I have been debating the following for quite some time and would really like to know what everyone thinks. I am considering adding a contributing member system. This site is in dire need of a new machine and that is just the begining. I have a lot I would like to do with this site and I would really like for it to be here for many years to come. In these tough economic times it has proven difficult to get a machine donated and banner ads simply are not cutting it.

As the home page says "In the true Linux spirit membership is free". As long as I am around things will stay that way. I was leary of adding something like this as I really like the atmosphere here and I do not want anything to change it. I am starting to realize that I have little choice. I really hope that the system I have come up with keeps the spirit of the site while allowing us to grow.

Here is what I have come up with. Let me know what you think. Would you subscribe? What other features would you want to see? Is the price too high or too low? ALL feedback is appreciated.

For $35/year you will become a "Contributing Member". In return for this you will get the following:

- The ability to turn off the banner ad at the top of the forums.
- A Contributing Member tag under your username and on your profile page.
- The ability to turn on private messaging.
- A warm fuzzy feeling knowing you helped support the best Linux forum around!

Let me stress that 100% of what you are getting now will remain free now and in the future. I may add more members only features, but most development will be done with ALL members in mind. Also keep in mind that nothing has been decided yet and I am still VERY open to ideas. Thanks again for any feedback.

--jeremy

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that it would be a great idea. I for one would like to help out all I can and would do it just for the "...warm fuzzy feeling knowing you helped support the best Linux forum around!"

I've never been an idea guy, my artistic side well, I don't have one... So I go with the flow most of the time. I enjoy the idea of being able to use the board in full functionality yet "if" you really want more "advanced features" then you can buy 'em. Not in a bad way, it'll leave that warm fuzzy feeling that somewhere out there, over a rainbow, is a dedicated little linux powerhouse offering you and the community a 'Home' to return to when you need a wisecrack or a fix. In a sense you'd own a little piece of LQ, in my mind anyhow. So I say go for it...

I'm down for that. With the amount of information that's here, it's worth at least $35. That's about what an O'reilly book costs (retail) and you can't ask it questions (and get an answer ).

And of course, since it's voluntary, no one loses anything by not opting in. Give if you can....

j.

I am in, as a devoted linux user hunting the "fuzzy feeling".

It's OK

I'm okay and would pay to keep this page up and running.
Only thing is that I'm always quite hesitant to do payments on the web and I don't send cheques over the mail (heck, I don't even have a chequebook :-)
So, how would you work that out?

I'm all for it, with one exception. I'm not too sure about the 'Contributing Member' bit under your name. One of the things that makes this forum so much friendlier than others is the fact that there is no them/us feeling. I would hope that 'Contibuting Member' status would not generate this kind of situation, but I would still err on the side of caution.

Apart from that, count me in.

Oh, BTW, what's $35 in English money?

35 dol is something near to 20 pounds, I think.

You will be able to pay via a credit card or by usinging your checking account. PayPal is also being considered. That is a good point that I did not think of Thymox. What does everyone think of the "Contributing Member" title?

--jeremy

I'd go for it, for the same reason that I joined the Mandrake Club. This forum gives me much more value than does the club, which I visit only about once a week while I'm here several times a day!

As for the way to make the payment, can you use the store for it? That's the way Mandrake set their system up and it ought to work for you too. Then those of us who rely on plastic can follow our standard procedures...

I agree with thymox on the Contributing Member front.

How about some general titles that can describe the user - i.e. perl guru, code guru, samba dancer, friend of the penguin, LQ addict etc.....

As far as subscripton goes - I would do it.

one more vote in the "it's ok by me" pile. i think giving the users options on the title is a decent idea. ...crag might be going a bit overboard there tho. i personally would just want the good 'ol member title on mine... or in my case, "LQ Addict", since i'm just speaking hypothetically...

I think there would be a goo medium between Cragstar and Isa's idears. Perhaps instead of letting people pick whatever they want, they would be able to pick from a set list of names so that it would be personalized yet, not so much that people would feel down if they opted not to contrib. I guess that's kinda what Crag said anyhow huh? I second that emotion then...

I think the money is the least on peoples' minds though so far, which is great!

As Isa said, another vote vote for the "Okay by Me" pile. I dunno, take a look at some of the other web sites that offer subscription+free services. Really, not to be insulting, the functionality of this place is a lot like say, livejournal.com, except without all of the whiney goths.

I'm going to hear it for that one.

Regardless, the only thing I would offer to keep in mind is that the majority of subscribers are going to end up being the regulars, who use this site more as a hobby than a resource. Beats me how that would change your plan, which is solid, so maybe I'm just mumbling to myself.

Luck,

Finegan

Let me just take this time to say that I love this site and would not hesitate for a moment to pay $35 to see it continue.

I installed Linux on my machine only about 3 weeks ago. Up until then, I knew nothing about it. With the help of this site I am now on my way to cutting the cord with Micro$oft. I vistit this site several times a day and have learned not only from the answers to my personal posts, but from reading the posts of all the other members. The information available here, as well as the atmosphere, can not be duplicated in any book. If I knew of anyone who was interested in learning more about Linux, I would send them here. I salute what you guys have accomplished with this site and would love to see it continue.

As many of you know, there is no such thing as a free lunch. If $35 a year is all it takes to save this amazing exchange of knowledge, then sign me up.

Long live LinuxQuestions.org,
freezinbutt