# When somebody offers a free membership on this board.... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 25, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192 "2014-02-25T04:04:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/1 "2014-02-25T04:04:00Z")
Lets say the give-away is written as such: _I’m donating three memberships. Let me know who’s interested and I’ll draw numbers…_ In your mind, is it implied that the people submitting for the membership should be of limited finances? Or, as worded above, do you take that to mean _anyone_ who wants a membership? Firstly, it’s a message board, so there’s really no way to tell. That said, ideally, I would hope only people of limited finances would enter. But then again, that wasn’t a qualifier in the original wording. Poll to come… ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/2 "2014-02-25T04:37:35Z")
Why bother? Free works. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/3 "2014-02-25T06:59:25Z")
No, I would not assume that “needy” is implied. There are plenty of commercial give-aways, in which “needy” is not a pre-requisite. If you wish to limit it to the “needy”, then you should state as such. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/4 "2014-02-25T07:23:10Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > No, I would not assume that “needy” is implied. > > There are plenty of commercial give-aways, in which “needy” is not a pre-requisite. > > If you wish to limit it to the “needy”, then you should state as such. Is that a fair comparison though? Is there no distinction between a multimillion dollar corporation give-away and a guy of lesser means donating out of his or her own pocket? It’s almost as if you’re saying corporations are people my friend. 😃 (OK, I couldn’t resist that last line.) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/5 "2014-02-25T08:00:09Z")
I really don’t get the point of gift memberships. You can’t do anything as a paid member you can’t do as a guest except try to sell stuff in The Marketplace, and a couple of minor cosmetic perks–think it displays a location and post count or something. That said, for people that care about being a member vs being a guest, I say leave the freebies for the needy. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/6 "2014-02-25T09:50:15Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I really don’t get the point of gift memberships. You can’t do anything as a paid member you can’t do as a guest except try to sell stuff in The Marketplace, and a couple of minor cosmetic perks–think it displays a location and post count or something. > > That said, for people that care about being a member vs being a guest, I say leave the freebies for the needy. As someone who’s been gifted a membership twice, I think it’s a sign of how universally loved and respected by the community the receiver of the gift is. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/7 "2014-02-25T13:02:35Z")
Means testing is frustratingly difficult. I used to volunteer for a group that helped out people of limited means. The group tried various methods to determine wether someone qualified, but there were cheats/workarounds for each. The last straw was when I recognized a guy who I knew grossed double what I did, and there I was giving up a Sunday for him. /rant ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/8 "2014-02-25T13:23:51Z")
If I am giving free memberships I would not put any constraints on who got them. There are many posters here who are fighting my ignorance and would be deserving of my gift of a free membership. Also, the hamsters need to be fed. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/9 "2014-02-25T13:45:19Z")
As worded its open to anyone with no implication of need. I would not take the offer because I can (and have in the past) afford it on my own. But I would not think bad of anyone taking the offer as worded. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/10 "2014-02-25T14:50:56Z")
When I’ve freebed someone, I do it anonymously, and for someone who is going through a bad patch financially. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/11 "2014-02-25T16:05:55Z")
I, personally, wouldn’t “apply” for a gift membership as long as I can easily afford to pay for my own. But it doesn’t bother me if other people would. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/12 "2014-02-25T16:55:00Z")
As stated above…membership here doesn’t really give you anything tangible (with minor exception). Donating a membership is really the equivalent of making a donation to the SDMB in someone else’s name. Why not just make the donation to the board…or does it really make you feel better to do it in someone else’s name? ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/13 "2014-02-25T16:59:12Z")
Wouldn’t know how to prove needy anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/14 "2014-02-25T17:02:20Z")
> [@I'm a member now?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-member-now/682208/2): > > [Taunting kid voice] ♪♪♪Somebody loves **Senegoid** , somebody loves **Senegoid** ♪♪♪ [/Taunting kid voice] > > Congrats. I wonder who your secret contributor was. Aha! So it was you after all! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/15 "2014-02-25T17:21:28Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > As someone who’s been gifted a membership twice, I think it’s a sign of how universally loved and respected by the community the receiver of the gift is. Have you paid it forward either time? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/16 "2014-02-25T18:39:46Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Have you paid it forward either time? First of all, I actually think it was three times… I can’t remember. Second of all, no, because if $14 (or whatever it is) was trivial enough for me to drop it to get someone else a membership I’d probably get myself one first. As much as I like to shit on this place in jest I kind of like it here and wouldn’t mind supporting it. My memberships were given by kind-hearted anonymous souls, btw. [For example.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=575396) ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/17 "2014-02-25T18:56:23Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > First of all, I actually think it was three times… I can’t remember. Second of all, no, because if $14 (or whatever it is) was trivial enough for me to drop it to get someone else a membership I’d probably get myself one first. As much as I like to shit on this place in jest I kind of like it here and wouldn’t mind supporting it. > > My memberships were given by kind-hearted anonymous souls, btw. [For example.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=575396) Cool, I’m just saying that at some point over those three free years you could probably scrape up $15 to pass along the gift to someone else in need. Or not, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/18 "2014-02-25T20:03:28Z")
I still challenge that no one is really in **need** of an SDMB membership. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/19 "2014-02-25T20:08:30Z")
Anyone should enter. We’re not talking about food or medicine here; the benefits to a subscription to SDMB are so trivial that it’s hard to get upset that some impoverished person was “denied” them because a middle class guy got it instead. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-somebody-offers-a-free-membership-on-this-board/682192/20 "2014-02-25T21:00:08Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Cool, I’m just saying that at some point over those three free years you could probably scrape up $15 to pass along the gift to someone else in need. > > Or not, whatever. I was actually doing that, and had just saved up the last penny when Dark Souls went on sale for $15! Guess I have to save up for another three years.