I would hope you would try to keep the community TOGETHER and help make the FUTURE Swinging Heaven at least as good as the one you have enjoyed. A community that would like to wish the new site management GOOD LUCK in keeping the site going for everyone.
And one again Thank You to Mark, although we have never met, you clearly made this COMMUNITY possible.
Having seen the simultaneous out-pouring of grief and joy, tearful fair-wells, congratulations and welcomes I know there is a COMMUNITY here of good, honest, genuine, sincere and loving people. A community that you MARK clearly created. Something, which you should rightfully be very PROUD of. Thank you is so inadequate.
At the same time, I can see a great deal of FEAR in the posts attached to the Important Announcement, a community in SHOCK. An understandable reaction to sudden change. All of you that have been so positive and grateful to Mark, I would hope you would try to keep the community TOGETHER and help make the FUTURE Swinging Heaven at least as good as the one you have enjoyed. A community that would like to wish the new site management GOOD LUCK in keeping the site going for everyone.
And one again Thank You to Mark, although we have never met, you clearly made this COMMUNITY possible.
Quote by Martin_M
Blimey, this is not right there are only negative answers here.
Morning Darling ! did you sleep well ? I hope my snoring didn't wake you !!
:D I would like to say I'm quite looking forward to these improvements, for example I don't think getting into the chatroom is easy at all, I tried several times and only got in because a Mod helped me. I also think that the "cash generating" part of this site won't have anything to do with the forum, so I think once the natives calm down it will be business as normal.
And finally, I never met Mark so I'm not blinded by loyalty. The way I see it, he created a website, nurtured it until it had financial value and then he sold it without even a goodbye to the people who made it the success.
Thats the way the world is today, get used to it and try and see the possiblities the new owners could bring.
Hi we are not big users of the forum as you all know but like with every other change I guess its like the poll suggests "wait and see time"We will for sure keep updating our ads, popping into to read the forum and chat room (cos we know it winds some up pmsl) as long as the site remains free :P
Sorry but we refuse to pay for any site know matter how good they think they are.
Sex God
Firstly …… Mark, diamond geezer….. I don’t think anyone really blames you mate, you built a world in which we all reside, and not only in VR but in RL too, now that takes some doing and I have to say I do not know of any other individual who has managed to achieve this quite so successfully. I take my hat off to you and will take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my (and Caron’s) heart. SH has changed our lives irreversibly and we will be forever grateful. We hope that wherever the road takes you from here, that the journey will be an easy, comfortable and enjoyable one.
Well ……….. That was a bit of a roller coaster ride of emotions for a Friday/Saturday viewing, what can I say that hasn’t been said already?
I have to admit that my first reaction was along the lines of “ Oh ffs, the last bastion of truly free internet spirit has finally succumbed to the money grabbing moguls. This clearly stems from my inherent philosophy which I grew into the net with, which was then, in the early days of the net, and still is now, that the web is a free entity, it should not be censored or charged for in any way, a free resource for the people of the world to enjoy whatever their financial circumstances. The last bastion of freedom and a form of harmless anarchy.
Then of course I gave myself a shake back to reality and had a closer look and to be honest, it was inevitable, sadly in this day and age the whole ethos of “by the people, for the people†has been lost in the furore of commercialism so the question was never “if†but was always “whenâ€
As for what’s on offer? Well it all sounds pretty exciting doesn’t it boys and girls, and if the new owners stick to the letter and spirit of their promises I can see everyone on this site benefiting in one way or another. I for one look forward to the locator map thingy and would have no problem with our “rough†location being pinned to a map for all to see, and being able to search profiles within a given range of our location can only be a good thing.
If the new owners have the resources to attract even more like minded folk to the site, surely that’s a bonus too? (especially if you live in the south …..sigh)
Yes we are like a big family, a rather incestuous one I admit, but a family of sorts never the less, and when the chips are down, families have a way of sticking together, even the black sheep like me.
All in all I think this is a good thing, yeah I know, there’s a but hiding in there somewhere….. My fear? Ok I’ll tell you ………. Despite promises to the contrary I am worried that the core membership of this site will lose out in the long run, I just can not see a commercial entity allowing us to keep our “Privileged†status for ever, if they do I will eat humble pie and rejoice, but just at the moment, I can’t see it.
The other problem I see is one of reputation, more and more pay sites are getting a rep for being nothing more than a con, invented profiles designed specifically to rip you off, join for fee, browse for free, but if you are a serious player you have to pay…. Purleeeeaaassse, gimme a break, as if. I would so hate this site to gain such a reputation, unfortunately, due to unscrupulous site developers, this rep is spreading like wildfire and there has been a recent and drastic downturn in pay site memberships, could it be that the writing is on the wall?
Well I hope its not the wall I am sitting on ……… for now, at the end of the day I can only speak for Caron and myself, and despite the tone of this post, we are cautiously optimistic, but I will make one thing abundantly clear, the first time we get a “you can no longer use this feature, please upgrade your account†type message and we will be so oudda here. Lets hope it never happens.
Good luck guy’s as has been said already, if you can generate the kind of friendship and loyalty that this site has for Mark, then you are on a winner. I wish you every success.
Well ……….. That was a bit of a roller coaster ride of emotions for a Friday/Saturday viewing, what can I say that hasn’t been said already?
I have to admit that my first reaction was along the lines of “ Oh ffs, the last bastion of truly free internet spirit has finally succumbed to the money grabbing moguls. This clearly stems from my inherent philosophy which I grew into the net with, which was then, in the early days of the net, and still is now, that the web is a free entity, it should not be censored or charged for in any way, a free resource for the people of the world to enjoy whatever their financial circumstances. The last bastion of freedom and a form of harmless anarchy.
Then of course I gave myself a shake back to reality and had a closer look and to be honest, it was inevitable, sadly in this day and age the whole ethos of “by the people, for the people†has been lost in the furore of commercialism so the question was never “if†but was always “whenâ€
As for what’s on offer? Well it all sounds pretty exciting doesn’t it boys and girls, and if the new owners stick to the letter and spirit of their promises I can see everyone on this site benefiting in one way or another. I for one look forward to the locator map thingy and would have no problem with our “rough†location being pinned to a map for all to see, and being able to search profiles within a given range of our location can only be a good thing.
If the new owners have the resources to attract even more like minded folk to the site, surely that’s a bonus too? (especially if you live in the south …..sigh)
Yes we are like a big family, a rather incestuous one I admit, but a family of sorts never the less, and when the chips are down, families have a way of sticking together, even the black sheep like me.
All in all I think this is a good thing, yeah I know, there’s a but hiding in there somewhere….. My fear? Ok I’ll tell you ………. Despite promises to the contrary I am worried that the core membership of this site will lose out in the long run, I just can not see a commercial entity allowing us to keep our “Privileged†status for ever, if they do I will eat humble pie and rejoice, but just at the moment, I can’t see it.
The other problem I see is one of reputation, more and more pay sites are getting a rep for being nothing more than a con, invented profiles designed specifically to rip you off, join for fee, browse for free, but if you are a serious player you have to pay…. Purleeeeaaassse, gimme a break, as if. I would so hate this site to gain such a reputation, unfortunately, due to unscrupulous site developers, this rep is spreading like wildfire and there has been a recent and drastic downturn in pay site memberships, could it be that the writing is on the wall?
Well I hope its not the wall I am sitting on ……… for now, at the end of the day I can only speak for Caron and myself, and despite the tone of this post, we are cautiously optimistic, but I will make one thing abundantly clear, the first time we get a “you can no longer use this feature, please upgrade your account†type message and we will be so oudda here. Lets hope it never happens.
Good luck guy’s as has been said already, if you can generate the kind of friendship and loyalty that this site has for Mark, then you are on a winner. I wish you every success.
JEEZ!! I don't visit my favourite site for a couple of days and miss all the action .... I've read some of the posts on here (but not all) but have to agree that I am slightly concerned about the 'possibility' of maybe having to pay for some features in the future. However I think we ought to give the new owners .... 'Welcome by the way' a chance and show them what a great community they've inherited.
Thanks to Mark and Helen for their vision of such a wonderful site in the first place,Good Luck to you both for the future.
Lets give our support to the newbies and look forward to OUR future.
Alleyson xxx
Thanks to Mark and Helen for their vision of such a wonderful site in the first place,Good Luck to you both for the future.
Lets give our support to the newbies and look forward to OUR future.
Alleyson xxx
MOTHER OF GOD........that took some going through, my head is about to explode.
I hope that this change in ownership DOESN'T change this site in any great way because one thing that comes across very clearly is that most people, like Pete and myself, are adamant that if this becomes just another pay site we'll be gone. That would really be a shame. Pete and I don't attend the socials and the munches, but we enjoy reading and sometimes contributing to the posts, and the Dogging forum has enabled us to have some really enjoyable nights out.
Please, new boss-type people..............listen to the people who make this site what it is. I will be really p*ssed off if the fun I've had here has to come to an end. To coin a phrase.....'Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry' I might not turn green, but I do rip all my clothes off, and that's a really scary sight
I hope that this change in ownership DOESN'T change this site in any great way because one thing that comes across very clearly is that most people, like Pete and myself, are adamant that if this becomes just another pay site we'll be gone. That would really be a shame. Pete and I don't attend the socials and the munches, but we enjoy reading and sometimes contributing to the posts, and the Dogging forum has enabled us to have some really enjoyable nights out.
Please, new boss-type people..............listen to the people who make this site what it is. I will be really p*ssed off if the fun I've had here has to come to an end. To coin a phrase.....'Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry' I might not turn green, but I do rip all my clothes off, and that's a really scary sight
Orgasminator
HOLD ON!!!!!!!!!!!
Has anyone SEEN Elliot so far today??????????????
Quick Martin call 696969 and send the emergency crew round the poor guy appears to have vanished!!!!!!
:twisted:
Has anyone SEEN Elliot so far today??????????????
Quick Martin call 696969 and send the emergency crew round the poor guy appears to have vanished!!!!!!
:twisted:
Sexlightened
The only thing to do is sit back and wait, hopefully the new owners will give all members the chance to comment once we see the new add ons etc to this site. How the heck can we comment over something we ain't yet seen. At worst we get 12 month freebie of the goodies on offer. Some folk were down right rude and abusive last night and that is not the spirit of the forum.
Off to the Ghetto before it dissapears!!!!!
Clint
Off to the Ghetto before it dissapears!!!!!
Clint
Orgasminator
Quote by Sexysteph
HOLD ON!!!!!!!!!!!
Has anyone SEEN Elliot so far today??????????????
Quick Martin call 696969 and send the emergency crew round the poor guy appears to have vanished!!!!!!
:twisted:
Yeah he was logged on a little while back
PHEWWWW
I thought we'd done him in or something!!!!! lol
Sex God
Give the guy a chance! 
:smackbottom:
Just some of the things he's got to catch up with are all the postings since last night, read PMs, make notes in order to reply, AND have a personal life too (it is the weekend after all).
There is more to life than SH! :roll:
:whistling: :whistling:
:smackbottom: Just some of the things he's got to catch up with are all the postings since last night, read PMs, make notes in order to reply, AND have a personal life too (it is the weekend after all).
There is more to life than SH!
:roll: :whistling: :whistling: 