Dear all,
a friend of mine gave attention to me about the ongoing discussion.
Taking notice of this discussion I would like to express my personal opinion:
As owner of two MkIV (AKL 1411, AK 1073) I am happy to participate in the open forum.
Yes, I have been ACOC-member also for a while. However difficulties in the payment for membership renewal and difficulties in having access to the ACOC members area (password) frustrated me and finally I ended up automatically as a non-ACOC-member.
For me it is o.k. so far as the forum for me is the most important feature.
Sitting on the continent – lack of time and because of distance to UK - in any case I can not participate in most of (social) ACOC events which – by nature – are focused to the UK.
So what really than is the advantage? Yes, access to the registry is a real value, the Action-publication is nice, but what else is left? For me personally little.
I am also participant in other open forums as well (Cobra-Germany and Sailing)
Looking to the costs of a non-commercial forum in general with such a traffic on a lower level, we are taking about cost of 50 – max. 300 pound a year to operate a forum …………not too much and shouldn’t be a real issue.
The sailing forum is established by a few enthusiasts and they do not ask for any financing, the German Cobra forum is also free of charge, however you can provide donations (4 to 40 pounds a year) on a volunteer basis – and from time to time I do so.
Out of my view forum-financing is not a criteria to create a closed shop or not.
However, if you create a closed forum what will be the effect?
You loose much more traffic – which currently isn’t high anyway.
You loose tipps, tricks, generell interesting informations like supply sources for sought parts and market informations from a wider community of experienced AC owners/enthusiasts which are – for what reason ever – non ACOC members.
Out of my view a closed Forum for ACOC-members only will be simply much poorer than an open (minded) forum.
Last not least:
You loose a marketing instrument to attract AC-enthusiasts to enter in an ACOC membership.
Just my 5 ct.
Martin