2009-01-05 [Chimes]: Can you not move the big ad to the bottom? It's really annoying when you hover over the navi-bar up top and you get a huge ugly white thing appearing...

2009-01-05 [Viking]: The big ad that comes up when hovering over the nav buttons at the top is extremely annoying. I'd rather have a nice, neat set of ads on the left or right that display at all times.

2009-01-05 [james2777]: so as with anything else in the world it is about greed pretty much the add`s/listings should be on the front page for all to see and let the user deside if they want to partake in them not have them cover the page every 2-3 messages and have them forced on you

2009-01-05 [Jitter]: I agree that it is very annoying (and quite ugy :P) but it did list me books and good music. Not that I can afford anything at the moment but at least it got my interests

2009-01-05 [james2777]: then have it on the front page right when you sign on and if you want to use that service go back to home some people would still do it im sure

2009-01-06 [Hedda]: [james2777]: You did read about the comment that no one has bought anything from the links on <URI:mall.html>?

I've removed the popup ad now as it annoyed everyone myself included. I've added the ads on empty places on Mainstreet and the news instead. The Sword24 add is different all the time, but the others don't change.

2009-01-06 [Viking]: Much better!

Hmm...Amazon is on there, and I was just considering ordering a couple things from them...

2009-01-06 [james2777]: thank you with what several 1,000 peopple out here people will sooner or later im sure

2009-01-06 [Viking]: Ah. I read that Amazon thing wrong. Oh well.

2009-01-06 [Chimes]: I am in agreement, that is much better. It took me ages to find it XD I count that as a good thing.

2009-01-06 [Calico Tiger]: I missed the big annoying part. I feel deprived! :O I like the current placement of the ads on the side (since they're not in the way and aren't noticeable unless you scroll way down). Especially if it's going to help Elftown keep going :D

2009-01-06 [Hedda]: [Viking]: Yepp, you get books 10% cheaper than on Amazon! Maybe some other things too.

2009-01-06 [Hedda]: [Calico Tiger]: I don't think that non-noticeable ads will help Elftown going... It would be nice if they would though.

2009-01-06 [allenp]: [Hedda] If you don't mind me asking...how much is Elftown eating up per month in funds?

2009-01-06 [Mortified Penguin]: Basically nothing. The university/university computer club pays for the upkeep.

2009-01-07 [Hedda]: [Mortified Penguin]: You're wrong. [Elftron] is nowadays situated at my place. It was too much problems with everything at the university and it was a pain to service the server there.

It's about $62 per month for network and electricity to run it (which is 50% more than the ads give!), but the main problem is I can't work on or advertise Elftown if I have no income. Elftown will always mostly depend on the users themselves, but some paid staff would do wonders in some areas.

2009-01-07 [allenp]: I see. 62 US $'s?

What is your vision for Elftown if you don't mind me asking? What need of advertising? (I hope those questions come across right...I don't mean them in a negative way.)

So you run this from your house...impressive. Thank you for that.

2009-01-07 [Artsieladie]: [allenp], I'm very glad you asked this question, because I, too, wanted to know what the cost is to [Hedda], but I thought I might be asking something I shouldn't be asking? But, I guess it would have been ok to. :)

but the main problem is I can't work on or advertise Elftown if I have no income.

This makes perfect sense to me, because it takes money to earn money and it makes sense to advertise Elftown, because it's vital that a community always continues to grow. Maybe, people here on Elftown just aren't aware enough of this fact, [Hedda]. I'm not sure why, considering you informed people of the move from the university to your flat for the very same reasons you just explained... again. Maybe many people do still think just like Mort does? You've also mentioned in your diary about keeping Elftron cool, though, at your place when it was hot weather.

but some paid staff would do wonders in some areas.

I'd be interested in your thoughts/reasoning with this. How could this be pulled off and how can we, as members be helpful with this? How can we, as members help to initiate more donations? Can we offer any other little extra benny for donating? ...and even individually? *ends questions*

2009-01-07 [Chimes]: You're like a one-woman interview machine. :P (In a good way)

2009-01-07 [Hedda]: My vision for Elftown is that it should be the natural gathering point for people interested in fantasy and science fiction. Elftown shouldn't be only about fantasy and science fiction, but also about the people behind it.

As for the ads, my vision is that I can give people valuable advise while making money of it. I for example recommend Newegg for computer hardware despite that they pay me way less than for example buy.com (I do this because of what I've heard from trustworthy Elftowners, not because I actually know personally though).

But then people who read my (our) advices have to use the Elftown links and not just read about it and then buy it without using the link. You would be amazed to know how people unconsciously go out of their way just to not click on the ad-links that made them buy what they are buying.

It seems like people really don't want to confess to themselves that ads have an impact on them and therefore they only click on ads that lead to crap, and Google's AdWords sends the ads that people are the most likely to click on. Which means that AdWords sends you crappy ads and that my selected ads give no money.

2009-01-07 [allenp]: hmmm.....yeah....I got lost in the whole add description thingy :)

That said...I tell you this....I am a hardware junky and yes...Newegg is the place to go.

Your vision I think is certainly understood, at least by me, as the reason for ET....now some (not all) of the younger generation may not quite understand that but I know some of the older folks get that.

Now...am I understanding that you want ET as your job?

I ask these questions because I am an idea guy....and maybe I can find or through our discussion WE can find a way to help