19-02-2004 08:38									#31
	Full PM-box? Change here!

quote: Originally posted by PLATO I understand what you are saying, but this could be solved by supplying a certain number of ad free days for a fee. The clock could stop during a suspension (eithier voluntary or involuntary for that matter)

Too cumbersome. I imagine it'll be a yearly sub. I'd pay if there were some nice things.

	19-02-2004 08:46									#32
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: Originally posted by Agathon There'll need to be more than no ads to get many takers and banning people who use popup blockers isn't likely to work. You want to catch a fish, you put something nice on your hook.

As Ming said, there will probably be other "enhancements" to membership. But, I believe that there is a market for just the ad free service. As far as the subscription period I think a year would be fine. Bannings could be handled by simply extending the subscription expiration date by the number of days banned.

	19-02-2004 13:39									#33
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

I don't see the difference between the services offered, and accepting donations straight up.

I would like to see Dan and Markos make enough on a subscription basis, not to have to run any ads whatsoever.

I guess I just have a problem with giving them the money directly. I have greatly enjoyed having this site available, and I want to show my appreciation to Dan and Markos for all the hard work they put in. But I don't want them to feel obligated because I gave them money to do anything more than they do now. I don't need a special title or anything. I just want to give thanks for all the good times.

	19-02-2004 14:34									#34
	Re: Re: Apolyton Revenue Got spare money?

quote: Originally posted by MarkG no way am i spending my time chasing people with ad blockers. i'm just saying that it is possible to build a system where ad blocking would automatically lead to some form of inability to use part or whole of the site

I hope you wouldn't consider doing such.
The only day I'll let Apolyton through the ad blocker is the day that people dont get nasty spywares.

	19-02-2004 16:41									#35
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: Originally posted by Ming Not really... I will grant you that the FAQ would probably have to be updated But I don't see any "obligations" that will be "accrued" by the owners if people have to pay. It's still the choice of the subscribers on whether they are willing to pay or continue to pay. The same rules could be applied. If people didn't like it, they could stop subscribing. Just like any other private pay site. If you are implying they may want to run their site differently to compete in this more capitalistic format, you are probably right. But lets not call it "accrue certain obligations"... call it what it really is... making the proper business decisions

I mostly agree. The subscription should entitle the person that subscribes to no ads and maybe some other fixed fringe benefits. I don't see the need to change how the site is run. I do see the need to make the rules more clear.

I appreciate that the owners probably like this idea more than they say, and are perhaps dissuaded by the hassle of setting it up. However I don't see the popup model as being sustainable. I have always allowed popups on this site (even in the evil Gator times), but I am not any more since the situation is ridiculous, with far far too many popups. Reading between the lines I don't think that many people will allow them whilst they are so plentiful. Of course this snowballs into more people blocking as they get more and more popups.

As I say, it's not sustainable IMO.

	19-02-2004 18:21									#36
	Remove this text

Don't want anything special except for an ad-free site.

Other then that, no (real) changes need to be made IMO.

	19-02-2004 21:00									#37
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Hmm... could possibly the fee based membership be related to teh amount of posts that someone can make in a month? Say a person wold be limited to 100 posts withoug paying the fees? or would that be contrary to the "service-provided" philosophy that dan seems to be considering?

	19-02-2004 21:04									#38
	Put an end to popups!

Certainly making people pay for spam is a way of reducing it.

	19-02-2004 21:09									#39
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

Not a good way though..

	19-02-2004 21:16									#40
	Increase Your PM Length

Because of the popup model in effect here, spam is actually encouraged. The more +1's, the greater the number of popups. Toasting a thread is actually counter productive, if you think about it.

Monk

	19-02-2004 21:55									#41
	Got spare money?

quote: The only day I'll let Apolyton through the ad blocker is the day that people dont get nasty spywares.

NOONE gets spyware from our site.

And btw, please dont use our upload service for your games on other site

	20-02-2004 01:56									#42
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Hm, I really don't like the idea of a fee based membership. Maybe the first 100 people who signed up on Poly back in the days when the site was created could get a perennial and free membership?

	20-02-2004 03:09									#43
	Get a bigger avatar today!

quote: Originally posted by Ben Kenobi I don't see the difference between the services offered, and accepting donations straight up.

Tax implications.

	20-02-2004 03:13									#44
	Suffering from ads?

quote: Originally posted by Alex Hm, I really don't like the idea of a fee based membership. Maybe the first 100 people who signed up on Poly back in the days when the site was created could get a perennial and free membership?

Under the system that I am talking about, if you didn't sign up for a membership then nothing changes. If you do, then only the ads go away. What is your issue with that?

	20-02-2004 03:48									#45
	Tired of ads?

quote: Originally posted by PLATO Tax implications.

Make it a non-profit organisation, make some stories available for download at a price..???

C'mon how many economics masters are there on this site, not to mention lawyers surely they can come up with something.

	20-02-2004 03:51									#46
	Put an end to popups!

quote: Originally posted by alva Make it a non-profit organisation, make some stories available for download at a price..???

I think they probably enjoy the profit making angle.

WRT downloading stories, this has been discussed as well. The inability to stop proliferation once they are downloaded killed this idea with Dan.

	20-02-2004 03:52									#47
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: There'll need to be more than no ads to get many takers

Well then how come so many people are whining for a no-ads solution?

	20-02-2004 03:59									#48
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

quote: Originally posted by PLATO Under the system that I am talking about, if you didn't sign up for a membership then nothing changes. If you do, then only the ads go away. What is your issue with that?

oh, ok then. I didn't understand it before.

	20-02-2004 04:14									#49
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

The whole idea here is for the owners to be able to maintain their income stream and the posters, who wish to do so, to eliminate an irritant to many posters. A win-win situation if the owners want to go to the trouble to set it up.

	20-02-2004 04:20									#50
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Is it possible that we could have a special setting with no popups and instead a ton of banners? I would prefer that...

	20-02-2004 04:34									#51
	Put an end to popups!

quote: Originally posted by MarkG quote: The only day I'll let Apolyton through the ad blocker is the day that people dont get nasty spywares. NOONE gets spyware from our site.

Ok, this being stated, and with the advertising currently the major revenue for this site, we are actually getting a good service for very little pain.

If you don't like the advertising, can't you can always close it.

I believe that you would do a lot more work to generate the money to pay fees than in clicking the advertisments closed.

Add to this, there are alot of students using this site. I know that while at school I did not have a lot of spare cash to throw around. So we could lose some great members. ):

	20-02-2004 04:53									#52
	Suffering from ads?

quote: Tax implications.

I'm not familiar as to what that would entail in the US.

	20-02-2004 08:25									#53
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: Is it possible that we could have a special setting with no popups and instead a ton of banners? I would prefer that...

Banners don't make money unless the poster buys something from that site- popups earn Apolyton about 0.0001 cents each time they pop up regardless of whether the user purchases something or not

	20-02-2004 08:31									#54
	Inflate your Upload Space

100 pop ups for a penny? That explains a lot.

	20-02-2004 09:16									#55
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

quote: Originally posted by Agathon There'll need to be more than no ads to get many takers and banning people who use popup blockers isn't likely to work.

I personally would pay a yearly fee of 20-30€ without a doubt if it helps making 'Poly definitely viable and fast. 'Poly being adless would also be a plus.

But then again, I will not pay these fees if the only account is an American one, because I don't like the idea of paying as many transaction fees as the cost of the service I'm actually interested in.

	20-02-2004 19:34									#56
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: Originally posted by civman2000 Is it possible that we could have a special setting with no popups and instead a ton of banners? I would prefer that...

Isn't that what we used to have? People complained about that one as well... quite a bit actually.

	21-02-2004 05:18									#57
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

The banner one has "less" popups. Not none.

	21-02-2004 10:49									#58
	Re: Re: Apolyton Revenue Remove this text

quote: Originally posted by MarkG quote: 3.) Will the administration offer a fee based ad free membership? And if so, when will it be available? no comment Dan and i are doing our best in the ammount of time that we currently have to keep the site both free and as enjoyable as it can be.

Mark, After reading through this thread and the "Evil Nasty ad" and "Joetec.net Sucks" threads, could you give us some idea of your thinking? Are these ideas being discussed by you and Dan or are we just blowing hot air here?

From your final comment, it is obvious that you wish to keep the site free. Can't you accomplish this by making an ad free membership an option without affecting any other aspects of the site?

It appears that you would have several takers and that the idea is generally well received. You have a contingent that is willing to support Apolyton, but we need your input.

Thanks, as always, for the incredible job that both of you do with this site.

	21-02-2004 11:08									#59
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

people saying that they would like to see some form of subscriprions (always based on the pay-for-service rather than the pay-for-access model) certainly increases the possibility

	21-02-2004 11:11									#60
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by MarkG people saying that they would like to see some form of subscriprions (always based on the pay-for-service rather than the pay-for-access model) certainly increases the possibility

Well, its a start.