Paid Access? Would you do it?

[Bob Hubbard]

I'm just curious right now.

Given the growth of MartialTalk, I was wondering if folks thought it was worth anything to them.

As we grow, it gets more expensive to continue to cover the costs of hosting, maintainence, and growth. Advertising covers most, but not all the expenses.

My question is, would you pay to access MT, and if so, how much?

Thank you for your feed back.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

To head off a few concerns, I'm just "thinking out loud" as it were, fishing for member feedback.

This is a multiple-choice poll, so if more than 1 option fits, please, pick em.

Also, feel free to PM or email me any concerns or suggestions you might want kept confidential.

Again, Thank you!

:asian:

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Heh..I knew this would happen... Got 3 folks already who asked "When you going pay?"

I'm not.

At least, not right now, and not anytime soon. I'm simply doing a quick 'dude in the street' survey, and will be removing this later today.

Its a thought, and I figured I'd bounce it out amongst y'all for some feedback.

So, don't worry.

 

[yilisifu]

It's reasonable. I don't see anything wrong with it...

 

[rachel]

If I had to I would. It's a nice place to find out info and learn things and chat with good people who have the same common interest.A love of the martial arts.

 

[D_Brady]

If you can find a place where there is a lot of useful information about training or teaching, any type of networking a fee is not unheard of.

If you have logged on 20hrs and not picked up $10 worth of info then you've done something wrong or you need to open your eyes.

I think this site has been an ideal place to share info and find out your not alone in what ever situation you might be in.

This forum is by far one of the most valuable and professionable but thanks to some of you not too professionable and thats good.

You have a place to share, learn, relax, and vent ; hey not bad.
If the was a small fee of $10 payable by credit, debit, paypal, or money order I think if you really go through this forum from the beginng to the present, IMHO you would it to be worth it.

Respectfully,
Dan Brady

 

[Rob_Broad]

I don't even pay for online porn! PM me I have a project for you that might offset some of the costs.

 

[RyuShiKan]

Given your “track record” when dealing with some of the morons that have posted here on a more than a few occasions and 1 of your Moderator’s observable contempt for me I would not.
The membership and moderating standards would have to go waaaay up before I would even entertain the thought of paying to post here..
Moderators would need to “Moderate” some of the BS that is laid down which would require a more in depth knowledge of martial arts.
Also something along the lines of no 12th dan Grand Pooh Ba Soke-doke High and Migthy Masters of their own bullshinto styles they invented last weekend after reading “Grappler” & “Black Belt”…………as well as keeping your “word” after you have given it instead of being effected by the “lobbying” efforts of a certain moderator.

 

[cdhall]

Bob,

Honest. I think if you put a PayPal donation button up on the main nav with a pre-set $2 donation amount, you would probably make a lot more than you might if you ran some of us off with a fee.

Try that first. I would not want to pay for this (I'm already a sponsor), but I would not mind dropping $2 after I got some good stuff from the board. Like the time I printed 30 pages of Mr. C's QnA thread for my notebook. I might have donated more than once for that.

Man, bet me he sends me a bill now for his "piece of the action."

Uh, oh.

Come to think of it, I did become a sponsor because I thought this was a great place. Maybe you could also sell more sponsorships or somethign. Or sell little "MartialTalk is Great Buttons" for members to buy or something.

I got more ideas. Let me know if you want more.

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by cdhall
Bob,

Honest. I think if you put a PayPal donation button up on the main nav with a pre-set $2 donation amount, you would probably make a lot more than you might if you ran some of us off with a fee.

Try that first. I would not want to pay for this (I'm already a sponsor), but I would not mind dropping $2 after I got some good stuff from the board. Like the time I printed 30 pages of Mr. C's QnA thread for my notebook. I might have donated more than once for that.

Man, bet me he sends me a bill now for his "piece of the action."

Uh, oh.

Come to think of it, I did become a sponsor because I thought this was a great place. Maybe you could also sell more sponsorships or somethign. Or sell little "MartialTalk is Great Buttons" for members to buy or something.

I got more ideas. Let me know if you want more.

Great ideas. I'd donate on occasion.

 

[Kroy]

I think if it came down to the crunch, most of us would pay.Even the ones who say they wouldnt.

 

[rachel]

I agree. People will pay because they don't want to lose this.

 

[Jill666]

I think a donate button is a good idea- or tee shirts that aren't powder blue

But I also don't even pay for porn. I have a few thousand dollars' of medical bills I'm trying not to think about right now.

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by rachel
I agree. People will pay because they don't want to lose this.

I don’t think they would.
There are so many boards like this out there now of equal or better quality that I think most people would just move to another board that was free.

 

[Rob_Broad]

Originally posted by RyuShiKan
I don’t think they would.
There are so many boards like this out there now of equal or better quality that I think most people would just move to another board that was free.

If you think there are better boards out there why are you still here?

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Rob_Broad
If you think there are better boards out there why are you still here?

Mainly to bug you.

Broad, you have had a lot of hostility towards me in PM’s or email and sometimes on this board publicly for some time you either need to work it out or just forget about it.

I post on several boards.....some are better.....some are about the same.....do I have to limit myself to just one?
Besides, some of my good friends post here........is that a problem?

 

[KenpoGirl]

only because this place is more social than learning.

If this was a technical forum where the talk was more towards learning, than socializing. I would definely pay, but as there is so much goofing around going on on here, WHICH I'm not saying is a bad thing, I don't think it's fair to have to pay for idol chatter.

Perhaps you could move the technical section to a paying area. Those that just want to chat can chat for free, maybe as the general question about thier arts, but if people want some more serious discussions about the Art in question. They could be a member of that paying section.

Just an idea, and my 2 cents.

Dot

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by KenpoGirl
only because this place is more social than learning.

If this was a technical forum where the talk was more towards learning, than socializing. I would definely pay, but as there is so much goofing around going on on here, WHICH I'm not saying is a bad thing, I don't think it's fair to have to pay for idol chatter.

Perhaps you could move the technical section to a paying area. Those that just want to chat can chat for free, maybe as the general question about thier arts, but if people want some more serious discussions about the Art in question. They could be a member of that paying section.

Just an idea, and my 2 cents.

Dot

Good idea but how about this…………run it like a magazine and have people write articles and get paid for it. Earlier I suggested running a Board like a magazine called “The Asian Journal of Martial Arts”.
You could also have a section for fellow marital arts people to critique/comment on the articles.
Some of the articles I have read on here are rather good and could just as easily be put in a magazine………others I have read are pure garbage.
Having it run like a magazine would make it easier to cut down on the junk that gets posted and make more room for quality discussion.

 

[Rob_Broad]

Originally posted by RyuShiKan
Good idea but how about this…………run it like a magazine and have people write articles and get paid for it. Earlier I suggested running a Board like a magazine called “The Asian Journal of Martial Arts”.
You could also have a section for fellow marital arts people to critique/comment on the articles.
Some of the articles I have read on here are rather good and could just as easily be put in a magazine………others I have read are pure garbage.
Having it run like a magazine would make it easier to cut down on the junk that gets posted and make more room for quality discussion.

Who would determine what is useful. Not everybody finds the same things to be what they are looking for.

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Rob_Broad
Who would determine what is useful. Not everybody finds the same things to be what they are looking for.

Most people don’t find every page of a magazine particularly enlightening and useful but they do find certain articles more useful than others………I guess they will just have to glance through it and decide if they want to buy just like they would a magazine.