Since I'm unaware of exactly how many surfers there are here on GFY, I'm not entirely qualified to say whether there's too many. I'm not denying there's a significant percentage, of course.
But speaking from the perspective of both a webmaster and producer, I don't mind the presence of surfers - I just don't appreciate the blatantly dumbass ones who come across as little more than imbeciles and fools. But those types exist on both sides of the spectrum.
GFY touts itself as a place 'where the industry meets'. Aren't surfers (some of which are undoubtedly paying members and supporters of our respective websites) part of the industry equation? Is their feedback and constructive input not of genuine value to webmasters and content producers?
It'll be argued that this is a 'webmaster only' forum, and not a place for surfers. Okay, fine. But I have to ask - what kind of a webmaster conducts business in a vacuum of feedback? How do you track trends? Or the preferences of your clientele?
I've been producing original content since 1995 and running paysites since 1999. We have a decade under our belts. And while I don't fool myself into thinking I know it all (lord knows I've likely forgotten more than I've learned over the years)...one thing I do know is that the more successful webmasters among us LISTEN to those who support their efforts...while acknowledging that our industry is a symbiotic relationship.
One wouldn't exist without the other.
Of course, the final say is up to the owners and admin of GFY - as to what direction they want the forum to go. I just don't see the benefits of making it totally exclusive.
My
