Golf Spy X - Outted !

[furu]

This discussion could have and should have gone like this;

 

mr_divots: You shouldn't beg for money like that. You can get the money from sponsors.

 

X and the community: Ok. That may be true, but we decided that this was the option that reflects what MGS is and how we do things.

 

mr_divots: I don't agree.

 

X and the community: That's ok. You don't have to. 

 

But this is the internet. The place where nothing is easy and straight forward. Mr_D is ok. He actually has a point that would be perfectly correct in so many other situations. Just not this one. It's worth letting MGS try to do this their way.

[markb]

I don't think I've commented on this thread yet.  If not, it's because it's one that doesn't particularly interest me.

 

I'm one of this site's end-user consumers.  I've donated money to it in the past and I've certainly enjoyed my time here.   I've also tried to contribute.   I may contribute and participate more in the future if I like what I see.  I may not; I may go elsewhere or simply tune out altogether.   I'm under no obligation to stay, and I certainly don't feel I owe MGS any debt for "services rendered" any more than I owe ABC all my television allegiance just because I enjoy Modern Family.   MGS is just a "channel" delivering golf content.  

 

The only thing MGS should be concerned about is "will this idea work", or will it cause our "viewers" to change the channel?  If it doesn't work, oh well, they'll try something else.   No hard feelings either way.  I don't sense there is any chicanery going on with this "pledge drive", but I certainly don't like having to click through three dummy landing pages and having to declare "No, I don't want the truth!" every time I want to get back to this forum.   But that's okay -- I dislike many things that go on in other golf blogs MUCH more than I dislike this inconvenience.  (BTW, I've just started getting spam emails from GolfWRX about Titleist and Ping products.   I don't remember ever signing up for THAT privilege.)  

 

Yes, I would like to see a "Consumer Reports" for golf equipment that is independent of subscription dollars but I have no idea if MGS can pull off that transformation or even if they are the right people to do it.   But every company has a right to try any business model they choose to make ends meet.    Just as every end user has the right to shop elsewhere if they don't like what one store is offering.

[Tinkering]

Divots,

 

Do you ever listen to public radio? If so do you have issue with their fund raising campaigns?

 

Maybe I'm the oddball here who does, but my wife and I gladly donate for the opportunity to hear different, interesting, and honest stories. I don't see this situation as much different. They do not run advertisements as a way to give the listeners more programming and I appreciate that. I think it's a similar idea here.

 

However, I do agree that I would have zero problem with MGS taking ad money for banners. This does not in any way hurt my experience on other sites and would not here either.

 

Ultimately I think opinions on both sides have been heard. Part of me is glad divots made the posts he did as I was able to learn a lot about MGS that I did not know previously. And I appreciate MGS for not censoring. Might just be in a glass half full mood, but whatever, thanks guys!

[spongy5]

Will be donating very soon. 

[STUDque]

Happy Thursday Everyone!

 

I actually wasn't looking for something to bump today (was doing research for.....a thing) but this title was just too good to ignore!  I think it's safe to say that this site works and the donation plan is duly justified.  There was a little bit of cat fighting in the thread, but that's OK too since this is a place for discussions.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Sent from #throwbackthursday

[Wedgie]

Happy Thursday Everyone!

 

I actually wasn't looking for something to bump today (was doing research for.....a thing) but this title was just too good to ignore! I think it's safe to say that this site works and the donation plan is duly justified. There was a little bit of cat fighting in the thread, but that's OK too since this is a place for discussions. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Sent from #throwbackthursday

Thanks Stud....this has prompted me to kick in to the cause.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[DPattGolf]

Great pull Stud!

[Golfspy_CG2]

Wow this was an interesting last 30 minutes

 

 

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[ole gray]

Very interesting thread and dayuuuummmm   Mr Divots was a piece of work!   He needs to get off the stump liquor and go in rehab.  Anyways great answers to some obvious troll like comments.   I think donating to this site is a great way to support a forum that meets all your needs.  It's a great community and there is tons of information to enjoy.  Great equipment info and all sorts of other topics.  Why wouldn't a member want to donate and support it?   It doesn't have to ruin your bank account as I'm sure even a modest amount is appreciated.   Just do it!

[russtopherb]

This was a very interesting read, thanks for the bump!

 

Re: OG's comments about Divot's pushback on the fundraising campaign - I actually don't have a problem with anything he brought up. Could it have been worded better? Absolutely. But I think he made a lot of valid points, especially when you look at how other websites are funded and operate. 

 

I'm on a non-profit board. You almost always need to have someone that pushes back, even if all it does is make you re-think how you approach something. Can it be done with less vitriol? Yep. But hearing opposing viewpoints is never bad.

 

As far as the MGS side of things - I worked in telecom for 18 years, so I know what it costs to host a site of this size and with the traffic it gets. It ain't cheap, if you want the site to be up and running close to 100% of the time. Factor in staff stipends, equipment you need to use to test with, facilities... yeah that all adds up quick when you think about MGS as a whole organization, beyond just the website and the forum. 

 

I've personally seen a number of Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns go bad, mostly on the music side of things. Sometimes fans of a brand or band or whatever will happily donate without asking questions first or having all the info up front. Then 2 years later it's "hey where's the thing I funded??" and it's crickets. I am 100% NOT saying that would even come close to being the case here - in the years since this thread started we've all seen the benefit of MGS testing and information. However, asking questions up front and being curious/skeptical aren't always bad things.

 

OK I think I'm done. Can you tell that my morning coffee has just kicked in??

[ole gray]

This was a very interesting read, thanks for the bump!

 

Re: OG's comments about Divot's pushback on the fundraising campaign - I actually don't have a problem with anything he brought up. Could it have been worded better? Absolutely. But I think he made a lot of valid points, especially when you look at how other websites are funded and operate. 

 

I'm on a non-profit board. You almost always need to have someone that pushes back, even if all it does is make you re-think how you approach something. Can it be done with less vitriol? Yep. But hearing opposing viewpoints is never bad.

 

As far as the MGS side of things - I worked in telecom for 18 years, so I know what it costs to host a site of this size and with the traffic it gets. It ain't cheap, if you want the site to be up and running close to 100% of the time. Factor in staff stipends, equipment you need to use to test with, facilities... yeah that all adds up quick when you think about MGS as a whole organization, beyond just the website and the forum. 

 

I've personally seen a number of Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns go bad, mostly on the music side of things. Sometimes fans of a brand or band or whatever will happily donate without asking questions first or having all the info up front. Then 2 years later it's "hey where's the thing I funded??" and it's crickets. I am 100% NOT saying that would even come close to being the case here - in the years since this thread started we've all seen the benefit of MGS testing and information. However, asking questions up front and being curious/skeptical aren't always bad things.

 

OK I think I'm done. Can you tell that my morning coffee has just kicked in??

 

 

Sure he had some valid points however the delivery of his opinion brought out the redneck on this country boy.   Those types of counter comments had a rub me wrong kind of feel.  I'm not a businessman so what the hell do I know about some of the things he was spouting.    

[russtopherb]

Sure he had some valid points however the delivery of his opinion brought out the redneck on this country boy.   Those types of counter comments had a rub me wrong kind of feel.  I'm not a businessman so what the hell do I know about some of the things he was spouting.    

 

Totally valid OG. Having been on the Internet since the 90's I've learned that 99% of people will say something in writing that they most likely wouldn't say face to face when things start to get confrontational. It is what it is. So I take a lot of the emotion behind the words with a grain of salt. 

[tommc23]

Wow that was a long read and my mind hurts.

 

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[revkev]

It's been three years? I remember this thread like it was yesterday.

 

Furu has always been one of my favorites because he would bring a thoughtful, differing perspective to mine in lots of discussions. I see him pop in now and again but not like he used to.

 

Markb was a piece of work. Came in like a rocket, contributed a lot and then disappeared. He and I did a SCOR wedge test together - I think mmmmbuddy was our third guy.

 

Mark put his second stage up around three weeks prior to when we were supposed to. Drove the moderator at the time bonkers - Will was his name, good guy, I was sorry to see him go.

 

Not much to say about Divots - I think he's been banned from every forum in the world. What you see from him here was normal for him.

 

 

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[Sschaffer24]

It's been three years? I remember this thread like it was yesterday.

 

Furu has always been one of my favorites because he would bring a thoughtful, differing perspective to mine in lots of discussions. I see him pop in now and again but not like he used to.

 

Markb was a piece of work. Came in like a rocket, contributed a lot and then disappeared. He and I did a SCOR wedge test together - I think mmmmbuddy was our third guy.

 

Mark put his second stage up around three weeks prior to when we were supposed to. Drove the moderator at the time bonkers - Will was his name, good guy, I was sorry to see him go.

 

Not much to say about Divots - I think he's been banned from every forum in the world. What you see from him here was normal for him.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

 

Isn't it crazy this was three years ago? Sure doesn't seem like it Rev!