On this big pay thing for the DU

[Safetykitten]

I don't think that paying for not seeing ads is bad. From what I understand, you still will be able to post and do all things that you used to do. To make this a who is better than who is not really the point, but I do understand the Grand Canyon of empathy that exists between the confortable "everyone has a checking account" and their puzzlement contingent, and the live day to day on nickeled and dimed existence members.

However, I am concerned that this will possibly be ramped into a "high traffic" situation, like the "datalounge" a site which most here would last about 10 seconds on. They allow only paid members during high traffic, allowing only paid members to post, but everyone can read. That would not be a good place to go for this great site.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. I'm pretty sure that's how it is here now.

During elections, and such, when we reach "defcon" stages, only paid subscribers can post. However, that very rarely happens here. I've only seen it a handful of times in all the years I've been here.

You know, on edit I think I've only seen that once. It was when Kerry lost and it wasn't due to traffic, it was due to infiltrators/disruptors being asses. Please, pardon my error.

[Pharaoh]

5. Kerry did'nt lose

nor did Gore............


Lest we all forget.......:patriot:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. True!

And than your for the reminder. :)

[WolverineDG]

9. It rarely happens anymore

because the admins used donations to buy more servers & bandwidth. I still remember the night Keith Olbermann almost broke DU (his post-Katrina rant on Labor Day).

Since they added servers & bandwidth though, I can't remember the last time DU has hit defcon stage.

dg

[Rabblevox]

15. thanks for the correction, I was completely ready to blow your "swift boat" out of the water.

but I've been affected by "pedi-dental" disease as well. Mistakes acknowledged are freely forgiven (or, at least, they should be)

[Whisp]

2. good you brought up the high traffic situation.

Reminds me that I do believe in the past, around election times and super busy days, Skinner announced that because of the high traffic only Members may be allowed to participate. Whether this was actually implemented or just a heads up as to it could happen (and didn't) I don't recall.

[Horse with no Name]

3. The ads to me are a small thing

I don't even have them turned off now and I have a star,lol.

BUT...the fact that there will be bells and whistles that are made available to the ones who can "pay to play"...is a tad anathemas to what an "underground" site should be.

[murielm99]

16. I think we have stopped being an "underground" site.

We stopped when Obama won.

I am not going to whine about how much the place has changed. If we haven't changed at all since 2001, something is wrong with us.

[quinnox]

4. There are many pitfalls this new system could herald

The paid members may be given special influence or treatment. For instance, apparently DU 3 will be mostly self-modded, so perhaps those who can afford the fees will be given more weight over whose posts get locked/censored. Cliques could do the same thing. The paid members posts might similarly be less prone to being locked and they might become untouchable and free to be as nasty as they want to be.

These fees could keep going up and the site will become more and more expensive. Because if they end up making a good profit from this new much more expensive fee, why not raise it some more and get even more money? The temptation would be hard to resist even for good-hearted and progressive people.

[Pharaoh]

6. Will there be a dungeon there?

So when I want to discuss something terribly historic (911) and discuss the anomaly's that happened on that day I can be banished to a forum which never sees the light of day nor can receive rec's?

:freak:

[quinnox]

12. No idea

Not sure if skinner has addressed this.

[madinmaryland]

17. I would be happy if the gungeon is relegated to the status of never being seen.

:scared:

[MADem]

10. If there are no moderators, how will civil discourse be maintained? Or will it? nt

[quinnox]

11. good question

I'm just as curious, from what I've seen, self moderated community forums are pretty bad at it.

[ellisonz]

13. Shooting ourselves in the foot...

[hlthe2b]

14. Sadly, I agree

[Warren Stupidity]

7. The objection is that the price for not seeing ads is going up.