How about putting a maximum number of posts allowed without being a supporting member? Say 1000 or even 2000 posts. If you're here that much, you should be paying for the privilege.

Originally posted by HeavyDuty
How about putting a maximum number of posts allowed without being a supporting member?How about guys like you be forced to pay the membership fee for guys like me?

;)

Originally posted by Hategear
How about guys like you be forced to pay the membership fee for guys like me?

;)

Moderators would be exempt from such a policy, Hategear. The time that we spend here doing our job is worth far more than $20.

...although it's hard to believe that anyone would have a hard time sparing $20. granted, it might be difficult for some folks who don't live in the u.s., but even kids can spare $20. i mean, really.


i like this idea. we've only had one guy we've had to ban who was a paying member, and he could've cared less about the $20. folks take more care of something when they pay for it.

That's why I suggested a large number of posts - and mods already give their sanity for the common good!

I for one, think it's a stupid idea.

Talkbass is an online fourm for bassists, not "trial-ware" were you get to use something till the time runs out. Pay to play plan? i mean, my 20 is in the mail already, but i still think it's a silly idea. I think it should be encourged, but not forced.

How many people are there with over 1000-2000 posts that aren't supporting members or moderators? There are also a lot of people here (well most) whose posts are what make this site a great place. Their posts are contributions.

Originally posted by PollyBass
I for one, think it's a stupid idea.

Talkbass is an online fourm for bassists, not "trial-ware" were you get to use something till the time runs out. Pay to play plan? i mean, my 20 is in the mail already, but i still think it's a silly idea. I think it should be encourged, but not forced.

I agree... and I am a supporting member. It shouldn't be forced. You get all sorts of fun stuff, and sometimes kids have to buy more important things than talkbass supporting memberships. You know, school supplies, books, food, art supplies, new bass strings... well these are things I need at least. When I reached a point where I had 20 bucks to spare, I paid up. If you feel that Talkbass deserves your 20 bucks, you give it up. And what about us already supporting members, if we can't pay up before we renue... do we lose everything? I think this is a bad idea. Boo I say, BOOOOOO!

Heh. The question is - is it really worth pretending you're 15 to avoid coughing up $20? :) You'd have to fit in with the dialect too. You'd have to spell words incorrectly, misuse punctuation, and not use capitals in words like I or the start of sentences - but when you do use capitals, the whole word (or preferably the whole sentence) must be capitalized :D :D

Actually, talking of renewing supporting memberships... what happens when your year runs out? Do you get a reminder to renew? Or do you have to remember to go in and donate again? And does your account get automatically downgraded if you don't?

Originally posted by moley


Actually, talking of renewing supporting memberships... what happens when your year runs out? Do you get a reminder to renew? Or do you have to remember to go in and donate again? And does your account get automatically downgraded if you don't?

I send out reminders :)

Thanks for the suggestion, HeavyDuty. However I think that if a user really doesn't want to support the site, when they reach that 1000 post count they'll probably just register another account...

I am very happy with how many people have decided to support, and how many continue to renew. If it weren't for you supporters, TB would have been shut down last year... Life without TalkBass.... scary :)

Originally posted by paul
... Life without TalkBass.... scary :)

Very, which is why my cash is in the mail.

Good point Paul.

I think many people want to register anyways. Even my wifey, who hardly posts here registered (and bought a T-Shirt!) because she likes this place. (and she knows I like it too :D)

I don't like the idea of forced memberships. Although highly idealistic, people should recognize the value of TB on their own and support it.

With that being said, I agree with HeavyDuty's suggestion of a high post limit.

I agree that forced supporting memberships are not a good thing. I think forcing people to pay doesn't make for good will, and in a way makes people not want to pay. The idea of voluntary supporting membership works really well I think - and people like to think they are voluntarily supporting the site. I don't think we need to force supporting membership in order to keep the site going - I think a lot of members do want to become supporting members, and by leaving it as optional, you retain their good will to become supporting members.

In a way it's actually no fair. I don't have $20 to spare at the moment and I'd feel I'm being punished just for that if I weren't allowed to post.

It seems unfair to me. I mean we all learn a lot from this site, but should poor kids who can't afford it be punished? I think it's good the way it is. People are supporting, people are buying shirts/hats/whatever, but some of us can't. Like when I started supporting I was at a rare point in my life where 20 bucks was ok to spare... sure, I didn't eat that much for a while because that was food money, but I paid because I like this site too much. Right now, I won't be able to afford too much food for a while, but my grandparents are sending "food money". God bless grandparents. My point being, uh, no. This is the worst suggestion I've heard yet.

The suggestion wasn't to require everybody to become SM - just people that "live" here. Don't get your knickers all in a knot - Paul already addressed the issue above!

Originally posted by HeavyDuty
The suggestion wasn't to require everybody to become SM - just people that "live" here. Don't get your knickers all in a knot - Paul already addressed the issue above!

I dont think he was getting his "Knickers in a knot".
He was just furthering his point that MAKING people pay to use talkbass is a REALLY stupid idea.
And as far as saying "Oh, you like this site to much,,, give us 20,,,,, oh your broke? sorry buddy, your screwed",That is also a retarded idea. I like paul. I like him alot.

Originally posted by PollyBass


I dont think he was getting his "Knickers in a knot".
He was just furthering his point that MAKING people pay to use talkbass is a REALLY stupid idea.
And as far as saying "Oh, you like this site to much,,, give us 20,,,,, oh your broke? sorry buddy, your screwed",That is also a retarded idea. I like paul. I like him alot.


Yep, more or less, this is the point I was trying to make. Thanks Polly, here's a treat

:throws Polly a dog bone:





thought I was gonna give him a cracker didn't 'cha?