Me & 4 Free ( Beta )

Before anything else please note that the term “4Freer” means “fan of free software promotions ” … Not at all “personal fan of the 4 Free Team ” ( we have always asked our readers to “cut the thank you crap in comments” ).
The term “4Freer” came from you - our readers - anyway ! … But please note one should be “a 4Freer” ( mandatory 6 month of continuous activity in comments, with min. 50 points OR at least 2 important contributions of + 30 points ) to qualify for the Project we’re describing in below.

( now you can all see what the points system was about )

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Like always we’re avoiding unfriendly commercial-contractual procedures. At least we’re delaying them to a moment ( after 6 month ) where they become natural and when we’re already sure ( both parts ) we’re doing a good thing.

So we’re introducing an intermediate step to our final project regarding the way the community will work. Of course the site will continue to be opened to any visitor wanting to participate by leaving his feedback in comments . Any newcomer interested in our project should only prove a real interest during 6 month.

But the actual 4Freers - the main contributors - are now invited to join a continuously extending 4 Free Team.

Why ?

This project is intended to give a superior consistency and continuity to the actual community work. The software developers are already appreciating what we’re all doing, but we know we must impress them more than that !

This will also answer to the very logical question : “Why should I use my free time and contribute in a continuous form to this community ?”
We know “passion for software” is the first answer and ” to give something back when I receive sharewares for free ” is the second honest answer.
We’re trying to add a third and more realistic reason: “My contribution won’t be in vain and it can bring me important advantages.”

How ?

1. We’re launching “Me&4Free” concept ( in a beta stage )
All REAL and honest contributors ( no matter if you are two or two hundred ) will have the possibility to have / maintain / develop their:
- own corner ( in the beginning )
- own corner + Dedicated Page ( after 3 month )
- Subdomain on 4 Free ( after 6 month ).

The 3-6 month trials are only meant to verify ( both sides ) if we do have the same quality standards ( about subjects, writing, etc … ) … Or to establish the way we can work together.
We have many ideas - all of them genuine - about new sections on 4 Free, and we’ll never have the time to do it ourselves ( the 4 founders ) … Mainly when we’re very careful with keeping the pleasure to come / participate / work on 4 Free.

2. We’re practically enlarging the team in a friendly and honest way.
Here are a few other details (the rest will be revealed to those applying for this project, in private email messages) :

2.a. We’re always looking for honest win-win situations so … Beside solidifying the community by allowing the liberty to publish what you want and when you want ( quality and honesty - copyright or similar sensible issues - are the only “filters” ) …

2.b. … We’ll encourage these new team-mates to start their own separate site/blog ( nothing to do with 4 Free ) , if they do not have it already.
( starting or having your own site is not mandatory, of course … Again : we have just put ourselves in our reader’s place and asked ourselves ” Why bringing a continuous and consistent contribution to the 4 free community. What do I have to gain ? ( beside being generous ) How do i know my work is not wasted in vain ? , etc … )

Important note: the contribution/articles/subbjects on 4 Free ( read in below ) should never be the same/similar to the ones on their own site, for obvious reasons.

2.c. The final project is a bit more complex and we’re keeping the best “win-win goodies” for  private discussions with the friends who will qualify for their own subdomain on 4Free … But here’s an aspect anybody can guess/understand from the few details we’re already giving :

In six month of activity on his site, and with the help of the traffic brough from 4Free ( and any other sources ) he will be able to get the approval for his own Adsense ID .
( of course he can have ads from other ad-networks, from the very beginning . His site - his ad policy. )

Their highly qualitative activity on 4Free - with a nice “About X” talking ( among the usual presentation ) about his own site … Plus a permanent highlight on the front page and sidebars of 4Free … Should assure a decent traffic to his own site too.

2.d. We’re talking about Adsense because - for the team-mates we’ll “approve ” ( sorry for the term ) a “Me&4free” SUBDOMAIN … We wil also agree to place YOUR adsense units on YOUR 4Free subdomain . (Subject to approval from Adsense )
… A second possibility to ” be sure my work is not wasted in vain”

3. Like already mentioned the first step is “X & 4Free Corner” .
All proven 4Freers ( 6 month of continous activity in comments + the points conditions ) will have the right to ask for their corner.

The “X & 4Free Corner” will be a special CATEGORY on the actual site … Plus a special ad in sidebars.
Note that the “categories” are the ones you can see now on our main page ( very highlighted in the central “featured widget” ) … So the actual number will grow every time we’ll accept another team-mate. ( don’t worry we’ll keep taking care of the site’s aestetics )

Accessing “X & 4Free” category ( or the “ad” in sidebar ) will show all your articles on 4 Free … Starting with your dedicated “X & 4Free”  where - after a “About X” - you’ll see all your activity ( comments, articles ) highlighted in chronological order .

Important note: for those honest friends of 4Free not having special tech skills or ideas - we have already prepared our ideas. We can “give them work to do” anyway, in order to allow them access to this opportunity offered by 4Free.
They can have their blog on their hobbies ( photo, or geography, or whatever ) and being active ( and advertised ) on 4 Free through different tools we’re preparing ( similar to the actual “Latest  important news ” , “Highlighted reviews ..” , etc … )

4. But let’s see some examples of what this step can bring to the community :

- Mayur, Alok, Nikola, Sibill, Franck, Seb , etc … Will avoid the loss of time of sending the promotions they usually find and wait for the Team to : verify, write and publish the article.

- Franck, Mike(’sNotes ), etc … Will avoid waiting for the Team’s approval when they want to review any software.

… They will simply send their article ( by email ) which will be imediately published … On their own corner / subdomain.

The Team’s “shadow” won’t cover their work anymore. They will be free to decide about their contribution on 4 Free . With friendly feedbacks and advices from other community members they can learn a lot of things and even build a internet career, in a very pleasant/smooth manner.

5. Other very important details :

5.a. For obvious copyright and honesty reasons, all contacts with the 4 Free Team will be made through email messages, UNDER THE REAL NAME. Nothing to fear if your article is genuine.
The 4 Free Team will respect your decision to publish your articles under your real name or your actual username ( in this case we will never make public your real name )

5.b. We want to make it simple for the first step : no contract or whatever agreement. A simple standard declaration under penalty of perjury, ASSUMING the copyright issues and ACCEPTANCE for the free publishing on 4 Free will precede every article sent by email.

5.c. Note that there are no employer - employees OR whatever money related relations. It’s only about publishing genuine articles on 4Free .

5.d. Every actual honest blogger / site owner is welcome to propose articles on 4 Free and to have their advertised corner / subdomain in the conditions mentioned above . Our project is a genuine one and 4 Free has never entered in any competition with any site.
… So any honest relation can only be beneficial for bloggers wanting to support The 4Free Community by publishing on 4Free qualitative articles related to the “free” aspect of the software … While we’ll do our best to highlight their contribution !

Always win-win relations !

5. e. Both 4 Free Team and the voluntary contributor can unilaterally decide  to stop the collaboration at any moment. A simple email message will do it.

5.f. Both 4 Free Team and the voluntary contributor can unilaterally decide to partially or totally delete the content published on 4Free by the voluntary contributor, at any moment. A simple email message will do it.

Remember 4 Free has the only purpose of building a community of computer users interested in obtaining quality softwares ( normally expensive sharewares ) for free.

We always prefer to obtain the best quality on 4Free ( human relations, content, etc … ). This is why we’re always taking our time before taking any decision.

We know we have a “special” ( direct, honest  and not-always-pleasant ) way of running a website. To be honest we were counting on the actual dimensions and quality for … September 2010. But we’re very lucky to already have at least 100 REAL friends - guys having similar principles and the software hobby - among the actual + 300 active ( in comments ) readers .

Like said - it’s not important if there will be two or two hundred new team-mates. We have neither quantitative nor time-limit target for the “Me & 4Free” Project. The only condition is the human and content quality .
We’ll easily recognize ( and ban ) if somebody is only trying to take profit of The 4 Free Community … And you must be already aware that we can recognize qualitative content.

We’re strongly advising our real friends to “catch this train”. Useless to say there are no strings attached. And if you’re too shy or thinking you have not enough knowledge or free time … Remember there are no quantity goals and that we have a lot of ideas about how to highlight everybody’s honest participation to the 4 Free Community.

For any other practical issue, you can already watch the “Franck & 4Free” corner.

Keep in touch !

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