Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the board and think of it as a great compliment to webpage. It’s just that I usually lurk anyway and only really chime in if there is some relatively arcane knowledge I can share or if a thread grabs my imagination and I’ve got a bit of time on my hands. It seems to me that all a subscription-based board would do is offer the teeming hundreds a more limited pool of knowledge and experience from which to quench their insatiable thirst.
Oh… and also try to encourage people to remember the instructions listed in the OP :rolleyes:.
I totally agree. The SDMB is interesting only BECAUSE it is free. Make it a pay site and then it’s just another stupid “chat board” or newsgroup, or whatever the hell they’re called. I’ve enjoyed being a part of this community, but I definitely don’t want it limited to just those who are willing to pay for the privilege. I am certainly not one of those people myself, on principle. I think this forum should be open to EVERYONE.
I’d pay to use the SDMB as it now exists. But ironically, if it actually became a paysite, I’m sure 95% of the people here would vanish and the site that remained wouldn’t be worth the price.
With the Aussie/US exchange rate as it stands, it would be $50 per year for us and I just don’t have that kind of dollar to spend on a luxury while I’m a student.
I’m also in the camp which says the SDMB as it is will die and it will be hard to attract new blood if we move to paying. If it is pay to view, then it would be very hard to maintain. I think the Well is struggling to survive as a paying message board and it is well established and has never been free. Pay to post is another option… but are people going to pay to answer other people’s questions?
I’m sad. I can see why the CR can’t keep up the SDMB but I think the SDMB in its present form is not going to survive a move
I think that the two Comments boards should remain free, and maybe even General Questions, with the justification that those three follow, most closely, the original intent of the Straight Dope. Everything else “grew” as it became more of a community… the “extras” should come with a price.
In addition, I think viewing should be free, as well. What’s the point in having the Boards if it’d just be a private club?
With that said, I would definitely pay $25 a year, with almost any stipulations placed on that fee.
As was noted earlier in this thread - this has been asked here before, in a different way, and this effort will end up being just as unappreciated as the first one.
I will say “no”. No, not because I run the UnaBoard now. Because I would much rather, personally, donate money for a new server or for a “slush fund” for bandwidth, tech support, whatever, as a spot purchase. Why? because even though my finances are poor, I hazard I still am in the top 5% of income for Board members. And I would rather be the one to help out, instead of asking the high-schoolers, starving college students, and those that are not as fortunate as myself to pay. And I love the continual, fresh input of the young people here, most all of which would vanish if they had to pay to be here.
But it doesn’t matter. This poll will not change anything, or sway opinion. Trust me.
