Those of you who aren’t staying should be aware that, under the subscription model, you’ll lose access to anything that you’ve written for the boards. The search function will only be available to subscribers.
I just spent hours archiving my contributions for the past year. If you value what you’ve created, you may want to do the same.
That really sucks. And what is worse is that we were only given a few days notice about the change. Thanks for the heads-up Mr. Visible.
Really, the only time I’ve seen that “don’t let the door hit you” attitude displayed is when the poster is saying “I wouldn’t pay a quarter to hang out with you assholes, let alone five bucks!” or some such. I think it’s the attitude that’s being responded to, not the statement of someone who’s not staying.
Unless I’m mistaken (and I might be), the changes to what we can and can’t do won’t take effect until around April 22nd. They’ll start taking registration in a few days, because there would be a huge log jam if they tried to do all the registrations in a few days, so they’re spreading it out over a month. But AFAIK, even people who don’t subscribe will still be able to use the search function until near the end of April. That’s not “a few days”, it’s a month. I apologize if I’m mistaken about this.
We’ve been on permanent shore leave–the thread was locked (I think for length) and another one was either never started, or started and quickly lost in a deluge of other, more timely threads.
What would CJS do? Ask you to mail him $10 (you know…just in case) directly to him, along with MapQuest ™ directions to the nearest cache of rum.
Then he would run.
Fast.
I’m going to be nice and simply say “Thankee for the offer.” 
I really should have looked around further before replying, I hadn’t realised there was so much divide on this issue. As much as I doubt anyone will care I feel the need to state that I am not leaving due to not being able to afford $5 USD, it would be a major stretch but I could move things around and swing it, I am not leaving due to some ethical problem with paying for the boards, I am not leaving due to worrying about my personal information being compromised.
I am leaving due to the fact that other satellite board happenings have made me wary on this board and I have not felt comfortable enough to post the things I would like to for quite a while. I am not going to pay to walk on eggshells.
If anyone is keeping score please do not count me in with the protestors.
I wish the posters, the mods, admins and the Chicago Reader a long and successful journey together. Thanks for everything, I have received much in my time here and were I even slightly less poverty stricken I would throw my money in the pot anyway in appreciation.
I’m out.
I’m actually glad the request was made, as it has forced me to evaluate how much I benefit from my participation here. I think GQ has been an excellent forum with lots of great question on a wide variety of topics, but that will change now that all of us “infrequent posters” (those that aren’t in the clique) will be leaving.
Clearly, not worth $4.95 in my mind.
Well why not do it now. Die with your guns blazing …
I see how you could have misunderstood that but I did not mean that I wanted to talk about those events here, they were not of this board so do not belong here. I just have not been comfortable enough here since those events to relax and really feel part of this place again (I did leave completely for a while) so I have come to the decision not to subscribe.
I take full responsibility for my feelings and my choices and my low post count. I wouldn’t have explained at all had it not been for the polarisation I am seeing that I am really not a part of. Given I could not delete my post, providing an explanation made sense to me.
I don’t like the attitude that some posters and mods have taken on since this subscribtion issue came up. This will be my last visit to the SDMB.
Well, just wanted to add my name to the rats jumping ship, for the reasons brought up in many prior post in this thread (to wit:
a.) I’ve seen two message boards go downhill quickly and become, well, ****-fests after introducing fees because of the loss of the ‘casual poster’ and the lack of new blood/smaller post-gene-pool.
b.) I am annoyed at being asked to pay to provide content - yes, a few questions I posted did get answered, while others just gently sank off the page without a trace (no sweat - this is life), and I tried to help answer other posters’ questions (sometimes successfully). Of course, the majority of my posts were just plain wastes of electrons 
- still, the idea of paying for this sandbox, even if 1 penny, just grates on me…
So be it - time to quote Hendix from “Hey Joe”:
Goodbye Everybody
I’ll keep lurking, and expect things to change, but I won’t subscribe. Obviously, I’m new and have a really low post count, so no real loss. I like to read the boards; I like that they keep me abreast of weird little news and pop culture things that I never would have noticed, but I don’t need to post.
Actually, I don’t want the option to post. Other people have pointed out the cliquishness of the boards, and I always felt a little dissappointed with the reception of my posts… either they were ignored or I felt like I had to explain myself. I’m not argumentative enough to want to defend everything I say, and I need to save whatever steam I have for real life.
I think the people here are very interesting and I love lurking, and I don’t blame anyone for my own over-sensitivity regarding my posts. Posting on message boards just isn’t my thing, and I don’t need to pay for it. (I only read on the 2 days that I work, anyway.)
So, farewell, though I’ll be fascinated to see how this drama and eventual change pans out.
ZJ
It’s been two years since I first registered on this board and a whole 25 posts later. I run several message boards myself all of them using the same software as this site. on the vB.com site itself, people often ask questions about becoming a subscription only site and 99% of those sites that did this ruined themselves. People left those boards and found others that were free. People don’t want to pay for simply using a message board. Offering paying members a few very minor perks such as this board is planning to offer won’t make it worth any payment. Charging to use a mesage board almost always is suicide.
Good luck Straight Dope, your gonna need it!
I have not decided yet but I am leaning to not subscribing. Personally I don’t feel I add a lot to the conversations. Often others will post what I want to say, but much better than I could. Also, as if late, I have not been as active as I was in the past. I will definitely lurk and check out the boards every so often, but I am not sure, for me, if subscribing will be worthwhile. Of course I could change my mind at the last minute. I’ll wait and see what I feel like later on.
A few days? Try a month and a week. You have until 21 April to make up your mind, dude.
I’m probably gone as well.
Of course not because of the money. $5 is nothing. But, of course because of the money. Tho small, it is just one more obligation - a hassle, however minimal -another electronic hook into my bank acount.
Trying to make lemonade, I’m viewing this as a boot in the ass to get me to doing something more productive than spending as much time on these boards as I have. I think the boards in many ways encourage me to be lazy. Instead of researching something myself, I find it easier to toss a query up and have someone lead me by the nose.
I’ve noticed I have been kinda - um - less than thrilled with the boards on many occasions lately. When I find myself actually reading how people shower - well - my time might be better spent miterally masturbating.
Maybe my efforts might be better spent organizing my thoughts in some other manner. A journal perhaps. Or essays or fiction.
I’ve hung around for a couple of years. Truly enjoy many of the people I have met - both in person and solely electronically. But maybe this was just a prompt to tell me it is time to move on. Not to become too complacent.
Time for someone else to step up and be the resident cranky old fuddy duddy.
And if I find out I miss it too much, well, I figure I can scrape $15 together.
Ave atque vale.
Wish I’d known that yesterday. ::insert “smack smilie” here:: If I were to bookmark the search results page (assuming anyone would be kind enough to search for me and post the link), would I be able to access it later?
I just responded in the affirmative to the “Who’s In?” thread, and i was happy to see how many people are subscribing.
But, on reading this thread, i’m also a little dismayed at how many intelligent, useful Dopers are leaving.
Best wishes to all of you. The SDMB will be worse off for your absence.
But i think we can still make it work.
Ditto on all five chigger, especially #2 I was only here for a month and had some fun. I will lurk on ocassion. TA TA
Count me as another who will not subscribe. Not that anyone will notice, I’ve been here for a few years but have only begun posting recently.