Announcement! Future of Cigar-Review

[anton]

Did ownership of Mycigarfriends change too, or do we still have a safety net?

[Python]

Originally Posted by JAX

A couple of questions that I may of missed in the intial post:

1. What happens with the information we provided when we signed up for CR?
- I don't want any of my information (email for example) sold or provided to any third party for marketing purposes unless I specifically authroize it. Along those lines, our addresses, phone numbers are frequently exchanged....will those still be secure within our little group?

As far as I know, ALL member info will NOT be sold to any third party entities. It will be kept private.

Originally Posted by JAX

2. Can the general population "lurk" within our neighborhood?
- There may be some $hit talking amoungs ourselves and would just like to know if "Snobby cigar man who really doesn't know a thing about cigars" from the other hood may read it.

I'm not sure about this one, so I can not answer it.

Originally Posted by JAX

3. Puff.com...will it still include pipes?
- I know CS has a huge pipe section and we've recently developed our own..would like to see that maintained.

From my understanding, the pipe section will stay in our clubhouse.

[Python]

Originally Posted by Anton

Did ownership of Mycigarfriends change too, or do we still have a safety net?

Good question Anton!
I would like to know as well, hopefully Kevin will be along shortly to let us know.

[Acesfull]

I was kind of excited about changes but I thought it meant changes to this site.. now it seems the site that I have come to love will be no more and just be a mash of sites and honestly now I feel disappointed. But I will be patient to see how this turns out but how did anything else in history work out when you merge several cultures together forcefully?

From the convo's I've had with Kevin in the past about internet marketing he has said it was all about Real Estate. So a merge of all these sites into 1 conglomerate doesnt make sense to me. What I think I would do is make puff.com a portal site to the other 5 sites and keep the forums separate as the "club houses" and have a main forum on the portal site. But I do see a problem if clashes occur on the main forum it could spill over to the "clubhouse"

[JAX]

Ace: I'm a little concerned as well with the meshing of the sub-cultures. Each board has it's own personalities and we work well within our little cliches. Hell, read the rants over on CS....them dudes are $hitting themselves (like 500ish posts complaining about this).

I see where we're trying to go with this though, one site, one voice...more impact. Ever wonder why we don't see many manufactures around the boards? (We're all over the place). One central location will help to bring them into the conversations...I like the idea of providing feedback/interacting with those who can make the crappy cigar I just smoked better or vice versa, if the line rocks I'd like the company to hear directly from us (the consumer).

Change is always stressful....this grand idea may or may not work out; who knows. But I think if we get behind it, it may just work. Besides, we made CR what it is....we can make puff.com what we want it to be aswell.
If we don't like the common area of the board we just stay in our "clubhouse". As long as I can still interact directly with the group I call my extended family (CR) I'm happy.

Look at this way....the house didn't change...just the neighborhood?

[olsaltybastard]

I agree with a lot that is being said. Since I do not have any monetary stake in this, I understand that my opinion is just that. Take another hobby of mine; reef keeping. There are plenty of reef keeping sites on the net, yet the one I post on the most is one of the smallest. The large sites are too busy to moderate, and "Aqua Idiocy" is spread like wildfire by self appointed "Aqua Gurus".

I have visited the other cigar sites, but chose not to become a member. Not because of the crowds, but because the plethora of uppity, arrogant assholes. God forbid you not like VSG, Opus, or Padron Anniversarie cigars on those sites; you may as well have leprosy!! Not only do I not like VSG cigars, but I also detest the smell and taste of scotch. This is the only cigar site that I know of where I can get along with the rest of the community despite my obvious lack of tastes. Even though many of us disagree on politics, it doesn't venture outside of that forum. Nobody really gets personal and the name calling is non-existent. This place is more community than clique; that is the biggest difference.

Like anyone else, I am resistant to change, but am willing to do my part to make the community even better. I like the idea of club houses, but new membership is always key to making them better places.

[riverdog-cr]

Originally Posted by JAX

If we don't like the common area of the board we just stay in our "clubhouse". As long as I can still interact directly with the group I call my extended family (CR) I'm happy.

Look at this way....the house didn't change...just the neighborhood?

Spot on! I've only been here about six months, but in that time the acronym BOTL has become real for me. Not so much because we all smoke cigars but because we ARE a community. I might not agree with everything Mr. Wilson down at the end of the block does or says, but he's MY neighbor and I know he'd go to bat for me or, just as important, point out, discretely, that I was being an ass. Cliche, I know, but all you guys feel like family and that still matters to me.

[KevinG]

Hey guys. Sorry for my tardiness. I had some hellish technical issues I had to deal with all day for a client's site.

Originally Posted by CRider

Suggestion, could it be a feature that someone new could be brought into the clubhouse if given an invitation by a current member?

Damn! You're way smarter than you look in your yearbook photo Chris.

Yes.

Only a mod or admin can approve them when a member requests it. Bribes of cigars, booze and babes will be accepted. Any hot chicks with big boobs are also automatically accepted.

Originally Posted by Anton

Did ownership of Mycigarfriends change too, or do we still have a safety net?

Jon has ownership of that site as well.

We do not know if that will be part of the merger or stay separate.

I will be posting the new Aria video in a day or so though.

[KevinG]

Originally Posted by Acesfull

From the convo's I've had with Kevin in the past about internet marketing he has said it was all about Real Estate. So a merge of all these sites into 1 conglomerate doesnt make sense to me. What I think I would do is make puff.com a portal site to the other 5 sites

There's another reminder about how smart this group is.

I remember that conversation we had at the PA Herf in April, Nick. Here's the answer:

I agree with you, and so does Jon. I just spoke with him about this. We are sticking with the plan though. There is always more than one way to do things. What you described is exactly what Jon did with Developer's Shed. There are up sides and down sides. There are definitely some benefits for search engines with having different domains.

The down side is you have several different CMS's to deal with and it is harder to manage. It is easier to brand one big site over several smaller sites. It is also easier to sell advertising, manage ad campaigns and ad clients with one big site.

Aside from that, there are all the other things that go with strength in numbers and large size that have already been described and discussed.

Lastly, please remember, Jon has more at stake here than anybody. He has major incentive to have this work out well.

[andrew_will1]

Originally Posted by riverdog

Spot on! I've only been here about six months, but in that time the acronym BOTL has become real for me. Not so much because we all smoke cigars but because we ARE a community. I might not agree with everything Mr. Wilson down at the end of the block does or says, but he's MY neighbor and I know he'd go to bat for me or, just as important, point out, discretely, that I was being an ass. Cliche, I know, but all you guys feel like family and that still matters to me.

I think you just hit the nail on the head for me Riverdog. Thanks for the perspective sir.

[Acesfull]

I'm just takin notes and learning from other people's decisions at this point.. some day I hope to be doing what Kevin and Jon are doing right now... so Im pretty anxious to see how it goes

But I still like the portal concept. Think about it. Make everyone have to access these sites through the portal so the portal site guarantees the traffic you want but have the domains separate. This will generate two different levels of traffic and you can sell additional add space at a lower rate on the branch sites but still sell the premium add space on the portal site.... just think about it.

[KevinG]

Originally Posted by Acesfull

I'm just takin notes and learning from other people's decisions at this point.. some day I hope to be doing what Kevin and Jon are doing right now... so Im pretty anxious to see how it goes

But I still like the portal concept. Think about it. Make everyone have to access these sites through the portal so the portal site guarantees the traffic you want but have the domains separate. This will generate two different levels of traffic and you can sell additional add space at a lower rate on the branch sites but still sell the premium add space on the portal site.... just think about it.

As I said, both ways can work and neither method is wrong.

The one you describe, Jon has been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.

He wants to ride a new ride now, so let's all have fun with it.

Originally Posted by Acesfull

some day I hope to be doing what Kevin and Jon are doing right now

Cool.

I love what I do, and I enjoy life. It would be a pleasure to have you join the club. Feel free to email (not PM) me with any ideas you have for your future endeavors.

Who knows where it might lead.

I started this site on a whim after having a falling out with a good friend where we worked on a site together.

So many amazing things have happened as a result.

1. I made and continue to make a decent living from it.
2. I got add'l non-related business from showing it off.
3. I've made some awesome friends here.
4. I met the most amazing woman in the world as a result, but that's another story and I have already gone too far off topic.

Suffice it to say, one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life was to make this site. I could make a list of 100 things instead of the 4 above.

[joncaputo]

Your personal information will be kept PRIVATE - ALWAYS. It will NEVER be shared or sold. Period. Your clubhouse will only be visible to members of CR. You can 'tag' or invite someone in but a MOD/ADMIN in your clubhouse will have that ability.

jon

[Cycleman]

AND.... the Censorship has start now also........

[Stevemal]

I just want to say that as a very new member here, what attracted me to joining this site was the comradary I saw among the members! I wanted to join because it was a group of guys that seemed to gel great together! I was afraid at first to come in and start postin, didn't want to step on anybody's toes. But I have to say that I was welcomed with open arms and that is what I think makes this site so great! I will go along for the ride and see where this goes and support the decisions that will be made. I like the clubhouse idea, I also fear that my post might get lost in the shuffle of so many other posts. Anyway, just wanted to throw my .02 in here and say I already think this is the best site out there and we will see just where we go from here.



Steve