Bonsai Forums Selling Out

[bretts]

I have come across information that Bonsai Focus has started (and it seems almost completed) a take over campaign of all the online forums. The magazines have decreased their sales two fold as subscribers find they can get all the information that they used to get from the magazines off the forum.
I came across several documents that confirmed this but was most surprised by this one sent to the administrator of Ausbonsai.

Dear Steven,
I can understand your reservations in selling the rights of Ausbonsai.com to us. We assure you that it is not our intention to change the way you have administered the site. Bonsai Focus realises that it’s readers are changing and we are looking for a way to accommodate this move to online forums.
The only outward change to the site would be a small 2” x 2” add on the home page of the site.
We believe that ausbonsai.com represents a very attractive investment opportunity for Bonsai focus to have a much larger presence in the Australian market.
We have dedicated considerable time and resources to an analysis of a potential transaction and due to recent innovations the site has shown we are able to increase the opening offer considerably. We look forward to discussing this with you, and both our internal legal team and outside counsel are available to meet with your counsel at their earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely
Farrand Bloch
Chief Editor
Bonsai Focus




You may have noticed the sponsor add from Bonsai Focus that has been popping up on all the bonsai forums. I have worked out that this is an indication that the site has been bought out by them. This includes International Bonsai Forum, Bonsai Nut, and Bonsai Chat. The Art of Bonsai and Knowledge of Bonsai seem to have been infiltrated long ago and may even be part of the movement.
The only two left standing is Ausbonsai and International Bonsai Club. Bonsai Focus has made no mention of any interest in the Bonsai Site Forum.

It seems that Steven is putting up some resistance and my apologies to him for putting this out there but I believe it is important that the Bonsai Community knows about what is happening to our online community.

 

[JasonG]

I see nothing wrong with Bonsai Focus sponsering all the sites or even buying rights to them. They happen to be the best magazine out there and if they are losing readers to the internet, which by the way will never replace the magazine, then smart business is to gather up the new source that your readers are going to.

I personally see nothing wrong with it. They are the market leader in bonsai publications.

my 2cents

Jason

 

[irene_b]

I have come across information that Bonsai Focus has started (and it seems almost completed) a take over campaign of all the online forums. The magazines have decreased their sales two fold as subscribers find they can get all the information that they used to get from the magazines off the forum.
I came across several documents that confirmed this but was most surprised by this one sent to the administrator of Ausbonsai.

Dear Steven,
I can understand your reservations in selling the rights of Ausbonsai.com to us. We assure you that it is not our intention to change the way you have administered the site. Bonsai Focus realises that it’s readers are changing and we are looking for a way to accommodate this move to online forums.
The only outward change to the site would be a small 2” x 2” add on the home page of the site.
We believe that ausbonsai.com represents a very attractive investment opportunity for Bonsai focus to have a much larger presence in the Australian market.
We have dedicated considerable time and resources to an analysis of a potential transaction and due to recent innovations the site has shown we are able to increase the opening offer considerably. We look forward to discussing this with you, and both our internal legal team and outside counsel are available to meet with your counsel at their earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely
Farrand Bloch
Chief Editor
Bonsai Focus




You may have noticed the sponsor add from Bonsai Focus that has been popping up on all the bonsai forums. I have worked out that this is an indication that the site has been bought out by them. This includes International Bonsai Forum, Bonsai Nut, and Bonsai Chat. The Art of Bonsai and Knowledge of Bonsai seem to have been infiltrated long ago and may even be part of the movement.
The only two left standing is Ausbonsai and International Bonsai Club. Bonsai Focus has made no mention of any interest in the Bonsai Site Forum.

It seems that Steven is putting up some resistance and my apologies to him for putting this out there but I believe it is important that the Bonsai Community knows about what is happening to our online community.

Well I can't blame them for selling....Money talks..... But to me it sounds like perhaps maybe we will be paying to view forums in the future? Would sure cut down on the garbage..
Mom

 

[Anonymous User]

The Art of Bonsai and Knowledge of Bonsai seem to have been infiltrated long ago and may even be part of the movement.

True, but honestly, it is far too late to stop it, besides, its harmless and soon excellent quality, original content will be available on-line for members in good standing.

Rest assured, aside from some policy changes, all will remain the same, even the names of most forums.



Will

 

[milehigh_7]

You know what, I was upset at first but after being enlightened, I have come to believe that this is a good thing. Long live capitalism.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You may have noticed the sponsor add from Bonsai Focus that has been popping up on all the bonsai forums. I have worked out that this is an indication that the site has been bought out by them.

Haha No Brett we have not been bought out by anyone. We get a commission if someone gets a magazine subscription through a link on our site, and that's it. To put it differently - I won't be quitting my day job

 

[milehigh_7]

It's alright BNut word is getting out what they are forking out for all the forums. No one will hold it against you for long. The ones who really stand to gain are those who have stock that you want to buy. Extra cash is a good thing in this economy.

 

[Boondock]

and 91 days into a year
and bonsai people shed a tear
an evil cabal buys all the forums
a mastermind plot of a sinister quorum
yet a single antipodean slipped you a mickey
those damn Aussies are "oh so tricky"

 

[milehigh_7]

and 91 days into a year
and bonsai people shed a tear
an evil cabal buys all the forums
a mastermind plot of a sinister quorum
yet a single antipodean slipped you a mickey
those damn Aussies are "oh so tricky"

Fine work BD. Folks we have a poet in the house.

Let me give it a try:

There once was a man from Nantucket
He tried to grow trees in a bucket

hum... the rest won't seem to flow

 

[bretts]

Classic Boon

 

[nsmar4211]

Yes Mom, it's going to paid content soon...... I "got into" some emails that were being exchanged. It's going to start with "donation requests", and then "members only" areas. Then, they plan on making more and more of the forums "members only" areas, until the only public (free) forums are the beginner forums! And once you've posted a tree that's not a stick-in-a-pot, you are "told" you are no longer a beginner and you *have* to become a member or get banned. Nice huh? It'll all start with denials from the site owners though.

-getting out the wallet, Susan and crew

 

[Rick Moquin]

... I sure hope there will be a trial period so one can examine the merits of the content. e.g is it worth a buck. There is a site in the UK that uses this format??? I am not subscribed! If we base ourselves with the content of the fora these days, it will undoubtedly be a short lived non lucrative investment.

There was a discussion that took place some time ago on various fora wrt paying the pros an enumeration for their advice and would such enumeration be conducive in attracting them? Many serious enthusiasts no longer participate or participate sporadically at best, there main reason is lack of content, serious content. If we take into account what has transpired in the last couple of months to include the last year or so, it is self evident. Would you spend hard earn cash watching cartoons?

Another point to note, any company that merges will sooner or later rid the old. A point to ponder!

 

[Anonymous User]

One of the problems noticed in the past is that people attach no value to anything that is free, take KoB's classroom for example, world-class artists giving advice for free.....no value....charge for it and all the sudden there is a value.


Somewtimes you just have to force feed.....



Will

 

[Vance Wood]

I think this is all an April Fools Joke, but what do I know---or care.

 

[irene_b]

I think this is all an April Fools Joke, but what do I know---or care.

Now Vance sweetheart....
Why would you think such a thing?
This is some serious stuff here.
Irene

 

[Vance Wood]

Now Vance sweetheart....
Why would you think such a thing?
This is some serious stuff here.
Irene

Because it does not make any sense. Why would Bonsai focus buy out a bunch of Internet forums thinking that they can charge money to view the site? You know as well as I do that sites like this are dependant on the input of the people that frequent them. If you charge the people who donate the content to continue for nothing in return I have a bridge I can sell you. Then you have to make sure the content is such that the people that visit the site and pay for the privilege to boot, will continue to do so. The fact is, the Internet is about the only place in the world where freedom of speech and freedom from government interference still survive.

I think if this happens (and I don't and it wont) the first thing that will happen is that the majority of the people that make up the base of said forums will go where they can without having to pay for the privilege. If a place like that does not exist it will PDQ. There-fore I have (and I believe rightly so) come to the conclusion that this is nothing more than an April fools joke----poorly thought out, but a joke none-the-less. As a joke it is as full of holes as a pond basket, as a business plan it is as sensible as a smoothie stand on the Titanic.

 

[Anonymous User]

Party pooper.

 

[bretts]

LOL sorry if you thought it was a bad attempt Vance but it was the best I could come up with I will try to do better next year
Us Aussies know how to have fun, we let ourselves be tricked all day long But I did get some help from the powers that be. Steven that worked it out straight away and jioned forces with me.
http://www.ausbonsai.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=96&t=996
It is very intresting the discussion that has come from you guys though.

If you charge the people who donate the content to continue for nothing in return I have a bridge I can sell you.

I don't agree that it can not work Vance. Utube pays the people that have the most popular videos and Utube makes money in return by selling advertising on the popular videos.
There are many possibilities such as paying artists for good well put together articles and then charge to view,possibly the artist could get a paid a commision on the number of members paying . I have given up on magazines beacause I am not happy paying when there is often little I am intrested in. But I would seriously consider paying per article for the ones I am intrested in on an online setup.
There have been several April fools jokes that from popularity have become a reality.
Now we just have to beat Will to it Whats this class room thing don't tell me he has done it already

 

[R_F]

LOL! What a hoot!

 

[Vance Wood]

LOL sorry if you thought it was a bad attempt Vance but it was the best I could come up with I will try to do better next year
Us Aussies know how to have fun, we let ourselves be tricked all day long But I did get some help from the powers that be. Steven that worked it out straight away and jioned forces with me.
http://www.ausbonsai.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=96&t=996
It is very intresting the discussion that has come from you guys though.

I don't agree that it can not work Vance. Utube pays the people that have the most popular videos and Utube makes money in return by selling advertising on the popular videos.
There are many possibilities such as paying artists for good well put together articles and then charge to view,possibly the artist could get a paid a commision on the number of members paying . I have given up on magazines beacause I am not happy paying when there is often little I am intrested in. But I would seriously consider paying per article for the ones I am intrested in on an online setup.
There have been several April fools jokes that from popularity have become a reality.
Now we just have to beat Will to it Whats this class room thing don't tell me he has done it already

You miss the point. Nothing was said in the original post about buying up all the forum sites and converting them into something they are not now. If the idea is to put together something more like an on line inter-active magazine (which is what this would be) using masters and videos why buy up existing forums to do that? Why not buy your own domain and go fresh?

Sorry if I harpooned your joke. I tend to look upon things a little more seriously after this last election and the fact it is not a joke but a tradgedy; but that's just my opinion. That and a couple of bucks will get you a cup of coffee.