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

[Elvis]

Thats true. But I really wouldnt want to have some else pay for me. Like if someone wants to, sure. But I could try and live without this place if I had to. I dont want anyone to feel like they HAVE to pay for me or anything. I'd really love to be able to pay cos I could cough up the money it's just that I cant use the pay things. And I dont trust snail mail. (Last time my mum sent me cash when I was at camp it got lost.)

Raven,

You could get a postal money order, if they get lost in the mail, i believe they are insured.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

Joel

 

[Elvis]

In short, I agree with whatever you want to do, but if you want new people to keep joining, I don't think they'll just fork over the money for something they know nothing about, and have never had the privilege to experience. Therefore, I'd propose all forums be read-only for free users, and that way some red blooded women will be drawn by PLEBA, some off the wall characters by LS, political nuts by FYM and the sports freaks as well. JMO, of course.

The beauty of the forum is that I can make changes as you suggested quite easily. We'll see how it goes with the Premium Memberships, and if it does or does not attract any newbies. We can always alter our free 'read' forums if needed.

Also, for years people blindly subscribed to Propaganda, sending money off, sometimes not getting an issue for over a year.... not everyone has seen scans of the magazine prior to subscribing - and yet they still do... word of mouth does wonders as well.... we'll see what it does here.

Joel

 

[HeartlandGirl]

Raven,

You could get a postal money order, if they get lost in the mail, i believe they are insured.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

Joel

I think you're right. I know someone who had to send a $200 money order, but it got lost in the mail. Because he had PHOTOCOPIED it (I cannot emphasize how important it is to keep some kind of record or receipt), the bank where he got the MO issued him another one.

Money orders are great, and you can get them easily at the post office, banks, and sometimes grocery stores.

 

[The Wanderer]

I voted for premium, except I think the fee should be much higher, either that, or you should charge about 10 cents per post, with an additional premium charge for time spent surfing and words/per/post

what's fair is fair

of course, I trust you'll document everything that is *earned* and spent

 

[Elvis]

I voted for premium, except I think the fee should be much higher, either that, or you should charge about 10 cents per post, with an additional premium charge for time spent surfing and words/per/post

what's fair is fair

of course, I trust you'll document everything that is *earned* and spent

Sure, and I'll post profits in about 1000 yrs after I've made back the $35,000+ that Ive spent on Interference since 1996, plus all the money my employers in the past spent.... ok?

 

[the gridlock]

so if we have more than one user name, will we have to pay a subscription fee for each name?

sorry if this has already been asked

 

[Elvis]

so if we have more than one user name, will we have to pay a subscription fee for each name?

sorry if this has already been asked

There will be a discounted yearly fee for 'alters', but I have yet to decide exactly how much, and how I will keep track of it... I will prolly have something figured out within a week or so... for now... subscribe under your main account.

 

[The Wanderer]

well then at least the moderators should have a free membership

 

[Sicy]

Joel already said that they will.

 

[cass]

bit of a shock eh? but inevitable and neccesary

Well thanks for what you have provided for free over the years Joel. I have been here for some time, rearranging the furniture etc. Well it's a U2room you need room to dance.
**cass grabs the fish tank as a souvenir**
What are the areas that can be accessed for free?
When do the doors close?

I think your decision is a fair one.

 

[bonosloveslave]

A thought

I don't think this has been suggested yet.....

I don't know how technical this would get, it seems like with the subscription requirement in place it may not be hard to do, but what about a trial membership? Alot of sites do this, just as an example those sites that will let you access your credit report for a month with weekly updates. For Interference it could be a day, week, whatever time frame - they would have to initially register with basic info like they do now, and during the trial period they could read, post, whatever - all access to be able to get a feel for everything that is here, including PLEBA, LS, FYM etc. When they then go to log in after their free trial is up, they get a screen that says, times up, get the full package for just $12 a year. I'm assuming you're going to have to have a tracking system and notice like that for when paid subscriptions expire anyway.

I know there could be few potential problems, but it seems like they would be doing alot of work just to get around paying $12/year. For example, it could be a problem that people just keep re-registering with different names to keep getting it free, but you could require a valid email address to receive a password that is good only during the free trial (ie click on a link thru their email), and then when they sign up and pay they could choose their own password. Someone might sign up just to post spam, but that has already been an occasional problem here.

This may just be an option to try if there doesn't seem to be many people subscribing that aren't already on Interference. I do like to see new 'faces' around here in the forums that currently won't be available without subscription. This could help too with out-of-place postings that may become a problem as BC previously suggested with allowing free posting in only 6 forums.

 

[Elvis]

Re: A thought

I don't think this has been suggested yet.....

I don't know how technical this would get, it seems like with the subscription requirement in place it may not be hard to do, but what about a trial membership? Alot of sites do this, just as an example those sites that will let you access your credit report for a month with weekly updates. For Interference it could be a day, week, whatever time frame - they would have to initially register with basic info like they do now, and during the trial period they could read, post, whatever - all access to be able to get a feel for everything that is here, including PLEBA, LS, FYM etc. When they then go to log in after their free trial is up, they get a screen that says, times up, get the full package for just $12 a year. I'm assuming you're going to have to have a tracking system and notice like that for when paid subscriptions expire anyway.

I know there could be few potential problems, but it seems like they would be doing alot of work just to get around paying $12/year. For example, it could be a problem that people just keep re-registering with different names to keep getting it free, but you could require a valid email address to receive a password that is good only during the free trial (ie click on a link thru their email), and then when they sign up and pay they could choose their own password. Someone might sign up just to post spam, but that has already been an occasional problem here.

This may just be an option to try if there doesn't seem to be many people subscribing that aren't already on Interference. I do like to see new 'faces' around here in the forums that currently won't be available without subscription. This could help too with out-of-place postings that may become a problem as BC previously suggested with allowing free posting in only 6 forums.

Unfortunately, people can setup new free valid email addresses about as fast as they can count to 10. I agree there needs to be some sort of 'preview' but until I can create an easy way of managing and tracking such, I'm afraid we are stuck without one, and instead offering a much lower end service to our free users (for now). I've found that when people CAN abuse a system, they usually will, or will find a way to do so. Free trials smell of account creation abuse.

Joel

 

[RavenStar]

I'm at school and shouldne even be posting but...
The money order thingy sounds good. I might ask a family member to donate for me as a present or something.
I dont wanna see this site disapeer

 

[U2Kitten]

Re: Re: A thought

Unfortunately, people can setup new free valid email addresses about as fast as they can count to 10.

I've found that when people CAN abuse a system, they usually will, or will find a way to do so. Free trials smell of account creation abuse.

Joel

This is very true, and it's what happened with boomspeed. They only give you 1 MEG free, which isn't enough to fill a PLEBA girl's hollow tooth, so some of us made two or more accounts. Eventually, we were caught 'abusing' their service (translation--->posting massive amounts of pics here and leaving them linked, thus using up their bandwidth and server space) All 'abusive' accounts were shut down and they offered to start us back up with a 100MG account (about 3000 hot U2 pics) for $2 the first 2 months and $6 a month afterward. Even though that is a lot of space, and it's so good to know you won't be shut down (as has happened with many photo hosting sites in the past for us) that really is a ripoff compared to the $10-12 yearly fee here, considering all you get. It would cost much more to host your pics than it would be to post them here! But the end result is, contrary to the old saying, none of the best things in life are free. The gravy train of Interference, like boomspeed, has run out and we must decide to pay up or shut up. There are no other options. Question- how long do we have before the shit hits the fan and members start to get turned off?

 

[daisybean]

Re: Re: A thought

Unfortunately, people can setup new free valid email addresses about as fast as they can count to 10. I agree there needs to be some sort of 'preview' but until I can create an easy way of managing and tracking such, I'm afraid we are stuck without one, and instead offering a much lower end service to our free users (for now). I've found that when people CAN abuse a system, they usually will, or will find a way to do so. Free trials smell of account creation abuse.

Joel

Can't you do something where you have a free for a week preview type thing. Every few months or so change the settings on the board, so it's like it is now....anyone can register and read without having to pay...then once the week is up go back to subsription only.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Question- how long do we have before the shit hits the fan and members start to get turned off?

december 1st.

i have a question as well, or maybe it's more of a suggestion. for the premium members, when they post attachments (just for pics, of course), could they show up in the post instead of just as a link? like maaaaaaaaaaybe if we were to see how thangs were going once people started paying and see if bandwidth costs were running down and stuff, and maybe then see if that could be a possibility?

 

[pinkfloyd]

this forum will become strictly North America zone with very limited number of users , i can pay for cable , i can pay for electricity , i can pay for food , multimedia , but to pay for right to use the forum , post on it , it's not worthy . and it will never work , i have bad thoughts about all this , it concerns taking serious amount of money from people . we'll see. i

s there any way to do forum for free , i can agree to give up , all the avatars , pics , smilies , any versions , any ????

 

[bonosloveslave]

I said this aloud to myself somewhere else, but can we "surprise" sponsor someone? As in, just do it, even if they object?

 

[Elvis]

Re: Re: Re: A thought

Can't you do something where you have a free for a week preview type thing. Every few months or so change the settings on the board, so it's like it is now....anyone can register and read without having to pay...then once the week is up go back to subsription only.

I've considered such things.. and others... I'm not creating the iron curtain here folks... trust me.. I want this place to continue to grow also

 

[Elvis]

I said this aloud to myself somewhere else, but can we "surprise" sponsor someone? As in, just do it, even if they object?

ABSOLUTELY.

Just fill in their User Name instead of yours when subscribing.

Joel

 

[Elvis]

this forum will become strictly North America zone with very limited number of users , i can pay for cable , i can pay for electricity , i can pay for food , multimedia , but to pay for right to use the forum , post on it , it's not worthy . and it will never work , i have bad thoughts about all this , it concerns taking serious amount of money from people . we'll see. i

s there any way to do forum for free , i can agree to give up , all the avatars , pics , smilies , any versions , any ????

Kill your TV.

Pay to be brainwashed by non-interactive media being spoon fed.... yah.. thats MUCH better than actually supporting something interactive... with REAL people. </sarcasm>

 

[drumkeeran]

I feel so wonderful, now that I'm a Premium member!!!

As always, thanks Joel!!! for your ever present leadership!!!

 

[Giant Lemon]

I just want to say that I'll be more than happy to sponsor someone. I know a lot of people probably don't want to ask to be sponsored, so if any of you out there know of someone please PM me!

 

[bonoman]

well i just seen the pop up message for 12$ US a year.

You do know thats a fortune in Canada, right?

Ah no i'll pay it!!!

12$ for the hours of time i've spent here is just a little of what i owe ou Joel!!!

Thanks!!

 

[pinkfloyd]

Joel , can i just sent you 2 dollars a month on your address ???

 

[Sicy]

Yep you can.

 

[camiloj]

Hee hee I did it, I paid $12 for this place and I hardly use it. I fgured that the hell, consider it my 13 month trial period, if it ends up not being worth it I can cancel it before next year.

 

[anitram]

I mailed out an International Money Order tonight, as I live in Canada and don't want to use my Amex and their ridiculous exchange rate. It should be there early next week (but with Canada Post, it's always 5% hoping, 95% praying).

I'm wondering whether those of us who sent it via snail mail, and included our e-mail addresses can get an e-mail confirmation that the money arrived?

 

[Elvis]

I mailed out an International Money Order tonight, as I live in Canada and don't want to use my Amex and their ridiculous exchange rate. It should be there early next week (but with Canada Post, it's always 5% hoping, 95% praying).

I'm wondering whether those of us who sent it via snail mail, and included our e-mail addresses can get an e-mail confirmation that the money arrived?

Exactly why I required an email address be included.

I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Joel

 

[Elvis]

I forget whom asked/commented about how many active posters there are.... but in the last 5 days alone.... over 700 people have posted. In the last 30 days, almost 3000 have actually posted as well.

Not bad.

Also... I'm working on a FAQ that should answer questions about subscribing/Premium Membership .. I'll let you know when it's done... if you have any questions that haven't been asked here already, please feel free to ask them here and I'll see that they get answered.


Joel