Important Announcement

18 Nov 2005

Hello all,
Some of you may have heard of rumours of a change of owners in Swinging Heaven. I can confirm this is true, and as of the 16th Nov 05 we officially took over swinging heaven, and today is the first day that we are in full swing in handling the running of the site.
We are currently talking with the Mods, and the chatroom ops, who were alerted last night and earlier today.
About Us
We are a small company based of around 14 people. Our primary business is the sale of ringtones, and mobile related content. Out of the 14, there are going to be 2 admins so to speak, and another 2 people overseeing us (ie our bossâ€™s!).
My name is Elliot, I am a web developer, and will be taking over the running of the site from Mark. Helping me is Nick (Nick_W) on the forum, who is also a web developer. You may also see around the site Steve (St3v3 on the forum), and Martin (the gaffers!).
What this means to you and your friends
Well, for the first couple of weeks, nothing will change. We will be busy behind the scenes putting together new features for the site. We will be improving usability, and speed. When we are ready to activate these features and upgrades, a new member system will be introduced.
The new features:
One unified login and members area for the whole site.
Unlimited pictures
Site messaging
Video chat room
User profiles
Distance displays
An ultra boost in speed.
And many moreâ€¦
And the main question:
Do I have to pay?
No, the site will remain free for all existing members, and new members. However we will be introducing a premium membership, which will have advanced features at a cost. Now this is the important bit:
All existing members will be automatically upgraded to premium membership for at least 1 year, and more than likely - forever.
We have no intention of breaking up this community, and want to reward the current members as much as we can and push the site forward.
So what are we going to lose?
Nothing. We will not be making any feature of the site that is free to use now, premium. This means that you will not lose a single thing, you will actually gain features, because many of the new things we have planned will be open to free members.
I know this is going to go down like a lead balloon, but please realise what im saying above, you arenâ€™t going to lose anything you have already, and you probably will hardly notice a change for the two weeks, and after that, changes for the better.
I know there are going to be a million and one questions flying about, please feel free to post below. However, please try to limit your post to one per person for the first day, I will answer as quickly and as clearly as I can, but as you can imagine this is going to get a bit busy.
Thanks for reading,
Elliot. biggrin

18 Nov 2005

At the moment the ads, forum and chatroom sections are quite distinctively seperate - with one communal log-in will this change?

18 Nov 2005

I just carnt help it till i understand more but :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

18 Nov 2005

Quote by Elliot
The new features:
One unified login and members area for the whole site.
Elliot.

Can you tell me how this will work if a member has a different nick in chat than on the forum?
Tracy-Jayne

18 Nov 2005

Quote by TallFunLondon
At the moment the ads, forum and chatroom sections are quite distinctively seperate - with one communal log-in will this change?

No, they will all stay exactly as they are, just when you log in, you will be logged in on everything, so when you move between them you won't have to re-login, and you will have an account user menu which lets you modify your ads, profile etc etc easily and quickly.

18 Nov 2005

:shock: Crikey!!
Erm well i have to admit i disagree with turning this site into any kid of pay site,regardless of it existing members wouldnt have to pay,I feel that the beauty of this site is thatit is free and accessable to all confused

18 Nov 2005

I don't want you to take over. This is a free site with Guidelines... have they now changed too?
I don't want to pay for something that I have used for the last two years FREE and I think you are very naive about thinking we are a group of people who can be stonewalled into paying for things we have found previously free.
We are a community of individuals and will never be 'Owned'

18 Nov 2005

Blimey Elliot - you done that a lot more succinctly than last night rotflmao

From a mods point of view - like the guy said, we knew nothing about this until last night and all of us are still reeling from the 'news' confused

Hence the signature, we can't help in PMs as we are pretty much in the dark dunno

Trying to work things through, and quick - but, well, things are just spinning in my head at the mo :?
I know I don't make much sense at the best of times - but Jesus, the last 24 hours really have taken the biscuit, so please don't ask me anything and expect a sensible answer .............. or even a coherent one :undecided:
Missy kiss

18 Nov 2005

Quote by little gem
I don't want you to take over. This is a free site with Guidelines... have they now changed too?
I don't want to pay for something that I have used for the last two years FREE and I think you are very naive about thinking we are a group of people who can be stonewalled into paying for things we have found previously free.
We are a community of individuals and will never be 'Owned'

They are saying it will remain free and the pay part will be for extra features not currently on here, BUT for how long is my question. I cannot see a commercial company doing anything for "free".
To the new owners : If it ain't bust, don't fix it....
Turn this into another commercial dating/wanna shag site and it'll destroy the community built up here.

18 Nov 2005

Quote by Missy
From a mods point of view - like the guy said, we knew nothing about this until last night and all of us are still reeling from the 'news'
Missy

Well, most of the Chat room Ops never knew (officially) untill a.m this morning rolleyes

- some still don't know 'cos they are at work!
and now, none of us know where we stand :roll: mad

:x :x :x :x :x :x

18 Nov 2005

Over-dosing on chocolate at the moment.
dunno

:dunno:

18 Nov 2005

It wouldnt have gone amiss to let the people know who more or less run this site,for the piss.A bit of notice is what they all Mark,you couldve at least put everyones minds at rest Beforehand

18 Nov 2005

Hi Elliott
Thanks for the update.
From my perspective, this is a first class site and, based on your post, it will only get better. Most importantly, I'm glad that there is recognition of the 'community' that exists here and that you have addressed the sensitive subject of payment etc.
As a gay man, I used frequently many years back - it was about the best that there was at the time. Over night, I seem to remember that they introduced a paying member system without any recognition of the impact that this might have on their existing users... the net effect was that there membership and usage plummeted over a matter of just months and Gaydar (a relatively new site at the time) saw a massive increase in usage and is now the number 1 gay chat site/forum in the UK and is fast becoming global. A valuable lesson for I think and hence why i think that your approach in sensible and also something to bare in mind.
Sorry for mentioning other sites but I couldn't think of a way around it and they ain't direct competitors... :P Mods, feel free to XXX them if you think it appropriate.
Paul

18 Nov 2005

Why is change a good thing .....its not this site works perfectly ok and has done for years .
Change is only good for the ones who will PROFIT from it ..
I myself feel this site is the best EVER we use it perfectly ok i use chatroom fourm and ads .
Im on here hours a day im not the only one
:shock: .
Its part of my life .
What i carnt understand is where the money bit will be needed if as you say nothings going to chang it obviously has to somewhere .
So where exactly .
:shock:

18 Nov 2005

Quote by Elliot
I know this is going to go down like a lead balloon, but please realise what im saying above, you arenâ€™t going to lose anything you have already, and you probably will hardly notice a change for the two weeks, and after that, changes for the better.
Thanks for reading,
Elliot.

If that turns out to be true in words and spirit - no lead balloon here.
It's going to be interesting (to say the least) to see if the commercialism can live happily along side the community - without those two "c" words being reversed :shock:
I hope so.

18 Nov 2005

Quote by Elliot
Our primary business is the sale of ringtones.

Congratulations. And that qualifies you to run our website how exactly? rolleyes

I have just a few questions (to begin with), mainly about your suitability to declare yourself fit to breeze in out of nowhere and put yourself in charge:
1. What interest does the new owner have in the SH Community?
2. Does the new owner know anything about or care anything about the SH Community?
3. Does the new owner expect the volunteer mods, ops, and other people working for the Community voluntarily behind the scenes to carry on doing so while a commercial concern benefits from that work?
4. How does the transfer of ownership to a commercial entity affect the Page One promise that Swinging Heaven will "NEVER" be a paysite?
5. Will the new owners expect to be paid royalties for the use of SH logos on Munch badges and tie pins, or will they regard it as free advertising?
6. How will the new owner, being apparently unfamiliar with the Community, know which group gatherings to sanction as site meets and which to regard as private parties?
7. Will the new owner respond to site-related communications addressed to the previous Administrator, or do I have to write the whole flucking lot out again?
8. To what extent has the previous Administrator's departure been influenced by the aggressive behaviour of certain members of a copycat/breakaway site, and how does the new owner propose to prevent further disruption from that source?
9. Is the new owner aware that the people who work so hard to keep SH alive and free do so out of love for the Community and loyalty to the founder? How does the new owner propose to inherit that loyalty? Has the new owner broken bread with anyone here? Does the new owner even remotely know anyone here?
10. Who are you? What is the name of your company? Is it familiar to Watchdog viewers? Why the big secret?

18 Nov 2005

WTF???????????

18 Nov 2005

Quote by Jags
Over-dosing on chocolate at the moment.
:dunno:

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
Oh Jags :rotflmao:
I'm s'posed to be going to a club tonight - so obviously started my diet yesterday rolleyes

......... and haven't stopped bluddy eating since mad

:x :x :x :x

18 Nov 2005

I don't think I like the sound of all this sad

I've got a horrible feeling its going to change everything.
Swinging Heaven will never be the same again :cry:
Fee
XX

18 Nov 2005

Quote by Ice Pie
Our primary business is the sale of ringtones.

Congratulations. And that qualifies you to run our website how exactly? rolleyes

I have just a few questions (to begin with), mainly about your suitability to declare yourself fit to breeze in out of nowhere and put yourself in charge:
1. What interest does the new owner have in the SH Community?
2. Does the new owner know anything about or care anything about the SH Community?
3. Does the new owner expect the volunteer mods, ops, and other people working for the Community voluntarily behind the scenes to carry on doing so while a commercial concern benefits from that work?
4. How does the transfer of ownership to a commercial entity affect the Page One promise that Swinging Heaven will "NEVER" be a paysite?
5. Will the new owners expect to be paid royalties for the use of SH logos on Munch badges and tie pins, or will they regard it as free advertising?
6. How will the new owner, being apparently unfamiliar with the Community, know which group gatherings to sanction as site meets and which to regard as private parties?
7. Will the new owner respond to site-related communications addressed to the previous Administrator, or do I have to write the whole flucking lot out again?
8. To what extent has the previous Administrator's departure been influenced by the aggressive behaviour of certain members of a copycat/breakaway site, and how does the new owner propose to prevent further disruption from that source?
9. Is the new owner aware that the people who work so hard to keep SH alive and free do so out of love for the Community and loyalty to the founder? How does the new owner propose to inherit that loyalty? Has the new owner broken bread with anyone here? Does the new owner even remotely know anyone here?
10. Who are you? What is the name of your company? Is it familiar to Watchdog viewers? Why the big secret? .
Well said my post was just emotional your is to the point thanks ice xxxx

18 Nov 2005

:dunno: :dunno:
have we be sold out by swinging heaven then???????
taken from swinging heavens home page
Swinging Heaven is FREE and is staying that way
First things first. We get emails every now and then asking how to pay to use this site, or whether we will be making it a site you have to pay for to use in the future. We want to take this opportunity to say don't bother asking. No payment is required, no payment will ever be required. Keep your Credit Card in your pocket/purse/thong! You will NOT come to this site one day and find that you have to pay to use it. We'd sooner stop all together than start charging anyone to use Swinging Heaven - and we're not about to do that! So, let that be the final word on the matter
page link http://www.swingingheaven.co.uk/main/free-swingers-websites.html

18 Nov 2005

Hmmm so where are all the answers to the questions then??????????? dunno

:dunno: :dunno:

18 Nov 2005

I can't help feeling that this is seriously bad news!

18 Nov 2005

Thank you to everyone who's asking sensible questions, I hope they all get answered satisfactorily. As for me, I'm just going to sit here feeling lost and shell-shocked and really, really hoping that somehow (can't imagine how...) this works out so that I don't lose SH just when I've really started to enjoy it...
Fingers crossed. I can't see how this can be a good thing. I only hope it isn't terminally disastrous, becuse SH has become so important to me, and I couldn't bear to lose all of you. sad

Hugs, everyone....
Cocoa x

18 Nov 2005

Quote by Missy
Over-dosing on chocolate at the moment.
:dunno:

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
Oh Jags :rotflmao:
I'm s'posed to be going to a club tonight - so obviously started my diet yesterday rolleyes

......... and haven't stopped bluddy eating since mad

:x :x :x :x
Too late Missy, too late!
Just remember my encounter with little black envelopes!!
:crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

18 Nov 2005

WOW! As a newbie ....I know nothing :scared: Does make me wonder though just what a commercial company wants with such a site..... gotta be a money makiing racket in there somewhere righ? :small-print: Now about the small print poke

18 Nov 2005

Quote by makingcocoa
Thank you to everyone who's asking sensible questions, I hope they all get answered satisfactorily. As for me, I'm just going to sit here feeling lost and shell-shocked and really, really hoping that somehow (can't imagine how...) this works out so that I don't lose SH just when I've really started to enjoy it...
Fingers crossed. I can't see how this can be a good thing. I only hope it isn't terminally disastrous, becuse SH has become so important to me, and I couldn't bear to lose all of you.
Hugs, everyone....
Cocoa x

You and me both girl :( kiss

But don't worry - we are a community that WILL stay together somehow
........ this is justa website
:kiss:

18 Nov 2005

Sold up the river for what .
if it wasnt for us members on here there would be NO swinging heaven .
the mods are fantastic at what they do .
lol

.
im just shocked carnt help it carnt understand it .
:shock:

18 Nov 2005

I'm tempted to say this:
as most people dont seem to have a fucking clue what's happening, dunno

:shock: :dunno: nor has there been any 'official' confirmation (that I've seen here on the forum) other than some geezer called Elliot breezing in with one post which is meant to enlighten and reassure us all.
Oh, and :moon: <<<kiss this
there are right ways and wrong ways to do many things in life - but this one is just WRONG, period. :dry:
anyone wanna bring us all up to speed with a really good explanation, and i'm all ears. :dry:

18 Nov 2005

Quote by Missy
Thank you to everyone who's asking sensible questions, I hope they all get answered satisfactorily. As for me, I'm just going to sit here feeling lost and shell-shocked and really, really hoping that somehow (can't imagine how...) this works out so that I don't lose SH just when I've really started to enjoy it...
Fingers crossed. I can't see how this can be a good thing. I only hope it isn't terminally disastrous, becuse SH has become so important to me, and I couldn't bear to lose all of you.
Hugs, everyone....
Cocoa x

You and me both girl :( kiss

But don't worry - we are a community that WILL stay together somehow
:
Hope so, anyone got webspace and a knowledge of PHP ???

Takeover Good or Bad