# The SDMB is switching to paid subscriptions **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 18, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724 "2004-03-18T18:26:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/441 "2004-03-20T22:35:31Z")
> [@SwingWing](#): > > Great! I’d describe it in a different way and get banned for life … well 32 hours anyway 🙂 Why? What happens in 32 hours? Other than everyone’s account starting their 30 day free trial, that is? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/442 "2004-03-20T22:37:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Merchandice must be made before it can be sold. Not if they went through CafePress. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/443 "2004-03-20T22:49:08Z")
> [@](#): > > There’s an announcement at the top of every forum with the same title as this thread. I first logged in on my broadband account, which at the moment forces me to use Windows and a modified IE6. I was specifically looking for this information following a referral from G’Dope, but IT WEREN’T THERE. Had to boot back into Linux/Galeon to see it. Couldn’t log in in IE either, not recognised. Garbage. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/444 "2004-03-20T23:33:07Z")
Hmmm, weeell, OK I’ll pay, but can we have the same privaliges as one other Vbulletin boards like avatars, the ability to change the line under your name (where it currently says member) to something else, the dot on the envelope icon on the thread/thread starter thingy (to the left of the thread title) which tells you you’ve posted on that thread, the ability to edit your posts [for spelling errors] … Alright I know some people like to put offensive things as their avatars, and edit their original post so it’s worded entirely differently than the offensive inflamitory remark made - there are moderators to slap the wrists of them who do these things … ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/445 "2004-03-21T00:16:57Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > … > > How about multi-year subscriptions? Or LIFETIME subscriptions?.. Has this question been answered? Can I buy a lifetime subscription at a reduced rate? How about multi-year options? ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/446 "2004-03-21T00:33:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Chewed up by a flying pig, no doubt. > 🙂 Now _that_ was not designed to make me any happier about the changes. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/447 "2004-03-21T00:36:00Z")
> [@Duck Duck Goose](#): > > Tranq, I don’t think it’s a “stupidity” issue so much as it’s a “disinterest” issue. Lynn said earlier somewhere that basically the _Reader_ is finally at the point where they’re not going to underwrite the MB any more, so bottom line is that the MB now has to pay its own way. Maybe - Save that they weren’t expressing such disinterest years ago, when the previous discussions came up. Otherwise, you’ve made a very interesting point. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/448 "2004-03-21T00:44:14Z")
> [@SwingWing](#): > > Great! I’d describe it in a different way and get banned for life … well 32 hours anyway 🙂 You have no idea who I am. **carnivorousplant** at least shares some history with me, has posted in the same threads with me, and _might_ think there’s a reason for such wisecracks. You? Not so much. > [@Chronos](#): > > Don’t be so sure that we’d have made at least some money. Every potential revenue stream has costs associated with it. Don’t be so sure it _wouldn’t_ have happened. The fact it, it wasn’t even _tried_. There’s no evidence this method will work, _either_, and it’s going to, _already has_, change the nature of the board. It’s irrevocable, and less intrusive methods haven’t been given a chance. Not happy. Not happy at all. More likely that I _will_ pay, but not out of hope. More out of a sense of obligation for what was. This is the end of a golden age. ---
**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/449 "2004-03-21T00:56:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Donations would require the Reader to spin off a non-profit arm, I don’t see why, unless you want to make the donations tax deductible. Would you care to elaborate? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/450 "2004-03-21T01:12:29Z")
I thought of the vanity press thing when something I wrote for _Teemings_ came to mind. It wold seem a littel tacky if I were paying for it, so I understand that point of view. But 5 bucks a year or even 20 is better than advertising. Besides, we don’t have a lot of choice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/451 "2004-03-21T01:30:39Z")
Sorry, **Ed** , but if half of the horror stories [here](http://www.paypalsucks.com) is true, I think it’s a grave disservice to Dopers to encourage them to use PayPal. (And yes, I realize it’s obviously a site with an agenda, but as I said, if even half of it is true, I don’t think giving that company your banking information should be encouraged.) ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/452 "2004-03-21T01:31:59Z")
> [@](#): > > This is the end of a golden age. Pretty much the same sentiments were expressed when the board moved from AOL to the website MB. I don’t think that turned out too bad. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/453 "2004-03-21T01:40:52Z")
> [@Tranquilis](#): > > Maybe - Save that they weren’t expressing such disinterest years ago, when the previous discussions came up. Otherwise, you’ve made a very interesting point. Except that it was pretty much just the SDMB Administration participating in the previous discussions, and its the management at the CR who makes the financial decisions, and the two groups don’t have any overlap. The Admins here can suggest and recommend ideas submitted here and thought up themselves all they want, and that doesn’t obligate the CR to implement any of them. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/454 "2004-03-21T02:00:52Z")
This is an anonymity solution I’ve mentioned several times in the past couple of days, so I’d like to ask the admins, once and for all: if I get a Visa “gift” debit card without a name on it, should I be able to use it for my subscription with the system you have? I get the feeling I should, since the Visa site declares it’s usable anywhere regular Visa debit cards are, but I’d like to confirm this. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Grousser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Grousser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grousser)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/455 "2004-03-21T02:08:31Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > I asked this question several posts back, and I’m hoping it doesn’t get lost. > Can we send in money orders? I’m quite willing to pay, but what if I don’t have a credit card? > I’m looking for an answer on the money order issue, too. I second BiblioCat, and I’m in Mexico. I have no credit card. Can we send a money order? I have a HSBC bank here in my town. Could it work with it? **Please Ed Zotti, give us an answer!** ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/456 "2004-03-21T02:26:39Z")
> [@Grousser](#): > > I second BiblioCat, and I’m in Mexico. I have no credit card. Can we send a money order? I have a HSBC bank here in my town. Could it work with it? > > **Please Ed Zotti, give us an answer!** Ed’s [answer](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=4661789#post4661789) to this question was: > [@](#): > > **Why can’t I mail a check to the Reader?** > > We really don’t want to hire clerical staff to process payments - we’ve sunk enough money into this project already. Manual payments are a headache - bounced checks, wrong amount, no signature, can’t match check to screen name, lost in the mail, foreign currency, etc. If you honest to God can’t figure out any other way to pay, such as snail-mailing the money to one of the many Dopers who have volunteered to pay electronically on your behalf, you can send me a money order and I will do it myself. However, please exhaust your other options first. So, if you don’t have a credit card, can’t use Paypal, can’t get one of those prepaid Visa/Mastercard type giftcards (or they won’t work with the subscription software) and you can’t get in touch with one of the Dopers who are doing payments for people without credit cards, you can send Ed a money order. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/457 "2004-03-21T06:16:10Z")
I’m reluctant to throw this out there because of previous experience, but what the hell, it won’t kill anyone, so… What about creating an **option** on the registration screen where someone can opt to either pay to register, or, they could purchase one of the Straight Dope books and get a “free” one-year membership to the message boards? Kindof like a “value added” thing. (I know the price of the books and the suggested annual fee for membership differ by a couple of dollars, so you’d have to tweak something somehow, but y’all are smart – you could figure something out.) This would accomplish several things: [ul][li]People who have a philosophical objection to paying for membership on a message board would be able to “justify” their paid membership because they’d actually be getting a tangible product for their money, as opposed to “paying for the privilege of providing content” (as I understand their concerns).[/li]The Reader would generate a lot more sales of merchandise! [/ul] It doesn’t change the current structure from a “pay to play” philosophy, but gives people who don’t like the _idea_ of it a way to continue to participate without compromising their principles. I dunno, just a thought I had. ---
**Author:** ![FyreFiend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@FyreFiend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FyreFiend)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/458 "2004-03-21T07:31:49Z")
You can count me in as yet another $5 on Monday. I hardly ever post but I like to know I can if I want. I know some people are worried that everyone going ape over how low the price is will make it go up but come on people, almost every other board that goes subscription is a lot more and people pay up. If they wanted to soak us they’d have started higher. We’re not paying for the Master’s new BMW. We’re just keeping the hamsters fed. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/459 "2004-03-21T07:54:21Z")
[QUOTE=Shayna] [li]The Reader would generate a lot more sales of merchandise! [/list] It doesn’t change the current structure from a “pay to play” philosophy, but gives people who don’t like the _idea_ of it a way to continue to participate without compromising their principles. I dunno, just a thought I had.[/li][/QUOTE] I think this is a good idea. It would be very easy to design a special t-shirt (for instance) for CafePress and add the appropriate mark-up to cover the cost of registering on the boards. CafePress has things like mugs, bumper stickers, t-shirts, sweat shirts, blank journals, calendars, stickers, framed prints, posters, and so forth. And all that you need to do is design a high-res jpg or png graphic (150-300 dpi) in the appropriate size for the particular product and then upload it to your “store.” There’s no up-front cost and no hassle with delivering the product. CafePress handles all of that and they seem to deliver a pretty decent product. (I’m wearing a CafePress t-shirt right now and have a CafePress bumper sticker on my car.) After you upload your graphic file, and set up the storefront (very easy to do) all you have to do is wait for the checks to be mailed to you. Easy. ---
**Author:** ![KoalaBear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47c2d/32.png) [@KoalaBear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KoalaBear)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/460 "2004-03-21T11:29:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **yosemitebabe** > I would assume that when we shell over our 5 bucks will agree to some sort of terms that indicate that the board can ban us for whatever damn reason they like. I don’t think so. Bankcards are considered a secure form of payment precisely because they protect consumers from that kind of abuse. The merchant can refund your money or honor the sale, but he can’t pocket your money and kick you out of the store because he suddenly decides that you’re an asshole. They’d yank his merchant account in a heartbeat. > [@](#): > > I know that some bannings have been controversial, but still—this is not a huge amount of money they’re asking. So long as the SDMB operates as a free system it’s justified to treat its members like grudgingly tolerated guests at a dinner party – while you’re burdening _their_ hamsters and sucking down _their_ bandwidth they’re entirely within their rights to interrupt you in the middle of supper and eject you onto the curb. But the moment they demand your credit card number and expiration date in order to be seated at the table, the nature of that relationship changes. You’ve paid for their services; they can suffer your presence or give you a refund and ask you to leave, but they can’t pull the fork from your hand and eject you to the curb while submitting your credit card impression to Visa for payment at the same time. Well, they might – at least I think that _they_ think they might – which is why this is a worthwhile avenue of discussion. Banks expect merchants to follow one basic rule: “Don’t be a jerk.” If you don’t treat a Visa card holder equitably, they will stop you accepting Visa for payment, period. The dollar amount of the disputed transaction is immaterial. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724.md?page=24)