# SDMB service update **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 12, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-service-update/228793 "2004-02-12T04:48:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-service-update/228793/62 "2004-02-21T04:16:40Z")
> [@Jimmy Chitwood](#): > > I don’t know a whole lot (read: anything) about the ways and means of implementing this kind of stuff, but what about a setup that charges users for their _rate_ of posting? You could post, say, once a day gratis, but if you wanted to increase your posting rate above the magic threshold, the subscription fee would kick in. That way, the hardcore of the heavy posters (who I would think would be most willing to pay, generally) could pay their dues and carry on as usual, while the heavy posters who couldn’t/didn’t want to pay to post could stay active around here. Just not as active. Plus, the idiots would have to make a decision- be idiots less frequently, pay up, or leave. Even socks wouldn’t be all that effective. > > I think that would help make the tragedy of these commons a little less tragic- the people using up the most resources would be paying for the privilege. Like I said, I don’t know if that could be implemented, or even if it would alleviate the problems were it implemented, but there’s my contribution. I’m fairly sure that the software can’t handle any scheme like that. I’m not POSITIVE, but I’m fairly sure it can’t. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-service-update/228793/63 "2004-02-21T05:12:33Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > I’m fairly sure that the software can’t handle any scheme like that. I’m not POSITIVE, but I’m fairly sure it can’t. Would it be able to handle **Bosda’s** Amazon link idea? ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-service-update/228793/64 "2004-02-21T07:08:29Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Would it be able to handle **Bosda’s** Amazon link idea? I would think so. It’s just a referral page. Simply place the link in the footer appended to each page. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-service-update/228793/65 "2004-02-21T12:59:50Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > Some time ago, Ed conducted a survey, and managed to get quite satisfactory results. So we don’t need another survey thread like that. > > As for people worrying that the nature of the SDMB will change, yes, it will. It has always changed over time. If it has always changed, why wouldn’t you need another survey? There’s no guarantee that you’d get the same results. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-service-update/228793/66 "2004-02-21T13:19:29Z")
OK, so once again, we have a simple statement by Ed and then two pages of wild speculation, creative ideas, and whatnot. Then arguing over whether this idea or that idea will work or won’t work. Enough. Re-read Ed’s statement that initiated this thread, and take a deep breath or two, and await developments. **hajario** , this is NOT the forum for gratuitous insults. Your comment (way back when and early on in this thread) was uncalled for, and certainly does not belong in this forum. Our normal moderating instructions are to simply delete the whole post. I was tempted to do so, I’m not sure why I didn’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-service-update/228793.md?page=3)