I just spent a few days talking to Juggledad and I want to be the first one to reveal that Montezuma theme is coming up with a few new features (thanks to JD). Namely, the ability to add blog excerpts to "page" pages, and to specify the number of posts displayed in "the loop" (useful on sites sites where you wish to include the latest post or two to an ordinary page).

The full details are TBA, but the reason I am posting this here is because I would like you all to vote in a poll that is important to a survival of this website and the continuing support/upgrades like these for both Atahualpa and Montezuma.

Do You Want More Updates/Continued Support?

Over the past years I have built hundreds of websites on Atahualpa alone, and I would not have been able to do so without the help of Paul, Flynn and Larry. Each lousy $20 donation I made to support was nothing compared to the value I got back (some of those websites have brought in 7 figures in revenues to projects I am a part of).

Unfortunately, knowing the amount of work and dedication it takes just to keep this forum alive, and having seen too many folks here asking tens (even hundreds) of questions without ever donating, I feel that continuing to allow "the other guy" to pick up the tab is not a viable model for a continuing survival of this forum and these themes.

JD has been answering roughly 12 questions a day since he joined the forum. A ton of them technical questions requiring programing and bug fixes. On top of it all, he has become a volunteer upgrader for both Atahualpa and Montezuma.

The same thing goes for Larry, who presently has close to ten thousand posts here. Yet neither of these guys are employees nor partners. They are just guys who are stoked about being able to help out, and as a result have been granted the ability to receive donations.

Unfortunately, I happen to know that too few people donate. As a professional internet marketer, I have never seen a forum business model like this survive. My guess is that this one wouldn't have survived this long were it not for the fact the themes Flynn created are hands down the best on the web. They attracted the support of these amazing folks willing to help out.

Keep this community alive with a simple vote - right here, right now

Here is what I propose - if you too feel that living without this forum and these individuals' amazing help would be a sad existence, vote "Yes" in the poll above:
"YES, I agree that any member with more than 3 posts who wants an answer to their question and hasn't donated at least $20 bucks in the past 3 months should be required to make a donation"

An average person spends over 700 bucks on lattes in a single year and gets nothing out of it. Forcing the abusers of the forum to donate just 20 bucks before they get an answer they can use forever should be a no-brainer.

If you disagree with forcing the abusers to donate, vote "No":
"NO, I am simply so awesome that the forum moderators should feel privileged to provide me with unlimited tech support, while continuing to upgrade the theme and create the supporting documentation without compensation"

I am not a moderator, an affiliate, nor do I have the power to make this change. But I am hoping that the mods will read this post, pin it and eventually make it happen (with your support).

Let's keep this forum and the themes alive, folks!

Way to go, thank you for this!

186 views and four votes. I think that says it all

Well, it was not exactly on the front page for everyone to see..I found it more or less by accident. I am still willing to pay a yearly or monthly charge if that is what it takes. Without this forum I am doomed.

Not sure why this is on Montezuma theme thread. I don't use montezuma but voted yes as I get lots of help from the guys and they should be paid. Maybe people would do a little searching fist before asking? thanks

That was my point, too. I use Atahualpa exclusively and came across this by accident.

Originally Posted by SharonJ

Well, it was not exactly on the front page for everyone to see..I found it more or less by accident.

ditto. I usually only look in the Themeframe section JD.
Voting now.

PS JD and Larry are incredibly generous with their time, and patience. I'd make it only financial members can post. Simple.

Originally Posted by SharonJ

That was my point, too. I use Atahualpa exclusively and came across this by accident.

Found this by accident.
I didn't vote and will not because the proposition is... well, not really my way of seeing-thinking things.
I think $20 for 3 questions is too much. I don't think that if I vote no for that reason it means I don't care to pay anything or that I don't have respect and appreciation for the moderators and everyone who helps.
I agree some abuse when they ask 10-20 questions, but they are generally the exception. I think there could be an option for people to remain free "readers" (and be able to ask 3 questions for free?) and anyone who wants more support and doesn't want to research the forum to see if the question has already been answered should be offered to become a paid member ($40-$60)/year, which would allow them to ask questions on the forum. Another way of doing things was proposed elsewhere: for more "needy" users, they can open a ticket and once the ticket is resolved, be offered to contribute - I know I would!

In other words, please open your poll to more answers (including a "other" answer with room for suggestions) and PLEASE let go of the "guilt inducing" comment on the "no" answer. Not everyone wanting to say no do it from a "bad" "guilt-deserving" place.

Marie

Hi Marie,

It should not be guilt producing, not really. The question is, "Do you value this forum enough to make financial contributions to the moderators?" If your answer is no because you don't participate much or because you don't have a lot of money or because you don't see value...then perhaps there would be a level at which you could participate which was low.

People who are willing to see the value enough to donate could participate at a higher level. We already sort of have this with the Gold and Diamond Forums.

I just do not want to lose this forum which is a critical tool for me to support myself and my business. By the way, when I pay something, no matter how small, I save the receipt and claim it as a business expense on the taxes. So no matter what I pay, the following year it becomes a tax credit. (I live in Canada, but I assume you can to the same anywhere.)

Originally Posted by MarieDi

I think $20 for 3 questions is too much.

MarieDi, Users are not paying for questions when they donate, they are thanking the person who has taken their time to share their knowledge. For every question answered, one of the mods, or one of many people willing to share their knowledge, has probably put in at LEAST 15 minutes of their time just to read, check and suggest a solution. That can sometimes be hours or several hours invested into a particular problem.

Of currently Threads: 19,107 and Posts: 99,850, that's an incredible amount of free information. I think it's incredibly rude that some people expect free help and don't show appropriate gratitude, whether it be monetarily or at the very least, genuine thanks for someone to take THEIR time to help another person.

There are givers and takers in this world, Larry and JD are givers and there would be a lot of broken websites in this world without Larry and JD. It's just appeciating their time.

This is a typical thread of a taker.
They'll ask a question, maybe ask a couple of questions if they havent made their original question clear enough to determine exactly what the problem is, so the mod or volunteer knowledge base gives more of their time to come back to the thread possibly several times to pinpoint the issue. Then the finale, the user takes the info, no thanks whatsoever and closes the thread. Don't care about the rest of the world, their issue is resolved. A taker.
Do they think they are dealing with a computer and no need to give thanks... at all? Really? Larry and JD are people. Their time is JUST as valuable as the person asking the question.

C'mon people, of all the valuable help you've taken from this site, give a little today so that it can continue.

Originally Posted by Jam

This is a typical thread of a taker.
They'll ask a question, maybe ask a couple of questions if they havent made their original question clear enough to determine exactly what the problem is, so the mod or volunteer knowledge base gives more of their time to come back to the thread possibly several times to pinpoint the issue. Then the finale, the user takes the info, no thanks whatsoever and closes the thread. Don't care about the rest of the world, their issue is resolved. A taker.
Do they think they are dealing with a computer and no need to give thanks... at all? Really? Larry and JD are people. Their time is JUST as valuable as the person asking the question.

C'mon people, of all the valuable help you've taken from this site, give a little today so that it can continue.

When I first stumbled upon Atahualpa theme, for my personal blog, I was delighted with my download and immediately set-to with my first donation, by way of purchase and "thank you" in appreciation.

Henceforth, time and time again, I have been simply astonished upon reading the postings of newcomers to Atahualpa, and more recently Montezuma, who have downloaded the theme and proceeded to create a thread post expounding the virtues of the theme Atahualpa or Montezuma and freely seeking various questions from Juggledad and Larry as how to set-up the theme on their business website, concluding with a departing promise to come back sometime and donate .... "when they have made some money via their new themed website"!