Ning & JWR Connect

[Rifter]

Ning (the service we use for JWR Connect) has recently announced that they will soon cease to offer their free social networking services, and are switching to a subscription-based "premium" site.

No word yet on when this change will actually take place, but their announcement indicates more information will be available in early May. Unfortunately this means the likely end to JWR Connect, at least as it stands now. This does not effect the rest of JWR in any way.

I suspect this change will also bring the eventual demise of Ning itself. Why would anyone pay for social networking when so many [superior] sites offer this for free? For most purposes, it's probably just a matter of setting up a private Facebook group.

[Moxie]

Further to Rifter's comments about JWRConnect...

We've looked into some alternative options and could potentially resurrect JWRConnect on a different free network. But before we do anything hasty, we'd like to get your honest feedback and see what you guys really want.

Is JWRConnect something that you use on a regular basis?
Is it important to you to have a social network site available only to ex-JWs?
Are you willing to go to all the effort of setting up your profile again on a new JWRConnect?

Please let us know what you think.

Thanks.

[Palimpsest]

Is JWRConnect something that you use on a regular basis?
Is it important to you to have a social network site available only to ex-JWs?
Are you willing to go to all the effort of setting up your profile again on a new JWRConnect?

No, because I've been too busy as of late to finish setting up my account. :/ However, it's been on my to-do list, and I'd much rather use a network like that than my personal Facebook account. If it came back in another form, I'd absolutely use it.

EDIT: I should have noted that I would be fine with a Facebook group if there were some way of maintaining privacy. Maybe just naming it "JWR" and setting it up as a secret group that is only linked to from the Members Only section here. A lot of us don't particularly want our friends knowing about our history, nor do many of us faders want something identifying us as apostates showing up in connection to us, so that's always been my concern with ex-JW Facebook groups. I've joined some but always ended up leaving. So if we did it in a more private way, I'd be up for it, absolutely. :)

[Jezebel]

I have met some of my best friends on JWR Connect and would certainly miss it. I would be happy to use whatever the solution to the problem is. Facebook group, alternative option...whatever, I am game and will add my profile. However, Facebook can be heavy with traffic and the chat feature can be difficult to use during peak hours. But it would certainly be better than nothing.

Jezebel

[clarence75]

I never was approved on jwr connect, what do you have to do to be accepted?

[Hobbit_lore]

I enjoy JWR connect and check it fairly often. I think it is valuable to have a social networking site associated with the board that is ex-JW only. I would be willing to set up a profile in the replacement community.

[Designer Stubble]

I think the majority have facebook accounts and are linked up that way - I know I am. I have posted a few things on JWR connect, but not spending much time there. No hard feelings if it is dropped due to cost.

[jocl6]

I never remember to check it out. I think the idea is great, however I never remember to go on there. FB would be a good idea. As far as a replacement site, mmm if you go through the effort, I hope there would be a way to generate more traffic to it.

[Borgia]

Many users on this site have a facebook account. And to be fair ... connecting through that avenue is fairly easy. However ... Opening up to others on facebook as an apostate ... known and recognizable normal person might be a challenge. To be fair, I considered having jwr connect at my disposal to play around with this idea, an advantage.

Cheers

Borgia

[Jezebel]

Yes....Borgia has a good point. I would prefer not to connect my nonexJW friends and family to my JWR friends. I feel protective of my JWR friends and would want a Facebook area that would protect the identity and privacy of members so my current page would not work. I would be willing to create a new one.

Jezebel