news An important note on lifetime accounts

Dear DNForum members,

This is an important note to all lifetime membership holders (memberships of any type).

I would like to inform you that after careful consideration, I am considering canceling all lifetime memberships on DNForum.com. While I understand that this may come as disappointing news to some of our members, we believe that this is a necessary step to ensure the long-term sustainability of our forum.

In 2 words: Lifetime offers are Unsustainable

I am sure, you understand that maintaining a forum of this size on the internet is a costly endeavor, and unfortunately, the people and companies who sold lifetime memberships did not consider the long-term costs associated with running a forum. I believe that every business must be able to sustain itself, and I hope that all DNF members can appreciate this decision to ensure the longevity and very existance of our community.

The plan is: Effective May 31, 2023, all lifetime memberships will expire. Moving forward, the primary difference between a free account and a full account will be the ability to have a signature, larger inbox, and access to exclusive forums.

I encourage you, and all of our members to discuss this decision in this thread over the next 30 days, until May 30, 2023.

Look, the winners will be everybody! This will help us to get a new life into the DNF, and I am 100% confident that we will be able to have much more new content and visitors than it has today, and that the winners will be everybody.

Nobody enjoys a niche business forum that is weak!

Best regards,
Helmuts

 

[GeorgeK]

What are we left with, George? Is it the signature? .. anything else?

If the signature feature is kept for you and users similar to you (who claim it), would this be a good and fair solution?

I think the ability to read/post in all subforums, along with the signatures, are the main benefit I received. I can't speak for everyone else, though....

Things like DNF$, domain auction access and drop lists were never of any value to me.

 

[Helmuts]

I think the ability to read/post in all subforums, along with the signatures, are the main benefit I received. I can't speak for everyone else, though....

Things like DNF$, domain auction access and drop lists were never of any value to me.

Thank you for the first constructive conversation during this long thread. Much appreciated.

@DNF Admin could you please make sure that on May 29th George still has his signature? Thank you.

As for hidden categories > at the moment there are none. Maybe we will introduce one to the "Elite" members only (still, on later stages, and only if a pressing need comes up.

* Domain auctions are on our plan further down the road > need to think about the best possible solution + need to prepare financially for this (+ will need a full-time staff member for this). And, will be available for everybody.
* Droplists. Even more further down the line (also, already absent).

====

It seems we have a beam of found light in the end of the tunnel. Who's Next?

Please note: these are not personal favors (you don't owe me anything) > we are in the simple process of solving an obstacle that prevents working with a forum.

 

[Helmuts]

Thanks George. These were the good times up until a decade ago. Then things went downhill from there. This doesn't mean we lost the benefits and privileges of the memberships we paid for.

Exactly Theo. Is there anything else apart from the signature for you? .. shall we sort it out and move on?

 

[Helmuts]

Hey @Theo, a quick question: Are you affiliated with the site known as DomainGang, who seem to be going beyond boundaries to openly harass me?

 

[Theo]

Exactly Theo. Is there anything else apart from the signature for you? .. shall we sort it out and move on?

As I said, I don't need a personal favor. Nor do I consider this a "moving on" gesture.

As for claiming you're being "harassed" I think you confuse criticism with harassment. And if you just found out I operate DG then you're in the wrong business.

Rest assured that I present facts of the stories I choose to cover. If you feel you were defrauded by the previous owners of DNForum then you might have a recourse with them.

Also, blocking me and others who are critical of your actions on Twitter might be a choice but you're shooting yourself in the foot. Seeking support via paid memberships is your right - removing such membership privileges from existing paid users does arrive with a thick layer of public outcry.

 

[Helmuts]

As I said, I don't need a personal favor. Nor do I consider this a "moving on" gesture.

As for claiming you're being "harassed" I think you confuse criticism with harassment. And if you just found out I operate DG then you're in the wrong business.

Rest assured that I present facts of the stories I choose to cover. If you feel you were defrauded by the previous owners of DNForum then you might have a recourse with them.

Also, blocking me and others who are critical of your actions on Twitter might be a choice but you're shooting yourself in the foot. Seeking support via paid memberships is your right - removing such membership privileges from existing paid users does arrive with a thick layer of public outcry.

You are not critical. Don't pretend to be useful and don't compliment yourself.

You exercise persistent and malicious behavior with the intention to cause distress, discomfort, and to harm to me personally. And, most probably gain strange joy from it.

@DNF Admin, please remove this account. Thank you.

 

[Theo]

Hasta la vista Helmuts.

 

[Theo]

You are not critical. Don't pretend to be useful and don't compliment yourself.

You exercise persistent and malicious behavior with the intention to cause distress, discomfort, and to harm to me personally. And, most probably gain strange joy from it.

@DNF Admin, please remove this account. Thank you.

You are beyond delusional. Good luck with this hot potato you bought.

 

[DNF Admin]

@DNF Admin could you please make sure that on May 29th George still has his signature? Thank you.

Done. @GeorgeK if for some reason the signature will disappear, please contact me and I will sort it out.

 

[DNF Admin]

@DNF Admin, please remove this account. Thank you.

Done.

 

[DomainsGENERAL.com]

Wow!!! 30k posts!!! Awesome!!

Yes, and he got kicked out for absolutely nothing, just because he was expressing his honest opinion :/
One might think it is what a forum was actually for.

@Helmuts , Post #48 of this thread did appear to have some dictatorial vibes to it, but it was possible to give you the benefit of the doubt. It's becoming hard to do now.

You seem to have been unable to grasp the beginning of what it was mainly about, here: Psychology. Look at your own reactions because some people just expressed opinions you didn't like... I didn't really see anything wrong or unfair in what has been said. Be it on Twitter, on DomainGang, or here.

Epik did NOT cancel anything. They made a lot of things free for everybody. That was quite acceptable. They didn't say all the kind of stuff you said in this thread alone. You could have added new memberships or badges on top of the existing ones. Getting into removing things from people is just a bad idea. Well, it seems to match the consideration you appear to show for your users. It doesn't matter they're not losing much in practice. They're not gaining much either by paying again, which is what Brad asked you on Twitter: "What is the value proposition for $270/year?". Your only answer has been to jack up the price

Honestly, nobody really cares about all your "justifications". It would be like an employee saying he "needs" a salary of $100 million per month "because he has expenses". That's his problem, not yours as an employer. Sure, you can explain the why and your rationale, but try maybe to also think about the people you are talking to and their position, not solely about YOUR needs and problems.

Maybe try to not forget a forum is nothing without users and the latter are the ones creating most of the content. You can also ask yourself the question why they would do it, do it here, and even pay on top of it. Maybe they are the ones needing to see why they would do that. In the end, all this is mainly silly as people can still use the forum and everything, without paying. Yes: Psychology, things maybe conveyed the wrong way, at the wrong time, with the most active user shown directly the door for nothing, etc.

You kind of contradict yourself without the help of anyone, too:

only to shut down their operations when they run out of money. To make matters worse, they then establish a new brand and repeat the cycle all over again.

Nobody has passed me the obligations to maintain these memberships

Well, if you had established a new forum under a new brand, nobody would expect you to carry on the obligations of the one you actually took over, would they?

 

[Helmuts]

Guys, if the price of the "Elite" membership (totally optional) is too high for many of you > it is fine. Nobody really needs the "Elite" membership to do business at DNF. It is more a status thing.

let us not get into the philosophy if a new owner of a restaurant needs to keep the same wallpaper and prices.

--

The nature of this thread is: let us talk with members who use DNF for their business about these memberships that were sold several decades ago by owners other than the current.

So far, it seems > the main thing is the signature. Is there anything else?

 

[Helmuts]

@DomainsGENERAL.com btw, you can list all your domains at your website, and then create marketplace threads for your names with links to your website .. no restrictions, just use the proper categories.

use DNF for business and make $$$

 

[theinvestor]

So far, it seems > the main thing is the signature. Is there anything else?

Have you not noticed that no one is answering because no one is actually here to answer? Maybe instead of your focus being on “status” you should dive deep and find out why this forum has no active users anymore.

It is really unfortunate the circumstances of this forum but charging for anything on this forum is completely out of the question. Your priorities are completely out of order. Build the forum back then maybe you can have an elite membership. No one cares about status on a forum. I don’t need to pay you $750 for status. It just shows us all why YOU bought this forum.

Wish you all the best!

 

[Dale Hubbard]

You booted Theo - well you can boot me too; from here and from Acorn. Please oblige.

 

[Helmuts]

You booted Theo - well you can boot me too; from here and from Acorn. Please oblige.

Good morning Dale,

It is sad to see you leaving without being able to have a chat or meet with you. I believe I tried reaching out to you and to establish contact.

Theo is an abusive online personality and crossed the lines by insulting me.

DNForum will stay a friendly place and abusive accounts will be closed to maintain a friendly environment. I am sure you understand the value of not allowing toxic people at various online communities.

Ok, to the topic. About your account - I believe we have enabled functionality that everybody can delete their accounts. This was one of the first functionalities we enabled at DNForum - everybody should have rights to be be forgotten. Are you able to find it? If not, please drop a line to Felix (@DNF Admin ) who will help you out.

All the best!
Helmuts

p.s. Always happy to meet up and have a glass of wine!

 

[Helmuts]

Have you not noticed that no one is answering because no one is actually here to answer? Maybe instead of your focus being on “status” you should dive deep and find out why this forum has no active users anymore.

It is really unfortunate the circumstances of this forum but charging for anything on this forum is completely out of the question. Your priorities are completely out of order. Build the forum back then maybe you can have an elite membership. No one cares about status on a forum. I don’t need to pay you $750 for status. It just shows us all why YOU bought this forum.

Wish you all the best!

Good morning,

Thank you.

Have a good day,
Helmuts

 

[Deleted member 322542968]

I believe we have enabled functionality that everybody can delete their accounts. This was one of the first functionalities we enabled at DNForum.

Where do I find this functionality?

Handling of both forums has been atrocious since the takeovers.

There's clearly a disconnect somewhere. Maybe it's a language/culture misunderstanding(?) but it seems like genuine feedback is being ignored and it's being taken personally.

$750 for a forum signature and badge on a basically dead forum is delusional. Removing people's memberships that they paid for lifetime access is disrespectful. Ignoring feedback and taking it personally is being blind to the truth.

Delusion, disrespect and being blind will destroy the little life the forum(s) have. You've already lost me at AD and I was doing £xx,xxx deals on a regular basis with members.

 

[Deleted member 322971123]

I am also interested to know where is the delete your account button located.

Whatever you are dreaming about is not possible. You can write off your DNF investment as lost maybe it will help you to get some tax relief.

It's a dead forum no one is even interested in using it for free.

 

[Helmuts]

I am also interested to know where is the delete your account button located.

Whatever you are dreaming about is not possible. You can write off your DNF investment as lost maybe it will help you to get some tax relief.

It's a dead forum no one is even interested in using it for free.

Felix has updated me that this feature has been implemented only at Acorn Domains.

Apologies for making a premature comment.

We are still slowly taking over the DNF, and apparently haven't received all the licenses to be able to modify the forum fully.

--

Please contact @DNF Admin directly if you wish to stop doing further domain name business at the DNF. Nobody will be held hostage (not like in another large forum).

Thank you.

Have the most productive day all!!
H