I am more of a lurker than a poster, but I’ll gladly pay. However, count me as one without a credit card or knowledge of PayPal. If someone who is definitely going to subscribe would email me, I would like to work something out. I could mail a check or M.O. to whoever (whomever?) would sign me up. Many thanks if someone would do this for me.
dobs
As a new member, I would have to agree with this. After lurking for a couple of months, I’m still learning how this board works. Not the mechanics, but the social aspects of it or the unwritten rules. It’s quite intimidating at times.
As for me, I’ll likely pay. I’ve come to enjoy reading the threads here, and if they are not to my taste, then a search will get me my fix.
Cheap at the price.
::getting out moth-eaten old coin purse and checking contents::
Yep, I’m in.
I suppose that after the first year, your subscription goes up to 15 bucks like everyone else.
To be honest, this is a huge dissapointment.
I’m in. Heck, once they got PayPal hooked up so that you didn’t need a credit card to use it from Canada, I was into a number of things…
…er, I digress.
Ditto. I’d gladly spring for a gift sub or two also.
Damn I just e-mailed you admins the other day suggesting you consider accepting donations, and now I am gonna have to fork over my credit card one more time.
But seriously though, if Dopers will put up with me I will gladly pay the fee. (I hope you Dopers realize that I may be stupid, but my intentions are good)
Also I will pay the fee for one (1) additional Doper with no CC or funds that needs help to stay on board. e-mail askeptic2001@yahoo.com
Best Wishes,
Jason
One more data point: I’m in.
However, a major concern of mine would be subscribing my credit card through vBulletin. (I don’t have PayPal). Can someone comment on the type of security (SSL, etc) that it would have?
You must have missed the part where it says that people who sign up prior to April 21 will always get half off the going annual subscription rate.
$4.95?!
For a year?!
Sheeit, I’m in there like swimwear.
*"I can’t afford $4.95!
Please. These days you pay more than that for a hamburger. An annual subscription even at the procrastinator’s rate of $14.95 works out to about four cents per day. You can raise that kind of money checking behind the couch cushions…
*
when you say “four cents” a day, or “20 pence” or whatever, sure, it doesn’t sound like any money at all and everyone has a bloody good laugh about it: however, 20 pence is almost a small loaf bread (28p for a Danish loaf from Tesco), or it’s just under the cost of a tin of baked beans, with 3 pence “change” - a meal. Whilst the teeming millions may be fine, some people - and yes, that includes me - are living in Interesting Times; no, I don’t want to talk about it on a public forum.
I don’t have paypal access, or a credit/debit card and I couldn’t afford it regardless; leaving aside the argument about info. and discussion being free to all, and going through the for / against subscription arguments to start with.
So, I guess it’s “goodbye from me” and I wish all of the teeming millions the very best.
Pit thread in 3…2…1…
I’m in.
What about a bake sale advance payment scheme? After the fee goes to full price, pay $14.95/1 year, $19.95/2 years, $24.95/3 years? Since some who would pay $4.95 have hinted that they’d gladly pay $24.95/year, lets meet them and their pocketbooks somewhere in the middle.
It’s a better option than $4.95 for a year, then they leave when it goes to $14.95. You’ll make more money in the long run right off the bat, and you’ll also maintain a core membership. Beats the half price for charter members, making it more likely they’ll pay it.
If this idea is accepted, I’ll pay it, but how about a “Thanks for the idea” t-shirt?
I just got a renewal notice on mone of my husband’s boating magazines - $25.95 for a year. That’s one of 5 magazines he takes.
I quit taking magazines since I found I was recycling them unread. So I can easily afford the piddly amount to subscribe to the Dope, and I can probably help out a friend or two who can barely scrape by.
Here’s hoping the mix stays lively!
Good, show those maggots and worms that WE of the STRAIGHT DOPE are vastly superior to them in EVERY WAY.
(Kidding. Or am I…? 
)
Anyway…
If things do go south, I’m sure the Admins will fiddle with the Guest status… maybe they can limit Guests to 5 posts a day, or 20 posts a week, or something like that. Or they can fiddle with the registration fee, find something that works. The ultimate point is that this isn’t necessarily a perfectly static deal… it’s their board, they can fix and prod things that need it.
I’m not worried, basically… and I’d be only far too happy to fork over a few bucks.
So, I have four days to get a job.
I can’t sign up unless I have a job, I waste for too much time here.
Does any one need a chemist?
I’ll pay the five dollars, but I have a feeling that a year from now this board won’t be worth paying for. New blood and all.
The signup fee seems almost absurdly modest. Any chance that you could include a bucket for voluntary donations for equipment upgrades on the signup page? That’s a tin cup I’d drop a few dollars into.
[snip]On Monday, March 22, at 9 a.m., we’ll take the board down for an hour or so to load some new code. This will accomplish two things:[snip]
After Monday…
Do I find the board interesting?
Yup.
Will I pay?
Nope.
I pay for nothing on the net. Just a matter of principle.
Adios, fine people.
Damn - I didn’t even get to 1,000 posts!