name/directional change for pokerforum.ca?

Graham

Hello all.

This has come up once or twice in the past...but it's on my mind again now that some site changes are coming. I'll move this to 'site feedback' in a few days, I just wanted to be sure as many people as possible saw this.

Changes definately happening this month:

-The forum will switch from this current software to Vbulletin which offers just a zillion more features and options. (all posts/usernames/passwords will remain)

-integrated photo gallery. Members can post pics of their home games, screenshots from tournaments etc. Anything.

-arcade will still be around

-just better overall...trust me. options options options! The "skin"/look of the site will be changing and will be closely integrated with the new homepage.

Now..the thing is considering we're going through a change already, I wonder if now might be the time to really go for it...and by that I mean to make our community open to all corners of the world rather than playing up that it's "Canada's poker forum"

the domain pokerforum.ca will ALWAYS continue to bring you to this site...it would just have a different name. I mean, as it is now, members are welcome to register, no matter where they are from...but this would make it even more clear and welcoming I think.

So...the thing is...I've got a handful of domain names that could be used...they aren't the most prime of names (which would cost tens of thousands of dollars) but they are general in terms of welcoming a general audience.

I don't want to let the patriots down though is the thing...what do you guys think?

The names I'm mulling over right now are:

BigDeuce.com (this gets my vote personally)
PokerForumz.com (obviously the z will likely get confused with an 's')
PokerGameCentral.com (a little long)

I'll continue lookining for more names too, but the market is so saturated right now, that pricing is dramatically unrealistic. That's besides the point...what do you guys think about going "general"?

I'm kinda rambling, please excuse that...I'm thinking of things as I go along here.

zero

I think theres more than enough "general" poker forums already. I like having CPF.

WaterLooser

There are lots of larger forums out there if someone is looking for a more "international" feel. Personally I like this forum because it is smaller and you feel like you have more of a connection between the regular posters. If you really want to be called ignant or get into a big flame war, then 2+2 is only a click away

Keep it!

Graham

thanks for the feedback guys. keep it coming.

beanie42

I like the current name, for patriotic reasons as well as due to the large number of (Canadian) home games on here.  Also, with no disrespect, there are a number of large "international" forums already out there, so you're entering a saturated market.  "Canada" is a niche that this forum can dominate so I'm not sure why you would enter a bigger pool with a smaller edge.  I think these comments are valid both as my personal view but also from a larger business standpoint (which is, I assume, the motivation for the switch.

sloth wrote:

The names I'm mulling over right now are:

BigDeuce.com (this gets my vote personally)
PokerForumz.com (obviously the z will likely get confused with an 's')
PokerGameCentral.com (a little long)

If you do choose to switch, I totally agree with your comments (I wouldn't even consider the last 2)  The first gets my vote only as the best among the 3, but I don't think it's an improvement over the current domain.  I'd find something better (within your budget, of course) before seriously considering a switch.

Just my 2 cents.

DrTyore

Suuuure...

 I buy the T-shirt last month, and next month the names changes... you jerk!  :)

I like the name as it is.

Mark

ElElliott

beanie42 wrote:

I like the current name, for patriotic reasons as well as due to the large number of (Canadian) home games on here.  Also, with no disrespect, there are a number of large "international" forums already out there, so you're entering a saturated market.  "Canada" is a niche that this forum can dominate so I'm not sure why you would enter a bigger pool with a smaller edge.

What Beanie said!

ScottyZ

Isn't there already some kind of card game called Big 2? Might be something to consider in terms of the first proposed URL.

Ahhh... here we go:

http://www.pagat.com/climbing/bigtwo.html

I personally like the .ca extension, as well as the Canadian flavour1 of the forum.

ScottyZ

1Or it could just be that I place a dash of maple syrup on my keyboard every so often.

Graham

ok. Motion dismissed. back to business as usual.

Metro

I am a little late on this - but I agree - the shirts are made; the name is beloved.

As it stands the majority of the clientelle are KW and GTA - it is nice to see the odd person from elsewhere in Canada - that way if I am hitting up the slopes in Lake Louise I can find a game in advance!!

Lets keep this thing Canadian made - having said that, the "new" forum could provide a section for an international commentary.

Perhaps an international guest list to see where other people are signing on from???

Hork42

Well, we've got a Swedish dude now, so why not??

Actually, my preference is to keep it as Canadian as possible.

Chugs

My preference is to keep it Canadian, i can appreciate the reasons for going after a bigger forum scale but i think it would take away from what makes this community actually work.

I would recommend though setting up a gaming site at bigduece.com or selling it to some internet company looking at doing alternate card games, i remember an old chinese card game Big 2, i'm sure some other people toronto based played it also.

another personal thing is that this forum is a nice outlet for me to feel back back home, now that i'm not primarily in canada anymore.

ScoobyD

I agree with the rest of the sentiments. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

That being said, this is all coming from some of the more "veteran" members of the forum (and by that, I think I mean anyone with more than 50 posts). And we all know the old geezers hate change!

Curious what some of the "new blood" thinks of this (or what drew them to this forum in the first place).

SocietyRed

I like the CPF name. Dont change it.

mcksmith

ScoobyD wrote:

Curious what some of the "new blood" thinks of this (or what drew them to this forum in the first place).

I like the Canadian aspect of the forum. There's lots of international poker forums out there but they don't have the same 'community' feel as this one. I mean, they all have the poker community feel but this one has that little extra patriotic feeling. There's a large user base and plenty of knowledge so there's nothing lacking here (which is sometimes the case when a forum isn't generalized enough).

TheBusDriver

My sole reason for joining this forum was Canadian content, Canadian perspective, and the ability to build on skills face to face with the local comunity.  I'm not a player on the internation scene.  If some day I am, then I might surf an big international poker site.

Change the GUI all you want, but keep it Canadian.

moose

The reason I joined was because ScottyZ was doing a great job as moderator. No seriously. It's a good forum. Good moderators keep it that way.

AcidJoe

I see the motion has been dismissed but I'll add my 2 cents worth anyways. For the most part, many of the regulars are from the southern ontario area. That being said posters from anywhere haven't been dissed or told to leave. It would continue to have a large Canuck content simply because that's who the users are. There are many forums out there and if you want the large I play party 550's and win 92% then go to those sites. The larger sites seem to have larger problems. The main reason I don't go to them is simply I have to troll through so much crap to get to something that might interest me. There seems to be less crap here than on most sites and I personally know quite a few people on here. The biggest thing about the bigdeuce.com is it is sooooo close to mr sevendeuce sounding......

WaterLooser

AcidJoe wrote:

There seems to be less crap here than on most sites and I personally know quite a few people on here.

That could be your new slogan Sloth!!! "Pokerforum.ca - Less crap here than on most sites"

AcidJoe

OMG waterloser, I choked on my drink while reading that. Then I couldn't stop laughing.

actyper

Same opinion as the others.

-ANTE RIVER-

pokerforum.ca says it all - I'd like to see it stay!

jsteinberg

does the new version support streaming video? For example, I will be completing my solid oak TV poker table by june, and would be interested in using it for a few respectable local 'game of champions' events.

We could stream the video online so forum members could watch the game live (if they couldn't make it to the actual event).

Just an idea if it could support streaming video.

Mathers

Don't change the name. Full stop.

SOS

Rather than trying to attract an international clientele, why not focus more on attracting other areas of Canada besides Southern Ontario.
We have Harthgosh in Van City, and a couple of members in Regina, but there's a lot of poker being played across Canada that needs to be tapped into.

Shtebs

I realize the decision is made but just to reinforce your decision I agree with everyone else. I, personally, can't stand any names that substite the letter Z for S in the hopes of seeming hip, cool, or exxxtreeeme! because it's quite the opposite. I feel that pokerforum.ca is not only the best forum and domain name of our choices it is the best bar none. Even if we had a crack at the allready licensed ones I would say keep this one.

Steve

JimmyHo

you have a great Canadian poker community right now, so why ruin a good thing. You could always start a second site with more of an international feel if you want to raise revenue, etc. Obviously this is a business decision so why not try to find other ways to increase exposure of the existing site. Maybe members could suggest ways to increase the popularity of this site throughout Canada. Based on most of the home games, your Canadian exposure seems to be more or less limited to Ontario. How about giving out free www.pokerforum.ca ballcaps to members playing in this years WSOP. Maybe you will get lucky and someone will make the final table!

PokerJAH

Graham

pokerJAH wrote:

you have a great Canadian poker community right now, so why ruin a good thing. You could always start a second site with more of an international feel if you want to raise revenue, etc.

I know you weren't accusing me of money mongering, no offense taken...just for the record it's not about generating revenue...it really is about seeing how interested the community as a whole is in growing and in which direction and at what pace.

If it were about the $$, I'd have sold all your email addresses to the offer I got last week.  True story.

100% that CPF-WSOP attendees will be offered free swag if they'd be willing to wear it. The only downside to marketing a '.ca' name is that in general, if someone sees a '.ca' in print, and it's a few hours before they get to a computer, they'll typically go home and enter '.com' which of course stinks for us. The awareness of .ca is growing better each day though.

Hork42

sloth wrote:

The only downside to marketing a '.ca' name is that in general, if someone sees a '.ca' in print, and it's a few hours before they get to a computer, they'll typically go home and enter '.com' which of course stinks for us. The awareness of .ca is growing better each day though.

Instead of a .ca, Is there something you could do to incorporate some Canadiana into a .com domain name?

Yorkpoker

Hork42 wrote:

Instead of a .ca,  Is there something you could do to incorporate some Canadiana into a .com domain name? 

pokerforumdotca.com?

If it ain't broke though...

Hork42

Not quite what I meant... but for example, pokerforumcanada.com is available.