Yes. But I want a service level agreement. The damn thing better be fast.
I would also want another Forum for my 25 bucks: “Bible Free Debates” - where all cites and arguements cannot reference the bible or other similar ‘books’.
Hell yes.
NO
Yep I would pay. There should be a month of free membership to let people experience the board. And I don’t think you’d see that big of a change. People that really want to be on the board will stay. Newbies would still come in, maybe just not at such a fast pace.
Yep
Yes, without any qualifiers. I think that the Board will fail if there is no kind of fees either donated or mandated. I usually visit only GQ, as this is a fount of knowledge, well worth $25 a year. I usually don’t have time for GD, altho there have been a lot of worthy debates posted there. I rarely visit the others, but did post a Cub thing on MPSIMS, and some one else posted a Philly thing, with the same theme, on IMHO.
I’ve tried posted early in the morning,when I first get to work, at around 6am, and I get the message that the site cannot be accessed. I can’t figure that out. I don’t even both trying to access my email links when I get home after work, but wait until after supper. Yesterday, however, for the first time, I couldn’t even get on then.
In terms of GQ, there are other message boards offering the same service. I know of at least two, one UK-specific (delayed moderation) and one UK/US (real-time). I think that GD and, for those that enjoy it, MPSIMS are the attractive points here. I don’t know any other boards that offer the same variety of subject matter, but things like GQ are not unique.
Absolutely, positively not.
Sure I would.
I’d pay for one year, and see who stuck around, kind of a trial basis.
If, after the exodus that would of course take place, there were still enough reasons for me to continue, I’d be fine with re-upping.
Nobody rides for free without waiting in line. 
Yes.
Reading is still free and we can link in other discussions or e-mails to threads here to get the Straight Dope out to people; the more people we get to come through the more likely some of them will pony up and stay around.
Yes. I easily get more than $25 worth of entertainment from the boards in a year.
But like previous posters have said, I think subscription fees would eventually dilute the board so much that it would become something not worth paying for in the end.
I would pay it begrudgingly.
Idea: Allow one (or two) free posts per day, unlimited posting comes only with membership. That gives limited access to newbies, lurkers & others who don’t feel like they’d ever use “$25 worth” of the boards, frustrates trolls & socks because they’d have to wait until the next day to make some lame-brained smart remark. The most productive posters would probably be able to scrounge up the 25 beans in order to satiate their habit.
This implies, however, that anyone who’s posted worthwhile comments here would be willing to fork over $25. I’d bet anything that if $25 had been the requirement from the beginning, many of us would not have stayed. I know for certain I wouldn’t have. It would be sad if the only people left if this suggestion were implemented would be those who could afford a $25 payment. And, of course, you’d turn away a LOT of people who come here looking for free advice or information.
I guess my point is that I think there are many gifted people who post on here who may not be inclined to pay such a rate and therefore might just leave.
Thanks, eulalia!
Gee, that’s TWO people wanting me to stay already-in case of a pay system…
:o
Seriously, it’s touching.
Would you mind posting the links to their websites?
Probably not.
I might do it for a year. might. But I’d rather just send a lump sum for a specific purpose.
But I wouldn’t just be worried about cool people leaving or cool people not coming in. I’d be worried about the point handy brought up. If people pay for it on a regular basis they could feel as though they had a right to re-write the rules or control the actions of the board. As it is we have, IMHO, a very fair and well tuned community with clear rules and great mods who care for the well being of the boards.
A determined and paying troll could say they couldn’t be banned, they are paying, right? It’s their board too, they support it they should get to do whatever they want with their ‘property’. And that would suck. You think the “I shouldn’t have been banned” crap is bad now?
but there has to be a solution in here somewhere.
Yea, I’d pay. But the arguments against subscriptions are legitimate.
Someone’s probably mentioned this before, but I’d think something along the lines of a pledge drive would work better. The SDMB is non-profit, right? So think PBS, except without the annoying pledge breaks. When it comes time to upgrade the server, you announce it, make up some keychains, pen & pencil sets, coffee mugs, whatever, and “sell” them for 5 times what they’re worth. Real names only, no user names attached. If someone has a problem, hey, they just bought a really expensive coffee mug.
AFAIK, contributing to the local PBS affiliate doesn’t make the program director responsible to you in any way, so I don’t see how this would be different. If it’s a donation rather than a payment for services, I think we could avoid many of the problems mentioned.
If it made the board load faster, I sure would pay!
No. I don’t post enough to worry about it. I’ve been here almost a year and have amassed a whopping 200 posts.
I would rather my $25 go to Educational television (ETV) or Public Radio Mississippi.
Well, in case anyone’s curious, so far we have, by my count (and all qualifiers aside):
Yes: 35
No: 19
as of Juliana’s post.