new BMW MOA site services & features

[BRADFORDBENN]

'Nother Suggestion

It would be helpful if there was a link page for each ON Issue. Not a link that takes you to the issue, but a page that holds the links talked about in the issue, including advertisers. Yes, this could be in a members only section.

Something that would make me leave the site is the use of advertisements to the level that some sites use them. A nice balance I think is the AMA (http://www.ama-cycle.org/) there are advertisement links on the "public" area but not in the "members" area. Seems a fair balance.

 

[eljeffe]

At this time 1,841 registered users of a membership of close to 38,000. The Owners News reaches each member and it is our flagship publication as well as the official record of the 'MOA. We must be very careful in making sure we do not devalue any of the benefits of the Owners News. We are looking at ways for the site and magazine to work together. An excellent example of this is the R12GS scoop on line followed by a review in the Owners News. In the future it is possible that additional material available on the website would be referenced in print. As the number of registered users increases it will be easier to justify more services.

If you have an area where MEMBERS ONLY can access the issues in PDF format, that would be great. I just don't get a lot of value from the hardcopy and would prefer the electronic format - saving the organization on shipping and printing costs, and maybe saving a tree or two in the process.

 

[LORAZEPAM]

Are there any plans for a live forum where you can communicate instantly? I would assume that would be an expensive proposition. Just curious.

 

[rob nye]

Are there any plans for a live forum where you can communicate instantly? I would assume that would be an expensive proposition. Just curious.

It has not been considered. Just because it has not been considered does not mean it is a bad idea. If you would like to persue it for us try a google search on chat services and see if you can come up with some figures.

We are in the process of preparing the site for the future. As we firm up the foundation of the site we appreciate all feedback and ideas on things that would benefit our members. For any idea If we felt enough members would utilize the service and it had a reasonble cost to provide I can't see why we would not try to offer it.

Best,

 

[MarkF]

Are there any plans for a live forum where you can communicate instantly? I would assume that would be an expensive proposition. Just curious.

It has not been considered. Just because it has not been considered does not mean it is a bad idea.

For any idea If we felt enough members would utilize the service and it had a reasonble cost to provide I can't see why we would not try to offer it.

I've been on other forums, message boards, etc. that also had chat rooms. I've found that other than teenagers and porn there is not much desire for chat.

MarkF

 

[LORAZEPAM]

I doubt there are a lot of teens on this site who would chat . I think it would be great to be able to set up a quick ride, or possibly be able to help someone with a bike problem live.

 

[jimvonbaden]

I doubt there are a lot of teens on this site who would chat . I think it would be great to be able to set up a quick ride, or possibly be able to help someone with a bike problem live.

I agree! Sometimes just posting on a forum is just too slow.

Jim

 

[BRADFORDBENN]

Are there any plans for a live forum where you can communicate instantly? I would assume that would be an expensive proposition. Just curious.

There are lots of solutions available for this already. I guess the first thing is to have people who actually want to get together and chat instantly.

I use MSN Messenger, feel free to take a guess of my user name

Also when the board is really flying with activity it becomes pretty close to instant.

 

[MarkF]

There are already spots on your profile to enter your:

ICQ Number:
AOL Instant Messenger Handle:
Yahoo Instant Messenger Handle:

Which is fine if you know who you want to chat with.

As far as setting up a ride or get-together maybe numerous regional email lists would work better. Use just for rides, no exceptions. I think it would require a lot of additional resources.

Besides there are already numerous things just like it, at least in the northeast, so why duplicate efforts?

MarkF

 

[LORAZEPAM]

Don't know my ICQ number
dong have AOL or Yahoo.
I will deal with it I guess.

 

[YB in IN]

There is also the private message feature that isn't too bad to use.

 

[BRADFORDBENN]

Don't know my ICQ number
dong have AOL or Yahoo.
I will deal with it I guess.

You can sign up for Yahoo messenger at www.yahoo.com,you just need to create a user profile. I use MSN messenger, same idea. Mainly cause it is integrated with LiveMeeting I use for work. Same idea. To use MSN messenger, you just need a hotmail account.

 

[ian408]

You can sign up with Yahoo! or AOL to get the benefit of
IM.

Personally, I think of the forums and ON are and should
remain complimentary.

Something I think would help draw others to MOA is to feature
each month's ON similar look and feel but instead of providing
the entire article, include a snippet. Perhaps the entire
contents page as well.

It's a lot of work to tie the web site and magazine together
in such a way that a member wants to visit one or the other.

Ian

 

[BRADFORDBENN]

Profile Updates Work

So I was out messing around with the online stuff a while back and thought I'll change some of the stuff in my profile.

Never thought much of it until today when I was unpacking from the most recent plane trip. I was taking out of the breifcase the BMWON and the mailing label said

MR. BRADFORD BENN, SUPER GENIUS

So the stuff really does work.

I am not conceited, although I have every right to be.

 

[ehmannd]

online adds

I would like to see an online flea market. I would not be influenced to join up or not by this service but I think raising fees shouid not happen. If it can't be done within the fee structur as is - leave it alone. If I wasn't using this service I am not sure I would want to pay more for it. However, I suppose I am paying for a few things I don't use now and it isn't killing me.

I say fire the thing up.

 

[kbasa]

That makes two of us, homes.

 

[MarkF]

Re: online adds

I would like to see an online flea market.

As I understand it the execs believe that any on-line classifieds would take away from the classifieds in the back of the ON. The ON goes to everyone in the MOA while only a small percent of the members use this forum (even though most of the members are on line). The execs do not want to do anything to lessen the ON's success.

So just use the IBMWR classifieds - BMW Motorcycle Marketplace

MarkF

 

[jimvonbaden]

So just use the IBMWR classifieds - BMW Motorcycle Marketplace

That's what I do, and it is a great place to find whatever you want!

Jim

 

[BRADFORDBENN]

One of the magazines I receive at work has a pretty sensible way for doing electronic and postal distribution. They mail a copy to their office. When the receive the postal copy, the electronic version is published. To them the inequity of people who live farther away not getting the classifieds before all the good stuff was bought up.