Voluntary Donations... Or Mandatory Subscription

[blove8.]

Quote:

Quote:Information must be free. Set it free...

Also, if there is ever any problem paying fees - please try to let us know in advance, i.e. a simple message on the tracker and forums like...

Quote:"Ok, server costs and expenses total $450 this month,
so far we have $375, therefore...
we still need $75 to make the payment in 6 days.
PLEASE DONATE..."

This works well for many sites.

Well I've done that in the past. I've also in the past been accused a million times of scaring people for cash. After a couple years of that sort of criticism I don't WANT to ask anymore. I'm tired of it. Nor should I have to.

I'm refraining from voting.

Vote: voluntary

I like the above idea as well.. Maybe rather than asking, try something similar to this:

http://www.donationbooster.com/

It seems to me that the big problem is the fact that most of the tracker users only go to the tracker to grab up the torrent files.. If I'm correct, most prolly will never even read these posts. If they were aware that the tracker needed so much money at any particular point in time, I think they'd have a clear way to access the donation mechanism and give what is needed more readily. My 2 cents.

[raytracer]

Voluntary, even if I personally would pay for a yearly subscription I realize that forcing users to pay won't work.
Also the info has to be spread, even among those who are not willing to pay for that.
There will always be people who pay for the people who can't.
I totally agree with a donation meter, or something that allows Ctrl not to beg for it, if the numbers are not met, the tracker just closes down until enough money is in.
Unfortunately it doesn't give more visibility to the problem.
It is crucial that everywhere is to be found a direct link to the donation system and status, and all the info needed to send money in other ways, even when the tracker is down.

I had an idea, maybe a little strange, but instaed of mandatory donations, we could use mandatory email addresses. If you don't provide a working email address, and you don't agree to receive updates on funds needed, you can't access the tracker. It should be clear emails won't be sold or given away.
If it doesn't bother you, Ctrl, I would suggest to use a kind of mailing list to give users info about current money situation of CC when time comes, with a link to paypal account and info to send cash.
It is also very important we know exactly how much CC raised from that, as a donator it interests me very much!
I'm sure it would be effective among people who already donate regularly, those who don't, and those who don't read the forums, and it would be easy for you to maintain it, no begging, etc...

I think you can already do that with the users of the forums, you should find a feature that allows to send a message to everyone who had agreed in the profile to receive admin messages.

[Ognir]

Voluntary I voted because I know I'll donate as I have done several times in the past and I know a good thing when I see one and WE HAVE A GOOD ONE.

We shouldn't have to do this shit every month to pay bills, once or twice a year look for donations, so maybe a good idea to get several months donations in now, like 6 months, take a lot of stress out

OG

[Echo]

personally i think that it should be voluntary because the point of it to share the information and if u start mandatory subscriptons, it would make the amount of people useing it much smaller and would defeat the purpose of having it.

but watever you do i don't really mind because i don't use it.

[mixmage]

I voted Voluntary... I can't afford [plus don't have the means] to pay a monthly sub via online methods - Paypal etc.

I do intend to donate, however... I saw a postal addy somewhere in the fora a while back but cannot find it now. Post it up again here and a nice crisp portrait of Alexander Hamilton will be winging its way to you.

Fair enough?

I value the tracker, have come to rely on it over the last 6-8 months and am more than willing to help fund it... only "the old-fashioned way" suits me best.

[mixmage]

Quote:a nice crisp portrait of Alexander Hamilton will be winging its way to you

Eeep! This Limey means ten dollah... not the $500 Series EE Savings Bond.

:blink: glad to clear that up.

[EvilAaron]

Vote Voluntary.

I think basic updates saying donation amount needed would keep em coming when needed. Even one day a donation metre if it becomes possible with our current software.

I think we would have our community become much smaller if we go to a closed/subscription format (also then the concern of dump sites being cut off/way around subscribing). Myself donating isnt very hard, every rent day I donate 10+ $$. Dosnt take many people even doing 1 $$ donations to keep everything running.

I do not see what the problem is with posting finance updates on front page to bring donation needs to peoples minds. If nothing gets posted eg half way through month stating what we have/what we need its is as the old adage says, "out of sight out of mind". Keep it on peoples minds on a regular basis in a calm manner, wouldnt be considered "scare tactic donation calls" in my books.

[p2P2p]

I agree, a little transparency in how the a site is funded can often make the users feel more comfortable about using the site and donating. If at all times you keep a simple "Funds" box/pane (as I suggested above) at the top of the tracker page and this forum showing how much money is needed and by when, then there should be no need to SHOUT when short of funds.

If this still doesn't work you and you are still short of funds at the end of any given month, you may need to display that info in bold with an extra tag "Still need another 50 bucks by Friday or the Tracker will be offline - PLEASE DONATE!"

In my experience shouting at your members that they must donate has the opposite effect.

[EvilAaron]

Quote:I voted Voluntary... I can't afford [plus don't have the means] to pay a monthly sub via online methods - Paypal etc.

I do intend to donate, however... I saw a postal addy somewhere in the fora a while back but cannot find it now. Post it up again here and a nice crisp portrait of Alexander Hamilton will be winging its way to you.

Fair enough?

I value the tracker, have come to rely on it over the last 6-8 months and am more than willing to help fund it... only "the old-fashioned way" suits me best.

Here is the snail mail address - http://conspiracycentral.net/address.txt
Link is found in text at bottom of tracker page, near the paypal image links.

[mixmage]

Nice work, DV! Thanks.