So, What DO you do with the money, fuckheads?

The BBQ Pit
101

[QUOTE=picunurse]
I’m confused about the estimates on what the board makes. There are 71,675 members. This, I believe, are the number of paying members. (Since non-paying participants are guests)
If, for argument’s sake we say 1/2 of those members are charter members, the amount paid per year is $536,845.75 + $268,422.87= $805,268.62.

Am I doing something wrong?

If all members paid the full amount of $14.98, the total would be $1,073,691.50

I’m pretty sure fewer than half are charter members, so the amount would be higher.
[/QUOTE]

What Rico said.

The board draws its posts and other information (searches, etc.) from a database, and that database needs to contain a unique ID for each person that is in the database.

For example, you are member number 32777, and your public profile can be viewed using this link:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?userid=32777

Now, if you decided to leave the board, and your ID number was put back into the rotation, to be assigned to a newly-subscribing member, then there would be no way for the database to differentiate your posts, as member 32777, from the posts of new member 32777.

For that reason, when someone leaves the boards, their name stays attached to the ID number they were assigned when they became a member. So every new member adds another number, making it look like there are over 70,000 current members, whereas this is actually the total number of people who have EVER been a member of the boards.

Check out, for example, the guy who’s one member number below yours, 32776. Poor old Bukkake Fan only managed to hang around for 11 posts before being banned, but his member number remains attached to his username in the database forever.

102

Personally, I think it obvious that Zambini works for the admins. He makes a lot of blowhard accusations about the quality of the board, people defend it, he calls them collaborators, rinse and repeat. It’s blatant propaganda designed to drum up sympathy for the SDMB and deflect criticism.

103

I knew it was too simple. Thanks for setting me straight.

104

[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers]
Personally, I think it obvious that Zambini works for the admins. He makes a lot of blowhard accusations about the quality of the board, people defend it, he calls them collaborators, rinse and repeat. It’s blatant propaganda designed to drum up sympathy for the SDMB and deflect criticism.
[/QUOTE]
We’re not THAT hard up for sympathy. Thank Og.

105

[QUOTE=Zambini57]
Oh yeah, good Tuckerfan.

So, I’m a troll now. Why don’t you research some of my posts and see how much “trolling” I’ve done?
[/quote]
Why?

Obviously, you have no clue as to where I’m working now, or what I think of the place.

Whatever.

That wasn’t me. I’ve not posted any such story here, or even have one to tell.

I don’t need this place at all, nor am I afraid to be critical of it.

106

This Zambini guy is completely unredeemably unpleasant. Is he a shockjock DJ, perchance?

107

Can someone please explain to me what a charter member is? (sorry for the noobish question but it keeps popping up in this thread)

108

[QUOTE=tonedef]
Can someone please explain to me what a charter member is? (sorry for the noobish question but it keeps popping up in this thread)
[/QUOTE]

Those of us who were members when it went to a paid subscription - and paid our dues - were given the title Charter Member. We also get to pay half the regular fee for being amongst the First.

109

[QUOTE=Jolly Roger]
Maybe I’m not around online for all of the times the servers are down here, because I’ve never experienced it. Ever. And I’ve lurked around here for awhile before I subscribed also.
[/QUOTE]

I’m on a mega-speed university link and once the Americans wake up the board can become very slow and prone to time-outs. Not a problem I have with any other site, even heavy traffic ones.

It makes taking part in a debate pretty hard.

But such is life I guess.

110

[QUOTE=Liberal]
Not to come down on either side, but one of the reasons some people paid was possibly in part because of the hope of improved performance. Many people had even offered to donate money to help performance long before pay-to-post.
[/QUOTE]

I think that’s fair - there have, after all, been casual and vague promises of cool stuff we might get in the future, loosely associated with the notion of board revenue. I think TPTB ought to throw us a bone.

111

Well we did get PM’s. That’s something new.

112

And blowjobs.

Don’t forget the blowjobs.

[sub]or was that just me?[/sub]

113

[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup]

[sub]or was that just me?[/sub]
[/QUOTE]

Well I know that *I * haven’t blown anyone on the board, I can’t say I speak for you. :smiley:

114

[QUOTE=Cluricaun]
Well we did get PM’s. That’s something new.
[/QUOTE]

The 5 minute Edit window has been a huge improvement. (except when the board times out before you can use it)

Now if only Jerry could scrape up the 6-18 hours needed to upgrade us to the latest version of Vbulletin that should eliminate some or all of the search issues.

In theory this would reduce some of the stalls and timeouts.

Jim (I’ll pass on the pony, too much work and expensive to keep and feed, but I will take a sports forum :wink: )

115

[QUOTE=Zambini57]
That’s probably because nobody notices you, or knows who the hell you are.
[/QUOTE]

True. I have a choice between being known as a whining jackass or being an unknown hoopy frood, which means I am happily unknown.

As you have heard in this thread already, you are not getting jumped on because you are new.

116

[QUOTE=kaylasdad99]
I mean, I remember about the Ford Fairlane movie (although I never saw it), but this Doper just makes me see a tallish guy in blue jeans and a leather jacket.
[/QUOTE]

I don’t have a leather jacket, but the rest sounds about right.

117

[QUOTE=FordPrefect]
True. I have a choice between being known as a whining jackass or being an unknown hoopy frood, which means I am happily unknown.

As you have heard in this thread already, you are not getting jumped on because you are new.
[/QUOTE]

Too many Douglas Adams fans on this board to not take note of you. Beside, you tend to post in bursts from what I recall.

Jim

118

I agree with the OP & I really don’t understand what causes people to be so defensive about their loyalty to a shitty product.

And I really don’t understand “love it or leave it.” It’s perfectly reasonable to suggest improvements to a business you regularly patronize.

Maybe the Reader doesn’t want to publicize the balance sheet - that’s their prerogative. But why would anyone get their feathers ruffled because someone asks?

119

[QUOTE=Key Lime Guy]
I agree with the OP & I really don’t understand what causes people to be so defensive about their loyalty to a shitty product.

And I really don’t understand “love it or leave it.” It’s perfectly reasonable to suggest improvements to a business you regularly patronize.

Maybe the Reader doesn’t want to publicize the balance sheet - that’s their prerogative. But why would anyone get their feathers ruffled because someone asks?
[/QUOTE]
I think it might have something to do with the tone. Did you read jacklope’s post ?

120

[QUOTE=Jodi]
On any given day, this is by far the most fun I can have for four and a half cents.
[/QUOTE]
That’s 'cause you never gave me four and a half cents. :stuck_out_tongue: