Data Sites Balance Sheet
I (mostly!) enjoy working on these sites but the hours are long and financially they have the outlook of a rusty E-Type entering a first-class body shop. The data sites “balance sheet” would look like this:
Positives:
- Building and maintaining sites that people seem to enjoy
- Meeting some neat people
- A bit of money from Cafe Press and eBay sales
Negatives:
- Threatening and outraged emails from a few people a year demanding (often in all caps) to know who posted their car’s info
- The sheer amount of time it takes to maintain the sites
- The amount of money involved (not even close to balanced with the income above)
- Petty put-downs from other online enthusiast sites and registrars
- And now, Ford’s legal beagles
Normally, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives, but I’m probably just too tired and worn out from regular work at the moment to look at the bright side. There you go, a bit of whine with your entrée.
Don’t worry, he’ll be more cheerful next week. He’s got lots of deadlines right now.
Comment by Allie — October 17, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Roger- Sorry to hear about the Ford B.S. Probably helps explain why their domestic products are crap as well.
Guess your revenue alone put them in the red. You’ve done a great thing with this site for folks all over the globe.
It wasn’t in vain. Cheers!
JPS
Comment by Jeff — October 17, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
Roger, its like the silent majority, the struggle between those want the focus on them or on the car. The majority feel fortunate to drive and own one of these animals a few own them to draw attention to themselves. Those people get annoyed when someone sees the car and its not associated with them, the rest of us could care less about associations and appreciate the record keeping.
Comment by pauls — October 26, 2007 @ 7:24 am
Roger
I understand somewhat..as I run a motorcyclist web site. I get similar stuff from a very small minority..but it still gets to me. I haven’t benn harassed by the “big name motorcycle” brand..cause my site is nothing compared to this, I check here everyday..speeding much of my late night insomnia browsing the photos..seeing whats new..updated or what I may have missed. Your work here is a genuine gift for our XK community..
There is nothing else like it..
Understand that many of us appreciate more than you know what you have done here..
Thanks..
Docc
aka Ken
Comment by Docc — October 27, 2007 @ 12:12 am
Roger, don’t let the Ba****ds grind you down. You do a great job and unlike Ford you draw people to Jaguar not push them away.
Even if Ford could decide whether they own Jaguar or not their letter still does not hold water !!
Please keep up the good work genuine enthusiast appreciate what you do.
Comment by Jim — November 2, 2007 @ 7:17 am
Rodger: Thank you very much for doing what you do. This is truly a wonderful website with a lot of great information. Ford Motor Company should be thanking you for what you’ve done in supporting the Jaguar name. I’m really mad at them for giving you a rough time. Clearly stupid lawyers there can’t see pass the end of their noses. Please, please, please don’t stop doing what your doing. A lot of people really and truly appreciate what your doing with this website.
Tim Sullivan
Comment by Tim Sullivan — November 9, 2007 @ 8:31 pm
Roger> you doing a great job.. the e type site is fantastic, ignore the BS and thanks again from a fellow etype owner ken!
Comment by ken hatton — November 10, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
Rodger, As a new XK owner, 12 months or so, this site along with Jag-Lovers is worth its weight in gold. You should feel proud that single handedly you have done in about the same time period
as my XK ownership what the unions and the British Governemnt could not do in 70 years …… bankrupted Jaguar! Keep up the good work we need this info!
Comment by Kiwi John — November 14, 2007 @ 5:32 pm