K&R if you think the minimum donation should be $1 a month!

[XemaSab]

:bounce:

[The Wielding Truth]

1. That would be fair. Who would unrec this? Yet someone did.

[ZombieHorde]

2. That would be good for really poor people. nt

[robinlynne]

10. That would be good for a lot of us. no need to call us poor. lower

middle class is just fine, thank-you.
struggling is fine.
trying to stay up is fine.
There are lots of different ways to say it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. How about working class?

I am... will say it proudly

[robinlynne]

35. Thank-you!

[Make7]

3. I thought the minimum donation was $0 a month. ( n/t )

[robinlynne]

36. was.

[onenote]

37. is and will be.

[Ohio Joe]

4. I expect Skinner and crew set up a fair donation line

I would love the donation to be zero and still get all the bells and whistles but I don't think they are getting rich off of what they are asking.

[JI7]

5. i don't think you need to donate anything to post on DU, it's only stuff like search function

where you need a donor star.

[uppityperson]

6. Since we used to be able to donate $5/yr, $1/month or $12/yr is better than $5/60.

They could have simply doubled the minimum to $10/yr. I'd do $12 or $1/month.

[krispos42]

7. The problem is probably bank-transfer fees and such

Using PayPal, the fee is $1 as it currently stands, which makes it $2 a month just for Skinner to get $12 a year.

Lord knows what a credit card setup costs.

[MADem]

16. Well, there's always checks!

I think most people could manage to write a twelve buck check at a single go. Or even go get a money order for that amount!

[krispos42]

19. What is this "check" of which you speak?

:P

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

17. exactly, paypal gets such a huge cut... makes sense to me

[lbrtbell]

21. Donors pay the $1 fee for him

I just did when I donated a few hours ago.

[krispos42]

25. Right, but he doesn't net anything from it

That's what I'm saying. Plus, it costs money on a monthly basis to have all the credit card transaction stuff set up. Financial gateway, etc.

:shrug:

Efficiency depends on how often the system is used.

[rhett o rick]

8. I dont understand the purpose of this OP. Is DU in financial trouble? nm

[starroute]

11. No, but DU is trying to regularize its cash flow

There's a thread announcing the end to fund drives and proposing a membership fee of $40 a year -- which may be nothing to a lot of people but would be enough to drive others away.

[robinlynne]

12. no. they are starting a new monthy fee instead of fundraising. look on the greatest page in the

right hand column, and you will see the thread.

[rhett o rick]

15. Thank you. nm

[msongs]

9. got computer? check. got internet? check. n u don't want to come to a FREE DU? uncheck nt

[XemaSab]

18. I bought the computer when I had steady work

and the internet...? Let's just say that my next door neighbor doesn't know how generous he is. :D

[MADem]

13. Certainly more do-able in this economic environment.

There's a saying from the Great Depression that still applies:

Fast dimes are better than slow dollars.

[Old and In the Way]

20. Even better, I think Skinner should pay us to post here!

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

At the very least, we should have an income committee that should tell these folks what they can charge us for using their site!

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. How about we don't tell the owner of the site what he can charge?

Good grief. You are acting like we own the site. Here's a news release - we don't. Skinner does and he can charge whatever the hell he wants to charge.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

23. Oh, I thought we were a "community." In fact, I see Skinner use that term all the time.

Maybe teachers should shut up and take what we, the tax payers, give them, eh? Shut up and eat your gruel.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. A community that Skinner allows to hang out on HIS site.

Key word - HIS.

[defendandprotect]

30. There is no website without posters -- believe me!

[defendandprotect]

29. +1000% ---

[rufus dog]

26. Tough one to answer

Without having access to the cost side of the structure it is impossible to identify what the donation amount should be.


Being a small business owner I have seen some unrealistic expectations from people who wanted full access without sharing the risk. In my case I had friends who I worked with for years want full partnership along with full wages while I covered the insurance costs and all monetary risks with the client. So I was asked to cover all the risk and pay the administrative costs out of my hourly rate, while they wanted to bill at full hourly rate but share none of the risk. When I asked them how was that fair, the response was that they had to make the same rate as me to manage their expenses and that I had built up a reserve so I should cover them and they should not have them take any risk. So basically, I should make 40% less than them, put my house up for collateral, but any profits should be shared equally.


Point is, you have no idea of the costs, and unless you are going to sign up for the burden you may need to temper your requests.

[aquart]

27. A flat tax is not a donation.

[MilesColtrane]

34. Taxes are not optional.

Sending Skinner money certainly is...

[defendandprotect]

28. There should be no "minimum" to be a member of the website ---

as suggested by Skinner --

No one is to be forced to give --

Now, if you're talking about what we might want to do voluntarily

that's different --

[JCMach1]

31. Maybe there should be multiple levels

Gold Star- Full Access
Silver Star- Reduced Ads, but still some (maybe limit to one per page) but at a reduced rate.

[Supply Side Jesus]

32. $3.50 is too much

I can do 2 a month, but 3.50 is really pushing it. I love DU, but it can be inconsistent in enforcing rules and really unfair in how rules are applied. that doesn't want me to throw nearly 50 bucks a year on it. not to mention the rudness I've experience in dealing with some mods and a certain admin... I'll be more than happy to pay 2, but 4... I can't see me doing it.

[FirstLight]

33. kick

i would go for a special "hardship rate" ;P