Important: Please Read! Changes Are Coming!

[Dire Bare]

A brainstorm from me . . .

How about corporate sponsorships? For a certain amount per month, companies like Paizo or WotC or whoever could be corporate sponsors of the site. A poster above mentioned including ad deals in a similar idea . . . but I think my idea is slightly different.

Perhaps the official reps and employees from corporate sponsorships could get special avatars identifying them as such? With some sort of banner ad in the sig? There might also be a list of corporate sponsors on the front page or in a side bar that can't get "turned off" by users. You could also have varying levels of corporate support. I see non-profits and charities do this sort of thing all the time!

 

[jdrakeh]

The word came to mind, but I decided against using it since we're talking about a message board and $3. Maybe it's a new form of micro-transaction?

Well, in this case, management is effectively threatening to take something away from people unless they pay more money. While I agree that "extortion" is a nasty word, if the shoe fits. . .

 

[Mewness]

I'm pretty much echoing things said by Nifft and On Puget Sound. I use this site mostly to play in Living 4e, and I like placing my own character links in my sig so that people know who they're talking to when I'm speaking in character. (The Onion quote I can cheerfully dispense with.) It would be nice if nonpaying users got a little bit of signature space for that sort of thing.

 

[jdrakeh]

Instead of simply being negative, I suppose I should try to offer some solutions that can be used in lieu of taking options away from posters unless they pay to keep them. The first thing I'd look at is adding new content. . .

Like a chat room. I know it can be done, because Circvs Maximvs has one. Adding a chat client to ENWorld and making it available to subscribers might be a good place to start.

Another thing to look at are VBulletin plug-ins like new forum skins. They're a low cost acquisition that can be bundled as part of a subscriber pack. I imagine that a mobile skin would be quite popular, for example.

A dice roller app. I know it doesn't sound like much, but people run a lot of PbP games here. Giving them access to an onsite tool that assists them in doing that is probably worth an extra $3 per month.

I'm sure I can think of a few more suggestions.

 

[Dire Bare]

Well, in this case, management is effectively threatening to take something away from people unless they pay more money. While I agree that "extortion" is a nasty word, if the shoe fits. . .

No, the shoe doesn't fit. Not at all.

At first, I thought the idea of losing my sig unless I became a subscriber wasn't a big deal. After reading more posts, I was surprised at the utility that some have found with this feature, and I completely understand those who feel that making it a subscriber only benefit would upset them. In fact, I now feel that leaving at least basic sig functionality for non-subscribers is a good idea.

But the charged language some are using in this thread already is too much. Extortion? You're seriously saying that Morrus is considering extorting folks who use the site? When folks use negative hyperbole such as that, those of us who are rational will often just ignore you. At least I hope that Morrus ignores anyone who starts throwing the nasty language his way that some often throw at WotC.

Morrus wants our feedback, negative or positive. But please respect this site, Morrus, and the moderators who make ENWorld such a great place to hang out and cut out the unnecessary negative hyperbole.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I like seeing most sigs, especially ones with links. It's a nice quick way to learn about the poster. I'd hate to see them go, though scaling back non-subscriber sigs (limited characters, only default font/color only, no formatting, no images, etc) wouldn't bother me at all. But, fwiw, that wouldn't make me leave.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I enjoy sigs myself, and would prefer that they remain free. However, I understand economic realities, and would harbor no ill-will towards having them be a privilege of subscribers only.

HOWEVER...I would most respectfully suggest that the transition would be better received if those of us who have them do not have them eliminated if we do not subscribe. Instead, simply make them invisible until the sig's owner pays the subscription fee.

I ask that because many people include links in their sigs, and if they get erased, they may have trouble re-establishing them. For example, my sig consists almost entirely of 3.5 database threads that have long since sunk into the muck by dint of their not receiving regular new posts. But I don't think I'm out of line in suggesting that at least some people find them useful. If they simply disappear, I might have trouble re-establishing them if/once I subscribe or re-subscribe.

And with a monthly subscription model, the risk of unsubscribing rises significantly.

 

[Wayside]

Because it is disastrous for my cash flow. I need regular, predictable amounts coming in monthly, not chunks at random times every year or three years. I need to be abel to look at the accounts and predict with a high degree of accuracy what money is coming in next month, and the month after that, and in 8 months' time. Switching to a monthy subscription only was quite possibly the best decision I ever made regarding this website - it turned around the finances in an alomst miraculous way, and is the reason we're still here.

In addition to a percentage, PayPal charges, what, $.30 per transaction? So when someone pays $3 per month rather than $36 for the year, you're losing out on an extra $3.30. With just 1000 subscribers, that's a loss of $3300 a year.

Monthly is a great option for the additional subscribers it no doubt brings in, but the extra money you'd be making from people who'd rather pay upfront seems like a pretty powerful incentive to sharpen your bookkeeping skills.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I know I'm not a subscriber and never have been, but I know me and my spending habits.

A monthly subscription model would find my status bouncing from subscriber to non-subscriber several times a year. When I subscribe to something, I do so for years at a time so I don't have to worry about paying another monthly bill.

Heck, on my previous car, I was actually ahead on my payments.

 

[jdrakeh]

Extortion? You're seriously saying that Morrus is considering extorting folks who use the site? When folks use negative hyperbole such as that. . .

Well, he's proposing to take away something from individuals that they currently possess unless they pay him more money to keep it. That does fall under the definition of the word "extortion" in several dictionaries. It's not hyperbole, it's the English language. I'm just calling a spade a spade.

Morrus wants our feedback, negative or positive. But please respect this site, Morrus, and the moderators who make ENWorld such a great place to hang out and cut out the unnecessary negative hyperbole.

I haven't said anything to disrespect the site or the moderators. While my characterizing the decision to withdraw services from users unless they pay additional dollars to keep them as extortion could be seen as an attempt to 'disrespect' Morrus, I think that anybody who is familiar with my posting history here and who knows what the word "extortion" actually means will understand that this isn't the case.

Also, because you apparently overlooked it, I offer some alternatives to stripping away existent services here. It's not as though I'm simply criticizing without also offering some positive feedback. Sheesh.

Finally, because it apparently needs saying, this isn't a schoolyard. Making accusations of 'disrespecting' people and demanding that I stop doing so sounds absolutely ridiculous. If you don't agree with what I have to say, fine, but pack up your Internet tough man act. It's not impressing anybody.