# Bait and Switch at the SDMB **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 26, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946 "2004-07-26T16:31:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/1 "2004-07-26T16:31:06Z")
HA! I’m on to you! We all line up and pay our $4.95 and the bank of servers hums mightily along. Threads pop open without a moments hesitation. Error pages are a thing of the past. But then, slowly, over a matter of weeks, the bank of Pentium4 2k MHz machines with 2 gigs of RAM, 10 drive RAID, and a battery back up the size of a 63 Chrysler Newport is whittled away. Piece by piece. So we won’t notice. Until the ultimate goal of running the SDMB off a Macintosh IIci between the graffiti remover and the DRYSORB[sup]TM[/sup] in the Janitorial supply closet is reached. What’s up with the dog ass speed of the SDMB lately? I’m not usually one to whine, but it’s looking like the pre-subscription speeds. Can someone please reboot the server or something? It’s starting to effect the ten vanity searches I have running simultaniously. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/2 "2004-07-26T16:44:00Z")
Obviously they’re reserving processing power for people who paid $14.95 for their service. Cheapskate. You should upgrade to the Premium Support Plan. There was an email about it a while back; you probably missed it because your mail box was full. ---
**Author:** ![P\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a587f6/32.png) [@P\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P_T)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/3 "2004-07-26T16:57:19Z")
Nope, paid the 14.95 here, still waiting 1 - 2 minutes for most pages to load. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/4 "2004-07-26T17:21:40Z")
Ha! The conspiracy continues! The servers are no loner recognizing my ones! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/5 "2004-07-26T17:23:08Z")
Hey, somebody else has a Mac II ci? ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/6 "2004-07-26T17:33:31Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > …the ultimate goal of running the SDMB off a Macintosh IIci… I was working under the impression the goal was to run off a[Mattel Aquarius](http://www.silicium.org/us/aquarius_us.htm)server. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/7 "2004-07-26T17:34:09Z")
I’m still a bit perplexed by how many people seem to think the subscription fee was going to go to improving the speed of the boards. It’s been stated repeatedly by the powers that be that the money is NOT earmarked for better servers, or more bandwidth, or anything of that sort. No upgrades have taken place, nor is there any reason to believe they will take place in the near future, as far as we’ve been told. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/8 "2004-07-26T17:40:12Z")
Are they going to have a kegger? With hookers? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/9 "2004-07-26T17:50:20Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Are they going to have a kegger? With hookers? C’mon, this is the Straight Dope. Whaddya _think_ they’ll spend the money on? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/10 "2004-07-26T18:14:09Z")
> [@JohnBckWLD](#): > > I was working under the impression the goal was to run off a[Mattel Aquarius](http://www.silicium.org/us/aquarius_us.htm)server. Don’t mock the Aquarius! I have the Tron cartridge for mine. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/11 "2004-07-26T18:23:56Z")
Ed said, on day one when he announced paid subscriptions, that there might be some speed-up in board performance due to a lower number of users. As the number of users grows, however, board performance would be expected to slow down. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/12 "2004-07-26T18:30:41Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > Ed said, on day one when he announced paid subscriptions, that there might be some speed-up in board performance due to a lower number of users. As the number of users grows, however, board performance would be expected to slow down. So, the obvious answer is to hold a Tribal Council every few days and vote 50 people off the island. I know who I’d pick. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/13 "2004-07-26T18:32:05Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > Ed said, on day one when he announced paid subscriptions, that there might be some speed-up in board performance due to a lower number of users. As the number of users grows, however, board performance would be expected to slow down. Best marketing strategy I’ve heard in years… ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/14 "2004-07-26T18:39:56Z")
[Eddie Murphy voice] May I recommend using a nightstick, officer? [/Eddie Murphy voice] ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/15 "2004-07-26T18:46:52Z")
If there’s no increase in performance, and people are becoming unsatisfied with the results of the money they paid, what will make them pay again, especially at a much higher price? ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/16 "2004-07-26T18:49:07Z")
I would gladly pay a higher subscription fee if that will make the board faster. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/17 "2004-07-26T18:50:41Z")
> [@catsix](#): > > If there’s no increase in performance, and people are becoming unsatisfied with the results of the money they paid, what will make them pay again, especially at a much higher price? $3 more? :dubious: I, for one, didn’t pay for faster board service. I paid… so I could respond to crap like this, instead of just reading it. Joy, joy. ---
**Author:** ![Andros\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Andros\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andros_X)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/18 "2004-07-26T18:53:37Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > I would gladly pay a higher subscription fee if that will make the board faster. Ah, but as **Smeghead** says, there’s no promise of faster servers, etc. involved; the only thing you are entitled to by subscribing is the privilege to post. And even that can be taken away if you Act Like A Jerk. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/19 "2004-07-26T19:04:07Z")
$3? Where’d you get that amount from? I paid $5 for this year. Next year, the absolute least cost would be $15, which is not ‘$3 more’ it’s 3 times more. I said I’d give it a year, and I figure that at the end of this one, considering that I’ve seen no improvement whatsoever in the operation, I’ll not renew. Pretty slick of the Reader though. ‘Hand us your money and we’ll give you virtually nothing in return.’ ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946/20 "2004-07-26T19:09:20Z")
> [@catsix](#): > > I said I’d give it a year, and I figure that at the end of this one, considering that I’ve seen no improvement whatsoever in the operation, I’ll not renew. Dear Ed: Thank you. Sincerely, m.g. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bait-and-switch-at-the-sdmb/256946.md?page=2)