Sorry Dave,

The original post on this is now locked so I can't just add to it.

I accept your answer and I indeed agree its a small price to pay so.

What I would ask whether you have any research to suggest that PM'ing advertisements is in any way effective (you don't have to tell me!) or whether it is actually destructive because of the people it turns off.

I guess I hope that, whilst the corporate message you give out is okay, you don't ignore that these thimgs wind people up and therefore may not be the effective way to do ads. At the end of the day keeping your customers happy will keep the Café alive and we all want that.

I don't have any of that information as far as effectiveness. Steve just offers it as a service to some of our members. When you look at the number of active members we have, compared to the number that actually complain about receiving the PM, it is really inconsequential. One PM from the Café reaches everyone. A single post in a forum may not reach the desired audience.

After all, the delete key is just a click away if you don't want to read the PM.

Gilgamesh (I think that's your name),

I receive junk mail at my post office box every single day (and I pay for that box), yet I only need to drop the unwanted envelopes in the trash - no big deal. People have gotten unwanted letters, flyers, etc for as long as the postal service has been around and I doubt that will change anytime soon.

The Café is absolutely FREE for Its members to use and enjoy - I do not charge our members for access nor do I charge them for the private message box each of them use and enjoy on a daily basis.

If you receive an advert from me and do not care to read it - delete it! I just can't imagine that being a difficult thing to do.

Is it just me, or am I seeing a lot of folks with an attitude of entitlement? I'm trying to help folks by providing a tremendous resource here, if that means an advert from me in their PM box from time to time, what a small price to pay!

If adverts offend you perhaps this is not the website you should be using? I see you have no problem advertising your blog using my bandwidth, perhaps others don't care to read an advert while reading various posts on the Café? But I digress...

Mya and I spent years paying for the Café out of our own pockets, it should be no surprise (given the current size and membership) that sponsors were eventually necessary. Please understand that this is the way of things - not everything in life is absolutely FREE - someone somewhere is paying for it, believe me.

That is basically all I have to say on the matter and as far as I'm concerned this subject is not up for discussion. If my reply sounds a bit curt I apologize, it just seems to me I shouldn't even have to address this issue especially when you consider the fact that you agreed to receiving such adverts when you joined my free website.

Thank you for your time and understanding.

Steve, I just thought you wouldn't mind hearing from someone who actually looks over your ads and doesn't mind getting them. As far as I'm concerned, they come just often enough to keep me apprised of some of the latest sales and new products that anyone can use.

While I do not avail myself of every offer, you informed me of their existence, which I would not have known about otherwise. A great example of this are the two you sent in the last week about the gambling DVDs and the David Roth coin magic DVDs. I am seriously tempted to get them as I am seriuosly interested in both subjects. I would never have known about either without your personal ads. Thank you.

I may not care for them but I agree with clynim on the new cool stuff. If I'm not interested in the offer....I delete them. No harm, no foul, not a big deal.

Steve,

I wish you would post a lot more frequently in your "Catch of the Day" section like you did in the past. Your reviews there were concise, fair, accurate, and trustworthy. Sure would like to see that section get updated once every month or so!

Gilgamesh_The_Librarian fortuneately doesn't speak for the majority. I have no problem with getting advertisments from the Café. I agree that it's a very small price to pay. Heck, it's not like it clogs up my inbox.(lol)

Not to start any type of keyboard riot, but I would be more than willing to pay for access to the Café...What I have learned being here is more than worth its price for admission....

Borack, I shouldn't butt into stuff in the manager's forum, since I am just a fellow member and do not speak for the Café; but Steve and Dave are too humble to point this out to you: you can always donate money to the Café if you want. Up at the top right of your screen you can click "Magic Café Donations".

These "ads" don't come in very often, so I don't get what the big deal is. If you got 3 a day and could NOT delete them, I could see...maybe, saying something.

I like reading abotu new releases, so...I enjoy getting them.

My thoughts exactly!

I can't understand the problem that a lot of folk have with them, I get a e-mail that lets me know when I get a PM, but never have gotten that e-mail for the advertisements. So it doesn't effect my e-mail (Which I would find irritating).

So when I come on and see the flashing thing I open it up, see what it is. And even if I don't feel like looking at it or opening it up at all it will eventually delete itself.

I might get bitter when everyone doesn't agree with all my many words of wisdom, but have never seen an issue with these little things. Maybe there should be a paid opt out for these ads. I imagine such a thing would not work, but still...

Of course the Internet is full of people who seem to look for reasons to be unhappy. "QQ" Of all the Internet Vernacular is my favorites; Crying eyes. You see this everywhere.

I don't see how something so minor and so infrequent could POSSIBLY turn anyone off or wind anyone up.

I mean really.... It takes more time to write one post about this than it would to delete all of the advertising PMs for the next 12 years.

I hate to say it but "Get a life" seems to be the appropriate advice here.

I agree with you, Frank.