HUGE DNF $ system changes

[VisualDigits]

Stuff like DNF$ make this forum look like a place where 14 year old teens hang around. I think the DNF$ should be completely removed after a notice of say around 1 month.

I concur.

[JRBHosting]

I joined this forum when I was 14, and it definitely wasn't for the DNF$.

Jason

[Adam Dicker]

I also concur, hence the change.

I appreaciate all the support I am getting.

Thank you to all members.

-=DCG=-

[EJS]

I like the idea of being able to buy bolded and colored threads

[jdk]

Definately something that should have been left around. You are still going to have junk posts, but mods do a good job cleaning up the "bump" posts. When a mod deletes a post it should remove the F$ from the poster who received them in the first place.

Regarding chargebacks, a merchant account would be an option, OR only accepting verified paypal accounts for payment. Chargebacks are a part of ecommerce, it is taking the steps necessary to eliminate them without saying oh we won't accept credit cards or paypal any longer.

Another option would be to only allow members who are verified to purchase F$ and so on. There are many ways of prevention.

I am actually surprised this was something that was decided so quickly. Especially when it takes forever to see new ideas actually go live, IF they ever do at all.

BTW are there any other Exclusive benefits being taken away next? ie) Monthly newsletters, 4 F$ per post, DNF tools no longer working.

[QuantumBeam]

I agree it should be removed altogether, however, disagree how abruptly the change was made without any type of notice.

[RegFee]

I was kind of disappointed by the abruptness of the change, since I just recently upgraded and thought it was kind of funny how fast my F$ stash was growing. However, affiliate links are allowed for exclusives, so I'm not complaining

[italiandragon]

3- There is about $1500 a month in fraud due to having the dnf$ in place and I get that much in chargebacks per month which is a direct relation of the f$ system and bugs in it.



-=DCG=-

I don`t understand how that is possible since I believe dnf$ are an unlimited quantity that you only can create (for free) and spread over by selling or donating.
Am I wrong?

[nts]

I don`t understand how that is possible since I believe dnf$ are an unlimited quantity that you only can create (for free) and spread over by selling or donating.
Am I wrong?

The fraud (from what I understand) would be caused by those buying the DNF$ with real money, then doing a chargeback on the real money, keeping the DNF$.

Anyway, a good change. IMO this will turn out for the best.

[QuantumBeam]

Could still be avail. for cash... just an idea.

I disagree with this idea, this one one of the features that I ALREADY paid for to become an Exclusive member. All Exclusive members received more DNF$ per posts than other members allowing us to add more features as an incentive. If anything, all Exclusive members should be able to change there user title or user name at no charge. After all this was an agreement as part of the EXCLUSIVE memberships ?

[StockDoctor]

The forum moves on. Sometimes when there's changes it's interesting to look back at the history a bit.

Originally coming as a feature with the VB forum software, was a point system for encouraging or rewarding poster contributions to the forum content. Just called "points" they later became known as VB Bux as forum admins were looking for a way to attach the image of higher real value and encourage more posts. Forum members started to offer forum related services to build their "stash" and the title of "Richest Member" came about, carrying with it a bit of prestige. As far as DNforum is concerned, the points were called just that or Bux originally. Members increased the use of the points by offering them as rewards for favors or assistance. At the time there were no paid subscriptions nor member levels other than the VB titles that relayed your posting activity level as in "new member" or "senior member" etc.

With the trading of all levels of domains, the points also were added just as a sweetener to some trades, or in exchange for graphics help as in avatar design. This caught on to a good degree, and the points started to take on some real value. Lower value domains being traded for Bux only became fairly common. About this time, the official name of DNF$ was adopted, and we started the DNF$ Bank and DNF$ Exchange. There was no automated system in place to buy or sell, nor an automated bank, so all transactions were handled by a market maker and the head of the bank (twas me!)

That's when DNF$ started to take on a life of it's own and was adopted as a real "Virtual Currency" that a lot of members used to pay for all types of services such as Hosting, domain registrations, domain purchases, coding work, websites, software, hardware etc etc. The exchange became active as several members actually started to buy and sell DNF$ as an investment. High activity in the currency (millions of DNF$ changed hands in $thousands of real currency USD$ value) that the spreads between the bid and ask prices were kept very tight. The DNF$ trading value could actually be compared to and in some cases exceeded the value of some other world currencies.

The popularity for the DNF$ use in domain trading went so far as to call for the building of a live domain auction that traded on nothing but DNF$. You can still see an example copying this auction system in use at another popular domain forum each week. An automated bank was also created, and with the new forum ownership and paid membership levels, the acceptance of DNF$ for level upgrades was used by quite a few exclusive or platinum members, and can still be used for that purpose today.

As an economics guy, I had fun participating in this market study of a "Virtual Currency" in action. It was even picked up on the radar of some of the economics classes at a couple universities, a columnist for the WSJ and the author of a book studying the subject.

Some of us see a great demand and use for an international virtual currency and believe that where it will start is thru adoption by forums like DNF and other social communities or games. Look at Second Life's gold or WOW, or imagine if all the VB forums adopted one accepted form of currency and tied it to the USD value or better yet, the International gold market. Think of movies or song downloads paid for with virtual currency, earned per hour worked, traded for, or bot or sold for real world currency.

Some of us think that WEB$ is coming and it will make the people that are able to grasp the concept and apply it widely, very rich.

[Adam Dicker]

All Exclusive members should be able to change there user title or user name at no charge.

Agreed, these will be added tomorrow.

-=DCG=-

[afloat.com]

The forum moves on. Sometimes when there's changes it's interesting to look back at the history a bit...

very interesting, great post

If there was a universal virtual currency, who would be best to administer it? and how long before it became taxed and regulated?

[italiandragon]

very interesting, great post

If there was a universal virtual currency, who would be best to administer it? and how long before it became taxed and regulated?

There is "one" , PAYPAL.

[Raider]

I would very much like to see stats showing number of posts prior to terminating dnf$ compared to after....that would be very interesting to see.

I too am not posting for the purpose of earning dnf$, same goes when I was a Gold and Premium member, I would of rather spent the money to upgrade.

[RegFee]

I originally received the bulk of the F$ I used to upgrade by providing lists of available domain names and receiving donations from other members. I do enjoy providing lists for people, but I've got to admit, it feels better when I get recognized or thanked for my efforts when people send me F$ that they had to work to get. I'm not saying I'll stop posting available names, I see no point in holding on to names that I'm not going to register. Maybe now people will at least thank me though when they take the names, since they won't be "expected" to donate any F$.

[GAMEFINEST]

a step in a better direction....i am looking forward to it

[deerfern]

Boy I leave just for a few months and look what happens!!

And wow I have a long way to go before I can become Exclusive. May as well buy it. I know it's off topic, but are there any specials running anymore? Maybe a special to purchase the Exclusive would be a good selling tool to offset the closing of the DF$...make it time limited, of course..

Just my two pennies.

[QuantumBeam]

Agreed, these will be added tomorrow.

-=DCG=-

Good deal, will this be done thru the store or an added feature in the User CP profile ?
Thanks

[Adam Dicker]

I will open up avatar changes shortly.

Username changes will not be allowed as it would just allow users to make sales then hide behind a fake identity. I don't think that would be good at all, but user titles and avatars will be fine.

Will post again once updated.

-=DCG=-