Is the forum worth a reasonable monthly or yearly fee?

[Giant Lemon]

Well, I don't know anything about the legal issues that melon brought up, but I would be willing to pay a monthy/yearly fee. But like others have mentioned, I think this would discourage newbies and cause problems. I hope we don't have to resort to that.

 

[martha]

I was thinking about this on the way to get dog food; what about banned members? Not band members, but those who shoot off their mouths one too many times. If they were paying members, they might get touchy about their membership fees. melon has brought up legal points, and this may add to that discussion. A banned person may want to cause more trouble and start being a shit about getting fees back, or pro-rating them or something troublesome.

I like the idea of voluntary donations, something along the lines of PBS, but with an end in sight!

 

[The_Sweetest_Thing]

Today I gave $3.00 to a homelss man on the street of T.O.

Why do I tell you this? Not be/c I want a congratulations or medal, but b/c I don't know if I can justify spending $24 for an internet forum. I suppose, in the end, this place means I lot to me, and thus I would pay....(I mean, I justify a new pair of shoes), but I agree: it would scare of the new ones.

There are times, months, when I post/lurk A LOT. Now, this summer, I'm lucky if I'm on once a week. I'd prefer the omnthly fee. I can tell you now that during exam time (alas, I am a poor student) I won't be on at all. I'd hate to see this place go down, but I'm not quite sure where I stand. I'm sorry (I'm a Libra - I never make up my mind).

 

[Dub]

I agree that payment should not be mandatory as that would limit the diversity on this site, but I also hope there are enough people who frequent this forum who can afford to contribute and they will make up for the ones that can't. I know I haven't posted much, but have lurked for ages and I do not mind putting in a little more than "my fair share" in order to keep the integrity and diversity of this forum. I don't know if this will upset anyone and I certainly don't mean to belittle or simplify the cause, this is purely a metaphor - but it's kind of in the same spirit as "Drop the Debt" - if the ones who can afford to donate give generously, the one's who can't will benefit and ultimately everyone wins.

 

[ABEL]

I like the idea of voluntary donations, something along the lines of PBS, but with an end in sight!

Sorry I couldn't help but giggle at the thought of PBS Pledge Drives (no offense to PBS - I love PBS)...something along those lines may work.


maybe we can have a bake sale? sorry jk

 

[Sicy]

I'm only thinking outloud here... for now... and would really like to get everyone's opinion/feelings on this

I think we need to remember that Elvis is only considering this and by the looks of the way the donating is going I dont think this site will end up being a paying one.

I personally would not like to see that happen, even though I would pay, but I understand and agree with others views about what would happen if it did turn out to be a paying site.

Lets not get our knickers in a knot.

 

[ghetofabu]

This is just a little add in for those who want to make a donation but do not have credit cards. I used my bank check card on PayPal to make my donation. Most banks have them if you ask about them. At the places I have banked in the past they are free but some charge you a one time fee for the card of like a dollar. I buy stuff on line and in stores and it is like a plastic check. If you have a checking account the money you spend comes out just like that but you can use it online as well. Basicly a credit card linked to your checking account. I don't know if I explained that well enough. If anyone is interested PM me and I will explain better if I can, and like I said Elvis I will try to help more when I can.

another footnote. If you did do the membership thing and were afraid of scaring off newbies another idea may be to give a free trial membership so they could check the site out and see what it is all about. you know like the crack dealers on the street. First ones free so they get hooked then charge them. Just a suggestion.

 

[oktobergirl]

I have no problem donating to something I spend so much time on. If it means keeping it alive!

I really do not like the idea of mandatory payment, or membership so I hope all those who browse here frequently can pony up a few measly dollars. There are certainly more important causes to support, and I'm sure there are those of us that do just that. But this place is a connection to a lot of other things-

If it were mandatory, I know I wouldn't visit. I just think that's lame.

 

[RavenStar]

((deep))

Wow. deep, thank you! You didnt have to do that though.
lol, for once in my life I feel speechless!

I will eventually donate some money but this time of the year is the worst in ways of my money. I have to use my little allowance to use for school (my school always finds things for us to pay for at the start of the year) and for birthdays. I don't know whos bright idea it was in my family to have almost everyones birthdays in december.
Atleast next summer I'll be 16 so I can get a job at at a music store near my school.

My mom just had a money-raising idea. She said maybe we could try to get U2 to donate an autographed shirt or something that we could put up on ebay. I think the donations idea is good for now though.

Again, thanks deep.

 

[mikal]

Lets not get our knickers in a knot.

Dammit! I'm horrible with knots!

Sicy, a little help please?

 

[Bonochick]

Dammit! I'm horrible with knots!

Sicy, a little help please?

Cookie!!!!! You saucy little manwhore!!!

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

you learn something new everyday

Inactive accounts DO NOT affect bandwidth or space... they just sit there. lol.

Okie dokie, at least we know the answer to that now!

 

[Elvis]

OI!

Ok... like Sicy said that I said (got that one?)....

I only posted this to stir ideas... to help people realize that this place is anything but free for me to run....

Personally, I do not like the idea of a pay site... and I do not think it will come to that... so long as constant progress is made with the doantions...

Here is how I figure it.. if we get an average of $14 in donations, per day, we'll be set!

In the last month there have been more than enough ACTIVE registered members that if everyone contributed $1 per month we'd be way ahead of the game. Keep in mind, that when you donate $1 via PayPal... we will only see about 65cents of that, as PayPal charges a processing fee both flat rate and percentage (so when only $1 is donated at a time, we lose the largest percentage per donation - which sucks... so if you can, donate a bit more. (ie. $1.35 will end up being around $1, where as a $2 donation will end up being about $1.64).

Now some may ask.. why only $1 when you had mentioned $2-3 before?

Simple... if it stays as a donation based site, I have little to no administration to do! If it becomes a pay site however, accounts would have to be tracked and accounted for, Interference.com would have to be filed as a business, and taxes would have to be paid (as melon mentioned). So... I do NOT like the idea of having it become a pay site.... EW.

Now... if you can't afford to help out, then maybe ask a friend to donate for you... it's only a dollar... it supports our community... it keeps future threads like this from appearing... and it keeps me focused on improving the site, instead of annoying all of you with trying to get donations

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Keep in mind, that when you donate $1 via PayPal... we will only see about 65cents of that

which is why i plan on donating via snail mail.

 

[U2Bama]

I think the donation campaign is the best choice, but I also feel that people's inability to donate/reasons for not donating should not be second-guessed. I am not trying to take any steam out of the campaign, it's just some of the posts seemed a bit pointed (isn't this a "what do you think" thread anyway?).

My concerns about it being a pay site are the ones that Martha, Deep in HELL and Melon brought up, especially what Deep said about teenagers not having access to credi/check cards; I didn't have one until my senior year in college.

All of that being said, I enjoy this forum and have gained a lot from it and have no problem making a donation myself.

~U2Alabama

 

[madonna's child]

Yes, I think three bucks a month is reasonable, I would be willing to pay it.

 

[Elvis]

which is why i plan on donating via snail mail.

of course... if someone is only sending $1 via snail mail... consider the cost of the postage and the envelope.. and possibly the check (if it is a check).

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

of course... if someone is only sending $1 via snail mail... consider the cost of the postage and the envelope.. and possibly the check (if it is a check).

hehe, true...but if i wanted to be cheap, i could have my mom mail it for me (free postage! aww yeah...) and i'm trying to get rid of my checks cuz they have my maiden name on them.

 

[Elvis]

hehe, true...but if i wanted to be cheap, i could have my mom mail it for me (free postage! aww yeah...) and i'm trying to get rid of my checks cuz they have my maiden name on them.

I'm not going to argue A donation is a donation... and any donation is better than no donation

I really think that in almost 1.5 days that we're doing an awesome job at reacing the goal! I just hope it continues.

 

[z edge]

I cannot vote- but I would go with yes.

However, I have it in next weeks budget to make my portion(s) of the donation.

Which is why I wonder; is there an urgency? HeloAngel acts sad that only 20 have voted and yet I didn't even hear about this until today.

IF not urgent, I will go on as planned and contribute next week

I'm not really sure about how this pay pal thing you are talking bout works either, really.

 

[The Wanderer]

my sentiments go along the same lines with skeek and deathbear, I just can't justify doing it, so if there's a membership fee, I'll just move on, which would probably be a positive thing, if that makes me an outcast and brings scorn upon me (as it has in the past!), so be it

 

[pax]

Okay! Here we go! I am dead serious about this:

I will make another donation to Interference in the name of the person who finds me video stills, prominently featuring a young and tasty Sting, from the Police's "Don't Stand So Close to Me" video. You may post them in my PLEBA thread or e-mail them to me.

I am not kidding. Martha knows how serious I am about this.

 

[Zoomerang96]

yet another thing to consider...

if we donate to keep this thing running, where does the power stand? would we all be part owners, or share holders?

if it were a mandatory payment, which it apparently wont, then certainly that would have to be the case, dont you think?

just curious.

 

[Elvis]

yet another thing to consider...

if we donate to keep this thing running, where does the power stand? would we all be part owners, or share holders?

if it were a mandatory payment, which it apparently wont, then certainly that would have to be the case, dont you think?

just curious.

Just because you donate to the Red Cross, or pay your electric bill.... doesn't mean you own part of the Red Cross or the electric company... do you? lol

I own Interference.com, and I run it for the community, and I have invested more money in it than I care to mention :\ Those that help run it, take up a sense of pride and ownership... without the community Interference/U2 Feedback doesn't exist.

 

[U2Bama]

if that makes me an outcast and brings scorn upon me (as it has in the past!), so be it

As Alabama's ancient former U.S. Senator asked Anita Hill in the Clarence Thomas hearings:

Are you a SCORNED woman?

 

[The Wanderer]

haha, no

I don't have a twat

 

[BabyGrace]

I too agree with what deathbear said. there's too many other things that are just more important in my opinion that I could spend that money on. not that I don't enjoy coming here, but if this happens, yes, it will be a good excuse to stop hanging out on the internet as much anyway.

sorry, I cant vote either

 

[martha]

Okay! Here we go! I am dead serious about this:

I will make another donation to Interference in the name of the person who finds me video stills, prominently featuring a young and tasty Sting, from the Police's "Don't Stand So Close to Me" video. You may post them in my PLEBA thread or e-mail them to me.

I am not kidding. Martha knows how serious I am about this.

Sistah!! Preach it!

 

[OzAurora]

Yeah I would pay for this great site- however how would it be done, as I dont have a credit card but I do think that you need people to get hooked first, if people had to pay form the word go then I think a lot would be put off, I mean if I had to pay from the first time I came in here, I know that I owuld not of joined up, however now that I am hooked I need my fix, and so if that means paying, then I dont mind paying for my U2 fix

 

[Zoomerang96]

uh ok, but there are major differences here from those org's.

the red cross is a charity, and the electric co. is a service.

this is neither, its a novelty. i know for certain you have invested a pile of your time and money into this site, im not debating that.

but since this "novelty" is asking for donations, i was simply wondering if the people who donate might have a say to the financial aspects to how this "novelty" is run.

would they be informed how their money is being spent? im assuming youd issue reciepts? you may have answered that question before.

they may be dumb questions, i really am not all that familiar with this, but i am curious.

i