Website Problems

rgmutchler · Post by **rgmutchler** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:46 pm

I don't have the technical expertise to assist when there is a problem, but I am willing to assist with the costs.
It was mentioned that only 10 to 15 members use it. I don't post often but I visit the site almost daily and when I have a question I can usually find it with a search, I am sure that there are a lot like me.
I know that facebook cuts into some of the site use but I for one find facebook useless. It seems to me that while there are some clueless people on here from time to time that don't take the time to read a manual, or even have a manual or do a search but I see some stuff on facebook that is just horrible and lazy. I for one would hate it if all we had for additional resources was facebook.

Even if Wes and Ryan don't want to continue with an active site it would be worth donating to at least maintaining the sites resources as they are for reference.

horse · Post by **horse** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:03 pm

Hi. Great site great help, happy to contribute if a membership is required.
Horse.

mdainsd · Post by **mdainsd** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:59 pm

Im too old to manage technology, and don't want to, but I will contribute.

An aside. If no solution is found, and I hope that is not the case...how many gigs of data does the forum contain? Could it be sold to those interested in paying for it? Then it would not be lost. Just a thought.

pickle · Post by **pickle** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 7:54 pm

I cannot give much but if you were doing the membership like stated above, I would put some in too. I don’t post pics anymore simply because I have apple. This forum has so much value I am always searching for the forums for answers. I would miss this forum.

Another suggestion is there options for corporate sponsorship like Midwest military or there’s like willys acres?

Post by **wesk** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:41 pm

It is likely that any corporate takeover would result in fees for access and downloads.

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 6:56 am

I talked to John Bizal who owns Midwest Military last week and he did not seem very interested in partnering with us.

Part of the problem is that we have almost all the manuals scanned in a PDF format available for a free download on this website(That Wes and I spent hours scanning and time finding/purchasing manuals) that the jeep parts dealers like Midwest Military sell as a hard copy or on CD.

The other problem is most people go on Facebook or twitter, etc. now and post questions on the new groups there. It is not just our website forum but others all across the internet.

It is also easy to use on their cell phones and they are on face book on their cell phones anyway.

Xamon · Post by **Xamon** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 8:45 am

Well some of us don't use farcebook etc. I hate it when people think those are good for anything, like wikipedia they are often full of misinformation.
I am one of many willing to contribute financially to keep this place running. Whether it be a membership fee or a one time campaign or more likely both I am in. $&% I don't even have a jeep right now and I am here every day.

STXM38A1 · Post by **STXM38A1** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:15 am

Absolutely want to see this website continue, either in present form or an upgraded version/venue. No question that internet security is a constant challenge these days.

Maybe some of the other websites that focus on a special interest (Cast Boolits for example) could provide some model of how to go about this with more current software and membership fees.

I would contribute, both as a donation to help find a workable solution, and as a ongoing membership fee to sustain the operation of the website. I'd hate to see this go dark and disappear a la Dr. Vern.

This is a library and what a shame if it vanished. I don't have the skillset or desire to run a website, but I will contribute because there is such value and entertainment here. I would commit to a $200 up-front donation to help fund an upgrade. Membership levels and the fees associated should be determined with the upgrade to insure smooth and secure operations.

I hope we can find a solution that is good for the Owners/Administrators and the Members. It has to work for both.

PS - Mr. Bazil at Midwest Military pops in frequently to offer advice or to let a poster know he has the part they are searching for. I'm surprised he wouldn't be open to willysmjeeps becomng a subset of MidwestMilitary. Like G503 and RFJP.

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:59 am

I talked to John Bizal again today and he is going to have his website person look things over and will get back to us on what they all think.

He has been busy with orders due to all the people working on jeeps during COVID while stuck at home.

I thought that the traffic on the website would increase too, but instead it has dramatically decreased over the last year and a half. I looked at some other forums including the G503 and have noticed this is an internet forum wide trend.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:07 pm

As far as phone access I look at the site almost daily on my iPhone.

I’ve even figured out how to upload photos from my phone.

Facebook is a pain in my backside. There is so much junk on there, and scammers constantly trying to rip you off. Nothing different over there except the kiddies like it because all their friends are there.

I stay away from there as much as possible.

Hoping for good things from John. It would be a good fit.

Would a note of encouragement to him from each of us help?

pickle · Post by **pickle** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 5:16 pm

I would say that number of visitors to this site should be high, based on people like me who basically search the incredible photos and research already posted in here. I have not posted much, partly because I usually find an answer through the search, and partly because I have not figured out the iPhone photos.

Are there options for just maintaining a website as a resource? Are there options for this website being maintained by multiple companies? I could certainly do some digging up here in canada...

Doubleclutch · Post by **Doubleclutch** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 5:38 pm

I am fairly new here considering this my first post. I have just started to work on my M38A1 and have already found so much more information here then I could ever just going through the manuals. Unfortunately I am more of a browser of information then a giver as I am too new to this interest. I do greatly appreciate the effort others have put into the valuable gathering of information here. As so many have said before, I to would invest money in keeping this site going. But on the other side, my skill set is not in websites and I don’t know anybody that does know the back end operation of websites. Right now from reading all the posts, the problem from what I see is having someone/people take over operations, because there is lots of people willing to donate $. I do hope someone or multiple people can step up and help out as I just started out here and hope to gain the knowledge of others.
Thanks to everyone helping out.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 6:21 pm

It is remarkable to see the number of visitors to this site daily that do not log in.

I have done it once or twice, but now I just stay logged in.

At this point, the data of members versus visitors is skewed so we don’t really have an accurate login count of members.

Not nitpicking, just an observation.

But there is a very large number of registered members.

WillysMotors · Post by **WillysMotors** » Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:00 pm

I'd like to see the site survive, and like many of the responses so far, I just don't have the tech savvy to support the site. I've also spread myself too thin.
I don't due facebook or twitter, and won't.

I'm working full time for another 5 years (got 40 in already) and volunteering for a car museum trying to get them to add a few Jeeps. I'm also trying to get them to be a respository for technical materials.

aslanperro · Post by **aslanperro** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:12 pm

Appreciate helps from people on here and tremendous resources. I am in with membership fee.