Important: Poll on proposed subscription forums

FistOfFury · August 10, 2004, 07:49:53

EDITED x2- Sorry I'm dumb lol I forgot more stuff! Read again please.

MAN, c'mon? You gotta be kidding me, so now I'm gonna have to pay to have access to and read all the really good discussions? All of my favorite places are starting to charge to get into "premium" sections. First Rense.com, then another forum I go to, then a bunch of other websites that used to be free, and now Astral Pulse? $45 dollars for ISP and email access there, $20 here, $10 dollars there for membership, $100+ over there for Rense.com and Coast to Coast over there, it all adds up, and the internet is starting to get more expensive then magazine subscribtions. The Internet is not the cool free or cheap information resource enitity that it used to be. How much MORE do I have to pay to use or read my favorite things now? Who's to say that some morons will pay the money and WONT make stupid or overly unnecessary argumentive and overly attacking posts in the paid section? There's morons and non-serious immature people that have money too you know. The only way to truely restrict access to a more serious or "mature" section is to make an invitation-only and/or request section, with membership access based on the posters posting history, but that sucks too because sometimes it gets abused and ends up turning into an elitist environment. I would still opt for the latter option. If this site starts to charge to see all the good stuff ("additions"), I'm leaving, or at least going back into lurker mode and not trying to get better at posting (I've been trying to post more lately, but don't have that much time right now, so it's mostly been a few posts here and there, and some links to news articles), or not taking the site seriously, because I know all the good stuff is happening where I can't see it, so why bother?

Huwie · August 10, 2004, 08:05:23

quote:
Originally posted by pyro4571

i will leave if i gotta pay
i am broke...........

The more I see posts like this, the more I appreciate Adrian's idea.

You will not need to pay to have access to the original board! Payment is for the subscriber section ONLY.

Blossom · August 10, 2004, 08:22:39

I am not here as much as I used to be so I am not up to par on what the problems are in the forum at this time, however I would pay the $10.00 just to help the server situation.

It wouldn't be for everyone and if I am understanding this right, nothing would change in the forum. It would only add.

I'm for it, but when this goes into effect, I would like to be sent an email so I could help and take advantage of this.

I already have paypal since I am an avid ebayer.

Jenn

ImmuredSoul · August 10, 2004, 08:25:40

If the pay-members only section is for the more . . . uhm, intellectual conversations, then good for them. I think as soon as I finish posting this, I'll go vote yes, otherwise I'll just not vote at all. My point is (well, for what I've read so far, I've come to this conclusion) that these people who go into the pay-members section can also come back to the non-pay-members section (if they want to). Besides, won't the mods have to check in and make sure we're not destroying everything or something? I don't know, really, but I suppose that's my two cents worth. (Or at least the two cents that I'm picking up from everyone else.) Let me ask everyone a question (if I hadn't already asked): Will you (pay-members) be visiting the non-payable sections? If not, then one day (this sounds cruel and morbib . . . oh well [}:)]) all of you will be gone and nobody will have learned anything that probably would have helped the rest of us non-pay-members (i'm trying to say that I want for this pay-section to at least be readable). I apologize for my lack of grammar at this moment, 'cause I still pouring everything into my head.

Thomas00 · August 10, 2004, 09:23:03

Hi everybody. It is not very often i wrote in the forums, but i really like many of the topic. I think it is sad, if you have to pay to use all the forums in astralpulse. I think that astralpulse is the best homepage about OBE/AP that i know about. I think also that it will ruin astralpulse. Becuase it prevent new unexperince astral travelers, asvel new experince traveler to use the forum.
I dont think that 10$ a year is expensive, but the intention of taking money, is not a good concept.

So i vote NO

Greeting

Thomas00

daem0n · August 10, 2004, 09:41:00

once again,
1) for all those that claim that original forum will be the same, and this will only add things, think again, becouse some will move to subscribers section lowering quality of original forum, rest (like me) will move out of the forum becouse there will be only newbies to talk with
2) this will end up like reiki social club with 10000 $ for mastery, with elitism and ego boosting, so everyone will suffer (conciously or not)
3)masses reading this forum will suffer, and we need everyone to develop to help others to develop and end this insanity which we call modern western civilization
4)to everyone, post everything you have on your mind, don't be discouraged by other posts, you never know what will happen
Edit: i vote no, from above reasons

Nay · August 10, 2004, 09:45:04

quote:
Originally posted by Thomas00

Hi everybody. It is not very often i wrote in the forums, but i really like many of the topic. I think it is sad, if you have to pay to use all the forums in astralpulse. I think that astralpulse is the best homepage about OBE/AP that i know about. I think also that it will ruin astralpulse. Becuase it prevent new unexperince astral travelers, asvel new experince traveler to use the forum.
I dont think that 10$ a year is expensive, but the intention of taking money, is not a good concept.

So i vote NO

Greeting

Thomas00

Thomas00,

If you would just take a moment and look back on all the posts, you will noticed that it is said..several times, that you DO NOT have to pay to have access to the original board. Payment is for the subscriber section only.

Nay [^]

Nagual · August 10, 2004, 13:07:13

quote:
I want to read everything and participate without paying anything.
Making people pay for a forum is just stupid.

Stupid? as in stupid to pay people for their work and the use of their ressources...?

I'm tired of hearing some people complain that they shouldn't have to pay for this or for that. If you don't want to pay, just don't. period. No one forces you to come here and pay.

I guess you don't pay for the software you use? You don't pay for the music you listen to?

And the typical answer" "it's just bits, it does not cost a thing to copy it" is stupid. Software developers are supposed to get paid by selling their software. Musicians are supposed to get paid by selling their music.

Edit: Bolded for Logorat that cannot read: Who is paying for the server hosting the forum? Who is paying the person who takes care of it? Who is paying for the net access?

When you get your utility/telephone/insurance bills... do you tell them that you don't want to pay because it should be free...?

LogoRat · August 10, 2004, 13:52:17

We are not talking about software here, we are talking about a forum.

Rastus · August 10, 2004, 14:21:22

So in fact your admitting there is reason for some peole to leave the forum?

I get a lot of PM's and Emails for various things. I try and answer everyone with the time it warrants. I don't have a problem sharing knowledge, but I do reserve editorial rights. No need put guns in the hands of children, to coin a USA metaphore.

I guess your assuming the intermediate users will stop reading/posting the "lesser forums"? Not. What will in fact happen is the "pay" forums won't see a lot of action, and what's there will probably be esoteric or quite specific. And if $10(us) is too much, then how about the equivalent in local currency. By that I mean approximately 2 hours average wage, 10 loafs of bread worth?

kiauma · August 10, 2004, 15:58:19

quote:
I kind of think payment should not effect what is under your name.

I agree completely.

LogoRat · August 10, 2004, 16:01:14

lol, this is so funny!

Phong · August 10, 2004, 16:13:43

quote:
Originally posted by LogoRat

lol, this is so funny!

So true!

Jaclyn · August 10, 2004, 18:37:54

Well, once I think about it, I'd gladly pay if we can do it with money orders or something. I could manage that. I reckon paying money to be able to learn more, and avoid the posts that are a waste of time is worth it....

As long as we remember to post on the other section too, to help the ones who are still in the process of learning. It isnt right to forget them, and leave them out in the cold. They are where we once were after all.....

Tre232 · August 10, 2004, 19:50:55

I don't think making people pay to access a private only section of the forum is a good thing. I say this because like others i believe that the more advanced people will go off there and forget about the newbies who will get nothing out of this and eventually leave. Now if the more advanced users would not forget where they started out and help there brothers i could see it working. I agree that the forums need to be upgraded and maintained and this costs money. Maybe a bigger donation link is the answer? Im sure some regular users would not mind giving up a few dollars to help these forums stay free and fast. It would be the least they could do for all the hours of reading/searching/learning that goes on here.

my humble opinion

Aileron · August 10, 2004, 20:08:17

though currently I won't be able to afford the $10, I do believe it is worth it on the basis that the work put into this site and community deserves help from those who participate, and with subscribers it will be easier to mediate the threads rather than having thousands of posts each week to get through.

SOme time in the near future if this does go through, I would be happy to spend a menial $10 a year, thats just a little more than .83 cents a month.

Blackstream · August 10, 2004, 21:17:48

What will probably happen. A few people will pay the money. Discussions will happen for a bit, but probably stagnate and die off after a bit as the real discussions will invariably take place with the other part of the populous.

That's just my prediction though.

Again, as I suggested (and think I was the first to suggest), I am for this idea, IF AND ONLY IF, non subscribers can view the subscriber forums, but not post. This acts as an incenitive to sign up so that posting can be done, as well as keeping information open and free, as it should be.

RainyDaze · August 11, 2004, 00:27:55

I wholeheartedly agree with blackstream about everyone being able to read the posts.

Most large forums invariably have to be regulated to allow any sort of 'work' to be accomplished. Imagine if every citizen with an opinion or personal question had an open mic in congress or in the senate. It just wouldn't work as effectively.

Huwie · August 11, 2004, 03:08:01

quote:
Originally posted by Blackstream

What will probably happen. A few people will pay the money. Discussions will happen for a bit, but probably stagnate and die off after a bit as the real discussions will invariably take place with the other part of the populous.

I've seen that happen to a lot of boards. Doesn't necessarily mean it'll happen to this board, of course, but if not then it'll be the first time I've ever seen a segragation work.

FistOfFury · August 11, 2004, 08:15:29

You, the owners and admin/mods have the power to change the forums to the way you want it to flow, yet you're considering taking the easy way out and want to segregate the community, on which there will be no guarantee it will work. Like it has already been mentioned, it probably will end up stagnating and the people will go back to the original parts of the forum, or the newbies will be stuck reading everyone elses newbie posts and then they won't learn much. Why don't you just get more mods, from trusted veterans even, if there isn't enough people you know to help out, and make new posting rules, and crack down harder on unwanted posts? You gotta make everything so complicated and start charging for this and segregating that, unless you're just doing this for the money...

Rastus · August 11, 2004, 08:36:44

There is quite a bit of Thread Hijacking and off-topic posts. That's common on a small forum(for which this is). There are a lot of "hey me too!" posts, which is probably okay, but usually better handeled in a PM.

MJ-12 · August 11, 2004, 10:20:45

ughhh

Kazbadan · August 11, 2004, 11:43:00

I think that this discussion it is getting a little "hot".

Everyone as it´s own opinions and reasons for that and we must respect it. The ones that dont wanna pay, argue that a forum should be free and/or that paying something in the internet may cause some problems (example: underage members, poor countrys cannoot pay, fear of the internet (me[

]),etc). People that wants to pay argue that 10$/year it´s nothing and that will bring more deep discussions, returning astralpulse forum to the original level.

Every argument it is correct, and there should be a concern related with every argument, postive and negative.

I would like to hear a little more the opinion of Adrian. Maybe he have new ideas to resolve some problems.

LogoRat · August 11, 2004, 12:13:10

I would like to hear the opinion from the super elite projectors out there, what do they have to say.
Robert Bruce among others.
Where are they really, are they still here!?

Phong · August 11, 2004, 13:00:43

All of us are like individual cells trying to make the judgements on the rest of the body. (thanks blackbox).

If you just did your part and posted on subjects that mattered to you, we'd have a great forum - and we do. I pity the old forum members. Read some Epictetus. (and reread italicized text in this paragraph for full effect).

News:

Important: Poll on proposed subscription forums

Nay