What, if anything, would you pay to support a new forum?

[Trollheart]

As per Guybrush's recommendations a) would you want to migrate to an entirely new forum set up by ourselves and more importantly, b) the title of the thread?

[Lisnaholic]

To be honest, I prefer a free forum with a simple format, like what we have here. I don't like complicating my life with annual payments or online purchases, so my objection to paying is mainly about the process.
On the other hand, I would hate to be the only guy at the party who turned up without a bottle of booze, so if people accept the idea of paying, I would fall in with the majority.

Sorry to be such a half&half voter, but could you make that position one of the poll options, please?

[Trollheart]

I don't think I can edit the poll once it's gone up. Maybe a mod can. Even at that, with so many views and one response so far, I think the silence speaks volumes. I personally would be slow to pay for something like this too, which I feel is the majority view. Most people come here on and off for a bit of, well, banter, and maybe to update or read journals, discuss and argue, but how many would be prepared to pay to do what they can now do for free, and if they were paying, what would they expect for their money? Right now we pay nothing and get, um, nothing, so nobody has any real expectations. I feel this is a non-starter, as it was before. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but as I say, so far it's been one massive shrug. Not even that: it's just been passed by.

: I don't think you'd be the only person at the party without a bottle, Lisna: I don't think the party will ever be organised, much less take place.

[Guybrush]

Shouldn't you at least inform people what it is they would pay for?

We'd rent webspace and a domain. We can set up a website with a forum there, a place that we own and run together. We could then have a mobile phone friendly forum with modern features like user tagging, reactions and a working spam bot protection. Basically we can choose features. It'll be possible to get database dumps to ensure the site's longevity, on site or elsewhere. We can also host other things as well if we want, perhaps blogs or emails or a wiki or whatever.

My suggestion was basically to set up a patreon or something where people can choose to donate to keep the place running.

For myself, I don't mind. If I pay 10 bucks for a game that entertains me for 10 hours, I kinda think of that as a good deal. I spend hours on MB so I wouldn't mind spending a little money to improve that experience.

[FETCHER.]

For me I really don’t think on an annual basis £20/£30 is that much, I’d be more than happy to contribute that.

[Trollheart]

Originally Posted by Guybrush

Shouldn't you at least inform people what it is they would pay for?

Well I did qualify it by saying as per your suggestion, which implies I think that people should read your post where you laid it all out. I'm not a techy so there'd be no point in my trying to explain it.

Originally Posted by FETCHER.

For me I really don’t think on an annual basis £20/£30 is that much, I’d be more than happy to contribute that.

And they say the Scottish are cheap! You're putting us all to shame, love!

[rubber soul]

For the average person, all this tech stuff can be pretty complicated. And you don't really want to turn a fundraising campaign into a begathon; that will turn people off. Like Lisna, I think, a lot of people just come here to relax and argue with each other,
and whatever.


On the other hand, it would be nice to have some control of the forum. As pioneers, we'd also be the leaders and thus able to set the ground rules (within reason of course, we don't want to be Nazis either )


Anyway, I haven't voted because I'm kind of on the fence with this, plus I really don't have a lot of money. I could obviously do ten dollars a year but how many people would donate?

[Trollheart]

I think the general idea and feeling I'm getting from the lack of interest is "if it ain't broke"... and then if it does get broke, I've provided an escape shuttle to a new and bright promising land where all your dreams will come true (not a guarantee; your dreams may vary from those of Proboards, Trollheart and their shareholders) so for most people it looks like they think that's enough. You'd really have to get a good amount of people seriously interested in the idea of an alternative, paid-for forum, for this to work, and I just don't see that level of interest, indeed I see hardly any really.

[FETCHER.]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

And they say the Scottish are cheap! You're putting us all to shame, love!

I hate this stereotype I only know a handful of cheap people, most are overly generous.


I know that was said in a complete joke btw I do use the term “that’s Irish” but I don’t think you are a nation of idiots

[FETCHER.]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I think the general idea and feeling I'm getting from the lack of interest is "if it ain't broke"... and then if it does get broke, I've provided an escape shuttle to a new and bright promising land where all your dreams will come true (not a guarantee; your dreams may vary from those of Proboards, Trollheart and their shareholders) so for most people it looks like they think that's enough. You'd really have to get a good amount of people seriously interested in the idea of an alternative, paid-for forum, for this to work, and I just don't see that level of interest, indeed I see hardly any really.

Yeah I don’t think anyone is going to really do anything until it’s too late. It’s good we have the forum you set up though, so thank you for making a start. Batty made a good point in the other thread about new traffic so that is something to consider as it would massively impact the new place, if theres no new traffic the forum would just eventually dwindle