# membership renewal? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 23, 2008, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002 "2008-08-23T05:54:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PBear42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PBear42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PBear42)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/1 "2008-08-23T05:54:18Z")
I received an email recently advising me that my membership is up for renewal and that failure to do so would result in loss of posting privileges. But, I recall a notice several months ago that the SDMB was moving to ad-based (unpaid) membership, although paid (less ad) memberships would be retained as an option. What’s the scoop? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/2 "2008-08-23T05:57:12Z")
We’re still waiting. There has been no new information and all the fanfare and announcements are gone. Draw your own conclusions. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/3 "2008-08-23T16:28:17Z")
They did say June or July, but they didn’t say what year (or decade). :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![PBear42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PBear42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PBear42)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/4 "2008-08-27T04:34:23Z")
While this thread was pending, my membership “timed out” and I lost posting privileges. From which I infer that the free (ad-based) membership option has not been implemented. I have, therefore, renewed by paying the subscription fee. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/5 "2008-08-27T06:36:13Z")
Why is this thread 4 or 5 days old, and yet we’ve received no official word one way or another? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/6 "2008-08-27T12:41:05Z")
Because we have no new information to give you. ---
**Author:** ![EvilHamsterOnCrack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilHamsterOnCrack)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/7 "2008-08-27T15:31:44Z")
Meh. Just paid for membership. Do you know if they do move to a free system, will we get at least a pro-rated rebate? Or if they move to a free system within the next month will I have just paid $15 for a month of SDMB? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/8 "2008-08-27T15:38:53Z")
[QUOTE=EvilHamsterOnCrack] Meh. Just paid for membership. Do you know if they do move to a free system, will we get at least a pro-rated rebate? Or if they move to a free system within the next month will I have just paid $15 for a month of SDMB? [/QUOTE] The board will change from pay-to-post to pay-for-no-ads. So your subscription will prevent you from seeing the large ads (if you log out, you’ll see what I mean) for the next year, minus the time between now and the upgrade. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/9 "2008-08-27T15:39:42Z")
What he said. (Thank you, Marley.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/10 "2008-08-27T17:16:40Z")
Please see Jerry’s new thread. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/membership-renewal/461002/11 "2008-08-27T17:35:30Z")
Sorry, dude.