I have posted some possible solutions to what is being demanded in the thread by ProfessorDD:
http://forums.makingmoneywithandroid.com/income-reports/2049-big-league-those-who-earn-android-apps-above-%241-000-day-2.html#post14351
QUOTE:
I think what Baksai may mean is that a “forum” already makes it a place for discussion - suggesting a public place of discourse.
What you are asking for a narrower interpretation of it - which is still possible on this forum via “Direct Messages” between members. In addition some users have previously offered restricted info (only revealing ideas for $300) and they have taken that discussion off this forum.
So restricted discussion will necessarily take place in some restricted place.
Given the mobile space is so fluid - and ideas can quickly be incorporated by many - closing the opportunity window - what is the value of a LARGE private discussion forum ?
EDIT:
In addition, in the type of transactions you are envisioning - where info is exchanged between members (and that info is worth a lot of money) - HOW do you envision those 5 or 10 people in that private forum will feel comfortable discussing anything ? In addition when such high stakes are in play - it would seem the discussions would require 1-1 privacy - so your discussion with member 1 of the private group does not get seen by members 2 to 100 of that private group - which necessarily is demanding a 1-1 solution. That is, EVEN within the private forum you WILL NEED further restrictions of info flow. How do you propose to do that. What you are requiring is a special channel outside the public or relatively public forum that will exist in an open forum and a private forum respectively - in essence you are requiring a SECURITY infrastructure that allows seamless integration of a forum to a skype-like channel - so members can easily be added (and you know they are the same member as on the forum).
To me it seems the real functionality in demand here is ability to integrate video conferencing into the forum. Sort of a skype-for-makingmoneywithandroid etc.
It seems a possible way for David to make money from this forum WHILE keeping it free - maybe to offer ADDITIONAL functionality - a linked videoconferencing feature for PAID accounts.
Those people would have the benefit of having AUTHENTICATED users - so a David here would be David on the videoconference (and I wouldn’t have to setup a Skype tryst and the “are you that David” and all that that perhaps ensues in such out-of-channel meetups).
This seems to be to be the type of one-to-one interaction that ProfessorDD seeks - since the purpose he has outlined (to discuss confidential trade secret marketing etc. ideas) - may not fit the “everyone knows” nature of an open forum but it ALSO DOESN’T fit the nature of a slightly-smaller-only “private members area”.
Because inevitably when ProfessorDD will want to communicate with folks - it will be a smaller group - perhaps WITHIN the private members area - so he essentially wants ability to have restricted discussions.
THis is doable in skype etc. - however it will not be possible to have it like chat (so 5 people don’t need to be online at the same time).
So maybe a solution is a “Direct Message” facility or chat facility (logged do it can be read later) that can be setup like a thread discussion.
EDIT: but whose members/recipients are setup ahead of time by the thread starter - so a thread on the forum but where the starter of the thread identifies the users he wants to target