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Why not charge €1 to register on boards

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  • 01-11-2013 9:00pm
    #1
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭


    I just read a post with a user claiming to have re-regged 250+ times this year.
    Multiple re-regs and muppetry seem to consume a good deal of Admin and mods time.

    Surely charging €1 to reg an account would soften the cough of these idiots?
    Post edited by Shield on
    Tagged:


«13

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    #2
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users Posts: 12,437 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    Charging even 5c would probably cut the number of posters down significantly.
    It's not about the money, people don't want the hassle of having to whip out the credit card details to sign up to a site.
    Having it as a "subscriber only" site would be the death of Boards.


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    #3
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    I agree entirely. The average sign up is someone looking for information. There is a good percentage of those who go on to be good contributers.
    Why lose them for nothing.


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    #4
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    El Guapo! wrote: »
    Charging even 5c would probably cut the number of posters down significantly.
    It's not about the money, people don't want the hassle of having to whip out the credit card details to sign up to a site.
    Having it as a "subscriber only" site would be the death of Boards.

    Hardly, how many active users are there now?

    Why not let new posters have 3 posts to try the site and then request payment of even 50c to continue?


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    #5
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    Compulsory subscription will not work regardless of how much it is. It's too much hassle for the average browser.


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    #6
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users Posts: 12,437 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    MadsL wrote: »
    Hardly, how many active users are there now?

    Why not let new posters have 3 posts to try the site and then request payment of even 50c to continue?

    I seriously think you're underestimating the laziness/stinginess of people in general.

    Some sites are able to operate on a subscribing basis, but there are very very few of them. Lots try and fail. And the ones that do manage it successfully are orientated around a specific area/niche subject and have relatively few members.
    With Boards being as diverse as it is, it would never work. As was already said, people sign up to ask a question but then hang around afterwards. If a fee was introduced, the site would slowly decline and probably end up back the way it started; as a tiny community of die hard posters.
    It's a no-go in my opinion. That is of course, just my opinion though.


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    #7
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    KoolKid wrote: »
    Compulsory subscription will not work regardless of how much it is. It's too much hassle for the average browser.

    65% of users in the US in 2011 paid for online content.

    I pay for additional functionality on this site.

    Why not assign a newbie number User12554887 until payment lets you pick a username, and give subscribers an option to see or not see newbie posts.

    Make all newbie posts premoderated.

    Instant end to muppet reregs.

    Is it perhaps because (conspiracy theory) rereg muppets boost the unique page view stats given to advertisers?


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    #8
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    It just won't work on such diverse site as boards.ie IMO. No conspiracy I'm afraid, people just wouldn't bother.


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    #9
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    KoolKid wrote: »
    It just won't work on such diverse site as boards.ie IMO. No conspiracy I'm afraid, people just wouldn't bother.

    Sure nobody would pay for extra features on boards...oh wait.


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    #10
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users Posts: 12,437 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    MadsL wrote: »
    Sure nobody would pay for extra features on boards...oh wait.

    Extra features....yes.
    Just for the privilege of posting....no.


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    #11
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    El Guapo! wrote: »
    Extra features....yes.
    Just for the privilege of posting....no.

    That's what I am proposing.

    You can post as Guest1225455 for 3-5 pre-moderated posts. Then you have a choose a username and pay a tiny fee to get PMs, an avatar, a post count, visitor messages, un premoderated instant posts etc.


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    #12
    Days 298
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,311 ✭✭✭Days 298


    MadsL wrote: »
    That's what I am proposing.

    You can post as Guest1225455 for 3-5 pre-moderated posts. Then you have a choose a username and pay a tiny fee to get PMs, an avatar, a post count, visitor messages, un premoderated instant posts etc.
    sounds unnecessarily complex and not user friendly. I think I'd pass on any forum with those entry rules. I vote to keep the status quo. You shouldn't need to give your debit card or your real name to join boards.ie


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    #13
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    Days 298 wrote: »
    sounds unnecessarily complex and not user friendly. I think I'd pass on any forum with those entry rules. I vote to keep the status quo. You shouldn't need to give your debit card or your real name to join boards.ie

    Paypal?

    Text payment?


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    #14
    The Big Smoke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 402 ✭✭The Big Smoke


    This would cost more money to manage than what it would bring in.


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    #15
    Frosty McSnowballs
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,396 ✭✭✭Frosty McSnowballs


    MadsL wrote: »
    Paypal?

    Those without PayPal, would then have to create a PayPal account.


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    #16
    Neon_Lights
    Registered Users Posts: 1,426 ✭✭✭Neon_Lights


    I'd just set up another irish boards site and take all your unhappy "customers" away muahahahaha!


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    #17
    forgotten password
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,094 ✭✭✭forgotten password


    they should be payin us


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    #18
    Neon_Lights
    Registered Users Posts: 1,426 ✭✭✭Neon_Lights


    forgotten password wrote: »
    they should be payin us

    :pac: $$$$$$$

    lovely cash


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    #19
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users Posts: 12,437 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    MadsL wrote: »
    That's what I am proposing.

    You can post as Guest1225455 for 3-5 pre-moderated posts. Then you have a choose a username and pay a tiny fee to get PMs, an avatar, a post count, visitor messages, un premoderated instant posts etc.

    Makes no sense.
    Pre-moderating every new users posts would be a monumental task and next to impossible without a huge team of employees to moderate.
    Plus, you'd just get people signing up for the 3 free posts, then re-registering for another 3 posts. Over and over again, all day every day, thousands of "new" regs, thousands of pre-moderated posts.....

    The hamsters would shoot themselves in the face after the first day.


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    #20
    Neon_Lights
    Registered Users Posts: 1,426 ✭✭✭Neon_Lights


    MadsL wrote: »
    That's what I am proposing.

    You can post as Guest1225455 for 3-5 pre-moderated posts. Then you have a choose a username and pay a tiny fee to get PMs, an avatar, a post count, visitor messages, un premoderated instant posts etc.

    Eh you make it sound like a dodgey dating site


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    #21
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    I think boards has it right at the moment. Pay for extra privileges bit not for the right to post.
    It's never going to work and I doubt it's ever going to happen.


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    #22
    Tombi!
    Registered Users Posts: 6,689 ✭✭✭Tombi!


    You can't really even consider doing it.
    The site is far too generalized.
    If it were a certain subject, sure. It'd be nice to have a My Little Pony forum that requires a quid per account. There's a reason people would do that. MLP is something people troll a lot about online. Fans of that show would probably pay a quid just to be able to discuss it in peace.

    The pre-moderated posts is just... no. There's no way it'll work. There's I think 80 or so forums. Way too much work for the mods. You'd probably need a section of mods just to approve posts.
    What happens if I wanted to ask about getting a phone. Three posts in and it's "pay or kindly f*** off" in order to get more feedback.

    And even then, who their bloody mind pays to post? It's not a niche site. It's nice that I can post in AH, head down to the Dublin forum and to bargain alerts all on my one account and all but... it's not worth it just to post.
    I can see the point of subscribing. People do it for one of two reasons (IMO): they either really like the site and want to support it or else they just like the features.

    TBH, if you told me "pay a quid or you can't post" I'd just close the account.


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    #23
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    Neon_Lights wrote: »
    Eh you make it sound like a dodgey dating site

    Eh? There already is a boards dating forum you have to PM for access ;)


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    #24
    Neon_Lights
    Registered Users Posts: 1,426 ✭✭✭Neon_Lights


    MadsL wrote: »
    Eh? There already is a boards dating forum you have to PM for access ;)

    no backdoor fun for me, yay!


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    #25
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    Neon_Lights wrote: »
    no backdoor fun for me, yay!

    Pretty sure they cater for that...


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    #26
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    RopeDrink wrote: »
    minor time sinks at the 'cost' of said growth.

    This doesn't look that minor to me, but then I'm not an Admin...

    20 odd a day?
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/banlist.php


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    #27
    Delirium
    Moderators Posts: 51,792 ✭✭✭✭Delirium


    pre-moderation of posts at user level? :eek:

    I wouldn't envy any mod in a busy forum with large threads with high post turnover. They' have to trawl through hundreds of posts to find posts that require approval.

    And then you have the forums where anonymous posting is allowed. You'd just end up with the trouble-makers being funnelled into those forums.

    The reduction of users signing up due to the fee has also been mentioned.

    The negatives outweigh the positives tbh.

    If you can read this, you're too close!



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    #28
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    koth wrote: »
    pre-moderation of posts at user level? :eek:

    I wouldn't envy any mod in a busy forum with large threads with high post turnover. They' have to trawl through hundreds of posts to find posts that require approval.

    And then you have the forums where anonymous posting is allowed. You'd just end up with the trouble-makers being funnelled into those forums.

    The reduction of users signing up due to the fee has also been mentioned.

    The negatives outweigh the positives tbh.

    Not every user. Just the first three posts of new users. And premoderation would be just like dealing with reported posts no?


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    #29
    [-0-]
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭[-0-]


    A boards.ie tax. There's enough taxes these days.


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    #30
    oscarBravo
    Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,803 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    MadsL wrote: »
    I just read a post with a user claiming to have re-regged 250+ times this year.
    Here's the thing: someone who puts that amount of effort into making a dick of himself (and it takes less than a tenth of the effort to ban such an idiot as it does for the idiot to sign up in the first place) is basically carrying around an "I am a dick" sign.

    If someone has indeed re-regged 250 times, they deserve the online equivalent of a pitying smile and a rueful shake of the head - and very little else. They are online graffiti artists, desperately seeking attention by trying to destroy what other people are working to build. And they're failing.

    The signal to noise ratio on this site is very, very high, despite the desperate efforts of those who have nothing to offer but noise. We don't need to introduce major changes to frustrate their efforts because they are self-frustrating. They are a gnat at a festival: a minor annoyance, easily ignored.



    tl;dr: we're not planning to feed the fragile egos of the sort of muppet you're describing by dealing with them other than how we already do.


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    #31
    Days 298
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,311 ✭✭✭Days 298


    [-0-] wrote: »
    A boards.ie tax. There's enough taxes these days.

    Think of it as a New User Reduction Levy... NURL :pac:


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