Change the forum URL to http://www.ebikes.ca/forums?

[MitchJi]

Hi,

I think if the forum url was changed to http://www.ebikes.ca/forums Justin would get a substantial increase in web traffic (and business) at no cost or inconvenience to forum members (except for another round of missing images ).

If I suggest this to Justin I'm pretty sure he'd decline (he wouldn't want to make any money from the forum). But maybe if enough of us are in favor of the idea he might consider it.

Of course polite discussion, comments and other opinions are welcome.

Also soliciting any other ideas on how we can help Justin recoup his investment.

[Ziggurat]

Appreciate the sentiment for sure, but I don't think it is a good idea. It would link the forums to a commercial URL, which will give people the wrong impression about the independence of the forums. Or they might think the forums are for discussing the products sold on ebikes.ca. Or, they might think they are forums for Canadian ebikers only because of the .ca domain.

[liveforphysics]

I wouldn't be opposed to it, and think it's a fair idea for anyone business minded to do.

However, I think Justin would be strongly opposed to it, for the exact reasons the above poster listed, and because Justin is ethically like 5-tiers above anyone business minded.

[amberwolf]

Rather than change it, a simple redirect could be *added* to the list of addresses that currently work to take you to the forums. I would not want it *changed* to a new domain, because then none of the links on the web to ES (my own and anyone else's) would no longer work, nor would any of the links to images both within and outside of the forum would work that linked to images within posts on teh forum. (I have at minimum several dozen posts that link to pics within other posts rather than re-uploading them again just for the new post--I'm sure many other people have teh same issue).

Plus, Spinningmagnets' nifty stickers would be useless, with the wrong URL on them. Can't remember if Nicobie's stuff also has the URL on there, or just the forum name.

[Ypedal]

I think for what justin paid for this URL he'd likely want to keep it going ! lol..

[Kingfish]

Change the root to point to forums:

http://www.endless-sphere.com -> http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums

No need for splash screen/click-though.

That's it. KF

[Drunkskunk]

While Justin Is the Godfather of all that is Ebike, Its nice to have this as an independant forum.

Justin owns it and a big Thank you to him for saving it, but he's kept out of influancing anything here, ..... wait, thats wrong, he's influanced about everything here, But as a person and an Ebiker, not as a company. The Grin Cyclery hasn't influanced anything here as the owner. They-the-company have kept their hands off and that gives us more credibility as an independant source of information. ES has become it's own entity, and it's earned it's own credibility in the Ebike world.

KF's idea is pretty good, though. Or have a timed redirect so after a couple seconds it automaticly goes to the forum.

It wouldn't bother me if he tagged the load screen or the headers with a "Sponsered by The Grin Cyclery" or something. I personaly wouldn't consider that advertising or selling our content. It seems fair if he chooses.

[bigmoose]

Drunkskunk you are an observant man. I too have been watching Justin and MRVass go about patching things up after Justin acquired the forum. They worked hard to stabilize the forum, then fix both the damage we did in the takeover rebuff, and fix things that were neglected by the previous owner. Then Justin "took a powder" to let us be what we may. No changes to commercialize the site, no vectors to ebikes.ca except from those of us that voluntarily put it in our signatures... which, if I had to guess, is irritating our new provider! I had the pleasure of talking to Justin a few times during the hectic period, and I will say, none of us will ever find another business man in this world like him in our lifetime!

[spinningmagnets]

I'll go along with whatwever Justin wants, for whatever reason he may have. I trust his judgement, and he's earned it.

[neptronix]

The entire idea of rebelling when our forums got bought was to have no corporate / business interests involved in our form.

We were all ready to pack up and he did not have to bail us out.

Justin runs a business and that violates the principles we were fighting for.
I have absolutely nothing against Justin; i do like the guy, his business, and what he has done for the electric bicycle world here in North America.

But we do need to stick to the principles we fought hard for.

[nicobie]

But we do need to stick to the principles we fought hard for.

We?

I could give a shit what Justin does with this joint.

He Owns it, and so far so good.

The proof is in the puddin'/tasting

[neptronix]

I can bring up the ~28 page thread of people yelling about corporate/business ownership if you like. But yes, i don't think i was alone in being certifiably pissed that an outside group was going to have influence here when we got bought out.

Justin's a great guy, i just don't want a giant 'represents company X' logo over any forum i participate in. I hope that is not too much to ask.

[Zoot Katz]

I can bring up the ~28 page thread of people yelling about corporate/business ownership if you like. But yes, i don't think i was alone in being certifiably pissed that an outside group was going to have influence here when we got bought out.

Justin's a great guy, i just don't want a giant 'represents company X' logo over any forum i participate in. I hope that is not too much to ask.

IMO, the numerous signatures praising and deifying Justin makes this place look like a cult site.
As it is now, ebikes.ca is frequently mentioned and linked in the context of posts. That's organic advertising, low key and effective.
I'm afraid everybody adding ebikes.ca links to their sigs will discourage other dealers from joining the discussion.

The history of how Justin came to own endless-sphere.com is in the archives for all new comers to read..
It's history
.
Let Justin get on with just being the regular guy he is. It doesn't take new people long to figure out he's super special.

[Joseph C.]

IMO, the numerous signatures praising and deifying Justin makes this place look like a cult site.

Yes, you're right. Ah I'm sure it wouldn't take them too long to realise we're not though.

[Zoot Katz]

IMO, the numerous signatures praising and deifying Justin makes this place look like a cult site.

Yes, you're right. Ah I'm sure it wouldn't take them too long to realise we're not though.

It undermines the credibility of the site being non-corporate and unbiased.

[neptronix]

Well.. it's one thing to praise a certain vendor and another to slap their label on it

P.S. Wait, we're not a cult?

[Drunkskunk]

P.S. Wait, we're not a cult?

Wait! .. We're not?

And I just tracked down the last 3 attractive virgins in Texas for sacrificin'. Now what the hell am I going to do with them?

Wait... Never mind..

[Lessss]

I told him to do that BEFORE he bought the forum, not what he wants to do.
Admins please lock topic.