Does Boards.ie still need Subscribers to keep itself going?

_blank_

Hi all,

Just wondering, does Boards.ie still need the Subscriptions from users to remain a going concern.

My reading of the situation, a few years ago when I began subscribing, was that the little money I did pay towards the site was for general upkeep of the servers and things like that, hosting fees, etc.

Now that Daft have come in with the moolah, does the fifty quid, or a fiver a month, or whatever, just pale into insignificance when stood beside the money put in by Daft?

Could Boards.ie survive without the Subscription money now, or would there be a huge hole created if all Subs just stopped paying?

I am not looking for a refund on my recently recurred subscription, nor am I looking for an "out".

I'm just wondering, and have been for a while.

Thanks

Des

Beruthiel

Every penny counts Des!

seamus

Without being privvy to the accounts, I would just hope that if the subscriber's money was not actually needed, that it would be used towards providing subscriber perks, such as the email and perhaps webspace or whatever.

Though what Ber says

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

I presume the plan would be to offer better perks in the future.

humanji

Hooker and coke money?

yoshytoshy

find m.boards a very handy addition and sure it must be handy to have money in a paypal account to buy hardware and stuff.

DeVore

Do we "need" it? Not immediately no. When I say that I mean, we will still be able to pay Ross this month without it

But... the more we are self sufficient, the less we have to "put up with" the commericial aspects of the Real World.

We simply wouldnt be here without Ross, practically every day he keeps the site on the air with some patch or plaster, so we (the communiites) need him. He cant pay his rent with the free exchange of good ideas, he needs cash.

Ok, so we have a bundle of cash from Daft, but thats not a magic money tree either, it will run out (especially with new hires). Self-sustainability is important for INDEFINITE existance or else we will have to keep selling bits of Boards LTD to make ends meet. I want to build a "Boards" that can still be here 20 years from now, still powering itself.

We have no plans to seek investment again by the way; I guess it could happen but not for the forseeable future.

So is it "necessary".. yes in the long run it is and as a demonstration of our thinking on "subscriptions" we take the ads off for them to indicate that we arent blind to the support.

Frankly, I dont think we do a good job for the subscribers and its something the Commans will be looking at in due course. Thankfully a lot of subscribers seem to view it as a "way of giving back" which is nice because I'm not sure its really worth the price at the moment :)

DeV.

yoshytoshy

If wages are paid from it ,are the subscriptions taxable at boards end ?

6th

DeVore wrote: »

Frankly, I dont think we do a good job for the subscribers and its something the Commans will be looking at in due course. Thankfully a lot of subscribers seem to view it as a "way of giving back" which is nice because I'm not sure its really worth the price at the moment :)

DeV.

I'll keep subscribing as long as I use this place but of course extra features (I dont know what though) would be nice.

Cabaal

I think the subscribers should perhaps get more but surely any money helps towards boards.ie, some sites like somethingawful.com look for a $10 fee from all new sign ups and if you get banned (which happens easily on SA) then you have to pay it again.

Makes them lots of money but wouldn't work here

_blank_

For all I get out if this site, fifty quid a year is well worth it.

Thanks for the answer DeV.

Dancor

Des wrote: »

For all I get out if this site, fifty quid a year is well worth it.

Thanks for the answer DeV.

I agree. Thats why im going to subscribe.....





....Soon

5starpool

So where is my refund going to be paid to? :pac:

Tom Dunne

DeVore wrote: »

Frankly, I dont think we do a good job for the subscribers and its something the Commans will be looking at in due course.

Did anyone else read that as conmans? :eek:

Well worth the €50, IMHO.

DeVore

PS: We'll be explaining the C.M's to everyone just as soon as we get them in and working and settled. Not to mention unburied from the pile of work that they are facing.

DeV.

Earthhorse

DeVore wrote: »

Frankly, I dont think we do a good job for the subscribers and its something the Commans will be looking at in due course. Thankfully a lot of subscribers seem to view it as a "way of giving back" which is nice because I'm not sure its really worth the price at the moment :)

No, it's not, but I really consider it more of a donation than a subscription. Only thing I really use it for is the customised avatar.

DeVore wrote: »

PS: We'll be explaining the C.M's to everyone just as soon as we get them in and working and settled. Not to mention unburied from the pile of work that they are facing.

I see they have their own drop box already. Gotta get me one of them.

Cuddlesworth

How about Subscribers get the right to photoshop CM's pics as they see fit?

Meh, I subscribed to change my name. I will continue it out of a love of blowing away my hard earned case(hence the snyper donations). I reckon the name change alone would pull in plenty of people.

EKRIUQ

I just see it as a way of giving something back and I'll probably make it back by something in bargain alerts during the course of the year, but it would be nice to have a couple of added features, like maybe subscribers can give karma or extra thanks something small.

stovelid

humanji wrote: »

Hooker and coke money?

Hookers and coke must surely be in the bargain bin of boards sayings along with Yore Ma, at this stage?

stovelid

Earthhorse wrote: »

No, it's not, but I really consider it more of a donation than a subscription.

This.

Tom Dunne

stovelid wrote: »

Hookers and coke must surely be in the bargain bin of boards sayings along with Yore Ma, at this stage?

Ah, the innocence of the non-mod.

Boston

I've never liked the subscriber concept. Mainly do to the attitude that if you're not a subscriber, you don't contribute as much to the site and therefore you're a less valued user.

seamus

Nope, that's just you Boston

Boston

Its because I'm beautiful, isn't it?

Beruthiel

That's one reason...

yoshytoshy

subscriptions on boards are one of the least intrusive I've ever seen on a site that accepts them.

Thats probably the main reason why I started ,I'm only on my third one.

AlmightyCushion

DeVore wrote: »

we take the ads off for them to indicate that we arent blind to the support.

Just want to say thanks for this. On my desktop the ads wouldn't bother me but when using my netbook even the smallest of ads takes up a valuable amount of screen space.

yoshytoshy

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Just want to say thanks for this. On my desktop the ads wouldn't bother me but when using my netbook even the smallest of ads takes up a valuable amount of screen space.

+2Billion.

Don't have to look at the fianna fail ads, thank god:)

Zaph

It's actually never occurred to me to turn the ads off, which is a measure of how unobtrusive they are compared to other sites.

yoshytoshy

Zaph wrote: »

It's actually never occurred to me to turn the ads off, which is a measure of how unobtrusive they are compared to other sites.

Never had trouble with the ads myself ,until the fianna fail ones. They're very intrusive.

Zaph

yoshytoshy wrote: »

Never had trouble with the ads myself ,until the fianna fail ones. They're very intrusive.

Actually you're right, they're very annoying and should be toned down a bit

K-9

DeVore wrote: »

Frankly, I dont think we do a good job for the subscribers and its something the Commans will be looking at in due course. Thankfully a lot of subscribers seem to view it as a "way of giving back" which is nice because I'm not sure its really worth the price at the moment :)

DeV.

Earthhorse wrote: »

No, it's not, but I really consider it more of a donation than a subscription. Only thing I really use it for is the customised avatar.

YEP, it's a way of giving something back, a fiver a month isn't much for what I get back.

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Meh, I subscribed to change my name.

Same here, personal note, due change again.

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Just want to say thanks for this. On my desktop the ads wouldn't bother me but when using my netbook even the smallest of ads takes up a valuable amount of screen space.

I used adblock before so not the reason I subscribed. Notice how I didn't put that below Devs reply! Actually reason I used it was I was on dial up until a year ago and now on O2, so no proper broadband. Same reason I use Flashblock.

watna

I did have a year's subscription but then I moved to NZ and now get paid in NZ dollars, which might as well be shiny pennies for all they're actually worth. €50 converted to dollars is actually quite a lot (€50 = $126 which is almost my weeks rent!) - so for the moment I'm subscribing in spirit!

I think it's great that we're able to make a contribution and once I start earning proper currency again, I'm in. I'd imagine that donations are always welcome, not matter what changes are made around here. Plus, people who get a lot out of this site will always want to give something back.

Mr. Presentable

Further to Watna's post, I'd imagine subs would drop off during the recession. I know it will be a consideration for me, along with reducing the band of my broadband and eating in more. I also expect, as was asked previously, that there must be a tax burden on income from subs.

To the OP, because Boards.ie Ltd is a company, its first duty is to its shareholders. The purpose of any company is earnings, and a smart company will take them where they can - you never know what tomorrow will bring.

stovelid

yoshytoshy wrote: »

Never had trouble with the ads myself ,until the fianna fail ones. They're very intrusive.

I've never seen them as I have ads turned off. I do like the idea of the revenue giving us a platform to broadcast our constant stream of incendiary, anti-government rabble though.

yoshytoshy

stovelid wrote: »

I've never seen them as I have ads turned off. I do like the idea of the revenue giving us a platform to broadcast our constant stream of incendiary, anti-government rabble though.

Yes indeedy , "Boards.ie ,where brick walls come tumbling down!"

tbh

any plans so that we can (or can we now) gift a subscription?

DeVore

You know... I never thought of that TBH. Thats a bit of a good idea really.

DeV.

Stark

Boston wrote: »

I've never liked the subscriber concept. Mainly do to the attitude that if you're not a subscriber, you don't contribute as much to the site and therefore you're a less valued user.

I contribute in the form of spider drawings.

Varkov

I will never ever give money to this site. I'd rather spend it on skittlez.

Sharpshooter

I like to think of it as our own special "Thank You" button.My subscription is up for renewal at the end of March and I will definitely be subscribing again.
This time for a year, the recession can take a hike.:D

I get so much enjoyment from boards and also appreciate the knowledge of certain posters.
All in all this is a great place to be , and I intend to be around as long as the site is here.

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

tbh wrote: »

any plans so that we can (or can we now) gift a subscription?

DeVore wrote: »

You know... I never thought of that TBH. Thats a bit of a good idea really.

DeV.

They do it on fark.com quite successfully

randylonghorn

Boston wrote: »

I've never liked the subscriber concept. Mainly do to the attitude that if you're not a subscriber, you don't contribute as much to the site and therefore you're a less valued user.

Seriously though, Boston, who the hell thinks like that?

tbh wrote: »

any plans so that we can (or can we now) gift a subscription?

DeVore wrote: »

You know... I never thought of that TBH. Thats a bit of a good idea really.

DeV.

It is, actually. I've paid a sub as a birthday present for someone for the last couple of years, and it's just messy with having to give temp. access to my PayPal account etc. Would be much easier if there was a place to put in an additional username when I'm renewing my own.

homah_7ft

DeVore wrote: »

as a demonstration of our thinking on "subscriptions" we take the ads off for them to indicate that we arent blind to the support.

Should I not be seeing ads so?

LuckyLloyd

Seen as Dev is keeping an eye on this thread and there is talk of the wonderful goodies subscribers get, I reckon it's as good a place as any to request that this thread gets some attention:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055165779&page=4

Vexorg used to look after it I reckon! Cheers.

AlmightyCushion

homah_7ft wrote: »

Should I not be seeing ads so?

You can turn off the ads if you are a subscriber. You can leave them on as well though. To turn the off go here (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/profile.php?do=editoptions) and go to thread display options. In there you will see an option to remove banner ads.