Tried to access it today only to be given a message that the site "was permanently closed" and "...more info was available on MERB and that "other" review board." This question was already asked by VTguy in Escort 411 but got 0, thats ZERO, reponses. Is our community really that out of the loop? If anyone has any idea what the reason for this tragedy is I for one would love to know. Personally I thought the Spreadsheet was a tremendously valuable resource and we are all hurt by its loss.
Spreadsheet CLOSED!
- Thread starter HonestAbe
- Start date
Thanks alot.
Thats great, nobody knows anything, fantastic. Is there some kind of criminal investigation going on here because it sure feels like it. Why would the spreadsheet site say more info was available on MERB when that is clearly not the case since I have scoured this site and found nothing other than VTguy's similar question in 411. I'm in the dark here, obviously, would some kind soul take pity and share the big secret with me? Where is Robin?
Thats great, nobody knows anything, fantastic. Is there some kind of criminal investigation going on here because it sure feels like it. Why would the spreadsheet site say more info was available on MERB when that is clearly not the case since I have scoured this site and found nothing other than VTguy's similar question in 411. I'm in the dark here, obviously, would some kind soul take pity and share the big secret with me? Where is Robin?
I've used Robin's spreadsheet a lot before I joined MERB in early 2005. But it's not easy to maintain and when a tool like this becomes outdated, it loose its usefulness. I no longer refer to it and I suspect many others also don't.
Lion Heart
Lion Heart
Last Version of the Spreadsheet
Is the last updated version available anywhere? The only one I could find was Version 4.12 (December 2004) by Robin at http://www.sexwork.com/montreal/spreadsheet.html
Is the last updated version available anywhere? The only one I could find was Version 4.12 (December 2004) by Robin at http://www.sexwork.com/montreal/spreadsheet.html
The reason it is closed is that Robin no longer wanted to dedicate the time and energy necessary keep it up to date. Tom tried to recruit people to each do their bit and keep it going but nobody wanted to do the work.
If anybody is interested in maintaining it contact Tom and I am sure he will happily hand it over.
Ronnie,
Naughtylady
If anybody is interested in maintaining it contact Tom and I am sure he will happily hand it over.
Ronnie,
Naughtylady
The spare time I had kept decreasing and the number of escorts kept increasing so I was thrilled to have Tom and MERC manage the spreadsheet. Several hobbyists volunteered to collect information on the agencies they were assigned. I myself took on 3 agencies to keep updated. Even an independent SP volunteered to collect information for updates. (Thank you ma'am!) However hobbyist volunteers soon lost interest and failed to keep up their commitments.naughtylady said:
I released my version of the spreadsheet into public domain - anyone can take over it's maintenance and distribution. (I'll be happy to help with a couple of agencies.) However, I feel we will have to wait until someone figures a way to commercialize it and get paid for the effort they invest. Perhaps a free version with the 1st 2 columns and a fee to get the 3rd column with service details. Or perhaps a spreadsheet financed by embedded ads. I know that an up-to-date spreadsheet has value for the hobbyist but how can a spreadsheet vendor cash in on that value?
Merb acquisition?
I would think that whoever takes the job should be a local, active hobbyist. Just makes sense that whoever would do this would need to be quite familiar with the local scene and be interested enough to do it in the first place.
I see nothing wrong with charging a fee to subscribe to it. I would happily fork over, say, $20US for access to it if it was updated at least bi-annually and preferably quarterly. The latest version can still be used in its current form. It would be updated using reviews sent to the "editor."
I wonder if Fred would consider having Merb take it over and have it as a feature available to only those members who pay the aforementioned subscription price. A new Mod could be devoted solely to collecting info from reviews. The fee collected could be split between the MOD and Fred(Merb).
If its going to be successful whoever takes the job needs to sell it to get people to "subscribe." I think it can be sold to many hobbyist' because it consolidates a ton of info onto a few pieces of paper that you can use for reference on your trip to Montreal. The point was made, and validly so, that if one cares to search through Merb you can find reviews and links to many of the escort websites. True, true, but that doesn't do much good if the hobbyist in question doesn't have a laptop computer or is afraid of accessing such sites on it out of fear that work, or a significant other, may find history of it.
Access to an online spreadsheet which can be printed off any where using a subscribers ID, used for reference, and then discarded before one returns home is a great value to the out of town hobbyist and even the locals. What if your computer goes down? Sure would be nice to have a copy of the spreadsheet you printed off wouldn't it?
BTW, a great big thank you to Robin for doing this for the past however many years.
I would think that whoever takes the job should be a local, active hobbyist. Just makes sense that whoever would do this would need to be quite familiar with the local scene and be interested enough to do it in the first place.
I see nothing wrong with charging a fee to subscribe to it. I would happily fork over, say, $20US for access to it if it was updated at least bi-annually and preferably quarterly. The latest version can still be used in its current form. It would be updated using reviews sent to the "editor."
I wonder if Fred would consider having Merb take it over and have it as a feature available to only those members who pay the aforementioned subscription price. A new Mod could be devoted solely to collecting info from reviews. The fee collected could be split between the MOD and Fred(Merb).
If its going to be successful whoever takes the job needs to sell it to get people to "subscribe." I think it can be sold to many hobbyist' because it consolidates a ton of info onto a few pieces of paper that you can use for reference on your trip to Montreal. The point was made, and validly so, that if one cares to search through Merb you can find reviews and links to many of the escort websites. True, true, but that doesn't do much good if the hobbyist in question doesn't have a laptop computer or is afraid of accessing such sites on it out of fear that work, or a significant other, may find history of it.
Access to an online spreadsheet which can be printed off any where using a subscribers ID, used for reference, and then discarded before one returns home is a great value to the out of town hobbyist and even the locals. What if your computer goes down? Sure would be nice to have a copy of the spreadsheet you printed off wouldn't it?
BTW, a great big thank you to Robin for doing this for the past however many years.
Show an example
In English (or French) please.
The data DOES already exist, though it could be far more useful if the data were managed using a simple content management system.
In English (or French) please.
The data DOES already exist, though it could be far more useful if the data were managed using a simple content management system.
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