Opened up the forum this evening and noticed something looked "different"...but didn't catch at first what it was.
Then I realized what it was.
The space on the left of the screen where the narrow bar usually is that has the little arrow heads so you can open your "favorites" is gone....just not there.
Not sure if it's something with the forum, something with my computer, or something that I did unintentionally....but they are "gone".
I tried logging off and back on...resetting my "prefs" (which I have had to do for over a year, every visit anyway, or I don't see the icons signifying new posts.) Nothing has made a difference so far.
Not being the most computer literate person on this forum but, it appears to me that this forum now has more advertising income. I, obviously could be wrong.......
Rams
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 07-08-2018).]
The little bar on the left side that has your favorites and recent posts is still there. What's new is that I added an ad banner on the main forum page and the thread list page. As much as I dislike that, it's an absolute necessity.
The cost of bandwidth, rackspace and the server is just barely covered by ad income and donations. Donations are anywhere between $50 and $200 each month, and (Google) ad income doubles that - in a good month. For 19 years, It has helped to keep PFF free for anyone to use. It has helped keeping thousands of Fieros on the road. It has helped bringing thousands of Fiero owners together. It has even helped quite a lot of people to be able to make a living selling Fiero stuff. But it hasn't helped me putting food in my kids' mouths...
For a long time, that didn't matter since my business (software and website development) was doing pretty good. But that has changed over the past five years. Due to the financial crisis (and its aftermath) eventually all of my clients either went bankrupt, or decided to no longer outsource their programming and development work. On top of that, Google keeps changing their commission causing less and less income every year. Long story short, I've been in survival mode for the past few years. It has been a struggle trying to make ends meet and to be totally honest, if it weren't for the support of my friends and family, I wouldn't even be able to feed my kids. I've been working for peanuts just to have some sort of income. It sucks having to say "no" every time your kids ask to go somewhere or ask for an ice cream, or a new toy or whatever. It sucks not being able to go for a drink with my girlfriend or friends in general for that matter. It sucks not being able to drive my Fiero because I can't afford the gas.
All the while I own the biggest Fiero related site in the world that still attracts thousands of people every day. Next to eBay and Craigslist, it's the largest marketplace for Fiero related stuff. It's where vendors go to pitch their new products. It's where clubs go to generate awareness for their events. It's where just about everyone goes when they have a (technical) question about their Fiero. And yet, I'm not making any money of it. I think PFF is unique in that way. Take any other car related forum and you'll see it's plastered with ads. And why not? It keeps it a free service and it doesn't ask anything from its visitors. People complain about ads all the time, but why? It doesn't force you to click on it. It doesn't even force you to look at it. It requires nothing from the visitor. It's just there. And if the ad shows something that's of interest to you, and you click it, it immediately takes you to where you need to be to buy it. And by doing so, you've helped the website that displayed the ad. How convenient is that?
So yeah, I've added ads in two more places. It probably won't increase ad income much (I am hoping $10-$20 per month) but I have to try. It's either that or shut down PFF. Or think of something else to generate some kind of income from PFF.
This is what I have also. No ads, no favorites bar. Just empty space.
Thanks everybody for your responses. Sort of relieved to know it's not just my unit or something I did.
I hear ya Cliff....times are tough and getting tougher. I don't use the forum to push my product, although I have to say, I've sold many items because the forum exists. I've also tried to contribute on occasion, but I have to tell ya, some of us are in the same boat, but for different reasons. Most of the items I've sold in the recent past have been more through FB and basically word of mouth, but I'm sure the forum was a vehicle for that word to spread, at least to a degree. All I can tell ya, is it's probably going to get worse before it gets better.
I wouldn't mind a fee to join, but if my own experience is any reflection of the overall picture, even if you charged $50/yr. to be a member, I don't see you pulling in any more than $5,000/yr, and that would be doubtful. Everybody here knows the reputation Fiero owners have for being "frugal" or cheap, as some would say, but I personally think it's more a sign of the times in general. The rich get richer and ...well...you know.
It seems as though if one is not willing to screw over anybody they need to, one cannot expect to "get ahead". Most see life in general as a "competition"...and I guess it is to a degree...and like the banner says....It's not a spectator sport. So before I get going on philosophy and/or philanthropy...I better put a lid on it, and just say thank you once more to everybody for verifying it's not just my machine....or me.
I'll try to contribute more in the future than I've been able to in the past, but I have to tell ya, the electric co., the gas company, the phone co., the cable co., the water dept., the politicians that seek to raise taxes to pad their own pockets, the grocery store, etc.,etc.,etc.,.......they don't care! My phone bill has gone up by $10 every month for the last three months, with no explanation other than it went "up". The last one says if I want a $10 "discount" all I have to do is give them direct access to my checking account, so they can take whatever they want, whenever they want it, and not even have to tell me they took it...and they'll knock off the last $10 hike! I suppose it's inevitable anyway, but I'm a "holdout" to giving up complete control of what little cash I do have!
Ok, so there's my mini-rant. Guess I won't access my favorites anymore.
If you don't see your My PFF bar anymore, then that's a bug that needs to be solved. What browser are you using?
Google Chrome. But it just occurred to me, if there's supposed to be an ad showing there, and the Bar is supposed to be contained in/on that ad, then it might not be showing up because of the ad blocker I have running (EcoSmartFilter) it shows that it is blocking 3 ads on this page.
Don't know if that's the case or not, like I said, just a possibility that popped into my pea brain, as I am NOT a "puter wiz" by any stretch of the imagination, which is why I wondered if it might have been something I did that caused them to "disappear" in the first place. Or I guess it could be something with Chrome too, again, I don't get into that stuff any more than necessary.
Thanks for asking though, and if it should happen to be a "glitch" that can be remedied, I for one would appreciate being able to access the favorites again.
Originally posted by Cliff Pennock: On top of that, Google keeps changing their commission causing less and less income every year.
Is why many YT people now use Patreon, sell items, etc, because can't cover cost by google ad $ and keep running a channel. Many YT put one or more 1-3 minutes of ads in the videos like linustechtips on top of whatever.
New ads don't matter but favorites won't work for me FFx64. works now.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Odd. I tested it in Chrome and the sidebar is there.
quote
But it just occurred to me, if there's supposed to be an ad showing there, and the Bar is supposed to be contained in/on that ad, then it might not be showing up because of the ad blocker I have running (EcoSmartFilter) it shows that it is blocking 3 ads on this page.
No, the sidebar is completely seperate so it shouldn't be blocked by your adblocker. It *is* strange however it's blocking 3 ads, since there's only one present.
The cdn one is funny because I only see that on this website. I believe the cdn one is a browser hijacker.
What it does is add an affiliate code to outgoing links to (for instance) ebay, so ebay knows where the visitor is coming from. It's not a hijacker, just something that generates a few $$$ for PFF.
There's nothing at the bottom either. This is what I see.
Edit to add.....After posting the above image, I can see a "faint" line at the left that could be the outline of where the bar might supposed to be....BUT...it is NOT THERE on my screen. So there we are.
[This message has been edited by Sage (edited 07-10-2018).]
I tried logging off and back on...resetting my "prefs" (which I have had to do for over a year, every visit anyway, or I don't see the icons signifying new posts.) Nothing has made a difference so far.
Anybody else have this issue?
Any ideas?
I get the adds fine, but the "fire" icon is always on every single topic.
"It's now back on the OT page....at least on mine."
Still got nothin' here. On ANY page.
Another little "glitch" I haven't figured out yet either....even though I've resubmitted my preferences numerous times, with the new password, when I post, I still have to take out the one that shows up by default with the user name, and type in the new one...every time....just like having to submit my preferences every time I visit the forum, or the "new posts since your last visit" icons don't show up..everything is displayed as an old post..even those that ARE new.
This is the only forum I have these problems with. Don't get me wrong...I'm not complaining...just pointing out some other "glitches" that would be great to have resolved, as long as we're bringing the newest one to the front. Oh, BTW, I have tried deleting all cookies and logging out and back in..nothing seems to make a difference in regard to these little problems. But if they are only a problem for me...I'd have to assume it's something with my machine, or my ISP, or my lack of computer savvy. Just be nice to have it the way it used to be, as all of these problems have developed over the last couple years...and I've been here a while.
So far the ad bar wants me to install Microsoft products, shop at Kroger, and buy an Alfa Romeo. I think it's trying to kill me...
Mostly, it wants to sell me bacon or a Dodge pickup, but every now and then it offers me a dress or some women's shoes?!? Maybe I shouldn't have participated in the "Transgender" thread.....
Mostly, it wants to sell me bacon or a Dodge pickup, but every now and then it offers me a dress or some women's shoes?!? Maybe I shouldn't have participated in the "Transgender" thread.....
LOL! Das funeeee!
Well..............favorites are back!......OR.....I finally "found" them. Very thin strip at the extreme left edge of my display with the tiny little arrows here & there....saw it...said "Wow!"....clicked on it and voila! All the stuff that used to showed up! I still don't know if they've been there all along...and I hadn't discovered them....or if they've shown back up. I'm inclined to guess the former....but would rather it turn out to be the latter...but either way...glad they are available to me again!
Now if I could get the password to operate like it's supposed to...and the "new posts" icons to work without having to re-set preferences every visit...I'd be all set. But I tend to be thankful for small favors....glad I can access the favorites again.
Or I guess it could be something with Chrome too, again, I don't get into that stuff any more than necessary.
Das funeeee!
