There is a common misconception about this website and many people, like Landis, keep saying how things were so much better way back when.
The fact is that in the late 90s not everyone was on the internet. It was still a very educational place where you could learn. This is because broadband internet was still for college institutions and the higher income crowd. Everyone else was on dial-up. At the time, Elitetrader had but a handful of members. I think by 2001, it still only had 7200 members.
Today is far different with the site having over 100,000 members (cant remember the exact count) and now the internet is available to most everyone. No longer is it just for college students or those who can afford to have it.
The website will never go back to those times when it was just a handfu of knowledgeable guys who probably did work at funds and institutions. Now that the internet is available to the masses, you have most everyone on this site.
The only way to make this website a better place with more valuable information is to take a hard stance at moderation. However, some of the best posters who get the most hits dont post stuff about trading. So if a hard moderation stance is taken then the result will be less webhits.
I dont think Baron runs this site just as a hobby and so hits are important to him. The advertising from this site places thousands of dollars into his pocket each month and probably more then what most people make at a real job.
Can you create a website thats full of valuable knowledge about trading? Sure you can, but I think you need to make it a private one with its members being well known traders in the community. It sure would be nice to see how real traders think. However, such a site wouldnt generate any money and would require a great amount of time to maintain. I dont think anyone would be up for making such a site.
The fact is that in the late 90s not everyone was on the internet. It was still a very educational place where you could learn. This is because broadband internet was still for college institutions and the higher income crowd. Everyone else was on dial-up. At the time, Elitetrader had but a handful of members. I think by 2001, it still only had 7200 members.
Today is far different with the site having over 100,000 members (cant remember the exact count) and now the internet is available to most everyone. No longer is it just for college students or those who can afford to have it.
The website will never go back to those times when it was just a handfu of knowledgeable guys who probably did work at funds and institutions. Now that the internet is available to the masses, you have most everyone on this site.
The only way to make this website a better place with more valuable information is to take a hard stance at moderation. However, some of the best posters who get the most hits dont post stuff about trading. So if a hard moderation stance is taken then the result will be less webhits.
I dont think Baron runs this site just as a hobby and so hits are important to him. The advertising from this site places thousands of dollars into his pocket each month and probably more then what most people make at a real job.
Can you create a website thats full of valuable knowledge about trading? Sure you can, but I think you need to make it a private one with its members being well known traders in the community. It sure would be nice to see how real traders think. However, such a site wouldnt generate any money and would require a great amount of time to maintain. I dont think anyone would be up for making such a site.
