Will you leave if the forum is a Paid Subscription?

[Dean Plejaren]

2,709 active members as of 11/17/08
2709 * $1 a month = $2,709 a month.
$2,709 a month * 12 months = $32,508 a year

That's assuming everyone subscribes. Take away my dollar..

[deepblu777]

WANTED: Job that pays me more than the $26.32 a day. I work for the school system and that's what I make...unless school is closed,
then I make -0-.

I feel for everyone trying to get by, these guys are doing a great job and I sure don't expect them to do it for free, either.

All my best wishes for us all...I'll still check in to read and look for new links to info. I will appreciate that, VERY MUCH!

I won't be able to thank you again or offer up any thoughts but I still have my own energy to put out there, so that will have to do.

Been nice communicating!

Love to all the Folks!

[dreb13]

Originally Posted by Dean Plejaren

That's assuming everyone subscribes. Take away my dollar..

I chose "active members" in that figure and not "members" assuming that most of the active members would chip in a buck a month.

There are 5,327 "members" listed as of 11/18/08 and I assume that most of them will not pay a fee to post on the forum.

[iainl140285]

All the info will remain 100% free from my understanding.
Anybody can view - no different from what it is now.

The only slightly backward thing is - if you have information or wish to express your opinion/ideas YOU will have to pay get it out there! Weird.
So, do you feel your info. good valuable enough to share?



Peace
Iain

[yikes!]

I think I can swing a $1, count me in for that during these hard times.

[ADAM KADMON]

Bill Ryan,

I have written you a PM suggesting more profitable alternatives rather than converting the forum to a paid subscription. I hope you will find time to read my message and respond, I think it would benefit everyone here and allow us to keep this forum for free which I think is ideal for everyone involved.

Since I've been doing internet marketing for the better part of 10 years, I know from personal experience subscription based forums, while appealing to the owner, does not appeal to many others. And the "fall out" of people would be great. If you have 2,700 members now, and 1/2 of them are active, you can count on only 20-30% of those active users sticking around once it's being switched to a paid model. Further, merchant accounts and automatic rebilling software and interfaces have a monthly operating cost. Finally, the fall out of peoples credit cards expiring, declines, and charge backs can quickly eat up any margins profits a model like this might bring in...

Thus, I propose a solution that will your supports will respond positively too and rather than dimish your following and subscriber base, indeed raise it and be vastly more profitable. I do hope, you will find the time to respond as it addresses everyone's needs and employs a skill-set I am proud to say have made me financially well off.

Hope to hear back,
Adam K.

I haven't read thru every post on this thread, so i don't know if anyone has suggested the following! if so my apologies in advance.

-how about asking for free will donations from members! whichever amount one can afford to donate!

[Karen]

I posted this to the new threads that have popped up on this subject - and I will read through the posts here to present any ideas and suggestions to Bill and Kerry and the mod team.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you cannot afford the minimal option of $1 per month, there will be other options available. Some members will gift in those who cannot pay. You could help out the project in some way. Just let us know ... post a Private Message to me or post here if you would like to find an option to stay.

The only limit is the lack of imagination to pursue solutions. We will do what is possible for those who want to stay.

For those who are leaving based on philosophical objections, without some income, Bill and Kerry will not be able to continue their work. This subscription fee is just one of many ideas, but others will take more time to implement.

Brainstorming ideas is encouraged. Please do not be disparaged.

Karen

[Rebel4Life]

hmmm will our stuff that we post get censored? I had a thread going and someone closed it down...why? Too much truth getting out there? An actual solution to the problem? I had a thread on common law going in case your wondering what it was about...

[Karen]

Originally Posted by Rebel4Life

hmmm will our stuff that we post get censored?

No, there is not any censorship as far as ideas. Rude and abrasive attitudes and a few other factors caused several hundred threads to be placed in an out of view review area. We are working on reviewing and restoring them as quickly as possible. The list was notified of this, but we realize it is highly unlikely that everyone can read all the posts.

I had a thread going and someone closed it down...why?

See above. Many threads were moved to the correct topic areas, we are now putting in a place holder to direct you to the new location.

Too much truth getting out there?

No, those types of suppositions have been made more than once, but as far as I know, no thread has been closed for content. I am new to the mod team and I don't know everything yet, but I think I'm right on that one.

An actual solution to the problem? I had a thread on common law going in case your wondering what it was about...

Carol has stated several times, we can find your thread and return it to the forum as soon as possible if you ask. I'll see if I can find it for you. It was mostly a matter of logistics, too many members too fast, too many posts, and not enough moderators/moderators stepping down. We do apologize and are working on making improvements, Karen

You can send me or any mod a private message if you have more questions.

[Bill Ryan]

Originally Posted by Rebel4Life

hmmm will our stuff that we post get censored? I had a thread going and someone closed it down...why? Too much truth getting out there? An actual solution to the problem? I had a thread on common law going in case your wondering what it was about...

Hi, Rebel:

Your thread almost certinly didn't get deleted. VERY few threads ever are. This is a rumor that has started and is just not true.

Some threads are MOVED (to an area where they are better categorized), and some are temporarily moved to a moderators' area for review. There's been a large backlog of these, but many have been sorted out now.

The problem has been that when a thread is bookmarked (or referenced in a blog, e.g.) then it SEEMS not to be there any more, and a rather brutal message shows up which says "You don't have permission to access this page".

It's a limitation of the vBulletin software that we cannot change that message - as best I know. It gives entirely the wrong message. It SHOULD say [something like]

"This thread has been moved to ________ . Please wait while we redirect you", or

"This thread has temporarily been moved to the moderators' area for review, and will be reposted as soon as possible."

We apologize for this limitation, and there's nothing we can do to change the messages or automatically redirect the pages. The solution is to use the Search function to find the threads (or individual posts) - you'll almost always find they're still on the forum.

Very best wisehs, Bill

[iainl140285]

Are the whistleblowers expected to pay to share their knowledge?

[Bill Ryan]

Originally Posted by iainl140285

Are the whistleblowers expected to pay to share their knowledge?

No.