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"Chess teaches you to control the initial excitement you feel when you see something that looks good and it trains you to think objectively when you're in trouble" (Stanley Kubrick)
Vanilla 1.1.3 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.
Tzaar is now available at Boardspace.net.
Cool Dave.
I am up for getting Boardspace.net on the IAGO Clubhouse website, if you would let me know where you want the Clubhouse link to land and give me a link back on that page to the IAGO Clubhouse site. Boardspace would be a good addition to the partner games sites and the over 900 games people have access to.
I'm not going to start doing link exchanges. A directory is not really a directory if you have to buy placement.
The purpose of the Clubhouse is several fold:
1. To be able to create something that IAGO is able to promote in order to drive traffic to partner websites.
2. To be able to enable all partner websites to be able to benefit one another by creating a viral effect between all sites. Each site helps each other get traffic.
3. Create IAGO Clubhouse as something sites would want on as something that adds value.
4. The Clubhouse will be working towards obtaining physical venues for people to play at.
5. Show that partners are in support of IAGO and its mission. Those who work on this set up something that acts like a Better Business Bureau, or Chamber of Commerce. It is a seal that means something.
6. IAGO will be working to get Clubhouse memberships and driving it to partners who believe in and support what IAGO is working on. To say you are part of this, is to help out in this process.
7. Posting links on the website help with Google ratings, which helps get more people into IAGO, and thus able to get to your website to play.
There are other things also going on at this time. But, the point here is to create a win-win situation. I can understand if you don't want to be part of it, or don't support what IAGO is up to. If you don't want to be part of it, that is ok. It is your choice. The entire thing is for your benefit and the benefit of players, but the choice is yours.
In regards to "buying placements", an objective also of the Clubhouse is to enable you to get compensated with your site for being part of it. But, the choice is yours. The Clubhouse isn't a list of links or a "directory". It is to be a community site like this, but enabling people to be able to play via partner sites, get their ratings stored, and so on. It is a way for IAGO to have synergy with what is out there, instead of coming in, setting up its own website and trying to steal people away from other sites. It is a way have other sites involved and partnering, so you get win-win. But, if you want to not be part of it, that is your choice.
I think that in the long run, IAGO will have a lot more credibility if it is seen as
an independent minded organization promoting games, rather than as the hub
for a bunch of sites all trying to promote each other.
If IAGO is going to function as a sports federation/trade organization, it is going to need members. These members are going to have to do what they do in such a way that it benefits everyone. The Clubhouse aspect of IAGO is a hub of sorts. It is an entrance point that enables people to find people to play.
What you see now with the IAGO Clubhouse is just the starting place. In the future, there are plans to add a searchable database and have a way for people to find games all over the Internet and play. This is going to require partners who want to be involved. Saying your site is an official IAGO Clubhouse site, tells people coming from the Clubhouse site you are a partner site.
At the core, IAGO needs to represent all parties involved, who want to help in the cause. That is its mission. It is there for yourself and others.
Hello, Dave:
I'd like to address your comment: "I think that in the long run, IAGO will have a lot more credibility if it is seen as an independent minded organization promoting games, rather than as the hub for a bunch of sites all trying to promote each other."
You are absolutely right. It would be better if everyone came to an independent appreciation of all the sites and, after examining each, decided to wholeheartedly get behind each one. How do we get there from here? It seems to me that what you are proposing is based mostly on altruism, rational thought, and the unusual willingness to try any number of new things to learn which are good and which aren't. :-) Optimist!
People, processes, organizations just don't work like that. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Friendly people have more friends. Tit for tat. That's much closer to the way the world really works. Or, if you prefer, the more pointers to each of our organizations, the better off each of us is. A button-click away. Make it easy. IAGO is trying to become a major pointer. I think first that it pays for each of us to belong if IAGO takes off, and second, there is no harm in our belonging. At this point, I have to ask "What Payment?" While Rich has talked about $$$, it's always been a future thing, and based on subscriptions primarily. A key problem for the future is how IAGO actually makes its first dollar. But that's down the road. At this point, IAGO needs to build a solid foundation, and it has started doing so. [The interesting thing about building the foundation of an organization like IAGO is that the building blocks are independently mobile.] I don't know that it will work. I do see value in it if it works.
I would ask how you would get to your vision of the future IAGO as an organization comprised of a number of independent entities that agree on what games to promote? Where do these people/groups come from [and where are they now]? Why should they organize together, and how does it happen?
Joe
When you have a sports federation or trade organization, which is IAGO, it is an advocate for all stakeholders in what it represents. Its job is to promote abstract strategy games, and work on the behalf of all stakeholders. These include players, designers, manufacturers, and game sites. Feel free to list any other stakeholders that are missed. Therefore, there is going to be a bunch of positive spin on everything. What is important is that each element be structured and operate in a way that would best benefit IAGO. This does mean that IAGO Hall of Fame would be more neutral and try to find the core. Other things, such as the Tour, are more subjected to commercial interests. The idea is to figure out how to encompass as much as possible to insure success, without having a beggar or poverty mentality.
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