Apolyton Revenue

[Agathon]

Originally posted by PLATO


I understand what you are saying, but this could be solved by supplying a certain number of ad free days for a fee. The clock could stop during a suspension (eithier voluntary or involuntary for that matter)

Too cumbersome. I imagine it'll be a yearly sub. I'd pay if there were some nice things.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Agathon
There'll need to be more than no ads to get many takers and banning people who use popup blockers isn't likely to work.

You want to catch a fish, you put something nice on your hook.

As Ming said, there will probably be other "enhancements" to membership. But, I believe that there is a market for just the ad free service. As far as the subscription period I think a year would be fine. Bannings could be handled by simply extending the subscription expiration date by the number of days banned.

[Ben Kenobi]

I don't see the difference between the services offered, and accepting donations straight up.

I would like to see Dan and Markos make enough on a subscription basis, not to have to run any ads whatsoever.

I guess I just have a problem with giving them the money directly. I have greatly enjoyed having this site available, and I want to show my appreciation to Dan and Markos for all the hard work they put in. But I don't want them to feel obligated because I gave them money to do anything more than they do now. I don't need a special title or anything. I just want to give thanks for all the good times.

[Nubclear]

Re: Re: Apolyton Revenue

Originally posted by MarkG
no way am i spending my time chasing people with ad blockers. i'm just saying that it is possible to build a system where ad blocking would automatically lead to some form of inability to use part or whole of the site

I hope you wouldn't consider doing such.
The only day I'll let Apolyton through the ad blocker is the day that people dont get nasty spywares.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Ming
Not really... I will grant you that the FAQ would probably have to be updated But I don't see any "obligations" that will be "accrued" by the owners if people have to pay. It's still the choice of the subscribers on whether they are willing to pay or continue to pay. The same rules could be applied. If people didn't like it, they could stop subscribing. Just like any other private pay site. If you are implying they may want to run their site differently to compete in this more capitalistic format, you are probably right. But lets not call it "accrue certain obligations"... call it what it really is... making the proper business decisions

I mostly agree. The subscription should entitle the person that subscribes to no ads and maybe some other fixed fringe benefits. I don't see the need to change how the site is run. I do see the need to make the rules more clear.

I appreciate that the owners probably like this idea more than they say, and are perhaps dissuaded by the hassle of setting it up. However I don't see the popup model as being sustainable. I have always allowed popups on this site (even in the evil Gator times), but I am not any more since the situation is ridiculous, with far far too many popups. Reading between the lines I don't think that many people will allow them whilst they are so plentiful. Of course this snowballs into more people blocking as they get more and more popups.

As I say, it's not sustainable IMO.

[alva]

Don't want anything special except for an ad-free site.

Other then that, no (real) changes need to be made IMO.

[DarkCloud]

Hmm... could possibly the fee based membership be related to teh amount of posts that someone can make in a month? Say a person wold be limited to 100 posts withoug paying the fees? or would that be contrary to the "service-provided" philosophy that dan seems to be considering?

[DrSpike]

Certainly making people pay for spam is a way of reducing it.

[alva]

Not a good way though..

[Bloody Monk]

Because of the popup model in effect here, spam is actually encouraged. The more +1's, the greater the number of popups. Toasting a thread is actually counter productive, if you think about it.

Monk

[MarkG]

The only day I'll let Apolyton through the ad blocker is the day that people dont get nasty spywares.

NOONE gets spyware from our site.

And btw, please dont use our upload service for your games on other site

[Alex]

Hm, I really don't like the idea of a fee based membership. Maybe the first 100 people who signed up on Poly back in the days when the site was created could get a perennial and free membership?

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
I don't see the difference between the services offered, and accepting donations straight up.

Tax implications.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Alex
Hm, I really don't like the idea of a fee based membership. Maybe the first 100 people who signed up on Poly back in the days when the site was created could get a perennial and free membership?

Under the system that I am talking about, if you didn't sign up for a membership then nothing changes. If you do, then only the ads go away. What is your issue with that?

[alva]

Originally posted by PLATO


Tax implications.

Make it a non-profit organisation, make some stories available for download at a price..???

C'mon how many economics masters are there on this site, not to mention lawyers surely they can come up with something.