Important: Free, Fee, or Gone --- Feedback!

[Bonochick]

If one person pays it all, it is their board to rule. But if you give up that financial control, other kinds of control might have to be sacrificed as well. Think about it, it's like that in every business or organization. If we all pay, all our suggestions should be listened to and considered because it will not be just Elvis's board but OUR board. Paying members should be able to have a voice on certain things.

The admins and mods always listen to suggestions and thoughts brought forth by members. Heck...there is an entire forum dedicated to suggestions.

 

[daisybean]

. People do bitch about right to free speech and crap here when posts get closed, and time and again Ive said something along the same lines as that, its a privately owned and operated forum with its own rules, if the mods/admins dont approve of what you have to say, you are here by privelege only, and it can be taken away. ....get rid of all the idiots who troll/flame the mods.

I totally agree with the fact that being here is sometimes taken for granted... it is not a democracy. However, I don't see a lot of "idiots" bashing the mods/admins or trolling the board to egg people on. Compared to other boards, the whining and bashing here is minimal.

Sorry to get off topic....

Anyhoo....would getting rid of all that backlog and old threads help reduce bandwidth? I agree with U2 Kitten, that not many people are going go looking for JT Bono Appreciation thread #12986

 

[daisybean]

If one person pays it all, it is their board to rule. But if you give up that financial control, other kinds of control might have to be sacrificed as well. Think about it, it's like that in every business or organization. If we all pay, all our suggestions should be listened to and considered because it will not be just Elvis's board but OUR board. Paying members should be able to have a voice on certain things.

Why should a membership fee change the balance of power on this board? It's like saying "I pay for cable, and they should stop offering HBO to everyone because I don't like it." "Or I pay my phone bill I want a different area code, I don't like this one." Just because you pay for a service doesn't mean you have any type of ownerhip in it. Even now, at least we know we can express our opinions. Jeez, Elvis didn't even have to ask us about this...he could have got up one day and decided to put on a mandatory fee or pull the plug on this place. Most owners/Admins of most boards are not as respectful toward's it's members.

 

[Bonochick]

Jeez, Elvis didn't even have to ask us about this...he could have got up one day and decided to put on a mandatory fee or pull the plug on this place. Most owners/Admins of most boards are not as respectful toward's it's members.

VERY true.

How would everybody have felt if you tried to come to interference.com this morning, and the site was gone forever without warning?

 

[Lemon Meringue]

To tell you the truth, I am surprised we are in this situation. I don't understand why, with all the regular users we have, we haven't been able to raise the required $5,000. If everyone would just skip a couple cups of coffee or snacks and use the money to donate, the problem would be solved.

 

[Sparkysgrrrl]

Perhaps the fact that more donations aren't coming in is showing that while in theory ppl are willing to pay, but in practise, they can't or won't.
It may be a sign of what would happen if it were to become a pay site.

 

[Bonochick]

Perhaps the fact that more donations aren't coming in is showing that while in theory ppl are willing to pay, but in practise, they can't or won't.
It may be a sign of what would happen if it were to become a pay site.

I think it's a sign that the vast majority of people figured they'd just let others donate money, and they wouldn't have to worry about it.

I think that ultimately, if people had to pay...or had the option to pay and get special features...people would be more likely to, as opposed to just donating a random amount towards the entire site. The money somebody would pay in this case would be for their own personal account, which is different.

 

[Elvis]

Anyhoo....would getting rid of all that backlog and old threads help reduce bandwidth? I agree with U2 Kitten, that not many people are going go looking for JT Bono Appreciation thread #12986

Nope. Most of that stuff isnt actually looked at all that often.

 

[Elvis]

VERY true.

How would everybody have felt if you tried to come to interference.com this morning, and the site was gone forever without warning?

the Radiohead forum at greenplastic.com was just gone one afternoon.... poof... no more. My friend Jon runs that site... he got tired of people taking it for granted and having to foot the bill. It was the largest RH community.. like this place is in the world of U2.

 

[Elvis]

Perhaps the fact that more donations aren't coming in is showing that while in theory ppl are willing to pay, but in practise, they can't or won't.
It may be a sign of what would happen if it were to become a pay site.

No... what it shows is that when people have the OPTION to donate, but there isnt a requred fee, they will leech all they can until they can't any longer....

and.. if membership drops because people are too cheap to spare a cup of coffee... so be it. whatever.

 

[U2Kitten]

Nope. Most of that stuff isnt actually looked at all that often.

That's what I thought! Most people not only don't look at old stuff they seem to forget any thread that drops off the first page or two. So how much bandwidth and server space would getting rid of that stuff save?

Please note too that all those old pic threads are also draining bandwidth from other websites they remain linked to and some people are paying for that too. Getting rid of those threads would do a lot of sites a favor wouldn't it?

ALSO: Is the end of the year holiday fund drive with the New Year's Eve deadline out of the question? Is it worth a try for now?

 

[Elvis]

That's what I thought! Most people not only don't look at old stuff they seem to forget any thread that drops off the first page or two. So how much bandwidth and server space would getting rid of that stuff save?

Please note too that all those old pic threads are also draining bandwidth from other websites they remain linked to and some people are paying for that too. Getting rid of those threads would do a lot of sites a favor wouldn't it?

ALSO: Is the end of the year holiday fund drive with the New Year's Eve deadline out of the question? Is it worth a try for now?

1) like i said.. it would NOT save much bandwidth as many people dont look at old stuff.

2) not really, as i said in #1... they arent looked at much - also.. at this point, other sites bandwidth isnt my problem - there are plenty of ways that webmasters can stop such linking if they desired to.

3) We've had a MAJOR fund raising drive going for months now.. with less than needed results, hence where we are today. I will not let this problem go untouched for another 2 months.

I'm seriously considering that no matter what I decide to do... as far as fees... that I may require ALL readers/lurkers to register and be logged in to even read.

 

[diamond]

No... what it shows is that when people have the OPTION to donate, but there isnt a requred fee, they will leech all they can until they can't any longer....

and.. if membership drops because people are too cheap to spare a cup of coffee... so be it. whatever.

ouch..
nice slap..
Where I come from we have a word for ppl like this-
Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooch

DB9

 

[martha]

Perhaps the fact that more donations aren't coming in is showing that while in theory ppl are willing to pay, but in practise, they can't or won't.
It may be a sign of what would happen if it were to become a pay site.

I'd rather have it go out fighting, than just go.

 

[pax]

and for those of you that whine about cost. well, $10 is not a lot. take one night that you've spent at interference and that's a night you didn't go out and spend WAY over $10.


My life is far richer for being here and I am beyond willing to pay $10 to keep it up.

I would not have Lilly in my life without Interference...Lilly alone is worth ten bucks!

 

[pax]

In any event, I think it's kinda sad that people won't ante up ten lousy dollars to keep this place going. I find it shocking that people can afford computers and Internet connections, but ten extra dollars in a YEAR is all that much of a stretch. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm in school full-time, working a string of crappy part-time jobs, and I managed it. You can, too.

No matter what happens, Interference is not going to be the same in 2 months or so anyway, UNLESS WE RAISE FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN TWO MONTHS (ha ha ha!!!). This, my friends, is a strong incentive to start donating, pronto, if you don't want to see a major shake-up.

Otherwise, I suppose it's clear that we'd be going with Option #3: a basic, no-frills free membership, and all the fun stuff we have now for a fee. You'll pry my lovely, dreamy Jeff avatar from my cold, dead hands--so Option #3 it is!

Please consider what Interference means to you. Interference is a wealth of information on almost all topics--music, literature, religion, politics, and on and on--think of it, really, as a pop encyclopedia written and maintained by tons of people you think are cool. And let me hear not a word from you shit-broke college kids, because I'm one too. And I did it. It's one less night at the club or one less pizza--a YEAR. That's all.

Think of it! A world knowing only Zootopia as its source of U2 online fandom! I looked at that place ONCE and ran right back here! ::shudder::

 

[Lilly]

I would not have Lilly in my life without Interference...Lilly alone is worth ten bucks!

many say i'm worth a tad more!


yeah kids, think about all the great people you meet, the friendships you make, the cookies that get sent, the loves found.


i honestly don't know where i'd be without this place.


*has donated once, will donate again whence i get another $8 paycheck

 

[Elvis]

Think of it! A world knowing only Zootopia as its source of U2 online fandom! I looked at that place ONCE and ran right back here! ::shudder::

Lol.... i was just noticing.... members online right NOW:

Zootopia: 3

Feedback: 33

 

[melon]

FYI, there seems to be confusion amongst several Interferencers here as to the meaning of "bandwidth." "Bandwidth" is the number of bytes transmitted from the website's server to your computer. If the page you are looking at has 50 kb of data, it is up to the server to transmit that 50 kb to you--hence, that is "bandwidth." Interference.com, theoretically, could have millions of megabytes of information stored on the server, but, in terms of bandwidth, no one will probably ever download every last bit of this site; hence, why ancient forum posts that no one looks at makes no difference in terms of bandwidth.

As ISPs often charge based on bandwidth usage, large traffic sites like these get expensive quickly. Any suggestions one has in reducing bandwidth must keep this in mind; actual server storage means nothing, but transmission does.

Truthfully, with the implosion of the internet economy in the last couple years, this was inevitable. The notion of an ad-supported internet was silly from the start; who clicks on these ads anyway? I sure don't, and I'm sure you don't as well. We're desensitized to the point where we just ignore them, and internet ad agencies know this. Hence, that is why mainstream internet advertising is collapsing itself. Welcome to a world of internet casinos, cheap Viagra, spy cameras, and naughty pornographic "schoolgirls"--basically, internet advertising has denigrated into a seedy red-light district.

So one does have three options for donation--PayPal, Amazon, and direct mail (send an e-mail to donate@interference.com, and you get the mailing instructions). Admittedly, not everyone will be able to afford this for whatever reason, but I think it is a fair assumption that many here have a credit card / debit card or a checking account that can spare $10.00 a year, considering the egregious amount of time that many of us spend here.

Melon

 

[Kristie]

yeah kids, think about all the great people you meet, the friendships you make, the cookies that get sent, the loves found.

nobody's ever sent me cookies...
but I got a sarong once and that is far better than cookies..

Anyway, you can't tell me you don't have the 83 cents per month in couch change. I was trying to find a dollar for a bottle of coke today and crawled around on my dorm room floor and found enough change. Needless to say, my coke doesn't last a month...

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

So one does have three options for donation--PayPal, Amazon, and direct mail (send an e-mail to donate@interference.com, and you get the mailing instructions).

yep. there really is no excuse not to donate. you only want to pay by credit card? use paypal or amazon. you don't trust paypal, because of all the crap that's been happening with them over the past year or so? use amazon!

you want to pay by check? mail it! don't have a checking account? you can get a money order from any post office or bank for a dollar! when i donated, and will donate in the future, i always send it by mail so i don't have to worry about the commission fee paypal and amazon charge. when i send $20, i want to make sure interference sees all $20.

as it's been said, is it really that hard to forego one indulgence, just enough to justify, say, $10? hell, since i'm jobless and am currently not making any money, i sent in part of my birthday money, figuring i'd just spend it on a cd or something.

 

[Hawkmoon1021]

10 bucks a year doesn't seem like a lot to ask for. Shit, my cable costs $60.00 a month and most of it sucks. When might we expect this change to happen?

 

[diamond]

egregious .

Melon [/B]

Melon-
Quit using tricky words:....
thank u
DB9

 

[theSoulfulMofo]

Wow... I didn't even this thread is here.

I chose 3.

Is there any possibility to channel numerous methods to raise money? Say, have free, premium, plus donation offerings available to anyone willing...

maybe Interferencer convention (I'm reaching out the limb here, so please excuse the clouds in my head).. .kinda like a Star Trek convention ...(actually, I understand that was how Gene Roddenberry made his fundraising.)...

dunno... I just finished reading 8 pages of this thread... I'll have to think a bit more before I really can contribute anything worthy to discuss.

 

[daisybean]

FYI, there seems to be confusion amongst several Interferencers here as to the meaning of "bandwidth." "Bandwidth" is the number of bytes transmitted from the website's server to your computer. If the page you are looking at has 50 kb of data, it is up to the server to transmit that 50 kb to you--hence, that is "bandwidth." Interference.com, theoretically, could have millions of megabytes of information stored on the server, but, in terms of bandwidth, no one will probably ever download every last bit of this site; hence, why ancient forum posts that no one looks at makes no difference in terms of bandwidth.

Thank you...I feel less now.....

 

[hiphop]

Not to be negative here...but U2 already has a site and message board...why would they want to sponsor this one? Granted this better than Zootopia by light years, but it wouldn't make sense for them to sponsor this board. It would be like Pepsi letting Coca Cola put ads on their cans of soda. Does that analogy make sense?

No it doesn?t, because its (mainly) about one product, U2, not two different ones. I think that those would be very low mktg/ promo costs compared to whats spent on any record promo or airplay. They could easily donate 5k per year.

Anyway, as it seems that this probably is not going to happen, I vote for option three. I would be k w paying 10 ? (or was it 11 ??) per year. Note that this is the only site an all the net I would consider paying for. Shit, I?m neither a member of Bowienet... but his site is designed pretty well...

So, Elvis, if we pay, what else we get? And when do we have to start to pay? And which payment methods do you favor?

Premium should include to be able to define your own status. And anyway, avatars and signatures and all this posting pictures stuff has always annoyed me. Why waste info space.

ps: You still have to talk w basstrap and me about the copyrights for the random thread to do the book that will sell a few thousand copies at the very least.

 

[U2Kitten]

yeah kids, think about all the great people you meet, the friendships you make, the cookies that get sent, the loves found.


i honestly don't know where i'd be without this place.

I know that's how you and your group of friends feel but that's not the main advertisement for this place because not everyone comes here to socialize. A lot of people come here for U2 news and pics and to discuss issues. So I guess it comes down to "what does Interference mean to me...."

Melon: Even if those old backlogged threads don't take up much bandwidth surely they are clogging the servers big time. They have to be. How much of the money needed is going to keep literally hundreds of old unread threads stored on the server(s)? Especially a lot of the frivilous off-topic ones, and all those duplicate pics on PLEBA?

Bottom line: If it comes down to is this site worth saving and would I pay, of course the answer is yes. But I only hope that every effort to cut the unecessary pork and reduce costs is made before anyone is charged.

 

[martha]

I think it is a fair assumption that many here have a credit card / debit card or a checking account that can spare $10.00 a year, considering the egregious amount of time that many of us spend here.

Melon

Considering the time we spend here, or despite the time we spend here?

 

[Bonochick]

Melon: Even if those old backlogged threads don't take up much bandwidth surely they are clogging the servers big time. They have to be. How much of the money needed is going to keep literally hundreds of old unread threads stored on the server(s)? Especially a lot of the frivilous off-topic ones, and all those duplicate pics on PLEBA?

I believe Elvis has made it quite clear in this thread that deleting the old threads would not help this current situation in a significant way.

 

[u2loopy]

Dudes....like I said earlier...the ten dollars a year comes out to about .84 cents a month!!!!

and I hate math but I took the time out to figure that one out!!!!!!