Afro-Punk Closing Down?

Hey guys, we've posted a reply to many of your suggestions, questions, concerns, etc. We still need your input! Click on http://www.afropunk.com/profiles/blogs/afropunk-closing-down-you to share your thoughts. Thanks!

I looked at the Ning site for site plans like those of AP: http://about.ning.com/plans/

The highest is 50 a month or 500 a year. Now unless I either went to the wrong site and that cost is much higher, or there are additional fees for a site that becomes big like AP that they tack on after the fact (very shady business practice if they do do that), then I do not see what is the problem.

500 is not that much money, surely not enough to warrant the possible closing of AP. I make that as chump change working as a summer student for one week. Yea, sure, there are other fees e.g. different AP events, webmasters, etc money you have to spend to keep this beast going ... But I get the feeling this is just an attempt to get money out of us. If you want to add a subscription service and ads from major corps for their cash, then add it and just deal with those of us who feel betrayed and leave whole sale. At the end of the day, it is your pocketbook. Nothing wrong with wanting to make some money as the site is in your hands now.

I assure you, your attempts to feed us seeming fallacies about AP shutting down just to keep the older member's faith in the site by spinning a sob story so that they will be willing to pay for subscription, or be okay with ads displayed from corporations whose ideals do not sync with some ap members views, is sort of sad.

Prove me wrong. Give us a link that lays out how much it costs to keep this bast running and then maybe I'll consider giving you my money. Until then, this site can close if this is how things are going to be handled - making it seem like our idea. But it wont close because people will pay money and people will continue to come here despite the ads. *shrugs* I like transparency.

Hey! I just think about something important; you know something about all kind of people like us, we mostly don't have money, so if we have to pay a fee, even small, it's impossible... like myself for example, I'm not allowed anymore to use visa cards, pay pal or whatever credit stuff, it's important not to exclude people because of missing cash or banks process. Please think about us!

Because I think the same thing that's happening with Ning here would happen there where they still would have to pay for a layout and such and if it isn't to everyone's liking, it would have to be tough noogies for them. It would soon become the same issue and I don't think wiki would allow for the same community stuff like that goes on around here.

yes, or wiki something

Why not move over to using something like JomSocial?

Well we can pool resources, like post up somewhere on the boards, "Hey, we're remaking the site. Who know's how to do what?" List out what would be needed like someone to do coding and web development and let people put their names down. That would be useful and we certainly would get people but commitment to have the site running smoothly is the keyword. Would people be committed and for what they may make/get? Following this option is already DIY because we're doing it ourselves but will people wanna keep up something like this. We don't want to dump a tangled ball of twine into Matthew's lap and go, "Here, play with this." And last this site would need is someone going, "I'm not getting paid enough so I'm not going to do enough." Getting people's not the hard part, there are very talented people here on this site. It's just a matter of money (or lack thereof) and longterm commitment.

(Sorry, I was posting under my column pen-name >.<)

By the way what is 7one8? What's the link with AP? if it's same stuff, push it forward!

In my youth Internet was not, in the late 70's punks did a lot of fanzine magazines. Diffusion was hard to put on, cost were astronomical for few prints or Diy creepy.... in fact web have divided the cost and increase diffusion internationally for peanuts.
Cheap providers are using mutual platforms, that not very safe, I think we should put the minimum pro budget, perhaps creating our own agency? If it's possible to develop an activity around the web, like a net agency for artists or something like this, then it could afford A.p.Perhaps with nowadays crisis it's possible to get equipment for free, stuff closing down...Why not starting an activity of provider. Just for freaks? we can pre-buy parts,and make an OPA on tiscali? lol..