I would like to propose that the “Guest” title should be assigned only to newbies on the board for the first three months or so, and then their title could be upgraded to “Member” if they continue to post. “Guest” seems like a really temporary designation, and it is really inappropriate for established, long-time posters. All current paying “Members” could be called “Subscribed Members,” or some other suitable designation, if a distinction is necessary. Of course, “Charter Members” would keep their name.
I hope this is given some consideration, since I like to quickly see poster’s post count, etc., and it seems really jarring to see my old favorite posters being called “Guest” when they have been here for about a decade! Even “Ad-viewing Member” would be a better option than “Guest.”
You can become a Member at any time simply by purchasing a subscription.
Otherwise you are our Guest here.
Once upon a time you had to be a Member to post here but now that is optional. That is why we have so many Guests who have been in the Straight Dope community for some period of time; they were previously Members but they have allowed those subscriptions to expire.
We may take the idea of allowing post counts and etc. to be viewable as Guests under advisement but right now all you have to do to see this information is click on the name to see the profile information, so it is available to you.
You can become a Member at any time simply by purchasing a subscription.
Otherwise you are our Guest here.
Once upon a time you had to be a Member to post here but now that is optional. That is why we have so many Guests who have been in the Straight Dope community for some period of time; they were previously Members but they have allowed those subscriptions to expire.
We may take the idea of allowing post counts and etc. to be viewable as Guests under advisement but right now all you have to do to see this information is click on the name to see the profile information, so it is available to you.
I’m sorry, but how many threads on this topic will it take before whoever is in charge understands that this is something that bothers people, and it would be a very simple change which would satisfy pretty much everyone?
I think it’s a little crazy to act as if the option of seeing ads instead of subscribing is just as good for the boards, but then telling the ad-viewing people that 1) they don’t get some features and 2) just pay up if you want those features.
Make up your minds; either go back to pay-to-post with the Guest (with ads) status being an introductory status, or implement a way to recognise those posters who have been here long enough to make this place what it is, and who choose to view and click through on ads instead of subscribe in order to keep this place going.
Right now, it’s a stupid, meaningless distinction that gets a new thread about it in ATMB on a near weekly basis, and I don’t understand why this is such a problem for the admins to deal with.
And the “official” answer of just clicking through on usernames to see post counts and locations; yes, it is that easy, and yes, that information is available…so why bother pretending that it’s so freaking wonderful that only paying people get to have it displayed in a convenient location? If everyone can see it, then just let everyone see it already. I’m not really a poster to complain about much around here, but I really do think this is being ridiculously poorly managed and I don’t understand why the official line is to dismiss something that annoys so many people and could so easily be fixed.
so much programming, so little time. It doesn’t matter that:
it’s possible to program the title changes based on number of postings or time
people keep complaining.
This is one of the things that frustrate people about this board. A simple thing turns into a major issue because the BS official answer doesn’t fly.
Why can’t this board say:
No - we can do this, easily in fact, but we will not. Unless you pay, you are a Guest for life.
Charter Members that don’t re-up in time will never get that title back. No matter how much whining you do, no matter how much you are willing to pay, no matter your excuse, you lose the half price perk and the Charter Member name. Pay twice the price, and get called Member, or think about posting for free, you stinking Guest.
In fact, it would be best if this board just pulled the plug on pay to post, and just end this joke… This board doesn’t want your money, it would be less of a hassle if each poster were treated the same, and saw ads. The only reason they keep this thing is still around is because they don’t have the stomach to listen to the noise when the Charter Members and Members lose their titles.
Putting up with the weekly post and ignoring the issue is so much easier.
My suggestion is to keep making the threads. They’ll either get tired of it and change something, or get tired of it and make up another rule that’ll make everyone mad. But at least they’ll have to take a position.
So far they haven’t ignored them. I fail to see any reason to assume they will as of yet. Do you have any examples of when they have ignored repeated suggestions in the past that have no detractors?
NOT CARING is not a position. It’s a declaration saying they aren’t going to take a position. And even that would be welcome to me. I’d rather know for sure they don’t care instead of having to infer it. As it is now, the one admin who responded says they are taking it into advisement.
And I think a person posting a bunch of posts will get some reaction, even if that reaction is a banning. Which will just get people talking about it more, as some people will object to the banning. So, eventually, they’ll have to say “stop talking about this.” And if that is accompanied by absolutely nothing happening, then they have basically said, “We’re not going to do anything.”
I think it’s cute. A month or so back, when the management here was still scared of haemorrhaging members, the party line in this forum was all “exciting new features” and “what can we do for you the customer?”: now Ed has quietly been put in a rest home for the terminally incompetent and the panic has died down a little, the board has reverted to the default nanny mode of “no, you can’t have what you want”.
It’s not that we the mods/admins “don’t care,” it’s that we don’t want to undertake something that requires a lot of work by the mods, or requires Jerry’s time. The economic and business situation is that we don’t have access to Jerry’s time. The owning company is in bankrupcy and fighting for its life, Jerry is grotesquely overworked on projects deemed more important. None of the mods or admins, nor Ed, are decision-makers on how Jerry spends his time.
Yes - I understand that, and it makes sense. If Jerry is not in a position to devote enough time to the Dope, there have been, if I remember correctly, many Dopers who profess to be suitably qualified in the arcane arts of vBulletin tinkering, and have offered their services for free. Why not take one of them up on his offer? It’d cost nothing, and you’d have happy punters.
It’s that simple. I think it started last year, when the board was having technical problems, and questions about fixing things were met with a “When we get around to it” from Jerry and Ed. They just don’t care.
I don’t get the “They don’t care” and “Make them take a position” responses. Tuba’s response is clear as water and as hard a line as any other. They decided that the ranks are “guest” and “member” and that’s the end of it. What clearer position could they possibly take?
That you don’t agree with that position I understand (and support), but don’t say they are not taking a position because they clearly have.
No matter what has been said in the past, it is clear that they prefer you as a subscription payer than as an ad viewer. All their policy points that way. They figure that calling you “Guest” (and not to mention the silly “You are our guest here” comments) somehow gets under your skin and will make you pay to get the coveted “member” status. That we have this thread weekly clearly validates that.
Yes, it is silly that some people show as “guest since 2001”. Yes, it would be nice to see guests’ locations. Yes, it is true that it would take an admin all of 20 minutes to change things. They just don’t have that admin’s 20 minutes. Should they trust a member (or a guest!) with the power to reach that deep into their system? Paranoia says no. Is it a justified paranoia? Hard to tell, but the potential risk for the minimum gain make it a very long shot, so it is not likely it will happen.
So if you want to keep starting these threads out of spite for the administration, go for it (or “be my guest”). But if you think this is a valid way to change policy, I suggest you try something else.
This is stupid and inaccurate. The registration agreement has said “Please remember that you are our guest here” for years and it’s not intended to goad people into taking out subscriptions. While “please remember that you are our member here” might describe some people accurately, it wouldn’t make sense.
Calm down. That might be what the agreement says, but I don’t think that’s what Tuba means when she says:
So yes, even after you pay you are still “our guest here” meaning “we can kick you out without due process”, but that is besides the point. The point is that the current state of affairs is that you are better loved paying a subscription than viewing (or probably blocking) ads. And that TPTB feel no remorse in reminding you of the fact. No biggie.
Nowhere did TubaDiva say or imply that anybody was “better loved” than anybody else. She’s stated repeatedly that anything helps, whether it is a subscription or clicking on ads, although subscriptions are more helpful in terms of revenue at this point. You are falsely implying that she, or anybody else in administration, is attempting to rub your nose in it. Nobody is preferred to anybody else based on subscriptions.
What’s not to get about the “They don’t care” response? This topic has been hashed and rehashed countless times and if there is any response, it’s always the same. TPTB have been very consistent with this one. Tuba’s answer may be clear, but it doesn’t indicate she cares. C K indicates that this and other options are being discussed, whatever that means, so maybe C K cares.
This is something that is annoying Charter Members, Members and Guests alike, and they could simply change things. They choose not to. It’s their right of course (their board), but it doesn’t give me the impression that they give a hoot about the issue itself or the people that complain. This IS their position. They don’t care, nor are they inclined to change this anytime soon.
The thing I wish I’d stop seeing is the standard reason given: it’s too complicated or technically impossible. That’s just nonsense…
Not to put too fine a point on it, but it only annoys some Charter Members, Members, and Guests. A lot of us are perfectly OK with the current situation and might in fact get a bit upset (although just a tiny bit) if people who missed the re-up deadline were retroactively given the title.
The bottom line IMO is that the Admins cannot change the costs in the database that handles the money. Until Creative Loafing starts making money and allocates resources for that the Admins have no control over it. This isn’t a choice, it’s not their data. I have no problem with looking into changing the title to “Charter Member” for folks who missed the window as long as it doesn’t become a hassle down the road. I work in software support and I know that once you start making manual changes like this there can be lots of unintended consequences down the road that lead to support calls.