Open letter to Censored

[Ed Miller]

[ QUOTE ]
Ed,

Next year you guys should really make sure that the blog Schneids is writing for his local paper is on 2p2 instead.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok guys, criticisms are granted. We've had a "good help is hard to find" problem, and we've been sluggish to improve as a result. So maybe you can help us.

1. We're looking for a web designer and also possibly someone to do the technical stuff. Know a good one? Please send me a recommendation.

2. We're looking for some community software that will integrate blogging, chat, and possibly something myspace-ish with the forum software. Know a good software package? Please send me the recommendation.

Have an idea? Let me know. Have an idea WITH a solution for how to implement it? LET ME KNOW! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

If you want some explanation for the "incompetence" as you see it (which I think is an absurd criticism of the company that absolutely dominates its field), here they are:

1. Mason's priority is NOT to grow the business as quickly as possible. That's just not where he's at. Financially, he's set for life, and now he mostly wants to have a positive impact on poker. I'm not saying he doesn't want to grow the business.. he just has other priorities that are higher on the totem pole.

2. I do want to grow the business. However, I've written three books in two years and am working on a fourth. I am busy. Also, I don't have any business experience at all, so I'm learning.

Every day, 2+2 gets contacted by people who want to "partner" with us without offering anything. People look at 2+2 and see dollar signs... for themselves, not for growing the business. It's tough for people like us to find GOOD, HONEST, PROFESSIONAL people to work with to really do something positive. This is our present challenge.

If you think you know such people, please send me recommendations.

[aeest400]

Have found this train wreck moderately amusing. Think [censored] is a tool for employing such an arbitrary approach to oot exile, where high profile posters rather than the truly bad got the bandwagon boot. However, completely agree with anacardo re how badly ElaineMonster has handled it (and partially brought it on herself), basically lashing out with claws bared against all mods instead of acting mature and targeting her vitriol in the right direction. LOL provides a very nice example of how to approach the issue.

Also, had no opinion before, but now think Evan is a tool for jumping on LOL's very thoughtful posts. I'm unsure if [censored] will learn anything from this mess, but having absolutely nothing against EM before it took place, I hope she does. She has really not handled it well.

As for the possibility of lawsuits mentioned by EM, methinks that she should go to law school and learn something about laws governing speech and the general lack of accountability those who provide a forum for communication. Her comments were just another inane instance of lashing out.

As far as the role of OOT, it bring many hits, and hits bring revenue. It may not be Aristotle's Academy, but it is rarely as bad as the average internet forum, just have a look at 2+2's "competitors" across the internet.

Summary, [censored] its PT Barnum with a touch of Dick Cheney. ElainMonster has been goaded into showing her true colors and needs to grow up a bit. I love my mom, but LOL would have been a good substitute. Evan is a tool.

[Dids]

"1. Mason's priority is NOT to grow the business as quickly as possible. That's just not where he's at. Financially, he's set for life, and now he mostly wants to have a positive impact on poker. I'm not saying he doesn't want to grow the business.. he just has other priorities that are higher on the totem pole.

2. I do want to grow the business. However, I've written three books in two years and am working on a fourth. I am busy. Also, I don't have any business experience at all, so I'm learning."

Ed- I think this is super helpful to hear. I hope that least what I've said isn't suggesting you guys are screwing up, just that you're potentially not maximizing profits, but if that's not a goal, it makes perfect sense.

[Mason Malmuth]

[ QUOTE ]
Every day, 2+2 gets contacted by people who want to "partner" with us without offering anything. People look at 2+2 and see dollar signs... for themselves, not for growing the business.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Everyone:

This really is a problem. By now I think we could have had at least 20 different expert writers who each wanted to supply a column who really know very little about poker, and usually these offers are presented to us as if we are getting a big favor.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Dids:

Very few people believe this, but our goal has never been to maximize profits, at least in the short term. We have always felt that if we can produce superior products, then the profits would take care of themselves, and that this is probably the way we would make the most in the long run anyway. Fortunately, we've had the expertise to attract the best authors and pull this off.

Best wishes,
Mason

[LittleOldLady]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

People (Evan?) who think that Mason doesn't understand this business and doesn't know how to run it need to think again. It's not everyone who can start a business from scratch and bring it to the level of success Mason has achieved. Certainly the fortuitous arrival of the poker boom on the wings of televised poker has helped 2p2 immensely, but many other entrepreneurs, authors/publishers in particular, have also tried to take advantage of the poker boom with much less success. So 2p2 must be doing something right.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're heading down a very slippery slope.

Edit to ask: Do you play poker? Have you ever read another poker forum? How many poker players do you know personally (ballpark, obviously)? How many poker players do you talk to in an average week?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, I don't play poker. Yes, I do read other poker forums (rgp, hilger's, football guys or whatever it's called, and some others). I used to read them all quite regularly, but I read them much more infrequently now. If by knowing other poker players, you mean have met face to face, there are a fair number, starting with Edward, Mason, and David. ALso Clarkmeister, Doodle, Gonores, Dominic, Mr.Moo, Sunny (Coltrane), Matt Flynn, Dynasty, Mat, Dr. Al, and probably others I have forgotten. The only poker player (in fact almost the only human being) I talk to in an average week is Edward.

I don't know what this has to do with anything. I have already conceded that I am not part of 2p2's target audience and have the perspective of an interested outsider. And I have further said the obvious: that 2p2, like any human enterprise, has room for improvement. But, I will also agree with Nolanfan that there is a whole lot more complexity to the 2p2 enterprise than meets the eye. Edward, for example, is working on improvements to the website and magazine, I think at least to some extent along the lines of some of the suggestions made here. But he has a lot on his plate, including working with Sunny and Matt on the new book. And as his mother, I think it is fair to say that Edward is not a workaholic, that he also takes time to enjoy his private life, and thus that he doesn't work miracles overnight.

[Evan]

I didn't "jump" on LoL's post. I like what she writes for the most part. I do not like being lectured on a topic I'm knowledgable in by someone that is not, or has not proven that they are. Maybe LoL knows more about poker than i give her credit for, but until she shows that the post I responded to will remain an annoyance to me as it provides little cognative thought and lots of repeating what sounds like a marketing pamphlet.

If I'm a tool it's not for that post.

[Evan]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know what this has to do with anything

[/ QUOTE ]
It has to do with understanding what to make of the strong opinions you have on 2+2 as a business and the degree to which they've been successful and intelligent.

[dustyn]

[ QUOTE ]
I didn't "jump" on LoL's post. I like what she writes for the most part. I do not like being lectured on a topic I'm knowledgable in by someone that is not, or has not proven that they are. Maybe LoL knows more about poker than i give her credit for, but until she shows that the post I responded to will remain an annoyance to me as it provides little cognative thought and lots of repeating what sounds like a marketing pamphlet.

If I'm a tool it's not for that post.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps your problem is that you assumed her post was written FOR you, when it was likely not. Perhaps your problem is you don't realize that you're not the center of the universe. One thing I am fairly certain of: you will respond to this post within 5 minutes with some lame one line response that disagrees with it.

[The DaveR]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Dids:

Very few people believe this, but our goal has never been to maximize profits, at least in the short term. We have always felt that if we can produce superior products, then the profits would take care of themselves, and that this is probably the way we would make the most in the long run anyway. Fortunately, we've had the expertise to attract the best authors and pull this off.

Best wishes,
Mason

[/ QUOTE ]

Mason,

My first company was a startup with the same philosophy. In the end, our clients and employees would have been much happier if our goal was explicitly to make the most money.

Dave