The Future of CRUISING for SEX
Revised August 19, 2016From 1995 until now, 2016, CFS has relied solely on you to patronize our advertisers as our only source of income. I know this business model does not work on today's Internet. You know it, too And honestly, many of you use AdBlock and don't want to see or patronize the advertisers. I get it.
Still, running a web site like this can't be done for free.
I have more than one option what to do here.
Because CFS is a community, a legacy, and an historic archive
— not just another place for people seeking sex —
I want to hear from you before I make this decision,
although the choice is mine alone.
I've worked on a way that CFS Members could donate to or "Support" CFS in return for viewing an "ad-minimized" version of the site.
I have no intention of restricting free or anonymous access to the site. As CFS has done since 1995, I welcome Reviews and participation by those who - for whatever reason - must or choose to be anonymous.
In addition, none of the current content and access would be taken away from non-Members or from Members who did not wish to donate or support.
However, Members who chose to donate to or "Support" CFS would have access to additional new features in addition to the "ad-minimized" version of CFS. Some of these new features might include being able to add your User Name to a list on a Sex Listings page as someone who visits or is interested in a place, perhaps with dates included. That list would be visible only to Donating/Supporting Members.
This donation/supporter plan is modeled on FetLife and other community-based sites. Possible dollar amounts and other details remain to be decided.
The timeline depends on several things, among then:
The late Cruisemaster Keith and I discussed a similar (not quite the same) plan and I had been working on it in 2012 before his final illness.
The timeline depends on several things, among then:
- Advice on accounting and legal issues relating to this plan, and whether this can be structured quickly in a legitimate manner
- Finding the right payment prcessor for CFS — PayPal doesn't work for this type of site, and many adult payment processors are too expensive — and then doing the fastest possible approval and set-up
- Knowing that enough CFS Members would support it to make it worth pursuing.
Knowing that it would not be truly mobile-friendly, and knowing that the servers CFS had been using were unreliable and crashing regularly, I chose to rehost the servers first. Keith's plan, or something like it, was to be addressed after I had new truly mobile-friendly software in place.
Now time has passed and it's been one crisis followed by another, with only one person to handle all of it. As I write this July, 2016 finds me facing more multiple emergencies of different types than ever. Thus many needs with these sites that truly must be addressed must compete for my attention.
Regardless, I know the technical part could be done quickly, even before I complete the long-delayed software upgrades CFS so deeply needs.
I already have the most of the work available from the false start made in 2012. It would not be truly-mobile friendly, but it would be faster and easier to read whether you use a phone, tablet, or computer. Making it real relies on the points I mentioned above.
This would be part of a larger plan to obtain the financing and ongoing income to allow me to hire help with CFS and the related sites. As Keith knew when he hired me as a freelancer in 2000, one person can't do this alone.
I'm also considering a second option to possibly sell parts of CFS to longtime business associates who knew Keith and who understand what it takes to manage and run large web sites better than I do.
They are seriously interested and it would certainly relieve the management burden, allowing me to concentrate on tasks and needs I know better. They also already have a team of tech people, marketing and advertising people, and customer service people who are can handle things better than me alone.
They are seriously interested and it would certainly relieve the management burden, allowing me to concentrate on tasks and needs I know better. They also already have a team of tech people, marketing and advertising people, and customer service people who are can handle things better than me alone.
It takes a core group of more than one to work on the site, and it takes all of you to keep it going by using it and participating.
In the meantime, CFS relies on you to patronize our advertisers and affiliates.
Right now, these are the only sources of income to keep the site online.
Thank you for your continued time, participation, and support.
I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.
There is a Message Board Discussion where you can read more. Anyone can read it, CFS Members can post their thoughts.
Anyone can use the Contact Form which sends me an email.
You, and only you through writing Reviews, adding your photos to the Cruiser Gallery, and using other parts of these sites comtinue to make CFS happen.
I am ever grateful to you.
~ Bob S. Manager/Editor
