# Some things are better out in the open
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [August 15, 2007, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688 "2007-08-15T14:01:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2007, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/1 "2007-08-15T14:01:38Z")
I see that this thread:
> **[What's the Straight Dope on cancelling subscriptions](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=432854)**
>
> After recently re-subscribing to the SDMB, I have become frustrated by the number of times the site is unavailable. That issue is being discussed in several threads elsewhere so there’s no need to comment on it here, but my purpose of this thread is...
was closed because the user in question was happy with a private response, but I am sure that many others would like to know the outcome of this. I think it would be appropriate to have a public response to the matter of account cancellations and refunds.
Please post for all to know. Transparency suits large organizations
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2007, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/2 "2007-08-15T18:56:47Z")
Your request has been forwarded up the ladder; none of us here on staff have any control or jurisdiction over this.
As to what the OP would like, by indicating a desire to take her situation to email it would appear she does not want her personal business in the street; please respect that.
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### Author:  [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/3 "2007-08-15T18:59:55Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva]
As to what the OP would like, by indicating a desire to take her situation to email it would appear she does not want her personal business in the street; please respect that.
[/QUOTE]
That’s a bit of a stretch. What she said was: “feel free to contact me via email rather than posting here, if you would prefer.” To which you said that you would.
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### Author:  [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/4 "2007-08-15T19:11:44Z")
Just to clarify, I would certainly be happy for the outcome of my request to be published on the board.
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### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/5 "2007-08-15T19:29:44Z")
I am not asking about the particular case of sandra\_nz. I am asking about a general rule on what happens when a user wants to cancel and account and wants a refund, since the written rules don’t make specific mention of it.
Just a rules clarification, not a desire to pry into the life and work of another member.
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/6 "2007-08-15T19:34:52Z")
None of us here in the day to day have decision-making capacity over this, I’ve kicked it upstairs.
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### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/7 "2007-08-25T17:00:28Z")
bump?
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### Author:  [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2007, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/8 "2007-08-26T12:56:23Z")
Just to throw out the obvious:
Because sandra’s request is somewhat reasonable, and there aren’t -yet- those terms explicitly stated, she’ll get a pro-rata refund. The rules will be updated, and this’ll be the end of any such refunds.
Just my random musings, but it seems to be the obvious corporate response to an issue like this: first person gets appeased, and the loophole gets closed.
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### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/9 "2007-08-26T13:42:38Z")
My thoughts exactly. This is why I am so surprised that they are not rushing to get this one addressed.
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### Author:  [@jdavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdavis)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/10 "2007-08-26T14:55:04Z")
Since we’ve gone to a subscription based system the policy has always been to extend subscriptions of the membership when there have been significant usage problems. I’m aware performance has been worse than usual the last 2 months and that it has also improved within the last 10 days after I instituted a global change. The next issue of any kind that we experience will result in another extension of subscriptions. That policy will continue.
We’ve not processed refunds in the past, pro-rata or otherwise. We won’t in the future as long as the SDMB continues to operate. Cancellation of an account might be done but it would not entail a refund as well. Since there are no refunds we’d lean in the direction of not canceling an account because desires can change over time and the subscription usage period still remains in effect. The only situation I’m aware of where refunds were ever discussed as an option was years ago and involved the SDMB being offline for a long period of time with the slim chance it was not going to be brought back online. I hesitate to even bring this up since there is a close to zero chance for this to happen but there is the possibility of refunds if the SDMB was no longer a going concern. Those refunds would be tied to a very specific one time event.
Jerry
Edit: And now that I think about it the extended offline period was before subscriptions so that wasn’t even the context of the refund discussion. The refund discussion probably occurred during the initial decision making process to go to subscriptions.
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### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2007, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-things-are-better-out-in-the-open/415688/11 "2007-08-26T23:50:17Z")
Thanks for the response. Make sure you make mention of all this on the User Agreement and you can forget about it and live happily ever after.