# Just a clarification.. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 7, 2008, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-clarification/462432 "2008-09-07T01:15:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-clarification/462432/1 "2008-09-07T01:15:40Z")
If I pay to become a member, is not only the middle ad gone, but the google ads at the bottom as well? What other bennies are there for becoming a paid subscriber? ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-clarification/462432/2 "2008-09-07T01:34:36Z")
If you subscribe, you won’t see any ads, including banners and Google text ads. We offer this strictly as a convenience to users who object to ads; there are no other benefits. We’re not trying to encourage you to subscribe; the subscription fee simply replaces the revenue we forego by not showing you ads. If you don’t mind ads, don’t subscribe. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-clarification/462432/3 "2008-09-07T01:38:26Z")
As of right now, paid subscribers are still seeing Google Ads. Is this being addressed? ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-clarification/462432/4 "2008-09-07T01:40:10Z")
It’s on Jerry’s list of things to do, which as you can imagine is pretty long. We talked about it the other day but I’ll bug him again. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-clarification/462432/5 "2008-09-07T01:40:33Z")
> [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > If you subscribe, you won’t see any ads, including banners and Google text ads. We offer this strictly as a convenience to users who object to ads; there are no other benefits. We’re not trying to encourage you to subscribe; the subscription fee simply replaces the revenue we forego by not showing you ads. If you don’t mind ads, don’t subscribe. Ok, so I made the choice to subscribe, but when I click on the Subscribe tab (third from left) it tells me I don’t have permission to access the page. If you don’t want my money, then, well (LOL).. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-clarification/462432/6 "2008-09-07T01:48:11Z")
The option to pay has temporarily been turned off amidst everything else that’s happening. It’ll be re-enabled when that’s possible. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-clarification/462432/7 "2008-09-07T01:49:18Z")
As I say, Jerry has a long list of things to fix in the wake of the upgrade. Among them are 30 or 40 chunks of custom code, some of which are needed to make the subscription system work. For the time being you can post away for free.