I couldn't AGREE with you more. Baron's "response" is rather interesting in that he conveniently ignores the lack of "quality" content issue . . . then chooses to compare ET with the likes of the NY Times, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, etc. - - - to make his point about how ET would be unsuccessful in making itself a pay site. His point appears more like an EXCUSE to me given that he feels that a credit card validation method would scare potential users away to a competing site. How does he know this for a FACT? What factual evidence is he in command of that supports such a view that 80-90% of the potential users will not sign-up if a credit card validation process was used for registration? In my opinion, his "response" implies that he is VERY much worried about the potential lack of web-hit volume/activity, as opposed to maintaining a HIGH LEVEL OF QUALITY CONTENT. If the former is indeed much more of a priority to Baron than the latter, then I don't have much hope for ET ever emerging as anything more than a Yahoo Finance Message Board where people post things like: BWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! You got ripped again MORON!!! Bwaaaaaaa!!! If there was some sort of a screening/validation process implemented, it would ALSO most likely give the "moderators" an incentive to work with even more motivation given that their duties would be much "easier" with the benefits of having killed off all of the multiple alias' and "kiddies" playing on the Internet. In other words, they wouldn't be "bogged-down" with the same old issues and repeat offenders. Their morale would be a lot higher, and their interest in maintaining the website in a professional manner would be heightened. To me, such a credit card validation process is a "win-win" all the way around. It would benefit not only the users of the website, but also the website itself! Yet Baron appears to be happy with the status quo and the quality of content therein. He also doesn't even seem to be the slightest bit interested in trying it ANY OTHER WAY than the current status-quo. The "finality" and "dismissive" tone in his response is quite telling. What a shame. I guess things won't ever really change here at ET unless the advertisers get wise to the fact that the quality of content here has continually made new lows each and every year . . . to the point of becoming more or less like a Yahoo Finance Message Board. I guess that "quantity" is what Baron presents to potential advertisers . . . but someday the advertisers will see through all of this and realize that the QUALITY on ET is quite lacking. So much for the Elite in Elitetrader!
I disagree that registration will so impact EliteTrader. Many forums require some kind of basic registration process. People who want to read the posts are always free to do so. You can offer an infinite number of ways to establish identity: paypal/worldpay/etc. credit card # driver's license an traceable email address from a real ISP (as opposed to something like yahoo or hotmail) etc. etc. You don't really have to charge a fee; the critical thing is that people prove they are one, identified person. That will minimize the flamers, the multiple aliases, and even those who threaten others. I can even see the day that a lawyer decides that when his client receives serious threats from anonymous ET posters and cannot establish, that he goes after elitetrader instead, for allowing people to harass others anonymously. They go after the deep or known pockets. The way some of these lawyers and judges have been allowing plaintiffs to go after web-based entities for libel and other things, it is only a matter of time. Look at what MySpace and FaceBook have been doing given the stalkers, pedophiles and under pressure from the laws. This is going to mushroom. Quickly.
This idea is beyond awesome! Definitely one of the best suggestions I've read here. Pity it'll just be thrown onto the ignore pile with all the rest. As for credit card verification: Baron's right on this one- It truly wouldn't work. It's a 'tuna net' that would catch far more dolphins than tuna. People just won't bother signing up. You'd filter out twenty constructive potential members for every troll. There are <b>far better</b> ways to effectively solve the issue, and I <i>would</i> list them all right now if I didn't have something more constructive to do with my next five minutes: Praying to God to win the lottery. The odds of my request being heard and granted are a hundred times better, when compared to submitting logical & beneficial site improvement ideas to Baron.
The credit card validation does not work, and I don't need to go find statistics to prove it. The last chat board I was a "member" of started using a credit card validation system and the postings dropped dramatically, and many of the former members specifically cited the credit card validation as a reason why they never re-registered with the site.
BTW, you guys who respond to the postings of annoying trolls are part of the problem. Rather than suggest what Baron needs to do, look at what YOU need to do.
Keep it the way it is Baron. This wonderful site is the closest thing to to the Saloon scene inside of the woodstove in the Bugs Bunny- Yosemite Sam cartoons. Rennick out
Suppose there was a message forum with all quality posters. These become "clics". Everyone pretty much gets to know one another, personalities starts to emerge. Everyone contributes from their field of expertise and debate is harmonious. Well here is what happens. Everyone is wrong, everyone sinks with the ship, the smart ones mutiny, in silence. Everyone becomes intimidated, No one wants to be cast out of the "clic". Groupstink. Consensus blows. There's a chapter on this phenomina in the book Hedge Hogging. It applies to forums.
It DOES work. Somethingawful.com is a general forum, it charges $10 once for registration and it has the traffic 10 freaking times of Elitetrader.com. People do pay for posting in a nice enviroment... Also it shows ads for unregistered users, but not for members. Go to alexa.com and run the comparison.
The purpose of a pay site would be to eliminate extreme profane posts that really take away from the original idea of the website. I think by charging a nominal fee of $5 then that would eliminate those who are not serious about trading. Another way is to simply enforce the conduct rules of the website? How many times have you allowed threads to get out of control and nothing was done? There are so many threads on this board that "contain exceesive profanity", "insulting", "argumentative", "abusive", etc. Just delete the thread and ban the user's ip if this is the way they conduct themselves. RULES OF CONDUCT 2) By posting information in any chat room, message board, ratings system or other interactive service that may be available to you through this site, you are not to upload, post, or otherwise distribute or facilitate distribution of any content -- including text, communications, software, images, sounds, data, or other information -- that: contains excessive profanity or vulgar language; is insulting or argumentitive without merit, unlawful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, libelous, deceptive, fraudulent, invasive of another's privacy, tortious, contains explicit or graphic descriptions or accounts of sexual acts (including but not limited to sexual language of a violent or threatening nature directed at another individual or group of individuals), uses vulgar language in the creation of a user name or otherwise violates Elite Trader's rules or policies or these Rules of User Conduct; victimizes, harasses, degrades, or intimidates an individual or group of individuals on the basis of religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, or disability; infringes on any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, right of publicity, or other proprietary right of any party; constitutes unauthorized or unsolicited advertising, junk or bulk e-mail (also known as "Spamming"), chain letters, any other form of unauthorized solicitation, or any form of lottery or gambling; contains software viruses or any other computer code, files, or programs that are designed or intended to disrupt, damage, or limit the functioning of any software, hardware, or telecommunications equipment or to damage or obtain unauthorized access to any data or other information of any third party; or impersonates any person or entity, including any employee or representative of Elite Trader.