Why not a new philmug forum?

**piedad** · 07-12-2007, 10:10 PM

I have nothing against the current forum... let's get that out of the way. I love it.

What I would like to suggest is to elevate the group into a more formal organization. I was going to post in the "paid membership card" thread, but I thought that maybe my idea could incorporate that and take it further.

Here is my idea:
1. Paid membership to encourage greater participation. When something is free, it is often taken for granted. Fees can be small.
2. No aliases used... complete name appears in the forums. This would promote greater transparency among members, more trust in the community, etc.
3. Promote philmug as the Apple users advocacy group - so we get sweeter deals from suppliers, etc. and our opinions are given more value.

What do you think? Please don't shoot me! The Apple user community is growing, so I think we should do more to get it formally organized.

Cheers!

Floyd Piedad

**bacchus_3** · 07-12-2007, 10:25 PM

(1) I clearly disagree that when something is free it is often taken for granted. I don't want to list the free things that are very important in our lives. I'd say 'Think again'

(2) Why don't you guys like aliases? I only find this 'practice' in the philippines to use real names in forum accounts to promote transparency. Transparency can also be found using your name in your signature - and soon everybody will associate your 'online name' as you. I've been online for the last decade but have sticked to an online name. Other forums ('international') don't require for such practice.

(3) Uhm...I do think philmug is already one? =)

I don't know of the benefit of a paid membership yet but if there's a good idea why not? usually forums with paid membership offer premium content/service (i'd like to emphasize 'new' and not existing). unless I really miss something philmug only aggregates news from other sites. but then again if there is a unique service to be offered that requires cost coverage why not? I just don't think a new forum site will help it. Upgrade can be an option.

**super_ed** · 07-12-2007, 11:14 PM

1. Paid membership to encourage greater participation. When something is free, it is often taken for granted. Fees can be small.

I am open to the idea, but fees sometimes encourages borders - thus, the elite connotation among Apple users.

2. No aliases used... complete name appears in the forums. This would promote greater transparency among members, more trust in the community, etc.

I like this idea, just like what Digital Photographer Philippines do.

3. Promote philmug as the Apple users advocacy group - so we get sweeter deals from suppliers, etc. and our opinions are given more value.

I think this is a noble vision - as we all know, Apple commodities in the Philippines are too pricey due to high import and duties collected thus the grey market, yadda, yadda. I hope by encouraging further support from Apple or its distribution channels in the pacific, benifits will be felt down to the end-consumer.

I hope PhilMUG will be another proudly pinoy BYODKM story.

/Mon Corpuz

**koppee1** · 07-13-2007, 02:21 PM

"paid membership"
That alone made me want to stop reading..

I for one would probably not join ANY forum that required me to pay for access.

**numbdensity** · 07-13-2007, 02:51 PM

yeah, the words of super-ed's borders connotes something. I think, youngsters also adhere and learns a lot from reading the opinions in forums which is very beneficial. Most of whom doesnt earn money regularly. Freedom to mingle should run in philmug as well.

**Maccess** · 07-13-2007, 04:21 PM

There can be a subsection in this forum accessible only to paid-up members of philmug. In this section can be posted special offers and promos available only to card-carrying philmug members.

Membership fees in philmug need to be justified in terms of special promos and discounts (apple resellers, digital walker, and the bars and restuarants of members, and mac industry events come to mind) to encourage paid membership.

**macxchange** · 07-13-2007, 05:45 PM

Why don't we make a poll survey to check if the suggestions will work for MUG, that way we know what they want.

**bacchus_3** · 07-13-2007, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by Maccess

There can be a subsection in this forum accessible only to paid-up members of philmug. In this section can be posted special offers and promos available only to card-carrying philmug members.

Membership fees in philmug need to be justified in terms of special promos and discounts (apple resellers, digital walker, and the bars and restuarants of members, and mac industry events come to mind) to encourage paid membership.

This can be feasible as the reason for paid membership - special offers. But usually these type of offers are publicized to all members (from other forums that I've known - e.g. Pocketpcthoughts, pocketpcmagazine)...but then again, it may be the only offer that you can leverage here. I am not agreeable or against it though