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How Will Ning's Move, To Phase Out Free Networks, Effect You?

I think it would be interesting to hear, how will Ning's decision to "phase out free networks", effect you?

Please be respectful of our readers, and each other. But, do feel free to tell your story.

Maybe some of the stories will bring Network Creators together, and some partnerships can be formed.

Or maybe someone has a way to help a fellow Creator, even if just a small gesture.

Sincerely,
Jen

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Permalink Reply by Surviving Earth Changes 2012 on April 18, 2010 at 12:39am

There is a petition going on to keep free .ning sites that I thought might be of interest

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/ning4free/sign

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Permalink Reply by ELVIS PRESLEY FAN CLUB on April 19, 2010 at 12:37am

I own a couple of networks and have signed your petition, thank you oh so much.

Charmaine Jensen-Voisine

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Permalink Reply by Surviving Earth Changes 2012 on April 18, 2010 at 12:50am

ps. I have gotten a social network running on www.spruz.com/

I am already having problems and it is not as user friendly as .ning. I also paid an increase on my bandwidth, which is supposed to make me a premium social network. But I think they will increase all fees and I will still have to move. I am not happy. I worked so hard to have my group and now it seems it will blow up in smoke and I will have to start all over again unless another site offers to transfer .ning info for a small fee, as I do not have money to spare.

It is not right that they have done this way giving people so little time to make a decision and not clearing if prices will remain the same or if they will increase. Where is the humanity in this? they could have found other ways of making more money.

Will see what happens, but so far it has been very painful trying to find the right social network to make the changes.

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Permalink Reply by JenSocial on April 18, 2010 at 1:08am

I am very curious to hear the final announcement, and exactly what the premium fees will cost, and what features will be included. I'm also anxious to hear how much time the transition period will be. I'm hoping Ning will do the right thing, and give people ample time to transition, PLUS, the tools to do it with - - like member data and content. But I have my doubts on the latter. It means Ning will probably need to work with other platforms where data would be received. And, I don't see how that can happen. But, who am I to say? I really don't know.

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Permalink Reply by JenSocial on April 18, 2010 at 1:10am

Are you liking Spruz?

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Permalink Reply by Friends of Angela Lansbury - Bet on April 27, 2010 at 7:20pm

It really isn't bad. I have decided to put all my nings on Spruz. I have them all working nicely. Just need members on a couple of them. I posted my links earlier on another post..

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Permalink Reply by TeamCircle on April 18, 2010 at 1:00am

This news was never going to bring an easy transition. Change means things don't stay the same. On the positive side, it is a good time for network owners to reflect on the purpose of their networks. Essentially, Ning created a lot of their own problems, with making it so easy for people with no real plan or purpose to set up networks and that's really behind why there are so many networks and yet so few doing much. It happens in a micro version, even on a network with people starting groups without any plan and with no idea the work involved to make the group active and growing.

I will probably move to a premium arrangement at least in the mid term. For my network, which is a business community open to anyone who wants to share ideas, resources and have a place to base their online networking and develop their own team, it would be no burden to invite some smaller networks to join us and set up a group for their topic. For many this would probably be a sensible option as it would give them access to do what they did before, but take some of the pressure off, trying to 'entertain' their members.

In all this might turn out to be a good thing, and allow people to really take stock and work out what purpose their network is meant to achieve - and if it has been doing that.

Good luck to all who find themself in this position.

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Permalink Reply by JenSocial on April 18, 2010 at 1:04am

Well thought out, and nicely written.

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Permalink Reply by SUCCESSFUL WOMEN on April 18, 2010 at 1:04am

Well everything is about money these days and it's an inconvenience to some. REAL ning networks that are actually about something positive may suffer. I have three ning networks: www.successfulwomen.ning.com, www.putthegunaway.ning.com, and www.leadingmillionaireminds.com. The choice is not mine but if you all feel that money is more important than networking...due what you have to do. There's still networks like ecademy.com, konnects.com, xing.com and so forth. I will let my members on all networks aware of the change. I do create websites so I can use a hosting site like homestead.com they are only 4.95 per month.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Simpkins on April 18, 2010 at 1:15am

Spruz welcomes Ning Refuges
http://my.spruz.com/pt/Spruz-welcomes-Ning-Refuges/blog.htm

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Permalink Reply by SPHP GLOBAL NETWORK on April 18, 2010 at 1:19am

Considering the "Prime Directive" for SPHP GLOBAL NETWORK to provide supplemental support systems to the advocacy campaigns and change initiatives geared towards a long term "Transformational Development Program" for the Citizens of the Republic of the Philippines", who belong among the disadvantaged constituents of the Third World countries, all that I can think of now is to try to secure as much of the contents of the website for "transplanting" to another host that has genuine "Global Corporate Responsibility" that obviously was never within the ambit of the value system of those who manage NING.COM

At this point, together with the volunteer groups of individuals to perform the functions of the Technical Support Group, I'm still at a loss as to what exactly are the immediately available alternatives for FREE hosting for SPHP GLOBAL NETWORK.