Well, the private goats would be out of work.
I think I was a CM to start with and then I noticed that I wasn’t anymore…or maybe I never was.
I guess I’m saying that bottom line is I don’t care. I don’t look at that and think–ooh, a regular/well thought/veteran SDMB person at all. I don’t even notice it.
Not much help, am I.
It’s also a nice and quick way to see how/if this place has added new members since the inception of pay-for-play.
Select count() from member_table
where join_date > cutover_pay_date;*
See? Easy. 
Wouldn’t make much difference if the pay rate stayed different. People would piss and moan if they screwed up and had to pay full price instead of getting the reduced rate.
If they got rid of the title and the reduced rate, those of us who payed attention and kept it would be pissed at losing it because of a few stupid whiners.
The title is meaningless. The $8 saved is the sticking point.
I propose that charter member for those who actually paid on time be changed to Frugal Ones.
Hey… Hands off my Charter Member (I mean the title) 
. It means a lot to me. I’ve been a follower of Cecil’s before Al Gore invented the Internet. I’ve got ALL the books, and have been a tireless cheerleader of Cece, and more recently, the message board. Having been around since “Christ was a Corporal” (the 1980’s), So I really liked the chance to have a ‘Charter’ in my title. So, no messing with my one-and-only title…, OK? 
Thanks.
Being the modest person that I am, I don’t feel having the title “charter member” makes much of a difference to me or anyone else.
wolf_meister
> > > > > CHARTER MEMBER < < < < <
The problem with “Charter Member” is that it’s almost becoming sort of a status symbol.
So? If true, what’s wrong with that?
Because people are almost using it as post counts-a way to be elitist. It’s just a fucking title.
If it wasn’t the title, it would be something else. It’s just human nature.
I have never seen anyone comment about whether someone else is a charter member or not, or even imply that their thoughts are worth more than a non-charter member. I would think that anyone who did so would get a quick smackdown by other posters. Maybe I’m naive.
I personally don’t give a damn if I’m called a charter member or not. However, if they change it, it would make me a little wary about any other guarantees that are given regarding the subscriptions.
I give a shit. 5 years from now, I want it to be clear to all those young whippersnappers who just joined that I’ve been here since the beginning and they should pay some respect to their elders!
I propose that the SDMB allow custom titles, and charge $2 for who ever wants one. This way, we can precisely distinguish who is who in who evers gang.
I wonder what they’d charge for “Imperfect Master”?
YOUR MORTAL SOUL!!
MUHUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAcoughgaspHAHawheezeasthma
I’d like a customized title line, so I could put “Hero” under my name and everybody’d know I was cool.
Barring that, who cares?
I’d much rather have 13-0 under my name and we had it for one brief shining season, eh, John Carter?
implicitly or explicitly, the lifetime offer of 50% of the current price rate and title of charter member was opened to everyone during the critical landmark move to pay-to-post amidst the hue and cry of ‘Extortion!’, ‘I am broke!’, ‘I have a PC but cannot afford to pay $5’, ‘It’s the principle dammit!’, etc etc.
wise or not, the idea was to reward those who would stay with the board during that time. to renege would be a bad idea. better to solve the current concerns. really want a spiffy title? get customised titles. really can’t afford that couple of dollars? check in every april for the yearly offers that seek to appease those that missed out on the initial lifetime offer.
remember that charter members can only decline, and theirs is a special offer, not the norm.