I assume a number of us are getting these 'NFP' posts from Gerry(keep dropping into my spam folder). It's interesting to read one of his latest posts, which is basically a rally to bring back Contractors Reunited and ask people to join.
This thread should serve as a lesson to wannabe Plan B'ers/entrepeneurs. This one quote.
"This was well before social networking websites like LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter came out.I got out of social networking even before they even got into it."
This guy had created 'LinkedIn' before they did. What this shows is, that a great idea poorly executed gets nowhere, and what it subsequently shows is Once the boat has been missed you're probably better to get a different one as opposed to swim after the first.
Move on Gerry. Next time though try and execute better.
"Contractors Reunited
In 1998 I got the idea for a website where IT Contractors could get back in touch with each other.
It was from hearing about Classmates.com an American School Reunion website.
I thought “why not have one for IT Contractors”.
Of course, I should have said “Why not have one of those in the UK?” as this was before FriendsReunited started.
NamesFacesPlaces
How many times have you said you would keep in touch with contractors at a site and then after a few meet-ups have lost touch with them either because you or they have moved or you just had other things to do?
So, I set up NamesFacesPlaces with a couple of partners, bringing it out in 1999.
I bought the partners out circa 2002/2003.
Contractor Search
Contractors could search for other contractors by name, by workplace, by dates and by position.
They could add their own details as well so that others could find them too.
They could send each other messages.
Indeed some people used NamesFacesPlaces to send messages to each other rather than go through the email messaging system at work which was likely to be monitored.
Traffic
We got lots of traffic.
However, just one comment by one reader in 2002 or 2003 made me do an about face, change the name to ITContractor.com and move it to be being an IT Contractor portal.
This person said that the Contractors Reunited idea was passé and very much last year’s idea.
Despite the evidence of the traffic I took that on board and made the change.
That was pretty stupid of me.
Pre-FaceBook
This was well before social networking websites like LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter came out.
I got out of social networking even before they even got into it.
I still kept the facilities on the website but downgraded them and didn’t push them.
However, people still used them.
Changes
In 2007 I had major changes to the website and only did brief tests to that part of the website.
The result was that I didn’t know that new members joining up couldn’t add any details about themselves, like the places they worked since then.
There were also other errors that took away the use of other facilities.
Re-Launch
Now, however, I have spent the past couple of weeks retesting that area of the website and have got all the gremlins out (I think).
You can access these facilities from the Contractors Reunited and My Account sections of the website accesses from the left hand side of this pa and the home page.
Many of you are still on there but I bet you wouldn’t remember your passwords from four or more years ago.
Here are some of the facilities that you can use."
(rest removed)
This thread should serve as a lesson to wannabe Plan B'ers/entrepeneurs. This one quote.
"This was well before social networking websites like LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter came out.I got out of social networking even before they even got into it."
This guy had created 'LinkedIn' before they did. What this shows is, that a great idea poorly executed gets nowhere, and what it subsequently shows is Once the boat has been missed you're probably better to get a different one as opposed to swim after the first.
Move on Gerry. Next time though try and execute better.
"Contractors Reunited
In 1998 I got the idea for a website where IT Contractors could get back in touch with each other.
It was from hearing about Classmates.com an American School Reunion website.
I thought “why not have one for IT Contractors”.
Of course, I should have said “Why not have one of those in the UK?” as this was before FriendsReunited started.
NamesFacesPlaces
How many times have you said you would keep in touch with contractors at a site and then after a few meet-ups have lost touch with them either because you or they have moved or you just had other things to do?
So, I set up NamesFacesPlaces with a couple of partners, bringing it out in 1999.
I bought the partners out circa 2002/2003.
Contractor Search
Contractors could search for other contractors by name, by workplace, by dates and by position.
They could add their own details as well so that others could find them too.
They could send each other messages.
Indeed some people used NamesFacesPlaces to send messages to each other rather than go through the email messaging system at work which was likely to be monitored.
Traffic
We got lots of traffic.
However, just one comment by one reader in 2002 or 2003 made me do an about face, change the name to ITContractor.com and move it to be being an IT Contractor portal.
This person said that the Contractors Reunited idea was passé and very much last year’s idea.
Despite the evidence of the traffic I took that on board and made the change.
That was pretty stupid of me.
Pre-FaceBook
This was well before social networking websites like LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter came out.
I got out of social networking even before they even got into it.
I still kept the facilities on the website but downgraded them and didn’t push them.
However, people still used them.
Changes
In 2007 I had major changes to the website and only did brief tests to that part of the website.
The result was that I didn’t know that new members joining up couldn’t add any details about themselves, like the places they worked since then.
There were also other errors that took away the use of other facilities.
Re-Launch
Now, however, I have spent the past couple of weeks retesting that area of the website and have got all the gremlins out (I think).
You can access these facilities from the Contractors Reunited and My Account sections of the website accesses from the left hand side of this pa and the home page.
Many of you are still on there but I bet you wouldn’t remember your passwords from four or more years ago.
Here are some of the facilities that you can use."
(rest removed)
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