66 replies to this topic

[968forums]

he time has come for those of us who own the website to pass on the torch to someone else. It has been a long and enjoyable ride, but as with many things, priorities shift, needs change, and sometimes it's just plain time.

Before this happens though, we will complete the site upgrade to the updated software, and move some things around to better locations, so as to make the new owner's life better and easier. This will only take a couple of weeks though.

We will be selective regarding the sale. We want to try to maintain the mission statement of the site, which is to preserve the data, so that our posterity can benefit from the site as much as we have. We will be keeping that in mind when considering buyers.

We hope that this transition will be smooth and uneventful. As always, we will apprise everyone of any developments. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience members may experience.

The price tag for the site is not set, and we are considering offers. We may consider terms. We may negotiate. It really depends on who is buying. It's more about providing for posterity than anything else.

Please send any correspondence to 968forums@gmail.com.

[Inkedupfatboy]

WOW! Wish I had the cash.

If you cannot find a buyer, will the site library stay up? Even if people cannot make comments, the data would be beneficial to all.

Edited by Inkedupfatboy, 28 November 2013 - 03:41 PM.

[ds968]

Needs someone with more than just cash ; time, commitment, patience, leadership , technical savvy , and...oh yeah, cash ;-). I lack any semblance of virtues 1 , 2 , 3 and 5 so definitely not a potential buyer, but will gladly commit to keep my contributions / donations up to do my bit in helping the future owners maintain this outstanding forum going for a long time to come.

[flash]

regarding the ongoing access to the site, i'm not sure what will happen yet. we won't let it run unmanned, that's for sure.

regarding purchase, it would be great if a bunch of the members formed a partnership and bought it together. that way, a group could decide how things would go going forward. that's why i originally brought in partners after i bought it. i wanted other minds involved. i never wanted to be running it by myself or as much as i have had to.

i am moving on from the 968. any further involvement might tend to suck me back in, and that's not in my plan for my future. hopefully we can find somebody else who wants to see this continue enough, and with the resources to do it. a few people have said they wanted to help. well, they need to step up. otherwise this site will die and be lost. that would suck. there has been entirely too much of that in the 968 community.

[Rap]

If a buyer does not materialize has there been any thought to the publishing of a book? There is a tremendous amount of useful technical info here that I'm sure some would pay for. It could be the definitive book on the 968!

[flash]

funny - that's actually the reason i assembled the site the way i did. it was to be more of a book than anything else. that's also why the rules say that anything placed on the site belongs to the site. i'm not sure where the legalities lie with respect to a different format, but i intend to look into it. it would be a crazy amount of work though, and i think things would be better served if somebody just picked up where we left off.

[Rap]

But there is your legacy to think of! While of course this course offers a moneymaking option coupled with posterity for the ages!

[Inkedupfatboy]

I would be interested in helping, but it would depend on many things.

[Langley968]

Keep the conversation going guys...
I think many of us are on the sidelines waiting to see who will step forward. I do not have time and interest in being involved "behind the scenes", but people like myself could step up with a regular financial contribution. I think it is important to mention this, so that someone with "time & energy" will know that others are interested in the continuation of this resource. Let the discussions continue...

[Inkedupfatboy]

Well, the last price that was mentioned in any of Flash's discussions was around the $42K mark. That is well out of reach of me and I am sure others as well. Would I help at someone moderate? Sure. But I cannot step up to that kind of level.

[flash]

yeah - there is no fixed price tag, and frankly it is largely dependent on who is buying. we are more focused on maintaining the mission statement than on price.

[Inkedupfatboy]

Well, that opens doors.

[MCL968]

I agree with Jake, I would view an annual donation like a fee for access to a site that has saved me a great deal of time and trouble.

Now if I could just make that gas smell go away... Next week: Smoke Test!

[flash]

while people are free to do what they want, we are not considering setting up annual donations. somebody else who buys the site may consider that though. that would be up to them.

the bottom line is that i am going away, and leaving the 968 scene entirely. i am only sticking around long enough to transition things. somebody else is going to have to pick this one up.

when i said that we are "more focused on maintaining the mission than on price" it meant that who the new buyer is would influence what the price is. there is still a price though. the structure of the deal is being worked on as we speak. there are certain things that we want to see maintained and unchanged, and that language has to be drawn up.

[Bulti]

Every end means a new beginning. Hopefully all goes well. Got a bunch of good people here.

I'm new, but I recognize the hard work put into this by Flash, but also the contribution of all people who added something usefull to the forum.

My respect.

[cosimo]

The 968 world is coming to an end! Don sells his mint red 968, Flash is going out of the 968 world. The forum site is up for sale. Woo is me!

[DaveN]

Sad.
How about we charge a yearly fee to be here which would relieve the financial burden on Flash and create a mildly profitable enterprise for him?
Have him just mentor the site and not be directly involved day by day? As a collective we seem to be fairly adept at solving each others problems especially with the massive amount of data the forum has stored.
Assign volunteer admins/moderators and, if Bob can detach himself from our opinions and advice ,go on our merry way supporting each other.
Just a suggestion rather than the cold cut.

[Rap]

Dave you might be missing Flash's point. A good idea though!

[Inkedupfatboy]

I think a question that needs to be asked is.."What happens to the site if no one steps forward to purchase it?"
Will the site stay up and simply be a closed forum that can be read only or will it be collectively decided by the owners to shut it down completely?

If is a matter of someone must buy it, that lets me out. If it is a matter of someone needs to set up a server and do maintenance to keep the site running, then I might be willing for a while. Or perhaps a small collective of members could manage to partner up to pay server space somewhere.

[flash]

i no longer want to own the site, or be at all involved with it. i also want my capital investment back.