changes in DG

I've noticed that since Sept. 30 2013, you've lost a full 25% of your subscribers with the number being under 3000 now and decreasing each week. At what point do you anticipate eliminating the subscribership and going entirely to an advertising based membership? And at what point will all those forums which are now open to subscribers only be opened up to the membership at large?

What do you expect DG to do? With masses of social media and many sites not offering
a choice about ads in our faces I'm pleased and surprised that we are able to continue
with a web site so many of us enjoy. It's often a good idea to enjoy and appreciate what we
have and not go on an attack of negativity. I'm grateful to have DG and will continue to enjoy
all that it offers for as long as it is offered. Membership is voluntary and no one is forced
to participate or renew.

June - my question was simply that - a question, not an attack of negativity. I'm a realist. I just wondered if DG has a time frame in mind for such changes. And BTW, it is being a SUBSCRIBER, not a member that is voluntary.

ViolaAnn, you've made some valid points, but for the record, we have no immediate plans to abandon the two-tier subscriber/free member system.

We get hit from both sides - people who compare DG to free sites and want us to make everything free, as well as people who wonder why our subscriber numbers aren't growing. It's a bit of a catch-22.

If you have ideas for what would make a subscription more valuable and enticing to a new member, we'd definitely take it under advisement.

It's hard to say, but I'm a member of two other free gardening sites and neither of them is getting much traffic anymore. The real action is on Facebook (and maybe Google + on which I'm resisting becoming active) where the discussion on a hosta site to which I belong is so much that I have difficulty keeping up with it. It may just be a sign of the times. But for me, I really don't feel that I get much value for my subscription anymore because there aren't enough people participating.

This message was edited Sep 8, 2014 2:35 PM

I guess I'm the opposite. I'm planning to start creating all my garden photo albums here in Garden Showcase and post the link to them on Facebook, instead of posting the photos there. It's so much cooler to be able to browse the photos and click the links to view the PlantFiles listing for each plant!

I'm active in several groups on FB also, but my DG journal and albums take precedence.

I don't do gardening on FB. I already have a huge friend list based on my free-lance career, and I don't care to mix the two. My gardening is personal and private, except where I choose to share it.

I agree with Pam. I like the fact that this website is fairly private. I'm not spreading my info on facebook. So far, I have resisted.

I learn a lot from this website.

I really like the idea I don't have to exit out of some sort of add before I can see the information I was after. I have quit websites because of that.

One year ago, I was very unhappy with DG's changes which adversely
affected me, personally. I am still dismayed that some of the technical
things have not been improved.

So on April Fools day, when "I knew my membership would need to lapse
or be renewed, and having dipped my toes in the cod water on that "other",
free site, the newer one, I evaluated everything, and made the
best decision for ME.

So here I remain, paid in full, scrolling constantly, but satisfied. I have
been giving some gift memberships to attempt to boost membership.
It wouldnt hurt the site to award "scholarships" here and there, specially
to young interested gardeners.

This site has sooo many qualities, aside from the design flaws.

FB has its own flaws, advantages and disadvantages. They and
DG can be used in tandem, but FB would love to charge, and
will do so eventually.

Melody & Terri, Since this forum's name has changed, would
you please put a sticky on how to report unusual or weird things noticed on DG ?

THANKS !

(was unsure where to post this request)

Thanks Terry!

I do think there should also be a separate forum to offer suggestions. That way people can discuss their ideas with other users. I found a lot of things I hadn't even thought of that way. Maybe with a sticky saying that to be sure the suggestions were received... etc, etc, to use the "Contact Us" link.

I still like this site better than the other 2..................and I HATE Facebook.

Facebook is so pesty and intrusive. If it weren't everywhere now, even here.

I have been here since 2002. Yes, there have been (and there are some) problems. But sooner or later they do get repaired.

Evelyn, I see no need for FB posters to show every meal they eat in a day...............every place visited, blah, blah, blah. WAAAAAYYYYY TMI. Pffftttt...............

You are preaching to the choir. It must be tiresome for those CIA operatives spying on those FB posters.

Facebook ---I can keep up with my family and friends daily .I do get peeved with the ads and some nasty posts ,but I can unfriend them .

Dave's Garden---- I'm here as a subscriber for the long haul . When you see me no more , I'll be dead .
I'll gladly forgo a coupla Chinese buffets for the less than 20.00 bucks for membership .

Me too, Digger. I guess I can afford a paltry 5 cents a day to be a member here.

Anna , we're on the same page .

I agree...I am here because I choose to be. I have friends here, I enjoy their company and they are worth so much more than the cost of membership.

Someone once pointed out to me that we are "subscribers" and not "members".
Perhaps so but I only post in one or two threads and consider myself a member of
those long-term groups with whom I've had strong friendships since 2006.

I primarily use my FB timeline to support and promote animal shelters and rescue
centers for animals in need. That is my focus in life. I have no "friends" in FB but
have a group of them on DG who are part of my daily life and thoughts. The $20
annual fee is worth every penny.

Technically, we would describe your status as a "subscribing member" but to me, DG is a community we all belong to. I've been here since 2001 and I wouldn't garden anywhere else!

Me either. I love this site!!

It's a bit astounding that we "throw away" so much more on nothing and have the gall to complain about the subscription fee.

I'm a selective gardener and in general only interested in certain groups on plants. I may not go to Dave's for months, but reliably it is still here when I come back, and I can find what I need. What I've learned and been able to share has been a real joy. I'd rather assist a paid member who is sincere in his or her efforts than someone googling to pick my brain without being a participant.

Since paid participation is not compulsory, do whatever works for you, and leave the gang on a positive note.

My Facebook participation has little to do with my personal gardening or even my physical location. My photos are all in private albums open only to the privileged. As a photographer, I've learned to make it work for me, and I've never been sorry.

WOW , cathy , I like you , you don't mince words . Go get 'em LOL

Thanks,digger. Usually I am a bit more diplomatic.

I try to be but sometimes my mouth overloads my a - - .But really , in this day , if you can afford a puter , what's twenty bucks a year for the information that would cost hundreds if you had to buy the books for it or spend the gas to go to the library and be limited to 30 minutes on their puter

I find FB to be a place for the majority of people to post waaaaayyyyyy TMI.............I think it's pretty much a scourge and have only made a couple of posts with pix...............one time being when we had our fire in Feb. and the other a week later when we lost our old Pip cat. I don't need to see what you ate for every meal. I don't need to know the personal details of your life. And most important, I really DO NOT CARE about the aforementioned. I have been told I should start a FB page for my business of overwintering large tropical plants in my greenhouse. I have not yet succumbed to that.

Don't get me started on Twitter. Another waste of time. If people would actually do something constructive instead of telling everyone and God what they have been doing, eating, etc. etc. etc they COULD accomplish something constructive.

Call me an old curmudgeon and snarky old woman that is anti-progress...........I don't care. I'm not anti-progress, I just don't need to be connected EVERY SINGLE MINUTE and don't need everyone in my bizniss. :>)

Applause to Anna!

I have been told I am rather opinionated................Please don't hold that against me. :>)

I use FB a lot. I have 2 sisters who live many states away and it's how we communicate. They're like me... I hate txt'ing and don't really have time for long phone calls. I'm also an avid supporter of live music and supporting local musicians, so I take many photos at concerts and post them as "Public" to help that cause. Gardening and bird watching are my main interests during the summer. Last year I created a category in my journal here, rather than posting the photos on FB, and posted the link so local friends could see which plants I was dividing/thinning out to give away. I'll be doing the same this year. DG is *much* better for that! I included Plant Files links so my friends could view the plant info.

Sallie, you live quite close to me. I'm only 50 miles from Rockford. We just bought our RV from Colliers.

My husband works in Beloit. Have you been to The Flower Factory Nursery? I love that place! Unfortunately it's a bit far from home for us.

I have been there once, but haven't gone back because I don't "do" perennials. I have huge tropicals that I have to lug in and out of the greenhouse. LOL

Terry and all, obviously, DG is competing not just with Facebook and Google+, but also Twitter, Pinterest, LinkdIn, and for all I know, Match.com! I use FB to keep in touch with my kids and siblings and to look at pictures. But DG is special and I meet people here whom I am actual friends with. You don't do that on Facebook!

I sure have made a lot of friends on D G . Met some and haven't found anyone I don't like . ( Maybe one )

Carrie, I love your articles.

Digger, you're ok in my book!

Thank you, Cathy! The new format has caused some article problems as I've sure you've noticed--I'll take all the positive feedback I can get at thus point.

Thanks , Cathy , I wish I could meet all of you .

Why am I now seeing ads when I viewed the article today even though I have all ads turned off?

Is anyone else having this problem?