What has come of that? About a year or so ago there was much talk about how to raise money (ie charge) for the running of the board, what has been decided?
Last I heard, the administration had not yet reached a conclusion.
Probably sounding like a stuck record here - have they considered setting up a paypal donation system?
I would certainly donate.
The latest comment I can find from staff is from this April 2003 thread.
It’s a matter of wait and see.
Wait, then who did i give $10 to??? :eek:
Damn you, White Lightning!!! I’ll get you for that!!
Ooo! Maybe it’ll be like LiveJournal - the basics are free, but you can pay a bit more and get some neat bells and whistles. That’d be keen! 
Esprix
Well, since the administration seems to have the issue figured out I guess this is kinda moot, but I’m posting it anyway. See, I had this brilliant idea back when these discussions were taking place and I posted it knowing the potential it had to fund the boards, align the planets, preserve peace in the world, and make Ann Coulter mute. (note: predicted results have 75% margin of error)
Unfortunately, I believe it was lost in the Winter of Missed Content. (At least I haven’t been able to find it).
So here it is:
THE GREAT SDMB RAFFLE
$5 a ticket, buy as many as you like. One lucky doper drawn from the raffle at random gets to have a question of his/her choice answered by the Master himself. Conduct it annually, bi-annually, quarterly, whatever is workable.
Benefits to consider:
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each person can choose what to give based on his/her financial situation, while poor broke college students and the like need not participate
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no wasted money on merchandise (or S&H) that nobody wants anyway. Nearly 100% profit I’d imagine (less the cost of running it)
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everyone wants to have a question answered by Cecil
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it would truly put Cecil’s claim that he can deliver the SD on any topic to the test, since he would have no control at all over what will be asked of him (Whaddya think Unca Cece, up to the challenge?)
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it would be FUN!!!
Brilliant? Dare I say: Genius???
Nope - as a corporate entity, The Chicago Reader can’t take donations (at least that was my understanding, as many people outright offered money that they couldn’t take). Raffles would count as such.
Neat idea, though.
Esprix
I would pay $25 for a coffee mug that said something along the lines of “SDMB Premium Member - 2003”. And I wouldn’t complain if I suddenly had access to Who’s Online, PM’s, and an avatar.
Just saying, is all.
Would they?? I mean, you would be buying something. What if they ran some contest selling stickers where each purchase of a sticker entered you? Or even the SD books? Would that make the revenue generated from the sales officially a “donation”?
If so, Damn!
In this case move the Board off to Antigua and Barbuda or whatever gambling-friendly offshore island nations are available.
AFAIK, the SDMB already has a perfectly good revenue producing device:
Chicago Reader Online Advertising Rate Sheet
Pool your money and buy a banner, even if it is just and ad for the SDMB itself. Once the Reader sees some income being produced by the SDMB. maybe they would be more disposed to upgrading the server.