While many forums are free but this one charge per year. Do you think it is worth subscription to the membership? What benefits will I have?
thank you
What benefits will you have?? You’ll get to hang out with us!
Seriously, check it out and see if it suits you. If not, as you point out, there are many free alternatives out there.
But I don’t think you’ll find a better mix of relatively intelligent folks discussiong a wide range of topics (science, philosophy, politics, religion, show business, sex) in a way that emphasizes content, with a high signal to noise ratio.
The moderation is pretty good too, despite all the griping about it.
I don’t think that question is answerable by anyone other than yourself. That’s why you have 30 days to try it out! 
On the plus side I find it extremely informative. On the minus side it suffers badly from slow responses and timeouts when it gets busy.
The first responder to the OP is worth at least half the price a year’s subscription.
The difference between this Board & other Boards is the difference between strong brandy & hot tea.
Believe me, the discussions, Mods & virtually spam-free environment is well worth the price.
Hang awhile, during your free trial membership & see.
Come on over to this thread, where the question is being actively discussed as we type.
Just as an example, I"ve moved this thread to IMHO. 
samclem General Questions Moderator
After the 30 day guest period your allowed to post. If your asking what I think your asking, none.
Some boards that are pay have hidden sections for members, or allow graphics or downloads or message options. Some that show who’s online allow you to be anonymous if your a pay member. As far as I know this forum doesn’t have those features.
That didn’t come out right, too much cold medication. :o
Some forums offer additional features (that no one wants or uses) to pay members.
I’d definitely recommend joining!
Obviously nobody’s told him about the goat yet…
I don’t post that often relative to a lot of the people here… and in fact I’d still get most of the enjoyment out of this board that I currently do without posting at all… but the search function alone is MORE than worth the money. Seriously. Between GQ, CS, and IMHO, the SDMB is a ridiculously useful resource when I want a question answered or opinions on something - in particular, because anything that is posted here is virtually guaranteed to be readable and informed. It’s great.
Only you can answer that.
I’ve found that this is a very diverse board, with opportunities to sate desires both sublime and gross. Do you want an icky thread on cat lice? You can have it. Do you want an in-depth discusson on the Civil War? Available. Do you want screamingly funny threads on telemarketers, blimps, and psycho sisters and late lamented mothers? It’s here for the asking. Do you want to talk to smart people from all over the world? You can find it here.
Now, the flip side. Can you be polite, use good grammar and not leetspeak, and not antagonize your fellow Dopers? Can you use your powers for good and not evil? Can you be a contributing member of our little society, linking to cites to back up your claims and not offering medical and legal advice without the disclaimer that you are neither doctor or lawyer (unless, of course, you are one?)
You get out of it what you put into it. Check us out. You’ll find us a good little bunch, a step above your everyday message board.
Ssssh…he’s still a guest…we don’t want to scare him off.
I think you meant to say “After the 30 day guest period you’re not allowed to post.”
Members (but not guests) are allowed to use the search features.
Or the Lonk.
Thats not true. Paid membership allows you to search.
I got irritated, as logging in to post was a bit painful and it was obvious that I was going to do a fair bit of that.
Later I realized that $15 was a snip, it seems to deter cretins one finds elsewhere, although I think that feat is down to a number of things.
Yet later, I found that I actually like making a small contribution, I’m not naive enough to imagine that the total subscription take is enough to cover full time staff, but it makes me feel better - and I’m a psychological egotist.
This is certainly the most interesting forum I’ve ever found.
I regard my $15 as a sort of vote.
It is worth it just to see the secret link to the nude pictures of us all.
Granted, it isn’t easy to find a goat for that initiation (especially if you live in NYC) but once you have done that, you get to be one of us - and that is, after all, the purpose of life.
james2002, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the deal with your personal web page in your profile? It seems odd to have an advertisement for a free web hosting service as your own page, since I would assume that you would have your own website to begin with if you are knowledgeable about said free hosting service. Are you the webmaster of hostmonster.com?
Wait, never mind, james2002. I found your website, Green Tea blog. Interesting.