What do YOU think is going on at WebmasterWorld ?

As most of us will know that the mods over at WMW are dropping like flies, which seems like a quarrel over the future direction of Brett Tabke's WMW.

What do you think is happening over there? No doubt we will find out sooner or later.

helpful link : www.threadwatch.org

 

Personally I have no idea what's going on over there but my IP block got thumped and I was refused access to the place some months ago. I think the exclusion goes against the spirit of the web, so my opinion tilts toward the negative side...

 

What is going on is that they will be sucking hind titty real soon because everyone knows it is a scam and there are better places like Digital Point for Webmasters.

See this thread also.

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=6010&page=3&pp=10

 

Did you just say that webmasterworld is a scam, Anthony? It's their loss, Einstein; It didn't take long to find the same tools elsewhere so their exclusivity is rather short-lived.

 

You tell me? When you get one of the links to their threads you have to buy a membership to read it.

If that is not a scam you tell me what is?

Another thread on DP that is a little older than the last one I linked is below.

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=770&page=10&pp=10&highlight=webmasterworld

 

Exactly. The term "tight wad" springs to mind. Yeah, OK, we gotta pay for some things, but pay to view a forum FFS It's a bit like having to pay to use a public toilet... no pun intended.

 

They've been doing this for ages.
It's openly cloaking.
Read this...
http://www.threadwatch.org/node/197

Makes you think huh...

Anthony, FYI - You don't have to pay for it. They just make it look like you have to.

 

They can Kiss me arse, I do not even click on their links, I will not jump through hoops to read censored content anyway.

They can take their forum and stick it

 

Its not even well designed either.

 

any large forum goes through periods like that, honestly.

I've probably had half a dozen episodes where a lot of mods retire from our forums for no particular reason

 

There is more to it than that.

Any of the ex-mods will tell you 'off the record'.

WMW was built by the goodwill and hard work of a bunch of dedicated mods and admins. Much of the 'jumping ship' is over the lack of consultation involved in the recent direction changes.

Of course, its BT's bat and ball, nothing they can do about it, and some would say they should have seen it coming. Can't blame a guy for grabbing the dollars when there is an opportunity to so do.

Personally, I don't bother reading there any more, the signal to noise ratio is very weak and as all the 'old hands' jump ship all you are left with is newbies and 'me too' posts.

Shame - but there are plenty of other forums now where the big dogs hang out, so it won't be missed.

Watch those Alexa rankings plummet.....

 

So whats happening here? Spell it out a little bit more for us. Is he selling out or something along those lines?

 

Well...

The 'private members' forum was the start .... I can't see anything in there that isn't available for free on other forums... maybe some can, but I can't.

The hijacking and monetizing of what was 'pubconference' - bringing in big sponsors, high price, powerpoint presentations etc - a thousand or so people at a few hundred dollars a head.

The change from a webmaster forum to a 'media company' - whatever that is....

Some mods and admins presumably felt that as they helped build that place in the 'spirit of giving', they might at least expect to be consulted in advance on some of the changes in direction. Possibly it galls some to get the impression that money is being made on the back of their freely given labour.

Of course 'getting the impression' that money is being made is not the same as knowing it for sure. For all we know, WMW may be making a loss on the conferences - seems unlikely, but you never know.

I hear it is being 'left in the dark' over these issues that is the main complaint.

Personally, I still say 'its his bat and ball', and the mods shouldn't have assumed that everyone shared their ideals... but then I have been accused of being a cynic.

 

Welcome to the forum.

No F***ing way.

 

Moderators forums, private forums? Do we have to try to micromanage and censor or control comments by the webmaster community so that it favors our favorite companies and friends?

Where is the free exchange of ideas and free flow of information in a scenario like that? Who would want to belong and contribute effort and information to a forum like that long term?

Folks like that can take their so-called control and stick it, most webmasters will reject such people and really have no need for them.

 

I heard a rumour that they made a loss.

Of course, who spread the rumour and their motives for so doing, is a different question

 

Seriously, there is no way that Brett is losing money

 

Do you think they will be able to compete with others that throw such big shows like Jupiter Media which is a company that has a market capitalization of hundreds of millions and is the parent of Search Engine Watch?

http://www.jupiterevents.com/sew/fall04/index.html

I do not think so. Yes they are losing money and will have a hard time with getting this off the ground.

 

Just like Microsoft are going bust? (No thread hijacking )

No, They are not losing money with WMW.

SES is completly different to PubCon.
PubCon is becoming more like SEC though - Much more formal.
We will see in the future, but for now, Brett is doing very nicely - I have no doubt whatsoever.