Mr Thoen,
You have many good points.
The first thing I should say is I do NOT represent the USGS in any way by
being on this list. That's why You see my home e-mail address unless you
know where to look. (Maybe that will keep me out of trouble here at work.)
Second, since I am not here on the list as a Rep for them, I am on my own
as far as getting and keeping access to this list.
This means I can not get any financial support from them to join a paid
list. (remember I'm speaking for myself.)
I have always tried to be very careful on what I post here because I do
know that USGS can be found in my headers. (except, I guess, this time.)
I have been able a few times to help some one that had a USGS need. One
thing I used to do, and can start again, is forward any mail that contains
complaints that pertain to certain topics. (SDTS comes to mind) to
proper people here in the building. I've always felt that we could
benefit more if more people here were aware of some of the complaints I
see. (Remember this is me, not the USGS talking).
Bosses have come and gone, and I lost those pathways to them, So I haven't
done that for awhile.
Now, Mr Thoen, Finally, I am impressed with the time and effort you took to
give me the lengthy and well thought out reply to my post.
I am convinced.
Send on the adds.
Jack Forbes
"Steve Wallace"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
"Bill Thoen"
m> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent by: cc:
owner-mapinfo-l@lis Subject: Re: Advertising to fund
MapInfo-L (was
ts.csn.net MI ANNOUNCEMENT: MapInfo-L is moving!
-No
Advertising!!)
09/22/2000 11:20 AM
Please respond to
"Steve Wallace"
One thing to keep in mind: this will not be some generic list server with
advertisements for low-interest credit cards or internet gambling. The host
will be a reputable GIS magazine, and who knows -- you might see an ad for
something you need!
Steve Wallace
Vice President, Operations
Florida Farm Bureau Insurance Co's
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Thoen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2000 11:41 AM
Subject: Advertising to fund MapInfo-L (was MI ANNOUNCEMENT: MapInfo-L is
moving! -No Advertising!!)
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> >
> > One Comment about the advertising with the e-mail.
> >
> > Don't do it!
> >
> > That's the sort of thing that could run me off from this list faster
then any thing else.
>
> Would you be willing to pay a subscription fee to get the list
> mail then? How do you suggest we afford the service? Would you
> prefer twice-yearly fund drives like they do for public
> broadcasting?
>
> It's been free because I managed to get a good deal at Colorado
> Supernet for the last 6 years. That made it cost so little (and
> was helped by some donations and the proceeds of an auction) that
> my business carried it these last few years. It cost $14.95/mo
> plus my time, which was gladly given because it has also been
> good for my business. But SuperNet got bought out by Qwest/US
> West, and because SuperNet isn't profitable enough for the big
> wheels, the wheels are closing down that service. The hard, cold
> Morlocks meet the Eloi of the Internet.
>
> In a perfect world advertising serves to connect people who have
> needs to products and services that answer those needs, and
> that's the goal we would try to attain. I am all too aware that
> in our real world, advertising also tries to *create* needs and
> wants and stick a straw into your wallet and suck hard. We all
> know that activity sucks, but is there any creative solution that
> we can come up with where we can generate enough cash to pay for
> the infrastructure we need to make this list a success? Lists do
> not live by email alone.
>
> Perhaps we can do a mix of paid subscriptions with no advertising
> with some freebie subscriptions that come with a helping thinly
> sliced spam. How about the USGS buying up a block and giving them
> out to employees? Maybe people with deeper pockets could fund
> subscriptions for students who are full of bright ideas, but no
> money. Maybe we could charge enough for advertising so that there
> wouldn't be many (but if there were none, that wouldn't help) Or
> maybe the ads wouldn't be so bad or common anyway. Maybe we could
> do a mix of donations, light advertising, auctions, and fund
> drives. But all that work takes volunteers or paid staff.
>
> Advertising is the easiest solution. If you don't want it at all,
> get creative, and not to put too fine a point on it, put your
> money where your mouth is. The form that these will take has not
> been decided yet anyway. All that's been talked about is that the
> service can be offered and that advertising would be a covenant
> way to afford it.
>
> As Henry D. Thoreau once said, "All great enterprises should be
> self-supporting."
>
> How about some ideas instead of complaints?
> --
> - Bill Thoen
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> GISnet, 1401 Walnut St., Suite C, Boulder, CO 80302
> tel: 303-786-9961, fax: 303-443-4856
> mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED], http://www.ctmap.com/gisnet
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put
> "unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put
"unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this list, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and put
"unsubscribe MAPINFO-L" in the message body, or contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
