I was a bit perplexed at a mass e-mail I received from the CNet Builder Senior Editor this week. It annouced that the previous Builder Buzz forums were being globbed into the paid “Quick Sitebuilder” service.
First, it makes little sense. The former Buzz, as I recall, was populated with a large number of technically savvy people. Hardly the “target market” for a quickie site building service.
Second, the Buzz was praised as “strongest, most vibrant communities in the history of CNet forums”. And the best way to preserve that is to start charging a fee? I don’t think so.
Third, the change is rationalized as “many web sites are experimenting with a mixture of free and paid content”. True. CNet should make money and I’ll payfor what’s worth it. But not for some service I don’t need. Isn’t this killing the goose that laid the golden egg?
Fourth, the discussion community for the “new” Builder.com has been anything but vibrant. I’ve tried to do my part in participating. But it just isn’t happening at the moment.
If you want to kill the Buzz, then kill it. Or pull its strength over to the “new” forums else they’ll continue to languish. I don’t see CNet, Builder or its readers getting any benefit from this new arrangement.
