Project: Payment for altering taglines.

DeVore

This is an idea that came up a while ago.

1. Person pays X to change their tagline.
2. Person pays 2X to change someone elses tagline
3. Person pays 3-4X to lock their tagline so that it cant be changed by anyone using method 2.

We've set up the credit card stuff but I dont have the PHP skillz to code the user interface/management stuff.

DeV.

po0k

Cé méid euró?

DeVore

I dunno. its basically a fun game to get people to assist boards.ie financially. I wouldnt be thinking much at all... maybe x=2 or 3 euro?

so 2,5 and 10 euro respectively?

Depends what people think...anyway it would be a softcoded variable so its not a key factor right now...

DeV.

strat

I like it, alot.

Hope this paves the way for @boards.ie email addy's and the like too

dahamsta

Most of this stuff can and should be done from "outside" vB. For one, it ensures that you don't have to reintegrate hacks every time you upgrade; for two, it means you don't run afoul of any licencing issues -- all the haX0R needs is an SQL layout of the table. So you give them the layout, they write the code for changing the tags. Then you add a layer on top of that which allows (or disallows) a user from accessing it depending on a result from the payment processing server. Ta da! I'd write it meself only I'm busy. Maybe next week.

adam

DeVore

yes, thats what I'm thinking for all the projects where possible...

Yes, this also is the start of Boards.ie mail addresses as part of a "supporters" pack.

DeV.

DeVore

Dahamsta, nothing is going to start this week, or indeed next week. We have to get the environment set up and agreed etc...
So, if you are interested knock yerself out. And yes, the way you are suggesting it is what I was thinking.

DeV.

Gaz

Sorry , really n00b question but what are taglines ?

Im guessing its insane poster etc etc

jd

Originally posted by DeVore
I dunno. its basically a fun game to get people to assist boards.ie financially. I wouldnt be thinking much at all... maybe x=2 or 3 euro?

so 2,5 and 10 euro respectively?

Depends what people think...anyway it would be a softcoded variable so its not a key factor right now...

DeV.

Thinking out loud here..
do it as a poker game with randomnly generated cards where people can raise half the pot etc...
mm

DeVore

Jesus JD... talk about project scope creep hehehe...

DeV.

jd

Originally posted by DeVore
Jesus JD... talk about project scope creep hehehe...

DeV.

I usually take it rather than give it (I'm talking about feature creep here...:D ).

leeroybrown

Most of this stuff can and should be done from "outside" vB.

I presume the move to vB 3 will happen before any coding is done.

I agree that it should be kept as seperate as possible, though I am assuming that vB keep the same basic DB structure through versions and add features to it.

Seperate feature written to the database by a single well commented script.

regi

I don't think we're going to see VBB 3 for some months yet, so its best to assume that we'll be staying with VBB 2.2.x for the forseeable future.

flamegrill

DeV surely you can come up with the basics for a UI, simple html would do. it can be stuck into a .php file and then have the backend management system working away for you.

A new database for the CC transactions would be good. I'm currently starting an ordering system for an online site, so I can give a hand here too. Design isn't my thing thou, coding is.

As i said in anotther thread, im available

Winters

I dont like the idea of someone changing my tag line. Say i spend all of 2 euro, which i do have in my pocket ... then someone goes and changes the tag line to something annoying. I dont think other people should be able to change tag lines.....that would be just annoying.

JustHalf

Then pay the 10 Euro.

hacktavist

I say have it so you have to raise it each time someone changes it.
Like if someone changed my tagline I could lock it and then the next time they'd have to pay twice as much or whatever I wouldnt have to pay more to lock it so it would always be affordable for the person at least.
This way you could make loads on people who noone likes and everyone wants to change there tagline to 'gay' or whatever.
And have the locking last a week or whatever.

DeVore

No, once you pay for a tagline to be locked it remains locked for a year. I want this to be fun not financially crippling!

Also any really nasty taglines will just be changed back and we'll keep the money

DeV.

PHB

I think a year is a bit overkill, maybe 2 months would be good, also you would have to get rid of the whole Mod bit, so we could have fun changing shinjis tagline to, "mills is under the desk right now" or whatever.

DeVore

Oh god no.... I dont want this to turn nasty. In fact I might pre-mod the new taglines too

I will take a vote of the mods and see if they are game for a laugh with it too (I expect they are!).

Admins might be a different matter lol!
(I think we'd have to pay to lock ours immediately!)

Flamegrill are you up for this? I'll draw out the UI and do a basic design if you like (wont be anything fantastic) but if you'll code the backend then we can actually start to see how we are going to do this with a test case...

Let me talk to the other admins about setting up the CC processing (that costs cash) and then we'll have a green light...
You think you can do this alone or you want to rope someone else into it?

DeV.

Gordon

/me mutters an amused bemused Addams family 'Lurch' style grunt.

A different method of payment would be great as many won't have access to credi cards. Postal orders are a good bet, I'm up for a bit of tag-line poker to raise some dosh.

(insert cheeky grin here... )

Makaveli

Originally posted by Gordon

A different method of payment would be great as many won't have access to credi cards. Postal orders are a good bet

I agree.
Anyway it would hardly be fair if someone changed your tag and you had noway of changing it yourself because you dont have a credit card.
I cant see many people specifically going out and getting a credit card just so they can get a new tag.

amp

I'm afraid I'd have to agree. I still don't like the whole idea of changing somebody elses tag-line. I'd pay to change my own of course. And I'd pay for e-mail and webspace and all sorts of other stuff.

But somebody elses tagline? It'd be like giving the county council cash to allow you to spray "Wanker" on somebodies house.

Not a strictly accurate analogy I know, but it's hard to find a real-life(tm) equivilant.

PPC

Originally posted by amp
I'm afraid I'd have to agree. I still don't like the whole idea of changing somebody elses tag-line.

I agree, this could turn out nasty, but its still i nice idea

Originally posted by amp
And I'd pay for e-mail and webspace and all sorts of other stuff.

Me likey
And custom avatars (non animated or offensive and kept to 32x32)

Maybe paying for a private forum too, i'm sure people wouldnt mind paying a small nominal fee for some privacy.

Repli

few questions:
what's a tagline ?
what do boards.ie need our money for ?

DeVore

tagline is the line of text under your name on the left. For example mine is "Bastard Operator From Hell"

Boards.ie isnt free you know, it costs us to run it and frankly its now taking up a fair bit of our time. It would be nice to buy the mods a round of drinks (just one round as there are now about 300 odd mods of various flavours!) or give the admin's pockets a break. Also to buy more ram and CPU power for the new server, pay for the ever increasing bandwidth usage and maybe give the Hack Attackers a few pints too for their coding.

Trust me, money is always useful. Besides if you dont want to give us any of your cash, you dont have to...

DeV

BuffyBot

Originally posted by amp
I'm afraid I'd have to agree. I still don't like the whole idea of changing somebody elses tag-line. I'd pay to change my own of course. And I'd pay for e-mail and webspace and all sorts of other stuff.

Have to agree with the changing other peoples tag lines, but having a pay for option for changing your own, having @boards.ie or webspace etc would be a good idea - kinda like a "premium services" thing.

Bard

Originally posted by BuffyBot



Have to agree with the changing other peoples tag lines, but having a pay for option for changing your own, having @boards.ie or webspace etc would be a good idea - kinda like a "premium services" thing.

agreed, 100%.

Changing other people's taglines shouldn't be a part of these "premium services" - believe it or not, this, as an option, could possibly drive people away from the site.

I would definitely pay to add these "premium" services to my account... sort of a Boards.ie PLUS account rather than just your bog standard boards.ie account:

• Personalised (pre-approved by admins) avatar
• Tag-line editable in profile
• Boards.ie email address
• and more... (entry to 'paying members only' areas on the site? reduced admission price at boards beer events?)

I think the sign-up period should be a year also... and I don't think €10 to €15 is much to ask for this.

--

On a side note, I put it to ye also that when it comes to the @boards.ie email address, all users should get first refusal on their username@boards.ie

e.g.: I should have first refusal on bard@boards.ie

- say for example, in that case, that amp requested the address bard@boards.ie - I should get an email saying "A boards.ie user has requested the email address bard@boards.ie, but due to our first refusal policy, we are offering it to you first. If you are willing to sign up to the premium service of boards.ie within the next week, this address will be yours. Otherwise, it will be granted to the user who requested it."

Either that, or people should only be allowed sign up with a name resembling their own username - or at least NOT be allowed sign up with a name closely resembling someone else's.

leeroybrown

Maybe what is said above is right. If someone kept changing my tagline I'd probably just complain about the service.

I like Bards idea of "Boards.ie premium". It could work quite nicely.

I also don't think that anyone else should be able to take bard@boards.ie or leeroybrown@boards.ie. That would just facilitate people masquarading as other users (Could be a lot of fun on places like the for sale board ).

JustHalf

I don't like the idea of blocking people out from certain forums because they aren't paying members. Scratch that idea, please.

BuffyBot

Originally posted by Bard
--

On a side note, I put it to ye also that when it comes to the @boards.ie email address, all users should get first refusal on their username@boards.ie

e.g.: I should have first refusal on bard@boards.ie

- say for example, in that case, that amp requested the address bard@boards.ie - I should get an email saying "A boards.ie user has requested the email address bard@boards.ie, but due to our first refusal policy, we are offering it to you first. If you are willing to sign up to the premium service of boards.ie within the next week, this address will be yours. Otherwise, it will be granted to the user who requested it."

Actually a good point which only came to mind after I posted. Who gets what address? Say my name is Sean, and I want sean@boards.ie, would payment allow you to have it even though my nick is BuffyBot

I assume you would have to develop some kind of back end to keep track of whose got what e-mail, Nick, webspace and/or any other ancillary systems - plus payment info etc - making a complicated project .

Sounds like an interesting challenge, shame I have zilch tech skills to help out!

daveirl

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leeroybrown

I don't like the idea of blocking people out from certain forums because they aren't paying members.

I'd agree that all members of boards should be able to post on every forum. Boards.ie premium could supply some other ancilliary services such as e-mail addresses etc.

reduced admission price at boards beer events?

And I'm sure that the premium members would be the ones most eager to donate a few quid to boards cause.

deco

Originally posted by Bard

Changing other people's taglines shouldn't be a part of these "premium services" - believe it or not, this, as an option, could possibly drive people away from the site.

• Personalised (pre-approved by admins) avatar

Have to agree completely...

But personalised avatars?

Bard

Originally posted by deco


Have to agree completely...

But personalised avatars?

well- if they're paid-for, it gives the admins a reason to take the time to actually approve/deny said particular avatars, doesn't it? I can't see this generating too much extra work for them, tbh...

ykt0di9url7bc3

Custom Avatars/locked Avatars

You could pay money for exclusive use of one avatar.....

i pay 4 euro per year and my avatar is what ever i want it to be and no one else could use it but me

Thanx 4 The Fish

Agree with Searrard, I would pay so that nobody else could use the fish avatar. Do not agree with the changing other peoples tagline idea, this could bring flaming to a whole new level. Would also agree with those in a private board paying for the service.

It's not as if peeps are asked for much here and a couple of yoyos every now and again isn't gonna break the bank.

Could you make this service payable also by Laser ?
What would the company name that this is billed to on our statements ? Wouldn't want [glow=3]Hot nekkid women dancin'[/glow] appearing on any of my bills - Joint accounts and all that

Bard

Originally posted by Thanx 4 The Fish
Agree with Searrard, I would pay so that nobody else could use the fish avatar. Do not agree with the changing other peoples tagline idea, this could bring flaming to a whole new level. Would also agree with those in a private board paying for the service.

Is there not any provision in the license terms of vBulletin that prohibits you from re-selling it? If so, surely charging for private boards would contravene that...

Mind you I could be wrong of course, I'd just imagine it'd be a standard clause..

What would the company name that this is billed to on our statements ? Wouldn't want [glow=3]Hot nekkid women dancin'[/glow] appearing on any of my bills - Joint accounts and all that

"Spin Solutions" surely?

or... isn't there a "Boards.ie Ltd."?

Dazzer

Boards.ie I imagine as it is a registered company with directors and a company secretary en all

JustHalf

Originally posted by Bard
Is there not any provision in the license terms of vBulletin that prohibits you from re-selling it? If so, surely charging for private boards would contravene that...

Reselling the software, not access to your forum.

Otherwise Somethingawful.com would be in a fair bit of bother.

DeVore

hmmm some interesting ideas...

The idea with the "changin others tagline" is that it would "encourage" people to protect their taglines by subscribing.
If the tagline means so much to someone then 5 euro isnt a lot to ask for that privilege. We might look at protecting new users until they are 6 months here first!

Mail and other "premium" services...
In general we are all committed to keeping boards free and all normal boards would (as far as I am concerned) remain free, of course. The only one I have ever thought about turning into a subscribed zone is Admin, but we have currently decided against that. (the thinking behind that was "why should you get to have a say how the site is run if you arent willing to support it").
Anyway, I dont think that will happen.

as regarding: Mail and Webspace and the like... Yes this is more of what we were thinking. Mail and webspace would have to be tied to your boards account. Imagine if Thanx For All The Fish and Bard were both called "Simon"... now who gets first refusal on simon@boards.ie??

Anyway, any shenanigans and we'll just remove the account and keep the money.

Any other premium services we could offer? More webspace?
Higher PM limit?

We're going to do this as an all or nothing package too, you are either in for the lot or not as its too much work to do otherwise (I think...)

Also, premium membership would get you into Boards Beer bashs I reckon (have to think about that! depends how many we do etc)

DeV.

phaxx

If I pay for premium membership I want a flashy ID card to go with it.

BuffyBot

Originally posted by DeVore
The idea with the "changin others tagline" is that it would "encourage" people to protect their taglines by subscribing.
If the tagline means so much to someone then 5 euro isnt a lot to ask for that privilege. We might look at protecting new users until they are 6 months here first!

Hmmm, still don't think it's a good idea....but..

as regarding: Mail and Webspace and the like... Yes this is more of what we were thinking. Mail and webspace would have to be tied to your boards account. Imagine if Thanx For All The Fish and Bard were both called "Simon"... now who gets first refusal on simon@boards.ie??

Mail
Custom Tagline
Extra/Inscreased Webspace
Custom Avatar?
Higher PM's limit.

Yeah, the whole name thing would cause a problem - administration would be a nightmare - might be best to link it to your Boards name.

Also, premium membership would get you into Boards Beer bashs I reckon (have to think about that! depends how many we do etc)

Woo hoo - if I ever go

jaggeh

• Custom Avatar (must be checked by admins)
• Custom tagline (nothing obscene or offensive)
• Extra webspace
• Boards mail
• reduced prices for boards events
• discount in the boards store

this can be offset with a 10-20 yoyo per year membership

DeVore

Right that sounds like a good bit to get started with. I have confirmation from VBB that we can give you the DB structure (just not the code, which is ok since we want to write our own rather then hack theirs...)

Only thing we are waiting for it VB3 as it changes the DB structure (I bet) and we might as well code for that rather then for this one... I'll have a think about that.

DeV.

kaimera

would €5 a month be too expensive?

and how would payments be made: postal order, credit card??

How about subscriped members can get their name on t-shirts from the Boards store?

Typedef

Small suggestion.

You could 'pay' to have a pop3 @boards.ie mail account, with say a 5, 7, or 10 megabyte limit (though what you'd be doing with a 10 meg email waiting is anyone's guess).

(or)

If you have diskspace and raid, you could think about providing IMAP. Washington University do a neat IMAP server.


Of course the outbound mail would have to be web-based as you couldn't disjunct 'vaild' as opposed to invalid ips to relay SMTP.

Unless of course you fancy becoming an ISP.

Mods of course for their selfless devotion to boards would get free email accounts. : -)

/oh yeah.

This is where I bags stud@boards.ie

Praetorian

Agree with Jaggeh

€10 a year sounds reasonable...

Id prefer to give the money in cash TBH. Im very paranoid with my CC number. If DeVore could give me a postal address, I'd send it straight away.

I wouldnt necessarily want anything in return...I'm just happy to contribute.

ecksor

Originally posted by Typedef
You could 'pay' to have a pop3 @boards.ie mail account, with say a 5, 7, or 10 megabyte limit (though what you'd be doing with a 10 meg email waiting is anyone's guess).

I sorted a mail problem for someone the other day which resulted from them having received a 42meg .wav file in the mail.

If you have diskspace and raid, you could think about providing IMAP. Washington University do a neat IMAP server.

Hrm, imap on a large scale on the same machine as the webserver makes me shudder for a few reasons. Bandwidth needs to be plentiful for IMAP, and if lots of people used it I could see the web server's response times suffering (due to performance reasons as well as bandwidth).

Of course the outbound mail would have to be web-based as you couldn't disjunct 'vaild' as opposed to invalid ips to relay SMTP.

We are not an ISP (yet at least ), so I would see it being up to the user to just configure outgoing smtp to use their ISPs mail servers. Another option is pop before smtp as a form of weak (but practical) authentication.

I'm sure a web interface to mail would be popular, but they make my skin crawl even more than web based bulletin boards

Anybody suggest any that sound good in terms of both features and security?

Perhaps this should be a separate thread.

[ edit to fix quotes ]

zenith

Just a suggestion: companies like Zamano have a framework whereby you can use a premium text message to 'pay' for a piece of content. They have an algorithm that you use to validate a passcode sent to an individual phone. Rates go up to EUR1.25 at the mo, I think. Your cut is 50% of that.

Gets around the CC issue, and can be used multiple times to top up for a more expensive service. Everyone's got a mobile phone now.

Actually, now that I think about it, I think The Corinthian's firm does this too, so ...

Saves all the CC integration, allows you to get on with coding: then all you have to do is write the PHP that does the inserts on the db to make the changes, and store accumulated credit in another db.

daveirl

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