Did you created your forum for money or for fun?

I think the topic title is very specific to this :)

Did you created your forum for money or for fun?

Personally I created this forum (which was my first one) because at that time I was very active member to other webmaster communities, so I thought it would be nice to create my own. I was also curious about the forum ownership thing as I haven't owned any forum site till then.

I would also like to make some money from this site, as I have put a lot of work to it, but I guess the real 'profit' from a forum site is the community feel.

What about you?

of course the money part is very important, I posted before webdigity ~ 2000 messages at other forums to help people and give this way something back for what I have learned before on the internet. Here @webdigity it's more fun and personal than on other boards, but thats more because I'm an early member... If I gonna open a forum I will do this for fun (and thankfull words) and of course for money, because it's fun to get money because people are clicking all the banners... lol

Don't have a forum, so I didn't vote.

Just wanted to say that it would seem each forum develops a certain personality. Some good, some less so. Perhaps, there's a certain type of feeling that is apt to bring in more or less revenue. I tend to think it isn't neccesarily a volume/number of members issue that causes more or less revenue.

Of all the one's I visited or joined, this one has more of that co-workers at the water cooler feel and is usually the first place I come after checking on my own sites.

If i created one it would probly be for fun, to see how many users I could get and how good i could make it, but probly wanted to make a bit of money if i did get big :)

I think that's the best attitude to make a successfull forum. Because a forum is not like a common site as it has to do with people and social skills. So it is reasonable to try to make some bucks because the site has some expenses anyway, but the people should also know that this is fun, and you don't want them there to make money from them :)

I created my forum when I first started making websites. It was really my second website and was pretty successful. Mainly started it for fun, experience, and stickin it to a company (you'd understand if you knew the forum topic). I think if you start a forum to make money it wont work too well because you will be trying to make money and not making your members stay at your forum enjoyable.

hmm, you guys got me thinking of building a forum. for fun and and money

Hmm, I'm new to this forum and I like it.

What will hapen if every person would have own forum ?!

why not? maybe some people are doing better with a blog site ;)

I agree for blog as it is more personal.

But when it comes to forums the cause of time people will not have all the time to be active.
I personally visit few forums (Now this new one).

It is ok each person have own forum but the success depentds on how attractive it will be.

Yeah, that's true. In general making a successfull forum is a big task, and I found it much more difficult than any other type of sites(including blogs), but it is cool because in the proccess you are making many friends and you talk with many people from all around the world (after 10 years as an internet user, still I am impressed by that :) )

Started my forum.

Anyway, I created it for fun. I always like the idea of administering something online.

Just for fun, im working on a new project which will be a mega-website/forum where you can talk about anything and everything with lots of info on the website.

I made mine to compliment my main site.

I love building web sites as it is my hobby, some people collect things or watch trains, I build websites  ;D

I don't do it for the money though, as this would spoil all of the fun. I do it because I enjoy doing it and one of the benefits of doing it is learning from other people in forums and then helping other people out!

I guess I'll answer first as the CEO of my company and then personally.
As a CEO: I started it for our customers and visitors, so that they could have somewhere to talk and discuss things - so for both!
Personally: It would have to be for fun, because doing a forum for cash would seem like work :P !

The interesting part is that no matter the reason you create a forum, it is a type of site that requires a lot of work.

For instance webdigity is the only project that I worked so much and it does not make the money that my other sites make.

Maybe this 'community feeling' made me have that site more like a child :)