# Ways To Improve Going Forward: Your thoughts on the matter. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 3, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049 "2018-08-03T16:29:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/81 "2018-08-04T15:28:30Z")
**"Print is dead"** – Egon Spengler – June 8th, 1984 Newspapers make their money by selling advertising space, and the charge for this space is based on the subscription volume … folks won’t subscribe to a newspaper if all the information is available over the internet … all the smaller newspapers are failing right and left such that only the Big Boys survive, and even these newspapers are in deep trouble … I used to advertise in our local newspaper all the time, but not only did these costs climb but responses literally stopped, so I stopped advertising there … I assume this is the problem with the _Chicago Reader_, why should I advertise there when almost everybody will go to my own website for information … The question here is how to make money over the internet _ **without** _ pictures of naked girls … mind you, ten’s of thousands of people try to do this every day, but going up against Google, Amazon, FaceBook … even with naked girls, this is a long shot to break even … our “hook” here is The Straight Dope, and pretty much everybody who wants to hear this is already present … but most everybody doesn’t want to hear The Straight Dope … we have a niche market, low volume requires high margins … and why spend money on the top quality product if the free inferior product is better at telling us what we want to hear … The Straight Dope is dying of old age … there’s no cure … what was hip and new in 1974 is common and mundane in 2018 … we knew fighting ignorance was a losing cause, and now we’ve lost … best we can do is agree to meet up again on another site and just put up with the ignorance, and the advertising … _Sun-Times Media Holdings LLC_ won’t sell? … that’s ignorant … ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/82 "2018-08-04T15:37:18Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’m puzzled by the resistance of frequent users to paying the nominal annual cost to switch from “guest” to “member.” When I’ve brought it up in past threads, people get downright snippy about it, as though requesting a voluntary donation of mere pennies is some kind of extortion. Clearly, people who have been coming here daily for years find this to be a worthwhile service, and presumably they understand that hosting a ginormous website isn’t free. And yet they get huffy when you suggest they contribute to paying for it. Baffles me. I’ve never been “huffy” about it :rolleyes:, but I’ve [always been upfront](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=776355) about why I will remain a guest for the foreseeable future. So there’s a suggestion for TPTB - fix the moderation around racism and you’ll get my money. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/83 "2018-08-04T15:58:43Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Merchandise-People want cups, glasses, tees etc. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > A big fat YES to this. I’d have bought SDMB merchandise ages ago, if there’d been any to buy. > [@Lancia](#): > > Since it’s too late to edit again, another vote for merchandise. Keychains, coffee mugs, shot glasses, t-shits… I’d buy them all. > [@Quartz](#): > > Merchandising is an obvious start. > [@dogbutler](#): > > This. I love beer and coffee mugs. Yep, **Tuba** and I have already discussed the possibility of merchandising. It’s what I do, and I’m happy to give the Straight Dope the biggest discounts I can. I’m a '99er and this place means a lot to me, even though I don’t post that often. My company has over 800,000 items to choose from. My supplier has been in business 124 years, we have over 4,000 factories at our disposal, and our quality is a lot better than Cafe Press. 🙂 Just say the word and I’ll hook us up with whatever merchandise we want, at the best possible price, and help get this place back on its feet. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/84 "2018-08-04T16:30:38Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > > [@Quartz](#): > > > > Membership fees: the current membership fees are very low. Perhaps they could be raised? > > It’s $15 already – how much more do you think it should be? :dubious: Certainly some of us can afford more and would be willing to _pay_ more, if it means the site continues to operate. So how about optional higher levels of membership? (Like the way the universities have tiers of donors.) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/85 "2018-08-04T17:03:49Z")
1. Market the site. These days, you need some presence on Facebook and Twitter to attract new people. 2. Get rid of the toxic ads. Seriously, a friend pointed me here and I nearly ran away screaming, because I was afraid of malware. Lots of sites have better-behaved ads. Ads that don’t eat up your phone screen, and that don’t open new windows, and… But stop doing things that drive people away. 1. Sell merch. That’s how webcomics make money. This place can’t cost very much to run, and merch could go a long way to help. Ads that you design for your own stuff can be very well-behaved, and won’t scare anyone away. 2. Crowdfunding. Look at a possible deal with Patreon. Unlike “selling membership”, that’s whatever people want to give. Rather than only two price points (zero and $15/year) you have many, including “I’m feeling really generous right now!” You can give out small benefits for sustained mid-sized gifts, such as an avatar, or a bigger avatar, or a user description. (“sustaining donor”) Don’t guilt the people who don’t give, make the people who do give feel good about it. > [@BlankSlate](#): > > The Sun Times Media Group is down to one asset: a city tabloid. How much longer is that going to last? Look at what’s happening to the New York Daily News. The only way this board has any long term future is to step off the sinking ship. Also this. It might not be for sale now, but it would be good to consider possible ways to exit if that becomes possible. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/86 "2018-08-04T17:06:11Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > It’s $15 already – how much more do you think it should be? :dubious: That’s only just over a dollar a month. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/87 "2018-08-04T17:08:51Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Certainly some of us can afford more and would be willing to _pay_ more, if it means the site continues to operate. So how about optional higher levels of membership? (Like the way the universities have tiers of donors.) And, on the other end, maybe a cheaper level of membership than what we have now? Because… > [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > I’m a '99er and this place means a lot to me Yet I notice you’re a “Guest” rather than a paying Member. That’s perfectly okay, and I’m not calling you out. But this reminded me of how we have lots of regular posters here who are Guests. I’m sure different people have different reasons why they choose not to pay for Member status, but I wonder if there are a significant number who either can’t afford, or don’t think it’s worth, the current fee, but would be willing and able to contribute a smaller amount. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/88 "2018-08-04T17:10:50Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Certainly some of us can afford more and would be willing to _pay_ more, if it means the site continues to operate. So how about optional higher levels of membership? (Like the way the universities have tiers of donors.) Plus it occurs to me that we already do have something like this, in that people who want to can pay extra for a Custom Title. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/89 "2018-08-04T17:21:31Z")
Set up a handful of blogs for a select few, have the bloggers be the new SDSAB, to generate new link-worthy content. Tap into the creative talents of the Teeming Millions for a section that features short stories, poetry, essays, reviews, etc. Open it to submissions (but they’d still have to be vetted and edited). Find someone who could do a web comic for the SD. As I mentioned upthread, add a SDMB-focused podcast. Basically, could we remake the SD as a web magazine, and tap into the amazing talents of the TM to get it off the ground? I know we’ve got good writers, designers, artists, etc here on the boards. A few years ago, I published a local arts & culture web magazine, complete with blogs, message board, submitted articles, etc., using the [Bondware](https://www.bondware.com/)platform. It got good traffic, made a little scratch, but it was hyper-local and didn’t have 40+ years of name recognition built in. The SD could pull it off even better, I imagine. Stop thinking about the Straight Dope as a subsidiary of whichever corporate entity owns us this week, with a character named Cecil Adams as our cornerstone, and start thinking about us as a must-read media empire in our own right. A Salon, Slate, Buzzfeed type of site, but smarter, and maybe with more focus on creative writing as well. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/90 "2018-08-04T17:26:17Z")
Offer a free tee shirt (as seen on tv nerd!) and a free membership for the most original and/or popular question (as determined by the mods) every week/month, as a promotion! ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/91 "2018-08-04T17:28:14Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > And, on the other end, maybe a cheaper level of membership than what we have now? Because… > > Yet I notice you’re a “Guest” rather than a paying Member. That’s perfectly okay, and I’m not calling you out. But this reminded me of how we have lots of regular posters here who are Guests. I’m sure different people have different reasons why they choose not to pay for Member status, but I wonder if there are a significant number who either can’t afford, or don’t think it’s worth, the current fee, but would be willing and able to contribute a smaller amount. I’m a “guest”. I might give something voluntarily, but I’m not going to support toxic ads by paying a blackmail fee to get rid of them. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/92 "2018-08-04T17:32:28Z")
Nitpick [Language hijack] > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > …putz around… Futz around. I know what you have is used here and there, and is a weird half-calque or something from the Yiddish word “putz” which many English speakers know means “dick,” and therefore came up with the “dick around” meaning. Which is sort of like when the late NY Senator Amato called someone “a putzhead” trying to get all down and Jewishy with his voter blocs, but just made himself sound ridiculous. But hey, language is as language does. I gave up after the sad mistranslation and use in American speech of “schmooze” as a transitive. . ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/93 "2018-08-04T17:36:18Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Futz around. > > I know what you have is used here and there, and is a weird half-calque or something from the Yiddish word “putz” which many English speakers know means “dick,” and therefore came up with the “dick around” meaning. > > Which is sort of like when the late NY Senator Amato called someone “a putzhead” trying to get all down and Jewishy with his voter blocs, but just made himself sound ridiculous. > > But hey, language is as language does. > > I gave up after the sad mistranslation and use in American speech of “schmooze” as a transitive. > . No, I meant [putz around.](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/putz) But thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/94 "2018-08-04T17:42:48Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > No, I meant [putz around.](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/putz) But thanks. As I wrote, I suspected you did. But everything I wrote there still stands, and, FWIW, the vast majority, still, I’d wager, of people who ever let fly “your” or “my” version will find “yours” risible. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/95 "2018-08-04T17:43:07Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > …So there’s a suggestion for TPTB - fix the moderation around racism and you’ll get my money. Can you point me to a thread? ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/96 "2018-08-04T17:44:19Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Is it possible for gift descriptions to return? I know the plug in for gift subscriptions “broke” a few years ago when the boards’ software was upgraded and the tech administrator cited a lack of time available to fix it. Could whoever is running things under the hood find time to make gift subscriptions available again? Just a few pre-coffee thoughts that aren’t intended to sound as bitchy as they probably do. 🙂 I’m another one who unsuccessfully tried to buy a gift subscription a month or so ago. A software update is sorely needed. The board looks terribly out-of-date and even though I’m a member, I sometimes still get ads on mobile. I use a browser because I don’t like Tapatalk. It would also be so helpful to have an ignore thread function. Someone here wrote a script for that a while back and it worked, but it broke a long time ago. What bothers me the most, however, is that there are a few posters that post juuust this side of trolling, and it’s tolerated. I would contribute to a funding drive. It would also be nice to have a place to donate just for the heck of it. A Paypal address, link, and a “DONATE” button are all it would take. There have been several times when I’ve been so grateful for something I learned that I wanted to thank the board somehow, but there isn’t any way to do it. For example, when I bought a car there were quite a few members with very good advice that saved me a lot of money. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/97 "2018-08-04T17:47:43Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yet I notice you’re a “Guest” rather than a paying Member. That’s perfectly okay, and I’m not calling you out. But this reminded me of how we have lots of regular posters here who are Guests. I’m sure different people have different reasons why they choose not to pay for Member status, but I wonder if there are a significant number who either can’t afford, or don’t think it’s worth, the current fee, but would be willing and able to contribute a smaller amount. Fair enough. I don’t remember giving it much thought, but I think I figured since I’m more of a lurker there wasn’t much of a reason to pay up. Now that I know it would support a good cause (since at the time I wasn’t aware of any financial problems other than the usual), I’d be happy to become a Member again. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/98 "2018-08-04T17:48:45Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Plus it occurs to me that we already do have something like this, in that people who want to can pay extra for a Custom Title. Any idea of how much money was made with that? How does the SDMB funding work, does the Chicago Sun Times pay for bandwidth, software and a server? ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/99 "2018-08-04T17:53:19Z")
I’ll echo the posters who would like to see more SDSAB/Staff Report type of content. I’d suggest making that a focal point of the home page, with new content pretty often, maybe daily. Expand the number of members who are called on to produce content. Many of us have expertise we like to pontificate on. Many others are just great writers who can produce entertaining pieces. Some of us might like to write for the site if we can promote our personal businesses, etc., by linking to them in our posts. Original research, news, fact checking, whatever… a lot of us I think would like to generate content for a site that has a decent built in audience. Basically replace Cecil’s content with a bunch of content written by us. I also like the idea of spinning the enterprise off as a non-profit, though I understand that may not be on the table. I think the future of news and other non-fiction content is probably non-profit in general. NPR, PBS, ProPublica, etc., are probably better able to produce high quality independent content than a profit driven company. Seek sponsors, maybe event grants. Have pledge drives or use Patreon. Admit that there’s no money in it and run it as a public service. I also agree with those who say marketing on Twitter, etc., is important. Is the SDMB doing _any_ marketing at all now? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049/100 "2018-08-04T18:49:33Z")
Stop enabling trolls and toxic posters. Stop waiting until you have a bright line violation to deal with them. They drive posters off the board. Here is a quote from **Ed Zotti** : > [@](#): > > Our notion of being a jerk is doing things against the written rules. Doing so can get you banned if you keep at it long enough. Dickishness is not defined in our rules, and is not a useful enforcement standard. You think this would be a better world if cops could write you tickets for “being a dick”? This is ass backward. It gives comfort to toxic posters who know they have to stay _juuust_ this side of the rules, and it encourages nitpicking rules lawyering, which most humans find insufferable. Use the “Don’t be a jerk” rule broadly, and without any further justification. You can have a few bright line rules–no socking, no altering quotes, no threats of bodily harm or legal action, no direct personal insults outside the pit–but “Don’t be a jerk” should be the main rule. I am perfectly fine with it being interpreted by moderator consensus, and I trust Tuba to pick mods who are reasonable. The police analogy is terrible. Police and the state can take away your property, liberty and even your life. They must be held to a strict, pedantic set of rules. All the mods can do is ban you from a message board. They can be given much more leeway. **Tuba** , I’ll echo **Giraffe** and say thanks for starting this thread. It’s really nice to see TPTB being open to new ideas and reaching out to members. There are some really good ideas in this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-improve-going-forward-your-thoughts-on-the-matter/819049.md?page=6)