Based on the reason for having multiple automotive lighting forum with very similar contents, what do u guys think of shutting this down and move back to Philips forum??
We can try the Philips forum until Oct 1st and if we find same functionality/interface, we can move over. There is also a cost factor: I do not see a reason to pay $5 a month for the network54 hosting if Philips can host this for free. The only advantage I can see by staying at network54 would be that we look more independant from any supplier. To me its not that important. It will still be a educational forum.

Link to Philips forum:
http://apps.philipslighting.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=5

It's OK with me; the revised Philips Forum seems to work well, but only time will tell.

i hope the faq section and such will also transfer over to philips, if this board does move over. like herman said, one concern is that newbies might think the forum is related to philips products instead of an independant group.

I believe the FAQ will be okay where it's at. I don't think Herman intends to move. It's the maintenance cost of $5/mo for network54 forums that he's trying to cut back on.

Makes sense to me to move the forum back to Philips. Since that's where we all started anyway. Could simply put a note at the FAQ page that Philips forum is where open discussions are held. Unless Philips admin starts censoring/filtering information (which, if they did in the past, was never evident) I see no reason why we can't go back and use the Philips forum.

Nah, I like the totally unfettered independence of this forum, beholding to no one. If it's only $60 for year for this forum's existence, I'll pay the first year, if there are any volunteers for subsequent years.

Steve

Well I think you should keep the FAQ content and we should all have a link to it in our signatures to keep it alive and fresh. But as far as forums go, I wouldn't mind going back to Philips.....my question is this:

How regulatory are the Admins going to be? You think they'll make a stink about us linking our signatures to your FAQ?

the admin has always been very "hands off" with what we post. at least in the past. so given that, i don't see why they'd suddenly change their policies unless someone starts spamming porn.

I like the new phillips forum interface. Looks fairly user friendly. We could just redirect the link from the FAQ that links to here to link ot the phillips forum instead.

Yes, my intentions is to keep the FAQ on its current locations, and only changing the link to discussion forum fron various places on the faq.

One downside thou: Philips will never post a link from their forum to our FAQ ( http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/ ). PHilips have their own faq for their own products. Which means that we probably have to repeat link to faq on a daily basis on the philips forum forum. Just like old times. Thats kinda annoying.....

One of u guys mentioned that the cost of keeping this forum alive is so little that it is worth to keep alive if 10 persons drops in $5 we are good for a year with no banners....

one could always add the URL to the FAQ in their signatures on Philips, no? it's not the perfect solution but it's better than nothing.

Considering the small scale and the educational level of this site and forum, we should all donate a little to this forum. I'm pretty sure that we've all saved a few bucks in the past from the information and help we've gotten from this forum.

Herman, I will donate $30 for now (please let me know how you'd like the payment) and I think the rest of you should help a little too, it's time to give a little back to the community.

i like this place, i never cared much for the philips forum.. its too by the book. I like the fact that everyone here is really down to earth and not a part of the "corporation." I think with small donations from everyone who is a member of this forum, it will be worth while.

- mike

I don't see any problem with moving it back. You'll probably have to keep the index page here for a while with a link on it going back to the Philips forum, because I imagine there are a lot of links out there in the www bringing people to here. So just leaving a link here to re-direct people back there might be good?

I said I'd pay the first year to stay here if others would follow. If Tom will donate $30, and I donate $60, all we'd need is another $30 for TWO years.

-Steve

After reading the above comments, I think its worthwhile to pay a little to keep this corner on the net. It has been technically good and people have not been harassing each other, so I vote to keep it. As many others have said.. if we all contribute a couple of $$$, we can do it. What do u really get for a couple of $$$ anyway?? U barely get a Starbucks cappocino. Compared to the hundreds of $$$ many of us spend on lights, its very little. I will emphasize, its a volentary donation, noone should should feel pressed or bad if they do not pay. Some of us cannot afford any of the upgrades we discuss, but would like to participate on an educational level, and that is perfectly fine. I do not log who is donating, so noone will be harassed even if donation is too low (or too high). All of it will to host forum + faq.

Like what steve said, he's donating $60 and I'm donating $30, all we need is a little more and we'll keep this forum going for a few more YEARS! Herman is right, this forum is only $5 a month. Maybe I'm spoiled but the change tray in my car generates more than $5 a month... So I don't think we are asking for too much here, plus this is what I call money well spent, at least you're getting something back from learning something... So let the donation began...

by the way, Herman, are we donating via the "Paypal donate" icon?

I have always liked this forum. I also think this is the best out of three (counting HIDforum) in terms of content and advise. Philips forum has a nice standard UBB interface now. I think that on Philips we under their discretion and they can shut it down or remove information if they will. I think we should stay here. Because if we move, would we loose all of the archives that have a lot of info? The only annoying part is to check all three forums. I will donate, I guess Paypal. Herman?

From the amount of info I have learned from the people on this forum, I've saved more than enough money to do a project right the first time around. I'd be more than happy to dish out $20 for the cause. Let me know who to paypal.

The donate button on the faq and donate button on the forum main page ( http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/216460 ) is the same.

First $30 donation received today.

3 more donations received today. This forum is here to stay regardless of the return of the old philps forum!
Also..... Edit funtion added for your pleasure. We are sloppy typers from time to time. I have had it for a while and cannot live without it. I found out today that this function also was avail for evryone. Only for new posts thou.