# YIKES! When To Renew? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 11, 2008, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868 "2008-04-11T10:54:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/41 "2008-04-25T17:18:55Z")
> [@FarmerChick](#): > > Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t it a real possibility that this board would be closed down? Internet advertising does take time to build up to a break even point. I’m not sure what the always looming threat of closure has to do with this, but I’m pretty sure that the time it takes to build up to the break even point would be shortened by going to free subscriptions immediately- in fact that is precisely WHY they said they are switching business plans. They already have 3 different Google ad models going for guests, what the heck else is he trying to get into place? ---
**Author:** ![FarmerChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@FarmerChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmerChick)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/42 "2008-04-25T17:46:41Z")
[QUOTE=CarnalK] I’m not sure what the always looming threat of closure has to do with this, but I’m pretty sure that the time it takes to build up to the break even point would be shortened by going to free subscriptions immediately- in fact that is precisely WHY they said they are switching business plans. They already have 3 different Google ad models going for guests, what the heck else is he trying to get into place? [/QUOTE] You know what? I’m not even going to bother arguing with you. I just realized you have already been warned about your attitude in the “Sponsorship” thread. Membership will continue regardless, if you have a problem with the company continuing to accept memberships, take [Marley’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9730059&postcount=330) advise and take it to the Pit. I’m done with you. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/43 "2008-04-25T18:43:04Z")
[QUOTE=FarmerChick] Holy cow, it’s a lousy $15.00, is it really that big of a deal? Either pay it or don’t. [/QUOTE] If your cable company asked you pay for a year’s service to get 2 months service, would you just pay it? How about paying for a full year of internet access to get only a couple months? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/44 "2008-04-25T19:00:21Z")
[QUOTE=FarmerChick] You know what? I’m not even going to bother arguing with you. I just realized you have already been warned about your attitude in the “Sponsorship” thread. Membership will continue regardless, if you have a problem with the company continuing to accept memberships, take [Marley’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9730059&postcount=330) advise and take it to the Pit. I’m done with you. [/QUOTE] I also said that the personal stuff doesn’t belong in this forum, regardless of who it’s coming from. And my comments were notes, not a formal warning. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/45 "2008-04-25T19:15:19Z")
[QUOTE=Ellis Dee] A cynical person would suspect you’re just trying to get users to pay a year’s fee for two months of service, which would be a shitty thing to do. [/QUOTE] Well, you’d still get this: [Improving the SDMB - About This Message Board - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461088) > [@Ed Zotti](#): > > Renew as you’ve done in the past. You won’t see ads for another year. That seems reasonable to me at the charter member rate. If I were a regular member, I’d take a posting sabbatical until the new system kicks in. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/46 "2008-04-25T19:32:18Z")
Another option - although undoubtably a hassle - would be to allow shorter-term memberships, say for $1.50/month – so people wouldn’t have to pay $15 for two months before the board goes free. Probably not feasible, but I’m tossing it out there. ---
**Author:** ![FarmerChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@FarmerChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarmerChick)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/47 "2008-04-26T02:07:37Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] I also said that the personal stuff doesn’t belong in this forum, regardless of who it’s coming from. And my comments were notes, not a formal warning. [/QUOTE] If I’ve overstepped the line I do apologize. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/48 "2008-04-26T03:16:48Z")
[QUOTE=rowrrbazzle] [Not seeing ads for another year] seems reasonable to me at the charter member rate. If I were a regular member, I’d take a posting sabbatical until the new system kicks in. YMMV. [/QUOTE] That’s the plan. It’ll be a win-win for the sdmb, since I’ll be generating ad views while not having the ability to post. Unlike a frightening number of charter members, I actually do want to support the boards, and I don’t care a whit about titles. Since, as Ed says, paying for no ads costs the sdmb money compared to not paying and generating ad views, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/49 "2008-04-26T15:25:09Z")
[QUOTE=Ed Zotti] …June or July is more like it… [/QUOTE] Thanks, Ed. I just re-subscribed on the basis of this information. I’d have preferred to save the $15, but it’s just not that big a deal… a few months ago I’d been planning to re-up for a year anyway, so it’s not like I’m losing anything. The worst interpretation is that the SDMB has suddenly shot up to a whopping $5 / month. People pay more for magazines with far less content. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/50 "2008-04-26T15:53:10Z")
If the membership fee for my club is worth it to me, I’ll pay the price. If not, I won’t. Fairness doesn’t enter into the equation. I see how things run in the world of medicine. Frankly, they run only slightly less smoothly in the world of the SDMB. I re-upped too, as I really don’t want to forget later. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/51 "2008-04-26T16:37:54Z")
I resubscribed for the small painted wooden duck. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/52 "2008-04-26T16:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=hawthorne] I resubscribed for the small painted wooden duck. [/QUOTE] Wait, wait! Was there a box to check?! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/53 "2008-04-28T01:29:03Z")
[QUOTE=hawthorne] I resubscribed for the small painted wooden duck. [/QUOTE] I chose the “best of the SDMB 1999-2001” CD. Damn, reading those old threads is great. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/54 "2008-04-28T02:23:16Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] I chose the “best of the SDMB 1999-2001” CD. Damn, reading those old threads is great. [/QUOTE] I subscribed for the tote bag, because I need something throw in the back of my closet with my zillions of other unused promotional tote bags. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/55 "2008-04-28T14:14:37Z")
Perhaps you can use your new SDMB Tote Bag to tote all of your other unused promotional tote bags? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/56 "2008-04-29T00:14:01Z")
[QUOTE=ouryL] You can renew anytime: They will just increment your expiration date by oneyear+. 😃 [/QUOTE] Not quite true. Having recently renewed, I decided to go in and renew again. Why? Because I like this place and I am happy to pay my $7.48 a year and more to help keep it going and don’t give two hoots whether this pays for two months or a year. But it wouldn’t let me. You cannot renew when your subscription expires in more than 12 months time. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/57 "2008-04-30T16:48:22Z")
Just renewed. I was going to wait for free posting, but, really, the seven and a half bucks is negligible and I couldn’t face the prospect of losing posting privileges until the new setup is complete. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/58 "2008-04-30T16:56:58Z")
[QUOTE=Billdo] I subscribed for the tote bag, because I need something throw in the back of my closet with my zillions of other unused promotional tote bags. [/QUOTE] I re-subscribed, and all I got was a label on my postings saying “Charter Member”. Is there a secret URL you need to go to for the tote bag? ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/59 "2008-04-30T17:20:44Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] I re-subscribed, and all I got was a label on my postings saying “Charter Member”. Is there a secret URL you need to go to for the tote bag? [/QUOTE] I’d send you mine, but if I went into the back of my closet, I’m afraid the jumble of tote bags would attack and hold me hostage. (In case your question is serious, the tote bag/duck/CD/etc. is a joke riff on the various subscription bonuses you get when sponsoring public TV/radio, subscribing to magazines, etc. There is no actual swag to be gotten here, unless you want to by Straight Dope gear on your own dime from the link on the SD front page.) ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868/60 "2008-05-01T20:08:45Z")
Sweet lord. Why is it when anyone makes a stupid joke around here a dozen people have to pile into the thread to make the exact same joke and fill up the whole thread with it. You guys are why Tuba has to close down every thread that goes through ATMB. Is a little self control on the “submit reply” button too much to ask? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-when-to-renew/444868.md?page=4)