Help for Hooboy

[Will]

This stuff with Verio, Hooboy's 14-hour days, and completely free access for all of us is serious. I had no idea that Hooboy was running this thing on his own time and money. I myself would be glad to subscribe for money, but he seems not to want to do that. Hooboy, can you tell those of us who are interested just how we can help you financially? For me, this website has an importance far beyond -- but not exclusive of -- its primary purpose and I want to do my part to keep it going. I regard it as a public service of the first rank. Seriously! How do other guys feel?

[Guest kbaillie]

Hell yes, we need to do what we can. I would certainly be willing to subscribe ($) as long as it's reasonable. Where do I send my check?

[Guest RO]

Thoughts:

 

1. Maybe require a subscription (they're so easy) to post reviews but not for viewing them. Or vice-versa?

 

2. The legalaties are a BIG issue, especially with the recent stuff related to internet hackers. Of course, those fraudulent people deserved to be found; nevertheless, it's obvious the gov't can easily trace anything directly back to its source (us). Don't really know if that's good or bad. Others perceive some of our actions as being just as wrong as what the hackers did. Personally, my geographic isolation prevents me from hiring escorts often enough for it to be a big issue, but ...

 

3. Hooboy needs a break. If the site is down for a week, a month or more, we'll survive. Take your time, Baby. Unknowingly, your selfless diligence has helped me expand many personal horizons. In fact, I'm humble enough to tell you honestly that I had prayed for enlitenment about some of the issues brought out on this site ... somebody was listening. I feel better about problems that have burdened me for years. Maybe you should ask your CPA if you can deduct the money you've spent as charitable because of its contribution to the betterment of mankind!!!

 

Thanks.

[Guest brianrj]

I too would be willing to pay for access to this site and have written to HooBoy to let him know that. Probably would even do it if it was optional. There may also be other possibilities for funding and hopefully making this a more "public" quest can bring out those options from the many talented people who view this site.

[+ Charlie]

I would much rather pay a subscription price for this site than for a porn site, since what I get here is worth more to me. If Hooboy can figure out how to do that (and he certainly has proven very inventive in the past)I'd be happy to do it.

[Boston Guy]

I think helping out HooBoy is a great idea. Several cautions and thoughts:

 

1. If the site becomes a pay site, I suspect it will lose a significant part of its readership, thereby losing the one thing that truly makes it valuable.

 

2. There may be ways to help defray the cost of running it that keep access free. If HB is willing to share some info on what it's costing him, perhaps some of us can get creative.

 

3. He's spending a lot of time managing it. Would it help him if he had help with that? Is he willing to accept help?

 

4. Is HB willing to give up some control of the board in return for financial or other assistance? If others start to help in running it, he might have to be willing to be more of a manager than the person making all the decisions. There may be very valid reasons why he wouldn't want to take that step.

 

I have no particular suggestions right now, other than to suggest that more info is needed and HB is really the only one who can tell us what kind of help he needs.

[Guest brianrj]

Can we start by sending tommyweiss a bill for gratuitous advertising?

[Guest REGINA]

I all for whatever helps Hooboy, from sending donations to running a bake sale! But seriously Hooboy, your time and effort in this project is way beyond volunteer status. I wish I knew you so I could help out. I think you're the greatest and you have my total support. Tell us what we can do.

[Guest REGINA]

When I read your message I had no idea who tommyweiss was. You're not kidding! That guy should be charged per message. It got to the point that I was afriad to look at a message and see his name...or that rentboy. Let 'em buy a fucking banner like all the other reputable services!

[Guest YR]

While I've still never hired an escort, I nevertheless look forward to reading this site several times a day. However, when I do hire my first escort, I just hope that THIS site will be available for me to post my review.

 

Therefore, I, too, would like to add my name to those willing to assist HooBoy - whether it be with my time or money.

[Guest Jake]

What about having "sergeants-at-arms" (or sergeanettes)in major cities who could do the necessary phone calling, follow-up with reviews to relieve at least some of the long distance charges? I'd certainly be willing to help in my area.

[Guest Shooter]

To add my irrelevant 2 cents worth, some time ago, I inquired of HooBoy if there was some way to be of assistance in managing the site. He told me at that time that he was considering having 'assistants' to help him out but did not elaborate how.

 

I would echo Boston Guy's view, though not as eloquently, that a pay site, while okay for those of us who are 'regulars', would discourage the vast majority of guys who use the site for it's primary purpose, escort information, thereby defeating that purpose.

 

Sorry I broke radio silence and I'll refrain from further input of my brilliant ideas of how to improve the world. I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming. :-)

[HooBoy]

The response I've had has been overwhelming.

I am so embarrassed to have even posted the problem, but I'm not a filthy rich guy and I was stunned by the charges that Verio is going to hit me with - charges that I did not know existed.

 

I'm negotiating with a couple of sites that accept adult entertainment content and discussing some ideas that would create added value for you - the user.

 

I'm am also considering taking a leave of absence from my current job to devote all my time to this effort, which will mean faster access, more reviews, more confirmations and overall a community that has someone devoted fulltime to make sure we don't lose any more money.

 

While I would like to have someone give me $100,000 to allow me to do what I want (even though it would mean a pay cut), I have not had an angel show up. So if I have to resort to a pay venue what do you think would be a fair price? You can email me if you don't want to post it here...hooboy@male4malescorts.com.

 

Also, I'm in discussions with a regular contributor here who has the ability to provide you with anonymous email, anonymous chat. Would that be something that would be of value to you?

 

The plan I'm working on right now is to have a certain portion remain free. Also, I am firm that if you supply a credit card number, it is not automatically renewed unless you specify so.

 

I do not want anyone to be hassled with finding automatic renewals and charges on their credit cards or the inability to cancel easily at will at anytime.

 

You may have also noticed the new feature of ranking the reviewer. I'm going to polish this up as time goes on, but I think it's important to establish credibility with with certain guys. That will eliminate the unscrupulous escorts from padding their reviews.

 

Forgive the typos. Thus far, there is not a spell check on this bullllllletinnnn booooarrrd aaannd I donn''t thinkkk thaaat willl bee fezablle for the timmmme beeeeing.... :-)

[Guest brianrj]

Shooter! Where you been? Another case of alien abduction? Nice to see you back on the board.

 

I agree that making it a pay site would probably hurt the free exchange of reviews. If, however, it comes down to having the site or not having it, I think all alternatives need to be examined.

 

One option - and I'm not sure it would work - but as a regular here I would have no problem paying, even if others are not required to do so. This way I could help keep a site running that I feel is worthwhile and yet still have it free to others - thus keeping the reviews coming in.

 

Or maybe we could have a "HooBoy benefit" escort underwear auction on ebay - ala Hunghoney - do you see how much he gets for those?

[SoCal]

Unfortunately, making this site a "pay" or "subscription" site would severely cut down on who uses it. I've seen it happen on other sites, paid my fee, and then seen the content and interaction all but disappear. I for one can not support "pay subscription" sites, because I rarely see the value for my dollar.

 

That said, I really do feel for Hooboy's situation, and would love to brainstorm, help, and come up with any other ideas. A lot of people don't like banner advertising, but I prefer it as an alternative to subscribing to a site.

[Will]

I'm with Brian. I think the whole thing ought to be free. The only way that can happen is for some people to make pledges, just like they do for PBS. The difference, of course, is that we would be supporting something that is for our community in a direct and specific way; I'd look on it as a present I was giving myself. I would like to know two things: (1) What does it actually cost in $$$ to run this thing for, say, three months? And (2) how many regular contributors does HooBoy think would be likely to help out? I can imagine an auction; I can also imagine different levels of giving -- everybody does that -- the symphony, the museum, etc. This is one of the few gay-oriented forums I have seen that genuinely help people AND is fun at the same time. It's not trashy on the one hand or preachy on the other. I'm willing to pay so that others who can't pay would have access to it. This is one of those Marxist Moments: those who can, give, those who can't, take.

[Guest RO]

Does anyone know if either the bulletin board or the review section costs significantly more than the other? In the interest of conserving costs and/or keeping the site free, maybe - for now - we could do without one of them. I've notice the bulletin board has already created a huge archive. That is surely expensive.

 

On the other hand, if this site keeps us from being ripped off just one time during the year, that would probably more than cover subscription costs. For an escort, gaining a single new customer because of this site would cover his costs.

 

Just some thoughts ...

[MoMan]

I too would be more than happy to pay a subscription fee ESPECIALLY considering Hoo's stipulation of non- auto renewals. (They're such a pain!) I think 'fair' pricing might be along the same lines as adultcheck or mancheck services- ~ $20 per year. Or...

 

1) what if the site was accessible only thru entering a mancheck/adultcheck/whatever-else check system- doesn't the site get $$ from these services if they use them?

 

2)what if the site went to different 'levels', with the basic level free, which could include submitting and reading reviews (without pictures). The next level (for a subscription fee) would include the above plus the escort's pictures in the review, plus the message center, etc. The site could be split into as many levels as neccessary.

 

Just a couple of suggestions. Love the site and don't want to see it go away.

[Guest Shooter]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-17-00 AT 09:24PM (CST)[p]Thanks brianrj! No I wasn't abducted by aliens though that might be fun! To keep it brief, it's simply the combination of being a very critical perfectionist who is anything but perfect and a lonely gay man. Occasionally, I get the woe-is-me-there -ain't-no-gay-men-like-me-I-never-do-anything-right syndrome and regress back to a place I don't want to be. I need to remember it's okay to screw up, laugh, have fun and nobody's perfect. Okay, well, maybe HooBoy!! :-)

 

Speaking of that, and knowing you like kissing too, how about a kissing fund raiser with my guy at the front of the line, then Rick Munroe, Rod Hagen, Zeus, Reed Parker, Jon Ramsey, and BillyBoy. That should raise enough to keep the site going until, oh, the next millennium!!!

 

If I had ten grand, I'd give it to HooMan but I don't. It is not realistic to think that guys will pay a membership if all they want to do is view reviews or post one review. I'm sure if that part of the viewership is discouraged, you're talking a large chunk. I'm not a member of any pay sites and I don't use my AVS very often. Just not sexually driven enough I guess. This site, however, is worth supporting in any way possible but what are the realistic and feasible possibilities that will preserve it's fundamental purpose? There I go, analyzing again. Time to quit before I get myself in trouble and start to obsess about something I have no control over!! (This is a good example of my obsessions: I sit here with a dictionary in my lap since this thing doesn't have spell check because I can't stand grammatical errors!)

[Guest YR]

OK, I've already put in my meager two cents worth earlier, and, I'm usually not one to even say anything, BUT, if I get more than I could ever hope to get from a site (like I keep saying, I've NEVER hired an escort YET) I can only imagine the VALUE that some people get from this site!!!! I just want to do whatever I can to help HooBoy in any way that I can to keep this site as interesting and informative as it is currently - and if it means that I pay a subscription, donate $$ to enable this site, give my time to help or any combination of the above, I just want to help make sure that this site survives and flourishes so that one day I, too, can add to the informative reviews that are already found here..

[Guest woody]

Can't you make money on advertising? Like the Viagra thing you have going or had going.. There have to be quite a few hits on this site and I am sure if you put links on the top or bottom you would be able to make some money. I know there is a place in Boston Called Burst.com and they sell or buy or however they do it advertisements.. I think a company tells them I want to put my logo on websites then they pay burst they find websites to put it on.. However, the content of this website might make it more difficult to sell.. Hey if they don't do exactly that then maybe there is a new business idea.. Wow I surprise myself sometimes.. of course I just gave it to hundreds of others..