# 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:** 31
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/602 "2004-03-29T01:21:09Z")
> [@127.0.0.1](#): > > Well, let me be the first to say, I won’t pay. Too late. 10 pages of finger-flickin’ fools beat you to it. 🙂 > [@](#): > > BTW, I personaly wouldn’t mind forced ad viewing like [salon.com](http://salon.com) does, not sure about everyone else. Guess what would happen then, sure as bootin’ – “Ads?? ADS??? We don’t need no stinkin’ ADS!! I’d gladly pay $4.95 just to get rid of them daddy-ruckin’ ads!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/603 "2004-03-29T03:36:43Z")
I paid… did it work? ---
**Author:** ![BookReader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@BookReader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BookReader)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/604 "2004-03-29T03:48:43Z")
> [@2nd Law](#): > > Hey, I’m in. I’ve spend more than $4.95 for popcorn at the movies, and I’ve been a fan of Cecil’s for too long. I just fill my purse with popcorn and sneak it in … but SDMB is MORE than worth a paltry $4.95!! And No, No, NO ADS!! Gack! Ick! Ruck, FOOEY!! Spare us the ads! I’ll subscribe twice! I’ll do anything! NO ADS! \>whew\< OK, I feel better now … ---
**Author:** ![Taion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Taion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taion)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/605 "2004-03-29T07:21:05Z")
This is an anomly on the internet. Your user base shall slowly decline, some time after the initial surge of loyalists signing up. It makes me sad to see such a good message board die. See you at the crossroads. ---
**Author:** ![Gundhilde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@Gundhilde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundhilde)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/606 "2004-03-30T20:32:38Z")
I’ve been lurking here for five years. Can I continue lurking indefinitely? Can non-guest non-subscribers still _read_ the board, or would I have to subscribe? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/607 "2004-03-30T22:30:13Z")
> [@Gundhilde](#): > > I’ve been lurking here for five years. Can I continue lurking indefinitely? Can non-guest non-subscribers still _read_ the board, or would I have to subscribe? Linger to lurk as long as you like, but you simply must subscribe to search or speak. ---
**Author:** ![j-beda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@j-beda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j-beda)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/608 "2004-04-01T17:54:21Z")
> [@Taion](#): > > Your user base shall slowly decline, some time after the initial surge of loyalists signing up. It makes me sad to see such a good message board die. Unfortunately, I suspeck that Taion may be correct. While I could justify spending the $$ myself, I can’t really afford to spend that amount on each of the many forums I participate in, so if they all go subscription based, I will probably only “lurk”, and maybe create throw-away guest accounts if I ever desperately NEED to post. I think the real difficulty will be to convince completely new members to join, as has been stated. Maybe I should see if USENET still has much traffic. Back in the day, it was THE place to converse… ---
**Author:** ![whatmove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecc23a/32.png) [@whatmove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatmove)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/609 "2004-04-01T20:56:17Z")
I’m proper! -wm btw. well alliterated, **Musicat**. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/610 "2004-04-01T21:05:56Z")
Why not. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/611 "2004-04-02T15:31:05Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Well, I for one will NOT be subscribing. Not because I am too cheap, or because I think information should be free, or because I’m going away mad. No, I will not be subscribing because I have been spending WAY too much time on the SMDB, and this will give me a much-needed excuse to take a break. > [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > You say that NOW, but you’ll be back for your fix, oh yes, you will! ::evil cackle:: ::rubbing hands:: Two weeks. Two lousy weeks. Two weeks away from the boards and I’ve had to come crawling back. I’m weak. Zeus, Hera, **Lynn** , you were right… ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/612 "2004-04-02T15:35:09Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Two weeks. > > Two lousy weeks. > > Two weeks away from the boards and I’ve had to come crawling back. > > I’m weak. > > Zeus, Hera, **Lynn** , you were right… Welcome back. There is no escape from the SDMB! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Flash-57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/839c29/32.png) [@Flash-57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flash-57)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/613 "2004-04-02T17:06:41Z")
Well, it seems to me that the boards are running a lot faster in the last week. No more waiting 3-4 minutes for a thread to load. Either they invested all that new income in new equipment or the traffic on the boards is way down. Anyone know which is the case? ---
**Author:** ![ReBusEniGma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@ReBusEniGma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReBusEniGma)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/614 "2004-04-02T22:03:36Z")
We went for a walk last night, the missus and I. Says I, “You know my _Doper_ watering hole I’m always raving about? They’ve gone subscription based now.” Says she, “And?” I told her it would be $4.95 for the first year and ~$7 thereafter. She said, “I wish my mag subscriptions were that cheap.” She’s right; comparatively speaking, it’s a simple choice. **Other thoughts we discussed:** I remembered several times where Dopers have experienced great hardship, pain or loss, and other fellow Dopers have been a (sometimes sole) source of strength, encouragement, even a lifeline for some. For those who truly have other financial priorities and legitimately cannot afford the $ to maintain a subscription, it saddens me that they will no longer have this avenue of support they have come to rely on. Still others are not exactly the outgoing type, and the SDMB has provided meaningful and much needed social stimuli and interaction. Some people just find it easier to be more open and honest with people online than they ever could be IRL, and that just fine. **On the other hand,** it _is_ a service and services cost money to provide and maintain. I happen to be in the IT industry, and the cost attached to this sort of endeavour is not cheap, especially where large bandwith and human resources are involved (unless they are independently wealthy and charity oriented). In the end, I do support the decision for paid subscriptions. **As for newbies and SDMB proliferation;** I would submit that 30 days is not enough time to decide to start paying. It took me (I might be strange) months before I became a member, let alone a paying member. The SDMB has been free for the last five years; would it hurt to allow a newbie 6 months full access to decide? The ability to search for them is a benefit as well because then they can experience _the true power and value of the SDMB._ Being able to search would almost certainly reduce duplicate questions. So after 6 months, it’s like cutting off the blood supply to your brain. If you wanna make 'em a junkie, you gotta give 'em free junk for awhile. Then…they…become…addicted. 😃 IMO 30 days isn’t enough interaction time for a psychological bond to form, and just reading won’t cut it either. But that’s just me… ---
**Author:** ![jclayton\_theworks.com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@jclayton\_theworks.com](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jclayton_theworks.com)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/615 "2004-04-04T03:06:36Z")
Thanks for the very nice work over the past few months and years(?). I wish you the best of luck. Nice, but not critical to me. Bye, bye, bye, bye … Jim ---
**Author:** ![Grit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@Grit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grit)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/616 "2004-04-05T02:36:09Z")
I’ve spent more time on the SDMB than any other forum or IRC room put together. I spend most of my time lurking but if my contribution can keep the hamsters happy I am all for it. Long live dopers and long live the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Reader99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df788c/32.png) [@Reader99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reader99)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/617 "2004-04-05T04:33:29Z")
it is not clear to me whether there is an alternative payment method that preserves anonymity. i realize that there is no such thing as complete anonymity on the web, and i recognize that if you needed to you could trace a poster’s i.d. to a particular web address and maybe to a particular computer (although maybe not if someone is using a college computer lab or a large corporate computer system), but your payment methods actually require that detailed personal data (credit card info) be linked with the poster’s i.d., and therefore with all his posts forever. i’m not sure that’s a good idea. isn’t there a way to mail a money order and a note to a p.o. box? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/618 "2004-04-05T06:14:24Z")
Well, you can have someone with a PayPal account pay for you, and send them cash or something… We figured out how to pay someone else’s fee via PayPal (without giving out your password) here: [http://www.livejournal.com/community/sdmb/236872.html](http://www.livejournal.com/community/sdmb/236872.html) ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/619 "2004-04-05T13:00:06Z")
**Reeder99** , if you are concerned about security and anonymity, I’d be happy to function as an intermediary. I’ll subscribe for you. You can then send me the money order. All you have to do is provide me with your username and password (a temporary one) and you remain anonymous to the SDMB. If you are interested, email me at [greenfleurdelis@hotmail.com](mailto:greenfleurdelis@hotmail.com) ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/620 "2004-04-05T18:06:42Z")
Algnernon: If you’re going to use PayPal, you don’t even need his password. See my previous post 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724/621 "2004-04-05T19:06:40Z")
(sheephish smile) Well. I obviously should have actually _read_ your post **Opal** before responding like I did. If **Reeder99** is willing to try your method (which does _not_ involve providing a password to me), then I can be reached at my hotmail account in my previous post. Thanks **Opal**. I’m actually eager to try this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-is-switching-to-paid-subscriptions/257724.md?page=32)