Reward for contributors

[d.o.g.]

Thanks for your valuable input!

There are people in this forum, who needs quality reports and contributions. They got $ but no time. Demand. On the other hand, there are people with time and passion but less $ to invest. Supply.

Wouldn't it be great if we can match the demand and supply?

Just to share my personal experience:

I have received requests for information before, sometimes stock tips, sometimes reports, sometimes opinions on investment products. Sometimes in the forum, sometimes by private message.

Once I point out that I don't work for free, it is generally the end of the conversation. So I don't think it is the case that people have money but no time, more that people have money but are unwilling to pay.

Of course, there ARE some who are willing to pay, but usually these are small investors for whom the cost would not be worthwhile. My heart goes out to them - but I run a business, not a charity.

Am I mercenary? No - just practical. Whether you are a bus driver or a software engineer, there is a minimum wage you will require before you get out of bed. In this respect, investment analysis is no different.

[kazukirai]

I'm not for it for 2 simple reasons.

1) Funding:
With regards to funding, I believe that the forum makes enough from ads to cover operating expenses.
As for channeling excess donations to charities, that in itself will require even more administration (e.g. audit, proper record keeping etc.) to make sure that there is no misuse of funds.

2) Spirit of the forum:
I think we set up the forum with the idea of continuing to maintain a kind of kampung spirit for the local investing community just like Afralug and Wallstraits before us.

A tipping process is a nice gesture but it may also encourage others to use that as platform to earn a decent sum. Then we may see a scenario where members set up camps ('threads') focused purely on their own picks. Eventually, we may invite the punter sort to hang around the forum on a regular basis. Let's also not forget that while one may profit from a tip, one may also lose from a tip. If there are pure punters around, it could easily degenerate into name-calling and such. It's easy for moderators to ban such people but let's ask ourselves if we want to the forum to become such a place in the first place.

May I suggest that for due recognition, we use our Reputation system that we already have in place? I'm also thinking that the frequent and experienced contributors won't care much for the pocket change in the first place anyway so a nice note using the reputation system may be nicer gesture.

[hyom]

If someone really feels indebted to a contributor for a wonderful post, just send him a private message and get his bank account number. Then, transfer your money over. This can be a start of a fruitful business relationship, particularly if the recipient of the advice pays fairly. It can be a private arrangement. No need to implement as a feature of this forum.

One unwritten rule in an intelligent forum like this one is not to be a parasite - ask dumb questions and expect people to teach you the basics free of charge. Dennis Ng is no longer around. If a forummer wants to engage the experts on this forum and tap into their minds, the best way is to make the effort to write an intelligent post and then, the intelligent minds will be naturally attracted to participate. This way, everyone gains.

[Thriftville]

Thanks for your replies!

Yup, I understand that everyone enjoys the kampong spirit. I think that's what making this forum special, compared to other punters forum.
It allows me to read info easily, instead of scrolling through many pages, just to see a couple of useful post.

The intention of proposing this idea of tipping, is because I'm grateful for those who help me to make $. So, I hope to give away some of my earnings as a token of appreciation. Some may worry that $ destroys the free giving spirit, but the $ isn't going to make you very rich, just a small sum to cover your opportunity cost or other expenses. (newsletter subscription, books, etc). Regarding the concern that people may abuse it and post crappy article purely to make $, I believe we are wise enough to make our own judgement.

I'm not rich enough to buy the time of a professional. But if we group together by tipping quality contributors, we may get more talents to come forward. Probably there're other better ways to encourage more active research and postings in this forum... like the way Apple encourage software developers to come out with good apps. Some do it for free, some for a small fee.

[CityFarmer]

Thanks for your replies!

Yup, I understand that everyone enjoys the kampong spirit. I think that's what making this forum special, compared to other punters forum.
It allows me to read info easily, instead of scrolling through many pages, just to see a couple of useful post.

The intention of proposing this idea of tipping, is because I'm grateful for those who help me to make $. So, I hope to give away some of my earnings as a token of appreciation. Some may worry that $ destroys the free giving spirit, but the $ isn't going to make you very rich, just a small sum to cover your opportunity cost or other expenses. (newsletter subscription, books, etc). Regarding the concern that people may abuse it and post crappy article purely to make $, I believe we are wise enough to make our own judgement.

I'm not rich enough to buy the time of a professional. But if we group together by tipping quality contributors, we may get more talents to come forward. Probably there're other better ways to encourage more active research and postings in this forum... like the way Apple encourage software developers to come out with good apps. Some do it for free, some for a small fee.

I am not in favor of the idea, but the effort is highly appreciated. A good try. Thanks.

IMO, the best approach is to restrict the money token to private arrangement as suggested by hyom, while the "kampong spirit" in the forum continue..

[Musicwhiz]

Hi ThriftVille,

Appreciate your sharing on the reasons for your suggestion.

I concur with the views expressed here which generally frown upon the idea of giving money for quality advice - if this has to happen then let it be a private arrangement. The forum itself should be a free-sharing zone for all to contribute ideas - no obligations on the part of any one person to "donate", except for Reputation Points as pointed out by Kazukirai.

[KopiKat]

One unwritten rule in an intelligent forum like this one is not to be a parasite - ask dumb questions and expect people to teach you the basics free of charge.

IMO, no question is too dumb... Everyone has to start somewhere. I remembered myself as a newbie and how kind many were even tho' I was asking very dumb Qs (on hindsight). Even now, I continue to ask many dumb Qs (to the more experienced / more familiar) but many here continue to be nice...Thx!

Many times, by answering newbie Qs (aka dumb Qs to some), I also learn something new when I think through in a more thorough manner / search the internet to structure the reply such that a newbie can understand.

As long as the dumb Qs are more due to inexperience, I think it's ok, right? But, if it's consistently due to laziness + only 1-way traffic, after a while, no one's going to bother to answer you..

[hyom]

I'm not rich enough to buy the time of a professional. But if we group together by tipping quality contributors, we may get more talents to come forward.

Hi ThriftVille,

I must thank you for your generosity. Although I do not support this idea, I harbor the wish that your suggestion will be implemented. You pay and I read quality contributions free of charge Why reward "parasites" like me? In all fairness, the person who pays should have the quality post for his eyes only. You may consider private arrangements if you are willing to pay fairly.

Probably there're other better ways to encourage more active research and postings in this forum... like the way Apple encourage software developers to come out with good apps. Some do it for free, some for a small fee.

I love open-source software which is created by very talented engineers and given away free of charge. I also participate in engineering forums. Men of science and academics share their knowledge without reserve. Their best reward is peer recognition. Men of money habitually do a cost-benefit analysis when they share. What is there to gain by sharing my knowledge and sacrificing my time? So, this being a money-related forum, it is very unlikely to have the same level of sharing in the scientific/engineering world.

Yes, we have money men(d.o.g, Dennis Ng, KopiKat, MusicWhiz, dydx and many others) in this forum who shared willingly. Still, people here are more money-minded than the average man. So, expectations need to be tempered and one should always remain cynical. Be wary of hidden-agendas when money men get generous. I am not insinuating anyone but this is a good rule to follow in general.

---

IMO, no question is too dumb... Everyone has to start somewhere. I remembered myself as a newbie and how kind many were even tho' I was asking very dumb Qs (on hindsight). Even now, I continue to ask many dumb Qs (to the more experienced / more familiar) but many here continue to be nice...Thx!

Even if you ask dumb questions which I have never seen happened, people here will answer you with pleasure. Why? Because you have contributed several quality posts and forummers have benefited. As a matter of decency, they will answer your questions because you have helped them before.

As long as the dumb Qs are more due to inexperience, I think it's ok, right? But, if it's consistently due to laziness + only 1-way traffic, after a while, no one's going to bother to answer you..

Exactly!

Most people here still answer questions from newbies helpfully. It is not reasonable to expect newbies not to ask questions that look dumb to the experts here. I may have been rather harsh on the dump questions part in my previous post.

[Jon-san]

Thanks for your replies!

Yup, I understand that everyone enjoys the kampong spirit. I think that's what making this forum special, compared to other punters forum.
It allows me to read info easily, instead of scrolling through many pages, just to see a couple of useful post.

The intention of proposing this idea of tipping, is because I'm grateful for those who help me to make $. So, I hope to give away some of my earnings as a token of appreciation. Some may worry that $ destroys the free giving spirit, but the $ isn't going to make you very rich, just a small sum to cover your opportunity cost or other expenses. (newsletter subscription, books, etc). Regarding the concern that people may abuse it and post crappy article purely to make $, I believe we are wise enough to make our own judgement.

I'm not rich enough to buy the time of a professional. But if we group together by tipping quality contributors, we may get more talents to come forward. Probably there're other better ways to encourage more active research and postings in this forum... like the way Apple encourage software developers to come out with good apps. Some do it for free, some for a small fee.

Am not in favor of the idea as well. If really want to contribute, why not do an anonymous contribution to a charity then?

[Stocker]

Am not in favor of the idea as well. If really want to contribute, why not do an anonymous contribution to a charity then?

Exactly.