Been away a while.

[turksmithjr]

Hey, all. turksmithjr here. I haven't been on in years. Back for a bit, maybe. Nice to see the place grow, but the ad are annoying. Seriously.

 

[02ebz06]

Howdy, welcome back.
If you plan on hanging around, you could get a membership and the ads go away.
Lifetime membership is still discounted to 1/2 price I believe.

 

[DougE]

Welcome back, and yeah premium is the way to go. Supports the site and ads go away. It does cost a bit to host a site this large and it has to be paid for somehow.

 

[turksmithjr]

Yea, been told that before, but the ads never go away. A forum for profit will always run ads. From looking around since I haven't been for a bit, the place hasn't changed. Little cliques and like minded bull. I may stick around more.

 

[DougE]

Yea, been told that before, but the ads never go away.

Premier is ad free, I assure you.

 

[912smoker]

Welcome back and as others have said no ads for a very small contribution.
Much worth the value of knowledge here IMHO

Keith

 

[chef k-dude]

Unless you are going to camp here and really immerse, paid membership doesn't make a lot of sense. Some folks here spend a lot of time here and have developed personal friendships and many are professionals or just seem to smoke anything that doesn't move...like every day.

I was obsessed with smoking at first, but I got over it. I still use the smoker here and there, but maybe 3-4 times a year. I simply cant get pastrami as good as mine anywhere retail, so there are some things I'm forced to smoke myself if I want it. My pulled pork is as good as anyone's I've tasted anywhere, but I burned-out on it. Hard to believe, but for now I've had my life-dose of PP!

Look in to add-ons for your browser. I run Duck Duck Go on Firefox and have 15 add-ons for different stuff, including blockers that stop those annoying flash and HTML jumpers that make a site feel like walking through a carnival midway. Sometimes they will affect the operation of a site and I have to drop them, but I only go through that for the sites I really need. If a site gives me the "talk to the hand" screen detecting my blockers, I simply move on unless its a site I need. Today, there are plenty of sources for information, including smoking and cooking in general, although this site has been around a long time and has years of content to find, so there's a lot in one place.

Every time you click-in here, the site is still getting clicks registered which goes toward the value of the ad money, so its not like you are starving anyone by not buying something specific.

If I wanted to totally immerse and become part of the family here, and by that, I mean some of these folks are good friends personally, almost to the level of family; I would have those OTBS and SMF Premier Member badges. But I swing through as part of my morning coffee light reading sometimes and that's about it and only recently returned to doing that after years of not visiting at all having grown somewhat disillusioned with my participation here. I kind of dont give a rip anymore, so I take it all very lightly these days.

 

[02ebz06]

Yea, been told that before, but the ads never go away. A forum for profit will always run ads. From looking around since I haven't been for a bit, the place hasn't changed. Little cliques and like minded bull. I may stick around more.

Don't know what forums you have been on, but all the ones I have memberships in do not show ads to members.

 

[turksmithjr]

But you get emails for the ads. Your membership dues are nothing compared to the income of the ads. I gotta agree to accept ads from the site. Which is crappy and pretty much one sided. Screw out side of the box thinking...even with decades of experience.

 

[turksmithjr]

Welcome back and as others have said no ads for a very small contribution.

Much worth the value of knowledge here IMHO

From what I see, it is the same from years ago. Shut down opinions that don't follow the main stay. For instance, anyone who says that no pink salt on pork belly isn't bacon. That is ignorance that shouldn't be promoted as someone who understands curing. Cured pork belly is bacon. I think it is irresponsible for someone to promote pink salt as the only way to cure. Might as well just buy store bacon. So, no way I am gonna pay for that crappy advice that is promoted by someone who pays for membership and knows crap about curing meats.

 

[DougE]

But you get emails for the ads.

I get zero ads, or any emails in my inbox from this site, or anything related to it. So, incorrect.

 

[02ebz06]

But you get emails for the ads. Your membership dues are nothing compared to the income of the ads. I gotta agree to accept ads from the site. Which is crappy and pretty much one sided. Screw out side of the box thinking...even with decades of experience.

Never gotten an email from a forum except when I sign up for notifications to new posts on a thread.
Show us one.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Welcome back if you want to stay. Can complain about ads or make them go away for very little... think $15 for a year.
Or you can leave and not complain.

We get alot of comments from newcomers on how friendly this place is. With alot of good info.

Ryan

 

[DougE]

Or you can leave and not complain.

Considered suggesting that, but didn't want to get dinged lol.

 

[millerbuilds]

Welcome back, I have not seen an add since I bought my lifetime membership. Out of all of the BBQ sites I monitor, I have learned the most from this one and everyone is respectful.

- Jason

 

[JckDanls 07]

I'm with others... I get/have no ads... Nor do I get ANY emails... Only time I get an email is when somebody starts/replys to a PM (private message)... All other email notifications are turned off in settings...