Topic for Discussion / Micro-Poll...

[dsli_jon]

Charging money for access would just drive away DIY folks...

Thanks for posting your opin, Mr G but I can't see that coming to pass, at least not a 'mass-exodus' / majority-avoidance... Kindly permit-me a re-post from #67:

'Full (Paid) Access Membership' is *just* to a few, select 'advanced-discussion / info'-sections of PL... (See 'Post #23'...)

'Free Membership' would-still be available to anyone / everyone that wants it - even 'Guests' could see it.. (..albeit, read-only as-now..) - and that 'Free Member' would get Free, full-participation Access to all these fine-sections:

- PL Laser Safety / Regs-info Wiki: All-access / Free...
- Hologeekery: All-access / Free...
- Laser FAQs: All-Access / Free - ..and, I recently found-out (iirc) it's being hosted-here.. further food for thought as-to PL's 'value'...
- News and Other Discussion: The *entire* forum / all subs - including the hugely-popular / often-helpful 'Lounge' - All-Access / Free...
- Lasers, All Kinds: All-access / Free (tbd ??)
- Light Sources, Other than Laser: All-access / Free...
- Product, Company, Sale, and Trade: Entire forum / all subs, All-access / Free.. and, probably most-valuably, publically / search-engine visible, etc...

...So, that means, this-'type' of great-interaction / site-value, ie: http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...aser-and-help! ..would *still* be Free, since that person could join PL as a 'Free Member', and post his questions / get his answers in the Lounge... (PS - very-likely "that person" will be a 'DIY'er...)

...Then, perhaps after receiving-such help / good-advice - for Free - maybe he says '..ya know, PL is awesome, I'm gonna have one less $12. drink at the Bar tonight, and sign-up for for the 'Full' Membership... - and *whammo* - Now, he gets even-more 'value' from PL, and - he gives something truly-helpful back... that's the essence of the proposal... A 'baseline-support' is guaranteed, not totally 'at-whim', like-now, and We - as The PL Community' - can further-vote / determine what Forums we choose to be for 'Paid-Members Only' (ie: Laser artwork, etc...)

Further thoughts, about this specific-scenario?

ciao
j

[JohnYayas]

I don't think it will work. People aren't going to pay to share their ideas when there are plenty of places to go and do so for free. If I come up with an advanced idea I certainly am not going to join the members only section so that I can post it.

[dsli_jon]

People aren't going to pay to share their ideas when there are plenty of places to go and do so for free...If I come up with an advanced idea I certainly am not going to join the members only section so that I can post it.

Yes, of course, I get that - they can just 'share' in the Lounge / those 'Free' sections, all day long...but, 'Pay-to-share' is not the goal, here - the idea is creating *a* vehicle to establish a more-sure baseline-level of support for PL / Administration, as a whole / long-term... How do we 'incentivize' that? That's also what this thread is about.. Clearly, at-least, there needs to be a better variety of 'support-options' - and, more-visible - perhaps also combined with a 'Supportometer', so people can see when PL needs-help..

..But, too, for those that join as 'Free Members', just knowing there's 'more', for-only a small 'Full-Access' fee, which - at the same-time - supports PL / its' Admin, is at-least such an 'incentivized baseline-support booster vehicle'... it's 'Pay to get more'... works for pr0n! ..and PL is-certainly a much more 'noble endeavour'...

...as it stands, if Spec, ie: gets hired full-time somewhere / ever decides to leave, with how-well he stays on top of shoveling the 'vBull' my bet is PL would be a ghost-town in 6 mo's or less - who else is gonna volunteer as-much 'free time' / PL-TLC? But, if the 'position' is "paid", at-least, more-fairly for the amount of time put-in, via a baseline-minimum, then a) we have a more 'predictable-model' for long-term support... b) we, as a community, then-have a 'basis for expectation' for a min. level of tech-support / up-time, from that Admin, for what we all have paid, should that 'next Admin' not-be as 'giving' as Spec, mi entiendes?

Additionally, it would, in-theory, help a) cut-down on the Spamerrorists that sign-up ONLY to spam-bomb those sections, (how many times have we seen, in 'answer to: "how do I..?" the "BUY OUR STUFF, HERE!! AND WE LUV U LONG TIME!!.." from entities that do *not* support PL, financially, or otherwise... )...and b) cut down on those that sign-up, ONLY to get that 'deeper-tech' info, w/o ever giving anything back to the community, or PL-$upport

Of course, yes, you're correct - if *no one* signs up for membership, everyone just 'hung' in the Lounge, et al, and posts / discusses / exchanges ALL info / advanced-ideas, for Free, well, yeah - the 'vehicle' would not help PL much... But, a) I don't think that's the picture that's 'emerging', here (see Poll.. and b) that's why this idea cannot be the ONLY idea / improvement, here...

... but if by 'plenty of other places..' you meant outside PL, well, all due-respect to MakeMag, et al....repeat after me, Dorothy, 'There's no place like PL... there's no place... '

Still, thanks for your opins and vote...
j

[planters]

Here's a thought. I'm not sure how much $/year is going to be necessary to avoid a problem as in the loss of Admin Sx? $100,s? $1,000's? More? But, why not raise most if not all the money from LEM's? The most committed and willing to spend are likely to participate in these meetings. The casual or new visitor to the site should have minimal interference in participating/exploring

[sugeek]

Hi Jon

I'm ready to donate (tell me how, PP or something).
I'm in for the donate button or yearly payment for subscription.(around 12 or 20 dolores if I can) but not for recurrent payments in to my credit card.

I hope my English is good.

Cheers,
Tu amigo Ed
PS I already vote.
I now you understand dolores,
For others dolores=pain in the wallet

admin @ photonlexicon.com via paypal works.

[megaton]

admin @ photonlexicon.com via paypal works.

Thanks Sugeek,

Cheers,
Ed

[opcom]

I prefer a "donate" button connected to PayBorg, and when someone donates over x amount, "contributing member" appears under their avatar.

[Displaser]

But, why not raise most if not all the money from LEM's? The most committed and willing to spend are likely to participate in these meetings.

Don't think that is going to work. Those attending LEM's are already incurring A LOT of expenses just to make it there, not to mention spending on items/food/etc. once you are there. I'd rather see some variations on how things are now - if you use the forum, help support the forum. Clearly there needs to be enough "free content" available to draw people to the forum. But, when Jon suggested $12 a year for supporting members, how could that possibly be unreasonable? You can't even build a basic project, get a magazine subscription, or eat a decent meal for this kinda money.

[Laserman532]

$12.00 per year is like giving a waitress a one penny tip. Trying not to sound harsh here but...here I go...

I donate $10.00 per month as a regular subscriber, i would love to give more and i do if i can...I do promotions from time to time to raise funds for the janitor. Not bragging or complaining just stating fact. When I think about...WOW I pay $120.00 per year to read a forum???? I must be mental!!! I dont think I made $120.00 off of this forum in 2011...I probably did in 2010 so life was good. Life is balance...

Or I can look at it this way...$10.00 Per month!!!! man...thats only .33 cents per day to hang out with some of the coolest people on the planet!!!! I mean...These dudes (and dudettes) play with LAZERS!!!

I am not wealthy...I only act like it....the $10.00 per month only hurts when i pay it...the pain is temporary...the reward in information about lasers is...priceless.

I dont want to offend anybody...but if everyone would just pass up on two Starbucks a month and feed the site $10.00 per month the janitor would be slightly compensated for his time, efforts, and basically...the betterment of mankind (well maybe that is a stretch, but you get what i mean)

If some people cant pay that much then they need to evaluate if this is the right hobby for them...Im sure there are many "free" websites that talk about collecting bird feathers or leaves or something like that.

Face the facts cowboys (cowgirls)....lasers are expensive...and the the information here is free...so please pony up..become a regular subscriber with the payment method of your choice and spread a little cheer and good karma back into the universe.

[dsli_jon]

...Pat, you are absolutely my all-time favorite dude, from every-single 1984 National Geographic magazine, that had some dude having twin-171s make a photon-supernova come from his belly, ever made... ....Oh, wait...

...but if everyone would...

Well-spoke, Cap'n.. my-point, exactly... if we *all* do a little - including newbz - we all benefit, and especially if/when Cap'n Spec up and decides to cash-in his chips and buy that Korean-spaceship once and for-all, and fly the on outta here... (..inside joke... )

Keep up the great-input and Votes, peeple! Let's try and make our 'community-recommendations' / ideas based on 100-voter representation, min! I'm going sleep, now...

j