Our neighbouring local website has been sold: http://www.virtualnorwood.com/forum/ind ... topic=6419
Just like to say - ST/STF is a local forum run for the community that will stay in the community and is NOT4SALE. Or ever will be by me. When I get old or tired, leave Sydenham or Sydenham decides to leave me - it will be passed on to someone here I hope I can trust to continue trying to make this an interesting reflection of life in SE26.
Admin
VirtualNorwood sold
Here is one view: http://www.websiteoutlook.com/www.sydenham.org.uk
I did make money out of running a local site back in the last millennium. I think I sold it for a couple of grand but it was centred on the most affluent town in the UK. Getting local advertising was easy. One shop booked, the others couldn't refuse.
Whereas for Sydenham I don't think we have the businesses who could really support a viable business plan. Revenue is one thing, costs are another. If you cost maintenance/updating etc at £50/hour then you couldn't get away with less than a couple and 10 hours is more realistic. Can you see that much revenue here?
IF YOU CAN CALL ME!
There is another point - if the site were run to maximise revenue - it would look very different. Visually in the number and prominence of ads, and editorially as even reviews on local restaurants could be a problem.
Independence is essential IMHO which is why I've never asked for a penny from Lewisham. We should be feel free to praise or criticise without considering the bottom line.
Admin
I did make money out of running a local site back in the last millennium. I think I sold it for a couple of grand but it was centred on the most affluent town in the UK. Getting local advertising was easy. One shop booked, the others couldn't refuse.
Whereas for Sydenham I don't think we have the businesses who could really support a viable business plan. Revenue is one thing, costs are another. If you cost maintenance/updating etc at £50/hour then you couldn't get away with less than a couple and 10 hours is more realistic. Can you see that much revenue here?
IF YOU CAN CALL ME!
There is another point - if the site were run to maximise revenue - it would look very different. Visually in the number and prominence of ads, and editorially as even reviews on local restaurants could be a problem.
Independence is essential IMHO which is why I've never asked for a penny from Lewisham. We should be feel free to praise or criticise without considering the bottom line.
Admin
I agree. If I had known it was for sale I wonder if I would have bid more or less than Matt. Matt has no previous connection with the area and does not live/work here.
It looks like the number of ads on the frontpage has increased. I presume the six moderators come free and their banner says they cover Sydenham too. So there is an opportunity for expansion. It will be interesting to see how Matt plans to exploit it.
However, IME, its a lot easier to think of ways of making money off the web than actually trouser it. That's why I'm still stuck here!
Admin
It looks like the number of ads on the frontpage has increased. I presume the six moderators come free and their banner says they cover Sydenham too. So there is an opportunity for expansion. It will be interesting to see how Matt plans to exploit it.
However, IME, its a lot easier to think of ways of making money off the web than actually trouser it. That's why I'm still stuck here!
Admin
It is the whole site virtualnorwood.com. Here is probably Matt's biggest site/forum:
http://www.londonstudent.co.uk
Hmmmm a Sydenham Strippers section is a splendid idea. Forum Member takes on a whole new meaning ...
Admin
http://www.londonstudent.co.uk
Hmmmm a Sydenham Strippers section is a splendid idea. Forum Member takes on a whole new meaning ...
Admin
Above or below the belt?
Seriously that is the point. The Forum is almost entirely the work of community posters. Most of the stuff I put on the website has been freely given to me by others for the benefit of the community.
To grab it all, parcel it up and sell it on IMHO is presumptuous. Especially without consulting members first. So while technically this website, for various reasons, belongs to my company - it is held in trust for the community. Whoever they are ...
Admin
Seriously that is the point. The Forum is almost entirely the work of community posters. Most of the stuff I put on the website has been freely given to me by others for the benefit of the community.
To grab it all, parcel it up and sell it on IMHO is presumptuous. Especially without consulting members first. So while technically this website, for various reasons, belongs to my company - it is held in trust for the community. Whoever they are ...
Admin
Would have to say that monetising from community based websites is not as straight forward as it may seem and the previous owner
of the site made the worst mistake possible by revealing that he sold the site for money to a guy whose main goal for the site is to seek a return on his investment and not serve the community. Also he's only ever been to Norwood once and that was to visit a friend!
In the long run quality will suffer and visitors fall thus devaluing his investment.
of the site made the worst mistake possible by revealing that he sold the site for money to a guy whose main goal for the site is to seek a return on his investment and not serve the community. Also he's only ever been to Norwood once and that was to visit a friend!
In the long run quality will suffer and visitors fall thus devaluing his investment.
if, for argument's sake, you sold a forum then what about the copyright of all the induvidual posters? (not that I'm looking for a cut here :p) - by posting in the public domain does one assume a loss of copyright immediately? Indeed, is that in the T&Cs of a forum? It's not something I've ever thought about...
Copyright ownership of posts - I presume it is with the poster but I guess the forum operator can claim 'ownership' of the collection. That is if someone uses your words elsewhere the poster (not me) have some rights. If someone rips the whole forum than I may have a claim but IANAL.
The only explicit claim to copyright is on the website pages. But only to allow its use freely for non-profit and attempting to take a cut if someone uses them for profit. Which I hope folks will find reasonable.
My business is essentially IP but I do find most law purporting to protect IP unhelpful.
Admin
The only explicit claim to copyright is on the website pages. But only to allow its use freely for non-profit and attempting to take a cut if someone uses them for profit. Which I hope folks will find reasonable.
My business is essentially IP but I do find most law purporting to protect IP unhelpful.
Admin
Hello! I've been having a browse round the site and really like the feel of it. Seems like a very friendly, informative forum and website that isn't ruled over by a strict headmaster! 
[hopeful]Any chance of you expanding to cover SE19?? [/hopeful] 
You're just outside my area at present..... 
Although I'm sure current STF posters wouldn't want their forum to be diluted I think you could have quite a few new takers
[hopeful]Any chance of you expanding to cover SE19?? [/hopeful] You're just outside my area at present..... Although I'm sure current STF posters wouldn't want their forum to be diluted I think you could have quite a few new takers
Few points here ... the VN forum is successful in the number of posts, their running rate is just behind us and it took 4 years of no competition for us to get this far.
Going head to head with a strong incumbent is not really on in the Forum market. And I'm "out of area" too (wrong side of the park). It really is up to Matt. If he does deliver on his promises then I guess the existing users will stick with him.
If he doesn't and there is a real CP based team then the cost of entry is almost zero. Its up to you hilly folk. Oh and I do have a nice domain for CP
Alternatively you could think of a non-forum based website to complement rather than compete with VN. Real local news, features and listings do need local knowledge. And I note there is a small but eloquent band of ex-VN webwriters.
BTW some Sydenhamites do complain their headmaster is a little too spare with the "rod". You can't please everyone!
Admin
Going head to head with a strong incumbent is not really on in the Forum market. And I'm "out of area" too (wrong side of the park). It really is up to Matt. If he does deliver on his promises then I guess the existing users will stick with him.
If he doesn't and there is a real CP based team then the cost of entry is almost zero. Its up to you hilly folk. Oh and I do have a nice domain for CP
Alternatively you could think of a non-forum based website to complement rather than compete with VN. Real local news, features and listings do need local knowledge. And I note there is a small but eloquent band of ex-VN webwriters.
BTW some Sydenhamites do complain their headmaster is a little too spare with the "rod". You can't please everyone!
Admin
Thanks for your reply Admin! Although I guessed that would be the view
I think it would be very difficult to start up a new forum and attract new visitors when there is already a very 'successful' one in existence. I just don't like the attitude there!
Ah well, I'll still be having a browse round STF, perhaps find myself a little corner to curl up in unnoticed
PS - I'm glad to hear you don't get your rod out too often
I think it would be very difficult to start up a new forum and attract new visitors when there is already a very 'successful' one in existence. I just don't like the attitude there!
Ah well, I'll still be having a browse round STF, perhaps find myself a little corner to curl up in unnoticed
PS - I'm glad to hear you don't get your rod out too often
I presume you are aware of this post: http://eyedropper.co.uk/?s=virtualnorwood. The writer may be right in that the real competitive threat to forums is stuff like Facebook unmoderated networks.
As you can see around here - some people who make the most interesting and edgy posts do not like being moderated. On the other hand as a community website one doesn't want it to go too far and put off other people from joining. Its a balance and one is always going to get a bit wrong. James tended to err one way and I the other.
You are very welcome to join in here. CP Park is always hotly contested between Sydenham, Norwood & Penge and there is much local stuff that covers us all. Then there is the Town Pub if you really want to go off topic. Oh and its all free!
Just don't suggest re-routeing the 176
Admin
As you can see around here - some people who make the most interesting and edgy posts do not like being moderated. On the other hand as a community website one doesn't want it to go too far and put off other people from joining. Its a balance and one is always going to get a bit wrong. James tended to err one way and I the other.
You are very welcome to join in here. CP Park is always hotly contested between Sydenham, Norwood & Penge and there is much local stuff that covers us all. Then there is the Town Pub if you really want to go off topic. Oh and its all free!
Just don't suggest re-routeing the 176
Admin
leenewham - or put into place stage 2 of my master plan - convert STF over to the dark side, of SE19. Mwaaah hah hah hah 
Admin - yes I saw that post and related posts that were in a facebook group. Although FB groups are good for getting communities together, they do lack the functionality of a php forum. I think you can see the novelty factor in FB is going/has gone and some groups local to the area haven't had any fresh posts for months.
Personally, I think this forum has a lovely real community feel to it and I like the simple non-fussy design as well.
Now - as I was saying only the other day about the 176 bus....
Admin - yes I saw that post and related posts that were in a facebook group. Although FB groups are good for getting communities together, they do lack the functionality of a php forum. I think you can see the novelty factor in FB is going/has gone and some groups local to the area haven't had any fresh posts for months.
Personally, I think this forum has a lovely real community feel to it and I like the simple non-fussy design as well.
Now - as I was saying only the other day about the 176 bus....