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March 31st, 2004
Last Update 21.03.07
ApolytonPLUS Subscription Service Details
The administration of Apolyton Civilization Site (ACS), the oldest continuously and arguably largest operating Civilization fansite on the Internet, is today announcing the launch of the "ApolytonPLUS" (PLUS) subscription service for its visitor base. It will allow registered users of ACS' forums to enhance their browsing experience with perks not available to non-subscribers. This service brings together a long-standing call by visitors wanting to directly support ACS' operations, and the position of the ACS administration not to institute a donation mechanism. Subscription bonuses constitute mostly expansions to existing features. Access to ACS content is not being restricted in whole or in part as a result of PLUS' implementation; content consumption remains free for subscribers and non-subscribers.
While the online advertising industry continues to recover somewhat from its early 2001 fallout, its level has not nor is it expected to reach its previous heights. In the wake of this reality ACS became hosted by RackShack (now ev1Servers.net (ev1)) in April, 2002 after spending the substantial portion of its life to that point on a communal gaming network. A commercial hosting provider, ev1 charges a monthly billing cycle for the technical services needed to keep ACS online. Since its hosting began on eV1, charges for ACS' demands to accommodate present and reasonable future growth have more than doubled. ACS Co-Owners and Administrators Daniel Quick and Markos Giannopoulos looked into and subsequently decided to structure a subscription service to supplement the site's advertising and affiliation revenue. A review of several options internally and in consultation with engaged members of its forum community over several months preceded this moment.
The following table below compares the benefits between PLUS and non-PLUS members. Here and henceforth, "min." is used as the abbreviation for minimum and similarly "max." for maximum.
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SERVICE | PLUS-MEMBERS | NON PLUS-MEMBERS |
|---|
| Displayed advertisements | <Removed> | <Remain> |
| Avatars: (Ability for Custom Avatar, size) | <No Restriction>
100x100 pixels
Max. 20K file size | 500 posts required
80x80 pixels
Max. 10K file size |
Private Messaging: Storage,
Size,
Flood check | Store 400 pms
Up to 10K in size
No flood check | Store 200 pms
Up to 4k in size
1 pm every 90 secs |
Posts: Size,
Flood check | Up to 40K in size
No flood check | Up to 20k in size
1 post every 30 secs |
| Subscription Badge | <Present> (Optional) | - |
| Attachment: File Size | 1MB/max. | 500K/max. |
| Upload: Total Storage | 30MB/max. | 20MB/max. |
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Start the process, sign-up now!
Additional exclusive PLUS Members benefits: The following table below show extra benefits exclusive to PLUS members, according to their status of Regular (1-36 months subscriptions) or Lifetime.
| BENEFIT |
REGULAR PLUS |
LIFETIME PLUS |
|---|
| Custom user title |
- |
YES |
| Full POP3 Mail Account more info |
civilization2.net
civilization3.net
civilization4.net
calltopower.net
galciv.net
moo3.net |
civilization2.net
civilization3.net
civilization4.net
calltopower.net
galciv.net
moo3.net
apolyton.com |
| New Posts of Subscribed Forums more info |
YES |
YES |
| Automated "new reply" mails include the whole message of the new post |
YES |
YES |
| My Threads Benefits (500 vs 120 threads shown) more info |
YES |
YES |
| Current Users Identification more info |
YES |
YES |
| No Load-Saving Features more info |
YES |
YES |
| Forums Access When Forums Are Closed more info |
YES |
YES |
| PM link/new PM indicator more info |
YES |
YES |
|
The table below delineates the baseline pricing structure of the PLUS-service effective immediately.
|
PLAN | TERM | PRICE |
|---|
| Mini | 3 Months | $6USD |
| Standard | 6 Months | $12USD |
| Extended | 12 Months | $18USD |
| Extended-2 | 24 Months | $36USD |
| Extended-3 | 36 Months | $50USD |
|
As was first suggested during the public consultation process, a Lifetime subscription option has also been explored and approved by the ACS administration. Its detail and pricing structure is outlined below. Note that whichever terms most closely approximates a subscriber's forum membership status will determine which tier applies to their required commitment.
|
PLAN | TERMS | PRICE |
|---|
| Lifetime | <None> | $150USD |
| Lifetime Prime 1 | 1 year since forum registration/min. | $145USD |
| Lifetime Prime 2 | 2 years since forum registration/min. | $140USD |
| Lifetime Prime 3 | 3 years since forum registration/min. | $135USD |
| Lifetime Prime 4 | 4 years since forum registration/min. | $130USD |
| Lifetime Prime 5 | 5 years since forum registration/min. | $125USD |
|
PROCESSING OF SUBSCRIPTIONS
The processing of "ApolytonPLUS" subscription requests is two-pronged. The technical or second stage process will be undertaken by both Quick and Giannopoulos directly. The billing or first stage process will be overseen exclusively by PayPal ( website ), an eBay company ( website ). Founded in 1998, the private company based in San Jose, California will enable PLUS subscribers to securely, quickly and easily send payments to the ACS administration without disclosing any confidential credit and/or banking information to ACS systems or administrators. PayPal is currently servicing forty million account members in thirty-eight countries worldwide. As a result, PLUS subscriptions are limited to those nations PayPal has established operations with. Permitting payment by U.S. dollar money order via national/international postal systems as an alternative to PayPal will be considered at a later date. Personal cheques and cash will never be considered as acceptable alternate forms of subscription payment.
In addition, note that a nominal portion of each PLUS payment will be kept by PayPal to cover administrative and related costs. However, this fact does not factor into the costs at each type and level but is rather absorbed within it in an effort to minimize charges to subscribers. When reviewing credit and/or banking statements, the line 'APOLYTON CS' corresponds to PLUS payments as of this writing.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
By becoming an "ApolytonPLUS" ("Service") subscriber, you indicate that you have read, comprehend and agree to the following terms and conditions of service:
· Pricing, quoted and payable in American dollars, is subject to change without written or otherwise communicated notice; where applicable, no retroactive application of difference between old and new pricing will be applied to ongoing subscriptions without notice
· Where would be applicable, holds on subscriptions will not be considered under any circumstance or articulation
· Refunds in whole or in part will not be given under any circumstance or articulation
· Subscribers are not subject to 'anti-moderator' and/or 'anti-administrator' immunity - all codes of conduct for non-subscribers still apply to subscribers
· Constitution of subscription benefits are subject to change without notice
· If and when a subscriber is banned from the Apolyton forums and/or site for whatever reason(s), their subscription benefits are automatically terminated; if and when a subscriber's forum account is temporarily disabled for whatever reason(s), it will be left to the sole discretion of the ACS administration whether or not their subscription will be terminated or continued upon reactivation
· Application of credits for lost availability of Service as a result of foreseeable disruptions will be instituted only if and when the ACS administration deems it amenable
· None of the ACS staff and/or administration will be liable for damages arising out of or in connection with the use of this Service, or any hyperlinked website; this is a comprehensive limitation of liability that applies to all damages of any kind, including (without limitation) compensatory, direct, indirect or consequential damages, loss of data, income or profit, loss of or damage to property and claims of third parties
· Commercial hosting provider infrastructure and technical operation for ACS is located in the state of Texas, U.S.A., while the primary administrative/financial contact for ACS is situated in the province of Ontario, Canada; as ACS can be generally accessed from all Internet connected nations, and each jurisdiction has laws that may differ from one another, subscribers agree that all matters relating to access to, or use of, the Service, or any other hyperlinked website, shall be governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein; subscribers also agree and herby submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the Province of Ontario and acknowledge that the user does so voluntarily and is responsible for complying with local laws
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