Will the previous bannings carry over to the new system, or will there be an IP reset?
I’ll gladly pay,but fix the smilies!
:dubious: :smack: :wally ;j
The problem with this is that the check for multiple trial accounts can never be perfect. So a determined and (moderately) skilled poster could take advantage of the more expensive functions forever and “controversial” posters would see no benefit in a paid (and effectively bannable) membership.
If it’s any consolation, RTFirefly, I completely agree with you – it’s very frustrating that the administration has steadfastly dug their heels in and flat out refused to try any alternatives to generate revenue. And there have been a ton of great ideas offered. In that very 2001 thread you linked to, I suggested a multi-tiered approach based on several people’s suggestions that would include the option to pay to post if people wanted to, allow for user ads, outsourcing banner ad sales and joining amazon.com’s affiliate program. Not even one of those was even tried.
Therefore, there’s only one conclusion I can come to – they really don’t give a fig about generating revenue. As you said, they could’ve been doing that all along. No, what they care about it limiting membership. Period. They want the number of people accessing the boards to decrease in the hopes that the servers will run faster and the staff will have less work to do (both in moderating, editing and chasing off trolls). Ed basically said so right in the OP of this thread. His point #2 in the “Why Now” section clearly says they have no expectation of making any real money off of this. And he further says that the number of users this forum can support is somewhere between where it was in 2002 and where it is now, stating, “It seems certain that the number of current users will decline after we switch to subscriptions, and that board response will improve as a result.”
Bottom line; they don’t really care about this scheme generating revenues, so long as it decreases traffic here.
It’s a shame, really. I feel worst for the teens living at home who don’t have checking accounts or credit cards of their own and either don’t want to or can’t ask their parents to fork over even $15 for an internet habit, and the people outside the U.S. who I suspect will be less likely to stick around if they have to pay to play here, and even the casual poster who only jumps in once in a blue moon when they feel they have someting interesting or relevant to add, but who don’t do so often enough to justify paying for the privilege of doing so. I think we’ll end up losing a lot of diversity and perspectives that go towards making this forum what it is. 
Oh well, we’ll see how it goes.
Jeez, you make us sound like a bunch of vampires…
Yes Yes Yes Yes Absolutely Yes!!!
As I have no way of paying for the new subscription now, I guess it’s time for ol’ Lando to go riding off into the sunset (cue dramatic music).
However, if at sometime in the future I find a way to pay, will I be able to reclaim my old User ID? Or will I be forced to create a new persona?
Excellent ideas.
Oh, Powers That Be… please check out again Aeschines’ marketing ideas (#187 in this thread). I concur. Mostly. Here’s some other ideas for how to improve the planned Guest Membership plan that will get 'em hooked and weed out the trolls and puppets in this thread: Guest Membership under the New System.
Peace.
Five dollars this year and seven the next? Why that’s a tapestry of just us!
For those who are concerned about anonymity and giving out credit card numbers… What about those debit cards I remember hearing about that work sort of like a gift card, where you can only spend the money that’s been paid towards it? Does it require a name? If not, that could be an answer. It probably has some sort of fee, but it’s one possible solution…
I’ve been in practically from the beginning. I just passed 5 years posting here. User number 207, OP of thread number 8.
Of course I’m in. When cadolphin told me that SDMB was going pay, my first response was: “$24.95 a year?”
No problem and I’m happy to be one of your charter subscribers.
Or, they didn’t care for your ideas.
If that’s all they cared about, I doubt it would even be here. It’s not like they are obligated to run the board. Why devise some elaborate plan to cut down on the workload when they could simply pull the plug?
Well, I guess I should start going out and pimping for the SDMB on other boards. 
I most certainly read more than I post so far…but I’m in.
Only speaking for myself, let me clarify my position: I have no desire or intention to engage in financial transactions via the internet. Snail mail or bust.
And kellner, point taken.
Bless you for not making it 4.99/yr…that would have been to hard to handle.
Color me a little confused. Unless I’m mistaken, don’t these gift cards NOT have the recipients name on them? If so, what would be the harm of using these cards? Your name would not be attached, and if you’re getting the card just for this purpose, and the number were stolen, all you’d be out is the minimum limit of the card and the fee. I realize that it’s still a loss, no matter how much it is, but your reply gave me the impression that you think that there was some greater damage that could STILL be done by using those cards, which I don’t think there is…
Apologies in advance if I’m misinterpreting you.
I’m making a stand here. If you do not allow General Questions to be open to the public–the woefully ignorant public which we are sworn to inform–then I’m gone and I will not come back. The world flocks to the SDMB for free answers to the stupidest questions humankind can devise.
I’ll pay good money to answer 'em. I won’t pay a dime to intellectually jack off with those who already know them.
And one more thing. I want my name changed to Colonel Lingus. If I’m paying for it, I get what I goddamned want. You serve me now. Or, I leave. That’s the bottom line.
I think this is only fair. I was expecting a MONTHLY fee. Eh, enough leeching the free services of SD, I suppose. This wild experiment in capitalism - whatever its motivations - is worth a shot.
/lurker
Thanks, Ed.
I’m honored to put my money where my mouth is. Subscriptions are a good idea and it’s clear that you’ve put a lot of thought into the program.
I’ve certainly put my $.02 in enough posts before now. Do I get credit for those?
I’ll be sending my PayPal on the 22nd and I’m happy to do so.
The only debit cards I know of are pre-paid calling cards and my ATM card that connects to my checking account. A prepaid calling card can’t (to my knowledge) be used for anything other than making phone calls.
I’m simply uncomfortable with handling money on my computer, or over the internet in general. I’m happy to go down to the post office, get a $4.95 money order and mail it off to the Chicago Reader. If that is unacceptable to the good folks at the CR then, I guess, I’m SOL.