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How good is this CouchRequest?
How good is this CouchRequest? (This review is completely private)
Green: Very good Yellow: Somewhat good Red: Not at all good
Rated by default as: Somewhat good
How good is this (piece of) CouchRequest:
8. March 2012 - 21.59
Ciao *****!))
http://www.bewelcome.org/gallery/show/image/6528
FYI about non-profit/for-profit:
http://couchwiki.org/en/CouchSurfing_conversion_issues
http://sites.google.com/site/cskbase/
http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=45507
http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=7621
Better World Through Travel Inc. (formerly known as CouchSurfing Inc.) currently is, and most presumably will remain for-profit.
BeWelcome.org, as well as Warmshowers.org, are and will remain non-profit, and you can have an account there for free.
Grazie & a presto!) S
8. March 2012 - 22.11
Thanks for the info
luck with "converting" ppl to non-profits ;)
ciao
I don't really trust Couchsurfing until they tell me what will be done with this data (our ratings). Anyone know?
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You can easily identify template requests as they say
"This CouchRequest has been created in two sections using an optional new format." which is no longer new at all
with "About Me" and "Why I'd Like to Meet You" paragraphs.
But is wasn't really necessary to introduce subsamples as these subsamples already existed before, depending on whether the basic or guided form was chosen by the requester. Now they are apparently forcing people to use one or the other, if that is the test.
I bet they'll find that the guided form produces worse requests as it is used more by newbies. Then what? ...
Are couchsurfing seriously so fucking stupid as to think that 2 LINES of explanation will change the way people write requests?!
You are asking people to put their heart and soul into a piece of writing. You are asking people to understand what makes couchsurfing work: inspiration. You are asking brand new members who still don't understand what how special couchsurfing can be. You need to explain it to them! 2 lines won't do!
When I first joined in 2007, I read a story about a surfer meeting a host and how the host showed the guest his favourite things, and how the guest bought the host dinner at a restaurant as a way of saying thank you. Reading this short story inspired me.
Don't be so hard on them, William. This website is still in the "CouchSurfing Project" phase and one should not expect them to know after only a little over 7 years in the business what constitutes a good couch request. After all, registrations and verifications dollars keep rolling in, and that's what really matters, right?
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"and let's not even mention summer approaching..."
Can't wait for the ultimate OCR test :-)
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Florian, please have them put it on the freaking website where the explanation belongs, not on some outsourced webpage looking for traffic, that less than 0.00001% of users know about and where it will scroll down quickly.
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"From what I understood it all comes down to the fact that they wanted to
create a blog/platform to improve their communications."
Or to isolate communications from membership?
I don't see a single link on the principle CS pages pointing to the "blog".
In fact, a google search of ALL indexed CS pages brings only two occurance of "posterous", neither related to the CS pages.
The same search on Posterous brings up 33,000 hits for CouchSurfing.
In other words, ZERO communication on the CS site about the purported CS blog. No way for CS membership to even know the "blog" exists. Is that anyone's idea of "Communication"?
David
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At least they did something CS hasn't done:
"For users who would like to back up their content or move to another
service, we’ll share clear instructions for doing so in the coming
weeks."
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I neither spoke of an obligation, nor of a tool, but merely pointed out that Postous implicitly recognized that the change in ownership could make users unhappy and want to take their content elsewhere rather than rave about how this is so much better.
They also promise "We’ll give users ample notice if we make any changes to the service". That would be quite a difference to CS which often doesn't announce important changes at all, nor inform about them properly after making them. Of course I have no idea if Posterous is any better at keeping promises than CS.
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I wonder what that marketing and research manager who they pay big bucks is or will be saying about this kind of crappy research...
whoa...I'm wondering, like Ms. T, 667, and Pedalr, if the info loaded into a couch request would be fair-game for analysis into page refinement, or host-refinement, or market research? Every thing we put on this website is theirs, yes? So they can mine couchreq data for....not sure...but I'm certain they can isolate saleable data for someone.
am I nuts here, or what?
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More importantly: no hosts - no hostings - no verification payments for a free couch - no business model - no IPO - no happy investors - no gettings as rich as hoped - no glory or going down in history as the Bill Gates from New Hampshire.
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How to Write a Great CouchRequest:
1. Read the profile, especially the Couch Info
2. Make it personal. Why do you want to meet that host?
3. Share info about yourself and your trip.
CFR:
Tips and tricks:
To automatically add a member's first name to your messages, just type %user% where you'd like the name to appear. (For example, "Hi %user%" will show as "Hi Jose" when you use the template to contact Jose).
Remember, sending generic CouchRequests isn't likely to get you a couch! We recommend using templates for the basic facts of your request, such as an introduction of yourself and an explanation of your trip. Then personalize for each member you contact to give yourself better chances.
For responses, why not give the CouchSurfers you can't host a consolation prize? Create a template with tips and advice about visiting your city, and use it whenever you have to say no.
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All CF&Co need is just a good japanese inspection.
" 28. March 2012 - 6.10
[...] As for the future for-profit situation - what a shame. I am so new at this, but alas, everyone that has a valuable product insists on people paying for it eventually. I would have to weigh my preference over a nominal fee vs. persistent advertisements. I hadn't thought about it until now, how nice it is not to have stupid pop-ups all the time. I think there's already a site ("airbnb"?) that charges, right? I have not even bothered to check it out, though. I am very sympathetic to all the people who open their homes and are taken advantage of in some way. It's pathetic how people can't just do the right thing. THe other day on the news, there was a man in Chicago who offered two teenage girls a ride out of the snow to their home. They refused and three days later, the man was charged a fine for, i dunno, propositioning them? Something stupid. No telling who reported him or why. The news ended up implying that no one should even try to help anyone anymore. This may not have led to the response you expected...."
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/03/16/man-who-offered-lift-to-teen-girls-says-hes-victim-of-good-deed-gone-wrong/
"2. April 2012 - 19.50
Even if on CS not everything is ok, I personally think you are using it for not it was designed. I'm looking for a couch. I think it's not 100% fair to say maybe i'll host you if you subscribe to another website. Please, consider. Regards."
CouchHunters... how goo(l)d(en).
Top-C$ecret 4-Profit:
" 13. April 2012 - 20.14
Hi SEM,
Wow... really surprised with the non-profit CS text... darn. Never knew about that. Sad."
http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=45507&post=11760252
16. April 2012 - 14.35
[...]i started using cs in 2008 and loved the concept and the strict way they followed their aims. but this decision is totally against it and the org. now acts like all the other social networks we know ... and their is much too less resistence from the people using cs.
but i have to confess - here in germany - you have like heared nothing about this change! and as i said me and my friends continued using couch-surfing (this way we met one of our closest friends last year - she moved to our city)
i'm pretty sad, that it's like a golden rule to make each non-profit org. a profit-org. - to earn money and nothing else.
sad career ...
on the other hand cs is still a great invention - otherwise so many people could never meet or travel etc.[...]
25. April 2012 - 20.41
I don't have a profile on BeWelcome and I think you didn't catch the idea of couchsurfing which is MEETING people and sharing culture. No writing million detalis and copying all of them in couch request. Carpe diem, my friend:) Free yourself from Internet regime and just trust your soul, if you want to host me and my friends or not. It's not the point and not the sign of stiupidity if I past some quotes here.
And if I read every profile with details, I will spent 10 hours and get crazy. And btw I am a little bit going to Rome by hitch hiking and asking strangers for hosting me. So if you want to meet free soul in your life just click "agree" ;)
25. April 2012 - 10.21
Ok S5M, Thanks I'll read your link's.
So I really don't like to ask about host! I've created my interary for me is the best way to find host because is more natural...I prefer wen people invite than ask, in case no one invited I'll stay in hostel =)
smile, hugs and good luck
See ya
"I've created my interary for me is the best way to find host because is more natural...I prefer wen people invite than ask, in case no one invited I'll stay in hostel =)"
 Good luck to that one!
7. May 2012 - 18.10
"[...] - I have no problems with non-profit or for-profit organizations. I think that in both cases, the most important thing is transparency. There is nothing worse than a for-profit organization who offers free accounts and then sells your information to the highest bidder. If a user opts for paying for the service, it's his own choice. Social networks come and go, but their success depends on how they treat their users."
8. May 2012 - 3.44
"Wow didn't know all the issues behind CS. I set up a BeWelcome account now.
I'm surprised the CS website hasn't been suspended. I will let my friends know about this next time we all meet. It seems like they got screwed by the original starter and have been a mess since then."
8. May 2012 - 16.52
"Thank u very much for your kind reply.
i am sorry that as an advanced english reader, i don't point to the word i read, so i don't know it is hyperlink, nor did i ever heard about bewelcome, i tried to use it, but obviously not so efficient.
it is bad for surfers to consider a couch as simply a free accommodation, it is also not our obligations to please u to get a couch. Obviously u have great passion on what u believe and what u are interested, still no good to be so self-centered, especially as a couch host."
9. May 2012 - 17.26
Hi Sem,
Thanks for the long email back; I haven't read all the links yet, but here's my super short first responses.
[...]
4) YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE/OPINION ON FOR-PROFIT CS - I had somehow missed this; I haven't been very active with the Couchsurfing community since the first year I moved to London. First response: what the fucking fuck?
That's a pretty phenomenal betrayal, and looks like it's going to get legally much much much messier (and discredit the community badly in the meantime.) I guess I'll be creating a BeWelcome page and shifting off of this one... Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
Can someone explain to me what this crazy guy from Rome is posting here?
"Can someone explain to me what this crazy guy from Rome is posting here?"
Thank you, William. Better crazy than stupid.
You're helping me showing and demonstrating the tragic regression of C$ into a giant troll.
Please, do not feed C$ anymore, anyway. Thank you again.
William, he's apparently getting the couch requests which you believe you are missing.
Thank you Uli. I was genuinely confused.
S5M: If CS is a giant troll, then you are the head of the pack. No photo, hardly any couch info, barely any profile info. A fake age, and a reference to casual sex (swinging) in your couch info, never mind the cartoon picture of a vagina. Keep doing whatever it is you are doing if it makes you happy.
William, you do realise that commenting on someone's profile content makes you fair game for the same treatment. Can we please not go there?
I'm sorry Uli. The faceless Italian crossed the line of what is acceptable in one of my very own groups, after I asked him to respect the group, he went out of his way to do the exact opposite, immediately after. Okay, that is not to do with Brainstorm Redefined, but just a bit of context for you. When you look at his reply to me here, you can see that what he said is implying that I'm stupid and responsible for turning CS into a "giant troll".
"Thank you, William. Better crazy than stupid.
You're helping me showing and demonstrating the tragic regression of C$ into a giant troll."
This doesn't make any sense to me, since he is posting without a photo or profile, claiming that CS is in decline, when he is breaking several unwritten rules of CS by not having a profile. How can you preach about how bad things are when you haven't even completed the basics of the website? I'm sorry if using the word crazy caused offense. However, his behavior is not rational.
I don't believe there is such a thing as group ownership.
There is this, though, in the guidelines of this group:
"don't drag in fights or discussions from other groups"
This post has been removed by the user.
http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=7621&post=11514811#post12007780
"William, you do realise that commenting on someone's profile content makes you fair game for the same treatment. Can we please not go there?"
Sorry, I have to go there:
From Sophie Kratzeis
Berlin, Germany
22. Mar Met in person Surfed 3 days
Negative
well, I think that william is not a first choice of a host. we had to wait 6 hours at our arrival because he had to work. thats no problem, but then you cant make an appointment at 12 when you come home at 6pm. but we thought ok, he is the host. then the first night was great, he was open and nice. and we made plans for next night to go clubbing. but again he didnt show up and told us to have fun. at 1 am I got a text that we have to home by 2 or he wouldnt let us in. so we rushed out of the club and went home. during the whole time I he was hitting on me, but when I told him that I have a boyfriend, he started to be really unfriendly. the last night we didnt stay at his place, we went to a hostel. I think William is hosting mostly girls because he wants more.
From Nico Alba
Boston, United States
31. Dec 2011 Met in person Surfed 1 days
Negative
I recommend reading ALL of William's neutral references before staying with him. I appreciate his having offered in response to my last minute open couch request, and that he picked me up at the tube. William's biggest passion in life is couchsurfing so, I hope what I say leaves an impact. I found that William had a sort of expectation of exchange with regards to people staying with him that doesn't go with the energy of CS I've known thus far. Also that he is sometimes rude through his "honesty". I took him out to dinner, and on several occasions afterwards at his home felt pressured to give him a back massage. During the night, I woke up to him sitting next to my bed and breathing heavily. Based on the other reviews he's written, it looks like he will counter this statement with that I have issues with men, "personality disorder", should have left or that it isn't true - that is for you to decide. William, open up and get real. CS is not about collecting people I wish you the best
From Marina Yuri
Tacoma, United States
18. Apr 2011 Met in person Surfed 1 days
Negative
William found and contacted me through another website (TravBuddy) and OFFERED to host me while I was in London. I looked at his CS profile and only saw that he had hosted many others before, although I didn't take the time to read any references (bad mistake). Read ALL neutral references before making your decisions!!!
From sol18
London, England
17. Apr 2011 Met in person Surfed 3 days
Negative
When I got there he was extremely rude and creepy. On the 2nd day I was using his laptop because I needed to send CV's (I was searching for a job) and he asked me if I could go out because he needed some privacy, when me and the other girl couchsurfer came back his dirty boxers were under my pillow (I had to change the pillow case) he just said that they had fallen from his gym bag! He kept touching the other girl couchsurfer in a sexual way. He is mean and xenophobic, in fact I'm sure he only uses this site because it's the only way he can get some female company.
He's miserable, immature and simply a lonely boy.i cooked meals for him with the food i had bought, which he first insulted and then ate off my plate. i always asked him permission to use one of his 5 computers, only ate a slice of his bread, used a couple of his tea bags.
William stop thinking the world owes you a favour and looking down on people who haven't got a wealthy background
I DEFINITELY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND HIM
http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=7621&post=11514811#post12007040
http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=7621&post=11514811#post12007907
CFR:
http://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=7621&post=10815311#post10816380
Q: What am I doing here, William?
A: I am informing as many people as possible about the C$ fraud.
Q: What are you doing here, William?
A: You're complaining that you are not receiving couchrequests anymore.
A brainwashed host is the most pathetic product of the C$ fraud.
William: I have not met you in person, so far.
From reading your C$ profile, your references and your posts here and on other C$ groups, I think you are a basically good and positive person with basically wrong attitudes. I do hope you'll change your own attitudes, otherwise you can go beg King Midas Omnipotent Fenton's pardon, so that maybe Casey the Merciful would decide to send you some of his golden guests, right now.
21. May 2012 - 21.38
"In regards to the non for profit dilemma with CS, since i Just graduated with a masters in Accounting, I am familiar with many of the terms in the article. It seems like Couchsurfing initially was intended to be a non for profit organization to which its status was denied. The fact that the plan is now to change its status to a C corporation seems controversial. The worst part about it is the fact that its stakeholders were not notified, something that seems ab it unethical. I myself plan on starting a bunch of non profits over the course of my lifetime in order to give in a powerful way to this world. Maybe I can learn from this experience. Last but not least, I do not have a Bewelcome profile. I am actually completely foreign to the idea. I am apart of wwoof and am looking into helpx, both organization that seems similar: you volunteer and get put up for housing and food. I would love t olearn more about it and plan on looking more into it."
Ok I obviously should have commented on this thread before now - to be clear everyone, this group is NOT a place where everyone's profile is up for public critique: this goes for all members. If you have any comments to make about the content of someone's profile or references which has little or no relevance to our discussions here, please contact that person privately.
thank you.
your friendly mod
Thanks to you, my friendly mod. Sorry again.
Yah...so agree with Niall. Can you guys understand normal, non-maladroit, personal interaction?
...if yes, then please it.
whoa: "please *use* it"....sorry for iPad yukkiness
24. May 2012 - 6.07
"Thank you for all the interesting links. I was a bit more involved late 2008 (with CS), right before my previous trip to europe with a friend. I had started to read about all of the political backroom nonsense that was going on at base camp, the inappropriate LT member, etc. I quickly spiraled into a chaotic state regarding the website and left it. I see that not much has changed since, except, I suppose, a few more colours being shown on the part of Casey! It kind of sucks that CS is recognized so widely as the "standard" hospitality exchange website."
Thank you Niall and Margaret. I have said sorry but I will apologise again for perhaps starting it.
S5M: We are both here because we want CS to get better. Thank you for apologising: I am sorry for calling you crazy. I find many of your posts interesting, and I shared the article about "the man who offered a lift" with some people I met. Since you are keeping this thread active, would you be so kind as to remove your post of all my negative references? They are on my profile if people want to see them, however, they happened a long time ago now, and I don't want to have it discussed again. Those cases were closed after a lot of talk between all people involved.
26. May 2012 - 13.25
"S5M wrote:
Hi! Use personal couchrequest if you want to be hosted by me! Thanx & c u soon!) S
Do you mean that we should send one by one..? ı have already sent my personal [= open] couchrequest.. sorry for misunderstanding..?"
You seem to have forgotten to reply to my polite message.
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13. June 2012 - 18.56
"Ok, no problem.
I understand you are probably attempting to populate free couchsurfing websites due to your disagreement with the for-profit site, however, it feels a bit like proselytization. It's a good cause. I get it.
I just feel coerced instead of welcomed.
Isn't this the problem you have with a for-profit CS?"
Not at all. C$ is defrauding. I am not defrauding nor proselytizing nor coercing anyone in anyway to be my guests. I am just informing. To inform - in order to allow making informed decisions - IS to welcome.
" 27. May 2012 - 3.32
[...]I had a general look of numerous posts that you linked. I could tell that there was a debate that, if I may assume, is still on going nowadays. When I think of a concept of 'couchsurfing', that comes in my mind at first is people helping others voluntarily. The ultimate goal of this concept shouldn't be monetary profit but profit of personal experience. In my opinion, human relationship is much more valuable than money."
Update: "official" couchrequests received: 2449.
17. February 2013 - 9.13
"On for-profit CS, that's the stupidest idea on earth. Since when making new friends and exploring the world is a for-profit activity?"
2452 "official" couchrequests received. And it's not going to stop...
"It's not what you thought when you first began it... You got what you want, now you can hardly stand it though, by now you know it's not going to stop, 'til you wise up..."
Aimee Mann
Official couchrequest #2477:
"22. February 2013 - 10.56
About Me
I said that on my open request, bus cs is forcing me to write something here....well......"poor student is looking for couch to sleep on and cool people to hang out with" thats pretty much it. :)
Why I'd Like to Meet You
well...I didnt get to see a lot of you on the minipic but it didnt show a 70 years old guy touchning his penis like someboy send me on cs the other day, so I guess your cool. :)"
What a match ;-)
Update: Official couchrequests received: 2588
#2507
"25. February 2013 - 15.00
We don't wanna belong to other website, CS is enough to meet nice people."
#2563
"8. March 2013 - 23.20
" For-Profit CS : Strictly against anyone making profit through CS. I think the whole concept has become so successful because of the sole reason that people still have trust in each other and they want to explore all cultures, all people. Its a give and take thing. Any form of money will spoil the whole concept." "I think couchsurfing is a good enough forum for us right now. We have had wonderful CS experience till now and hope to have the same in future." " I am really not inclined in making another profile on another social web platform for now." "
#2677
18. March 2013 - 2.03
"I do not understand. "personal couch request"? Please explain."
CFR the following dialogue:
"Right. How about NO?"
"U serious?"
"It's strictly business. It's The Law."
"WHAT???"
#2814
29. March 2013 - 13.59
"for the on for-profit cs. I don't think it is good to get profit if you want to be a host, you are a person who help others but not be a B&B~ But I still meet a host that charge me 7 euro for one night, she said that she wants to share the cost of dinner with me. Her reference is good, so actually I am still thinking about it. If she really will cook the homemade dinner for me."
up!
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#3045
3. April 2013 - 23.46
"For profit CS? Hmmm, why not, if it can allow CS to attract more users, and to develop more great projects, and if the money is reinjected in other great project like this one."
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from Rome, Italy (Permalink)
