I think that the SI community is fortunate to have Brad back. It's not too often that a community gets a benefactor who doesn't have to worry about turning a profit. But in the past 15 years much has changed beyond the ownership of the website.
Brad and Jeff were in the right place at the right time. Remember when we were all geniuses and making thousands of dollars with every trade? We talked about stocks because stocks were the most interesting thing out there. And then we had the crash. That didn't change things too much. Some people made a bunch of money playing the dark side. But, who amongst us didn't lose a bunch of money between 2000 and 2003? and then again in 2008
And all the while the new owners, whoever they were at the time, had to try and make money on an investment message board while the last thing most people wanted to talk about was their investment portfolio.
The one thing that I have loved about SI since May 1996 is the sense of community. It is the community that makes SI what it is. While the ownership has changed a few times, the market has boomed and busted a few times, wealth has been created annd wealth has been destroyed, politics have shifted left and right, friends have been made and friends have been lost and the one constant on this website has been the SI Community.
We really do have to thank Go2Net a lot for Brad being back as a benefactor for SI. Without the proceeds of the sale a few years back, I doubt that Brad would be able to be so generous with the website that he can offer refunds on subscriptions and kill the ads. Both great things...I love it. But I will never fault an owner of any business for trying to make a buck. And this includes SI. Because as far as I can tell, there isn't a bunch of nutrition to be had in an internet message and a new subject doesn't protect from the weather.
Of course, I love free stuff and I hate having to look at ads. And I will pay to avoid them if I am being offered a product that is valuable enough to justify it. But hey, if I don't have to pay for it....GREAT!
So Brad gets to run the site as a hobby. Again, we are very fortunate for that. But again, the SI platform is only one part of the equation. I am curious to see how Brad will deal with the content and community aspect of SI now that investing isn't more fun than sex. The 1990s are over. Will SI eventually go the way of the buggy whip (there is still a small market for those!) or will it evolve to compete with the other community websites out there?
time will tell.
Thank you Go2net, Infospace, SI Bob, ADVFN, SI Bob, Matt and to the Dryer brothers and Jill for providing a platform for us to have this community. Thanks to SI Dave and SI Ron for all of their work too.
With all that said, I think many of us take too much for granted. The change in content quality is not the fault (or credit) of any of the above. It is us.....the community has always defined the content. If you think that the quality of SI has been falling for the past few years, then do something about it. Post a chart, talk about the fundamentals of a company, make up some new fangled technical indicator...do something. Otherwise the fundamental quality of SI won't change a bit, it will just be another facelift. |
