Adagio overtakes Steepster ?

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TeaTotaling
Posts: 519
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 3:08 pm
Location: Ohio

Thu Aug 13, 2020 12:31 pm

polezaivsani wrote:
Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:55 am
I haven't had much to do with Steepster, but have seen the same fate striking almost all grass roots endeavors elsewhere on the Internet, with ad hoc governance built on enthusiasm and advertising. Once the community get past some size, commercial interest will have a say at how it's being run. To a dissatisfaction of community that built it, as it happens usually.

You might have purest intention in mind building another out a new place to have tasting notes at, but somehow the bills however big or small still would need to be payed. Counting on someone's altruism doesn't seem like a sustainable model in the long run. Would people who have had their time and energy burnt having the database taken hostage, be willing to start it all over again or migrate to a new place ran by the same principle (or lack there of)?

It seems to me that building on by community and for community principles might be a better route in the long run. I don't have proofs to turn it into a solid claim, might as well be my wishful thinking. Still, just couple points which i believe have a longer shelf life - 1) supporting the operation financially by the community itself and 2) having all the data in the open (think wikipedia, where anybody could literally take all the data and do anything with it). These two points seem like providing a good protection against any kind of takeover or lock down, which could mean me having more trust in it :)
The power is with the people.

"When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."
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Balthazar
Posts: 706
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:04 am
Location: Oslo, Norway

Thu Aug 13, 2020 1:46 pm

Bok wrote:
Thu Aug 13, 2020 12:48 am
As we mentioned elsewhere before the big advantage I see of an "old-fashioned" forum like ours is that it is searchable and stays put. Try find what someone said a few weeks ago on IG or FB and it is a major headache... so as an archive and trove of knowledge it has its place.

It also seems to make most people to think a little longer and ponder what and how they are writing than on the more fast-paced social media which is full of nonsensical (mostly worthless) tidbits and snippets.

I do not mind staying a niche offering, if it maintains a certain level of quality of contribution. Which so far is the case. The seriously interested tea people will continue to find us naturally, curiosity will lead the way. Also what is popular opens itself to attack as well... under the radar is not the worst thing.

Having said all that, it seems to me that Steepster-peeps are mostly a different audience than T-Fo-roamers. But I might be wrong about that.
I agree with all of this.
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pantry
Posts: 389
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:34 am
Location: US East Coast

Fri Aug 14, 2020 2:01 am

Balthazar wrote:
Thu Aug 13, 2020 1:46 pm
I agree with all of this.
I agree with you
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joelbct
Posts: 81
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:14 pm
Location: NY

Fri Sep 04, 2020 9:55 am

klepto wrote:
Sat Jul 11, 2020 1:19 pm
its sad when people want legit thoughts on various teas they snatch up the site and slap their ad banners every where and phase out the competition.
Kind of like what Yunnan Sourcing covertly did to reddit r/tea.

That whole mess was disheartening, I haven't bothered with r/tea or teachat since 2017. Sigh.

Never much liked the format of steepster. These old-school BBS templates are where it's at for "enthusiast-level" discussion/community, of whatever topic.
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klepto
Posts: 488
Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2020 9:24 pm
Location: Floridaman, USA
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Fri Sep 04, 2020 11:48 am

joelbct wrote:
Fri Sep 04, 2020 9:55 am
klepto wrote:
Sat Jul 11, 2020 1:19 pm
its sad when people want legit thoughts on various teas they snatch up the site and slap their ad banners every where and phase out the competition.
Kind of like what Yunnan Sourcing covertly did to reddit r/tea.

That whole mess was disheartening, I haven't bothered with r/tea or teachat since 2017. Sigh.

Never much liked the format of steepster. These old-school BBS templates are where it's at for "enthusiast-level" discussion/community, of whatever topic.
I remember the BBS days and it does remind me of that. Good ole Wildcat BBS :P I wonder why no one has stepped into to make a clone of Steepster yet. A company who makes tea owning a site that reviews tea and claims to be impartial hilarious. smh..
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