Not to gratuitously rain on the peace & love fest over the fantastically fabulous state of euphoria this new development seems to have everyone in right now…
While $4.95 is obviously chicken change, IMO $14.95 seems, in the words of another charter member, elitist. And exclusionary.
Not because of the amount.
But because there are lots of quality people who flat won’t shell out over $10 for something they’re not that in love with. And frankly, it can take over 30 days for that to happen, if someone doesn’t get a chance to visit every day for five hours for the 30 days. Once or twice in that month, they might see the site, then do other things (remember, they’re not in love with it yet). Then they come back, want to post a question about something fascinating, and find their trial has expired, they’re not welcome to post here without being held up for $15. I’d have said, “screw it, it’s just another money squeeze” and never come back. And I don’t think I’m an idiot. Make it $9.95, though, and the psychology will turn in your favor. And you’ll double–maybe triple–the number of NEW subscribers. Why? Because in the mind of the consumer, $9.95 is “not even ten”, while $15 is “almost twenty.” It isn’t twice as much, but psychologically, from a marketing standpoint, it FEELS to the consumer like basically twice as much. (I’m not making this up.)
[dodging flaming arrows]
Just my opinion. This site rocks and is well worth the $15, mind you. Or 20. But that’s because I know that and love the site. Just consider the $9.95 for less inbreeding and more inclusiveness. The world is too exclusive as it is, IMO. [umbrella ripping and bending from twigs and rocks]
I haven’t posted much, but I did lurk and read. As I’m already a member - erm guest - I only have until April 21 to make posts. After that I can only read - but part of the reason I read was because of the ability I had to make a response if I wanted to.
Taking away my posting rights is not only making me less likely to even read the boards, it limits something that has become universally known. I’ve joined other message boards, and for me (and I know many others) the process is usually the same. I read and lurk for a little bit, then something catches my eye and I post once or twice. Then I read and lurk some more, making a few more posts and increase my posting average slowly but surely. Eventually I become a “regular” making 3-5 posts a day. I’ve already mentioned I’m doomed because I’m in the early stages of that process and thus can’t justify a membership - and also can’t develop into a “regular” to legitimize it. Even a new guest that develops as I do won’t have enough time to justify a membership.
The Straight Dope will be losing a whole group of people - those under 18 who can’t get credit cards and for whom it will be very unlikely their parents would allow them to buy a membership. Again, like me.
The thing that saddens me the most about my inability to become a member is the fact that I’m losing the ability to educate 7,000+ about manatees. Given the choice between SD and my manatees, any extra money I earn (<$0.01 per week) will be going to help them. They’re more needy anyway - they’re getting mauled daily. I can either help a defenseless creature or allow myself to be entertained.
I’m sorry my last post doesn’t really follow a logical train of thought - but then again I don’t think like that. I’m also sorry for it’s somber tone - I really am a happy person if you know me.
Hard to argue with that logic, but since I so seldom log on here at SDMB anymore, it seems senseless to give up the price of a hamburger for something I don’t use… Thus, the downside of capatalism… I’ve enjoyed my time here and have met a few friends, but will have to say. “So long, folks…”
Eventually everything on the internet will have a price tag and I’ll have to abandon the whole enterprise.
I’ll probably come here just as often (not very), but not post as much because it’s not worth the hassle of fudging IPs and all that. Too bad about the search function, too. That should be a public service.
Everybody move to sophists.org and swamp my buddy’s bandwidth costs. We may not be big but we’re small. And I’m hungry for some more articulate posters.
And no, sperm do not die when they fart, as they cannot fart (obviously). However, sperm do die when their owner (manufacturer?) farts, due to temperature increase in the pubic area.
Okay, I paid up.
I’ve been a member for something like four years but only have about 300 posts.
Which I guess is a good indication of the kind of poster I am.
I show up for a few rounds and then take off for awhile and then come back for more.
Not sure if I’ll be posting $4.95 worth, but I guess I want to keep that option open.
Is there a way to sign up for people who don’t want to use Paypal or a CC? Maybe money order with an email address? When the 10 months is up, you get an email reminding you to pay the next years fee?
Normally I would pay and not complain about a measley $5 bucks. However, sigh I only come here and post so often. I love reading all the intelligent points of view, but because I am absent from the boards a lot more then I would like to be, I guess its farewell for me.
If there is a way to post every now and then and still be able to read responses I would love to maintain my membership, somehow? Otherwise it was really nice reading and posting, and I will miss this board and all of you. I never knew all of you lol! but I will miss all of the above just the same!
You may be right, but we’re experimenting. The charter rate was purposely set low to see if people could be persuaded to pay ANYTHING. We’ve now established that they can. The $14.95 regular rate sets the bar a little higher, although it still seems pretty reasonable to us; we’ll see what happens. The 30 day trial is likewise a test. It’s meant to ensure a steady flow of new users, many of whom will post a few times (or never) and move on, but some of whom will stick around. Whether 30 days is long enough to get somebody hooked we’ll soon find out.
well, hell, i hardly visit here anymore. in fact i just returned because of the e-mail
but i think it’s worth the $4.95…hell, i’ve spent ten times that amount in a bar in 4 hours.
the sdmb has led me to meet many interesting and learned people. and it’s always a place i know i can come to, to ask a silly question and get it answered.
i don’t know if i’ll extend it past the initial paid year, but i think it’s worth it for all it’s given me in the past and it might get me to visit more, again.
I’m afraid I agree with hyjyljyj and will count myself with those the subscriptions will be salting out. I’m sorry to say goodbye, but I come here so seldom now its just going to have to be another former favorite. Things really haven’t been the same since Satan left and Wally died anyway. And that should tell some of you all how lonk I have been lurking in the shadows…
It’s been a nice run, guys. To sum up my career here: I finally joined in August 2002, posted a bunch of times, got a few people mad at me, made some good friends and found some people I still look up to, started posting less, went on a couple of trips away from the Board for a while, now mostly lurk, came today after another unexplained two-week absense to learn about the Red Banner rebellion in Iran and see the thread about Jumangku’s love life (good going, buddy), and see this.
So it’s a pay site now then, eh? Sucks.
Wish I had made more of my time here. Guess I’m out, guys. See ya around.
Been on the Internet since before it was available to the public, before it went commercial. I like to share information and help people. I think the internet is a great way to do that. I’m not paying anyone for that privilege though. Some here would argue that I’m already paying for the privilege by paying for the internet connection. The internet connection gives me the opportunity to help others and share information. A subscription here would be paying for the privilege to do so. A subtle difference but none the less a substantial one.
I spend enough money on my philanthropic activities, none of which I can really afford. I’ll take $4.95 or $14.95 whatever it is and use it to help someone else.
In my civics class we were told to look at news stories with a critical eye and think of the following question. How is this going to affect me?
“This” being the subscription deal.
At first, I was thinking, man what a rip. But now I’m thinking yee-haw! Cause with the subscription deal, there will be a lot less posts in GQ and now my GQ’s will get a lot more responses. They’ll be 1000 SDMBers hitting the refresh button like frantic weasels just waiting for a question, any question, to be posted. And when a question if finally posted, BOOM! 1000 people will be responding! Whew!
Okay, well maybe it won’t work out like that, but I can dream can’t I?
You dirty bastages. This is duck-butter! Dirty no good Duck-butter. Never has a travesty this monumentous been incurred since… wait a second…did you say $5.00? As in half of $10? As in the square root of $25 dollars? I spend more on Jelly Bellies which I usually end up losing anyways. Cheerio old chaps.
Ah well. I changed my mind and paid. You should understand that this was not for any good reason, but just that I wanted to try out my PalPal account by sending some piffling small sum somewhere. I only opened the PayPal thing a month or so back, and that was to receive some money, from a very generous man.
Anyway, my payment seemed to work. I suppose I’ll have to keep checking my posts now to see how soon my smarmy, one-up-on-the-guests membership status appears.
You’re not alone, ceptimus. After drudging through 12 pages of posts, I believe there have been a couple more “I will never pay” posters that have Charter Member under their name now… Glad to have you around!
Well, let me be the first to say, I won’t pay. I’ll find somewhere else to go, there are other discussion boards out there, but I’ve been a part of the straight dope from back in the AOL board days under various names. Back when tubadiva was just a member like the rest of us, when “3. Hi Opal!” was funny. When Cecil used to post sometimes. When Wally died.
I know bandwidth costs money, I know said money doesn’t grow on trees, but I can’t justify even that $5 when I’m struggling as I am. I fear you will also lose the “casual” posters–those who don’t spend every online minute on SDMB, refreshing, refreshing, waiting for replies. As a result this place will be less diverse, and have less information available to those who do subscribe. Less information == fewer subscribers.
So I bid farewell to you , SDMB. Been a good ride.
Continue the fight against ignorance–at least for those who can afford it.
BTW, I personaly wouldn’t mind forced ad viewing like salon.com does, not sure about everyone else. Just something to think about when this doesn’t pan out.
