TANSTAAFL. The money to support the site has to come from somewhere, and I'm not sure I could convince my beloved that spending close to $4,000 per year on a hobby was justified... [img]graemlins/troutslap.gif[/img]

An option for paying members to see the site without ads is very reasonable, IMHO. And I think that popups, like most small, insignificant creatures, should be taken out into the back yard and shot, multiple times... I find them extremely offensive. A nice tasteful banner ad is much better.

If half the thousands of members could make their way to a buck a month, the money-hosting issues would be over.

As if popups and banner ads actually pay off all that much these days... They're not the same miracle solution to all your money troubles they may have appeared to be 3 years ago anymore.

[ 07-22-2003, 01:52 AM: Message edited by: Grojlach ]

Well, the current "system" for contributing to the site has drawbacks.

First, what happens is Z doesn't squawk for money until he needs it -- by then we turn around and see he's buried by a 350 lb. Andre the Giant $250 monthly bill bearing down on him and the referee already is slamming down the 1-count (out of 3, mind you ;) ). So, we rush and the first 20 or 25 people to cough up some dough get the $250 covered -- for THIS month.

Ultimately the law of averages will catch up. Meaning, sooner or later Z will make an "all hands" call for money and we will all be too slow or too tight with our budgets, and the site will fall short of the needed funds. Once or twice this happens, and Z stresses his budget to make up the shortfall. Three or four times this happens, and Z can't make up the shortfall and IWF goes bzzzt.

Some sort of monthly/planned donation will help by providing insurance against this current system -- which you must admit really relies on our collective conscious. Anywho, Z mentioned a little while ago he is putting something in place. Let's wait and see what it is. ;)

I thought a monthly donation scheme was in the works. No need for ads or the extra over-head (in time, money, liability) of running a dual-scheme pay site. Everyone who would pay for the site, can and every one who can't, won't have to suffer through ads. Last I recall Ziroc was working on the monthly donation thing.

You mean people actually *dared* to dislike her idea? ;) I've just re-read the topic in question, and the idea I got that many people thought it was a bad idea in general; but there was no meanness directed at Galadria in person whatsoever, as far as I can tell. I *do* recall making some angry remarks in MagiK's direction in that particular topic, though. And I still stand by them, for the record. ;)
For those interested, this matter was discussed before, and can be read here in all its glory.

I'm not exactly sure what you're insinuating here, but your words are rather inflammatory, to be honest.

[ 07-21-2003, 05:17 PM: Message edited by: Grojlach ]

Is this why I have never had chance to meet Galadria? She never posts in the common areas and sticks to the gaming areas. It seems that unpopular ideas are not welcome and/or tolerated here. </font>[/QUOTE]Shoot if that were the case I would have been banned for my first post on the topic of religion or war. ;) Thats not the case.

adds are fun, sometimes. If they're from the right service... like Gamespy's add program always offers something for advertising that looks worth clicking on...

I say there should be no difference between a "premium" and regular account here at Ironworks. Part of what make Ironworks so great is that there is no publicity.

People that can afford to help Ziroc could turn their account into a contributor account but the regular account should still be the same.

Maybe the contributors could have a special icon or something if you really want to get something extra.

If we had adds...

1. Would it be possible to restrict those to the main page only or don't that generate enough dough?

2. Would the adds contain alot of flashing lights and moving stuff? I have a broadband connection myself, but I'm aware that not every Ironworker has and these kind of flashing adds might slow it down for dial-uppers.

3. If we had adds for games, movies etc, would that mean that we wouldn't be allowed to critizise them or else we would scare away the advertizers? Do we have some kind of list of companies we can't speak out against?

We'll have to see what Ziroc has in mind. I can pay for Ironworks but I don't have a Pay Pal account (never heard of it before [img]smile.gif[/img] ) and I don't know if my credit card support it but I'll check it out. I would prefer, of course, to pay the monthly fees all at once, say, once per year.

I seem to recall Ziroc making it fairly clear that he wasnt going to put popups on this site. And theres the monthly subscription coming soon, that should improve matters since many people only donate when theres a call for it, so a subscription would bring in more cash.

If its still not enough, I would support ad banners on the forums, or even (And for no other site would I say this) popups. Although if I ever see a "popup killer detected" page here, I will leave. But I cant believe Z would ever be driven *that* far.