www.CostaRicaTicas.com

If you want a textbook example of how to run off all of your clients and users, look no further than the current Admins of this site. We have seen how a heavy hand and thin skin, the admin will willy-nilly ban someone if their is a percieved slight. We all know that Thomas was pretty lenient and would reason with guys and only leave harsh punishment to the true assholes.

This site is on the downward spiral but admin seems to want to hasten its demise.

The latest is moving the "Trip Reports and Information from Around the World" to the VIP section. For what its worth, I have not renewed my VIP status the last 2 years on this site, because I simply havent been traveling to Costa Rica (I had been a VIP for 4 years prior to that). I would definitely reactivate the VIP status simply for the hotel discounts. Seeing the dirty pictures is nice, but I get plenty of those on my chica's facebook pages

My guess is Admin will remove me after he sees this, but What the F U CK!!!!

At least we can still pm each other...

The whole idea of a forum is to have many users and have interesting content. ALWAYS REMEMBER, THE USERS PROVIDE THE CONTENT. Without the users, you have nothing.

Its sad to see. I guess this site has run its course.

The main attraction for most users, especially newbies, is the vast content and colorful characters and stories. I doubt many people would pay for a site like this unseen. People dont realize the value of this site until they have actually decided to take a trip. Later, you realize the value of the VIP membership because of the hotel and food discounts. The naked pictures used to be nice, too. It worked well like that for a long time.

For those of us who dont go to Costa Rica anymore but visit Colombia, its still a good site to see what is going on down there. I guess Admin doesnt want that traffic anymore. Its a poor business decision. They are only alienating more readers. He can still point to page views to sell his advertising.

In my opinion CRT should be paid members only. The owners of this board have expenses and God forbid that anyone should actually make a profit.

Not trying to start a fight here but what does it say about someone who is unwilling to pay for a membership anyway?

Devo

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The most dangerous adversaries are the ones that come with a smile instead of a sword

If this had originally been a paid only site, I would agree. Also, if the site provided exclusive unique content, I would agree. But the users provide the content. Without contributors you have nothing.

If the admins want an elusive site for paid members only, so be it.


Do you feel guilty about reading free news online on CNN.com or watching FREE network television?

Why wouldn't anyone want to support the board by buying a membership? I understand that people are cheap because I am to. I will walk another block to buy a Coke from a grocery store rather than paying an extra dollar at 7-11.

CNN online isn't providing any exclusive or proprietary information like CRT does. Where can someone go to find out who is the current hottest Chica at Idem? Where can someone go to find out the best room at Sportsman Lodge?

I haven't been to Costa Rica since 2005 but I still read CRT almost everyday. The small membership fee is well worth the entertainment I still get from reading the forum.

A paid membership also helps keep out undesirables like chicas and those who would like to shut down our lifestyle. Sure they could still buy a membership, but most wouldn't.

Devo

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The most dangerous adversaries are the ones that come with a smile instead of a sword

If I owned CRT I would make a 14-30 day free trial period and then either you sign up or you dont. The owners are entiled to some compensation for their time and effort. Everyone who joins and actually goes to Costa Rica gets their money back and then some if they use or avail themselves the services or lodging from our sponsors.

Estebanh, not trying to flame but but why buy a yearly membership and not a lifetime one? Sounds like you would of got your money back in the form of discounts from the hotels and that you renewed your membership more than once.

There are a number of reasons for the decline of CRT that have nothing to do with the new owners.

HUH?

THE READERS PROVIDE THAT!




And many normal casual readers. You are already losing quite a few guys by moving the Foreign trip report section to VIP. I remember when I had my VIP membership that NO ONE posted in that section anyway. Maybe you guys should just go ahead and shut it down for paying member only. Good luck.

I just noticed that section got moved to the VIP sections. Sucks. wtf?

dapanz1

I don't think a "trial period" of some number of months <like maybe 3> is unreasonable - I think that limiting the number of posts for non VIP members (to maybe 100) is also reasonable.

I don't want to make this personal, but when you have, say, over 500 posts, you should be a supporting member of CRT - just looks fair to me.

FWIW, I was a VIP member for years before I began posting - while I would not be in favor of making the site paying from the get go, I will tell you we have - especially in the Newbi section - a fair number of guys who are new, have questions, ask them, and we never hear from them again. (and please don't say its because they are not treated with courtesy; in the CRT glory days of 5 years past, a very common response, especially to Newbi's was "Do a search" - now not nearly so much)

I'm simply making what I believe is a correct observation.

The fact that guys interests are in Colombia, or Thailand, or the PI really does not hold water if you continue to post on CRT - if you are a poster - especially a frequent poster - IMO, you should be supporting the site - if not you really have no say in what forum moves where.

Like I say, you guys should shut it down for only paid members. Then the circle jerk could get really intimate.

I take the time to write a nuanced response to your post(s) and this is the best you can do

Instead of talking about jerking off - how about addressing some of the points I made - how about just one.....if you are going to post; if you have a bunch of them - you should support the site. Why do you think this should not apply to you -

(I don't get some people - we have had guys say "I support the site in other ways...." Like how - by brilliant posts Or could it be the position - I want to post, but I don't want to support the site <and I want say so on where forums are located on the site to boot, among other things> - is just not able to be defended?)

You interests might lie elsewhere, but when you are getting close to 2,000 posts - its time - to me, and I would assume most reasonable people - to pony up the membership $$$.

Its like the sticker you likely have on your cars windshield, next to the one that says "If you value your life like I value this car, don't F.U.C.K with it"

"Gas, Grass or Ass - nobody rides free"

I don't know you and you might be a great guy - and believe it or not, there are other subjects that hold my interest far more than commenting on the site - but maybe it was just the sense of "I don't pay <I did years ago> but I post - a lot - and despite not paying I feel entitled to bitch about the movement of a particular forum into to the <paying> Members Only section.

Personally, I dddn't do lifetime VIP b/c of the discounts - many of them do not apply to me/for me anyway - I did it long before I even began to post - because I enjoyed reading the posts, learned something, even made some friends - and I think I paid about $100 - ONCE, one time - it can't be that much more now.

The previous owner of the site got your $100. The current owners derive absolutely no benefit from grandfathered VIP users. Guys like you just use up bandwidth and are freeloaders just like the rest. If you guys are so "Fair Minded" and concerned about the profitability of the site, maybe you should be paying along with all the newbies.

The board is basically post wise,advertisers,so most of info is prejudiced in their favor,..in fact if you were to question any of their posts, the guy who takes pictures of customers, without permission at the sportsmens would give you a warning..

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Jaco is called little USA by all ticos