Chuck Z

Hello all,

Been quite a while since I've posted/visited RL. Things are very good with me and I'm enjoying my DB9 a great deal. Honestly, it reminds me a lot of what the 928 might have evolved in to.

The purpose of my post is to inquire of you all regarding the future of the site I have spent the better part of 15 years gathering information for and since 2012 having a live website (although I haven't updated it in quite some time).

I know the consensus here will be to transfer it to the 928 OC. I have traded a couple emails with the OC but have not done anything regarding a transfer. Here's why:

Please try to read this with an open mind and resist the urge to react with emotion and flame me... Please! I'm asking b/c I want to know.

I have put countless hours and much $ into gathering information for the site as well as the cost to keep it live for the last 10 years (prolly ~$5k). Granted, several of you have donated to the cause with time and some have sent Paypal $ of support which total far less than $500 (a guess). I have not made it a pay/membership site nor have I added ads to where I would get paid for every click..... It's been free to alll! I've shared all the information I've gathered (as well as the information some of you have gathered and contributed - btw, all submissions and contributions were/are understood to become the property of the 928 registry) over the years. If you look at 928 ads online, you'll see many pilpher from the site w/o giving credit! That kinda ticks me off.....

As with anything where you are a volunteer, there are always those who will complain about this and that and Lord knows, I've certainly had my share of those people as well. I'm not complaining, the joy I've gotten from the emails I've recieved over the years from those who like the site far outweigh any complaints from the ungreatful.

So my dilema; do I donate the site knowing I put all that time and $ money into it or, do I sell it? Be honest, what would you do?

What if the 928 OC ceases to exist? It's not done much the entire time it's been around........ It could happen. What happens then to my baby?

Your thoughtful responses will be much appreciated.

Poll added. Mainly for entertainment purposes.

SeanR

Man, this one is tough. I'd say sell it to a member/fellow enthusiast who you KNOW will keep it up and going. One who is willing to put the time in to update it now and then. At this point it is just in need of updates, not a full time going over.

Also, I'd think that even if you sell, you still have some rights to it and the ability to go in and update as youe see fit.

John D does it here with Rennlist, don't see why you can't also.

Bertrand Daoust

First,

Happy to see that you are well and enjoying your DB9. Very nice car.
Regarding the 928 Registry, I would sell it for sure!
Hope it will last a long time...

karl ruiter

To me it would clearly depend on whether you had a buyer on the hook or had to go look for one and what the selling price would be, as well as who the buyer would be. For example if you could sell it to IB for a nice price and they would add it on to rennlist, and the only downside was some banner adds...they by all means do it. On the other hand if you can only get your costs back and it would go to someone who would use it poorly or let it die, then that is a different deal.

IcemanG17

Chuck
The registry IS a very valuable asset to the 928 community....no doubt about that.... I vote to sell it....hopefully the owners of Rennlist can buy it and keep it going tied to rennlist....

Unless you find someone as passionate as you were to keep it going.....with the contingency clause that you can have it back in the future if you so wish..... Then I would give it to them....

Randy V

Not sure how this will end up, but my only opinion is don't transfer it to the OC.

Ninespub

Nice to hear from you Chuck! You've only missed a "little" bit of drama since you left. I agree with Karl that RL would probably be the appropriate repository for it because of its probable ability (and desire) to pay for it, and the reality of longevity of the RL site vs the 928OC; based on recent events. However, if it got bought by anyone, it obviously still requires an effort by someone to carry the flag on upkeep, and that seems to be a more likely effort of an 928OC committee-type-thingy. At the end of the day, it would be a shame if all your work were lost because no one wanted to pay the "price", be it $$$$.....or upkeep. I guess that personally, I'd cough up a few more bucks annually to either organization for "rights" to view it if thats what it took to make it work, but even if everybody did that, I doubt that would recapture yours or the purchasers investment for quite a while. Tough call.

jcb928

I personally don't think the website would be worth that much money. If someone wanted to start a similar site they could easily have a decent database in a couple of years by pulling data from Ebay & Autotrader (like you have).

depami

There should be a 4th option:

"I have read post #1 and still don't have an opinion."

BTW, I did vote.

Brent

Chuck, I think the Registry is a valuable asset and may have been the first web site I visited when searching for a 928. I still go there quite frequently.

My first thought was to sell it to OC, but the more I think about it, maybe not. I would say you are a good judge of character and will find the right person to carry on with the site. Good luck.

DonT

Sell.

polecat702

I'd sell it to Rennlist, the OC isn't reliable, IMHO anymore.

BTW, thanks for all your hard work, time and money for the past 15 years!

ROG100

Chuck please talk to me about your site. I would like to find a way to keep it going and maybe under the 928sRus banner.
I am just a poor low margin parts salesman but maybe we can work something out 8>).

depami

Now that's an interesting concept.

ammonman

Labors of love rarely break even, let alone make money. That's why they call them labors of LOVE. That said, if it was mine I'd donate it to the 928 OC with a written agreement that if the OC ever dissolved or failed to maintain the site properly that it would revert back to me. I would have a hard time selling something that was partly built on the volunteerism of others, no mater how small. But that's just me. If you have a buyer and want to sell then by all means do so.

Mike