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In lugnet.build, Matthew Miller wrote:
> James Stacey <james@minifig.co.uk> wrote:
> > <playing devils advocate here>
> > I think the main issue is fantastic resource tho it is, it is still a
> > privately owned website. Despite the huge fan involvement in the site it
> > remains private property.
> > Todd is at total liberty to do as he wishes with the site, which is correct,
> > it is his creation, his baby. I belive this is where the issue lies.
>
> So, to, I guess, play the *other* devil's advocate:
>
> I'm concerned about how this new thing will be *both* genuinely
> community-run _and_ Official Lego Company Sponsored. I don't know the
> details -- and may even be completely wrong, but it's my understanding
> that in the past, there'd been some offers from Lego about making Lugnet
> more "official", and Todd and Suz preferred to keep the site an
> *independent* one. I see an inherent contradiction in being simultaneously
> a totally democratic site and a corporate mouthpiece. One of those roles
> seems destined to not work out so well.
There are a couple of reasons that there isn't more "corporate" presence on
LUGNET.
First and most important, the owners of the site have by and large declined it.
Like you mentioned, the reason for this was to stay independent, and as far as
I'm concerned, that was a fine decision. Especially considering LEGO had no
track record when we first started coming to LUGNET several years ago. I would
hope that in the last 4 years, we've proven that we aren't going to spam you,
market to you (in ways you don't want), use you, or otherwise take advantage of
you. We have a track record now, and I’d say it’s pretty darn good.
Secondly, LUGNET is a site meant for adults. While the stray kid may wander in
from time to time, the purpose of the site is really directed to adults. Nothing
wrong with that at all, but since a vast majority of our audience is kids, it’s
a bit problematic, support-wise.
So the bigger question in my mind is this issue of LEGOFan being a “corporate
mouthpiece”. I can understand the concern, but that is not my intention in the
slightest. Far from it.
The LEGOFan concept is meant to be a hub, a place for new and old users alike to
keep up with all the amazing things happening in the community. It’s meant to
deliver age/interest appropriate content to you. It’s meant to capture
interested builders and turn them into hard core fans. And it’s meant to help
existing AFOLs keep up with the massive amounts of cool things happening in the
community.
In my mind it’s also meant to do something else: Provide a next step after
LEGO.com. We are currently getting around 4.5 million unique visitors a month to
LEGO.com (all ages), a number that has continued to climb nearly every month
since re-launching our Web site in September 2000. What happens to them and
their interest in the brick once they have “used up” the content on LEGO.com? Do
we let them slip away and move on to other activities? Or do we capture their
hearts and minds to ensure they transition into being AFOLs? If it’s the second
option, how do we do that?
And what about those people who read about fan movies in Wired magazine? Or see
a spot about a train show on their local evening news? How do we ease those
folks into the community?
The amazing thing about the community to me is how well you are doing on your
own. You don’t need me or anyone else to support you – you’re making things
happen on your own. Like Brad has said in the past, there are things that we
both can do that the other can’t. There may be things in the LEGOFan concept
that I can help support that you can’t get on your own. (The “LEGO” as part of
the domain, for instance) This doesn’t mean the site is, because of that
support, any type of mouth piece. I’ll be the first one to tell you that I’m
here for what you need me for and nothing more. My mantra for the last several
years has been “Everyone goes home happy”.
This site first and foremost will be and should be “owned” and run by the
community. Since the LEGO Company is a member of the LEGO community too, there
is certainly a place for them at the table. What that place is, or for that
matter, what table we’re talking about is still up in the air.
How this relationship between LEGOFan and the LEGO Company shakes out is still
up in the air. But I can assure you that I’d sooner withdraw LEGO support all
together than let the site become any kind of corporate mouthpiece.
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Development
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Message has 5 Replies:
 | | Re: LEGOFan.net - central community run hub for all areas of the LEGO community.
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| (...) YES. Thank you, Jake. I have a problem with being too subtle, so I'll be more blunt: Lugnet is targeted to a particular audience, an adult audience. This is _not_ the ONLY audience interested in LEGO. For those whose online LEGO experience (...) (20 years ago, 12-Feb-04, to lugnet.build, lugnet.castle, lugnet.general, lugnet.lego, lugnet.publish, lugnet.space, lugnet.starwars, lugnet.trains)
| | | Re: LEGOFan.net - central community run hub for all areas of the LEGO community.
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| Hello! (...) Well, most AFOLs already have been LEGO fans as kids and - after a periode of neglecting the brick, the so called 'dark ages' - found back to their old love. That means: For the purpose of growing hard core LEGO fans it's necassary to (...) (20 years ago, 13-Feb-04, to lugnet.build, lugnet.castle, lugnet.general, lugnet.lego, lugnet.publish, lugnet.space, lugnet.starwars, lugnet.trains) !
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: LEGOFan.net - central community run hub for all areas of the LEGO community.
|
| (...) So, to, I guess, play the *other* devil's advocate: I'm concerned about how this new thing will be *both* genuinely community-run _and_ Official Lego Company Sponsored. I don't know the details -- and may even be completely wrong, but it's my (...) (20 years ago, 12-Feb-04, to lugnet.build, lugnet.castle, lugnet.general, lugnet.lego, lugnet.publish, lugnet.space, lugnet.starwars, lugnet.trains)
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