What would you pay to have an honest discussion?

What does ATS need?

Why is that not being met?

Skeptic you're a good guy but you don't seem to be answering questions.

Answer some questions.

Why is ATS floundering? Why does ATS need donations and extra care?

Any mod that wants to delete this should really check themselves. I used to love the staff here, but it seems like we can't be critical anymore.

I'm not a great member, but I'm pissed, and betting good members are too.

Wake the f*** up and answer some questions SO. You asked for opinions and questions and you're hiding now.

Stop pretending to be involved with the community and nut up.

You're looking at a mass exodus and you can't take the time to tell us WHY you're popular website needs more help.

a reply to: Domo1

Seems to me like if your main job isn't paying enough to cover the bills just do what everyone else does, find a second job not ask people for $$$.

Too many people are using adblockers so the website is not earning enough from advertising to pay for its hosting and upkeep. The redirect page and the OPTIONAL paid subscription ideas are ways to combat this.

I don't understand what is so difficult about that to comprehend?

a reply to: Kryties

I'm with you. Management has made it no secret what the problem is.

I hate ads as much as the next person, but I understand they are a necessary evil, so I put up with them. I'm also willing to pay five bucks a month to not see them and have that 5 bucks go to maintenance of the site.

I believe SO is willing to give people a choice - tolerate the ads without putting up an ad blocker, or pay a premium to not have to tolerate the ads. I think it's great that he is asking our opinion instead of just doing what he wants to do.

originally posted by: Kryties
Too many people are using adblockers so the website is not earning enough from advertising to pay for its hosting and upkeep. The redirect page and the OPTIONAL paid subscription ideas are ways to combat this.

I don't understand what is so difficult about that to comprehend?

Yeah especially the "optional" part is missed by a lot of people. They only see the $$$ signs.

Edit to add:

I for one asked about a paid subscription as I don't need to see ads but understand the world is not a free ride. So cut out the middle man, the companies providing ads, and just give a small contribution to get rid of ads once and for all. If You don't want to pay I can understand but then just ignore some ads on site and nothing changes

a reply to: Domo1

Except for some of my tax dollars..... Outside of charity when I hand over money it is in return for me receiving something of value.

Regardless of whether or not it is optional (to have an enhanced ATS experience) or for standard access, I don't find ATS to have any value worth paying for. As I said in the other thread about this, ATS is indeed a nice website but nothing worth paying for.

I dunno I have ad-blocker disabled and no troubles at all but if that's not enough (because people can't be bothered to disable), I'm willing to pay a few bucks a month for access. The security measures that have had to come into place because of DDOS tantrums combined with advertising strong arming make it clear enough to me that if we want ATS we're going to have to kick in a few bucks here and there.

I'm always surprised when people toss out common sense and previous character assessment over a little bit of money. Tsk tsk.

a reply to: eluryh22

But you wouldn't be paying to view the site. You would be paying to NOT view any ads on the site. Depends on how important not seeing ads is to you.

originally posted by: Kali74
The security measures that have had to come into place because of DDOS tantrums...

From my understanding this was the genesis of all the issues and in reality what a large portion of the funding is going to help prevent.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yeah and considering no money had ever been asked for before... I intend to give benefit of the doubt.

a reply to: kaylaluv

I understand. I'm just saying that (unfortunately) I don't find ATS to be special enough to fork over any money for any reason.

a reply to: Kali74

Same. I offered to sponsor some newbs anonymously since I do not see ads now anyway.

a reply to: Domo1


I have seen a lot of good things go down the tubes because folks are cheep ass and tight. You want a good anything you are going to pay....food, bear, residence, ect. Name it. So this really decent and cool site for venting and engaging requires some to take a personal interest and responsibility by paying what amounts to less than a dollar a day for most. Which reminds that I need to renew my "subscription".

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Not a bad idea, you socialist you

originally posted by: Logarock
...want a good anything you are going to pay....food, bear...

I agree. Bear sucks, cheap bear is even worse.

originally posted by: Kali74
Not a bad idea, you socialist you

I was hoping it would get me laid.

Maybe I am in the minority.

After being here almost 8 years...I would not pay for a subscription to this site. I see ads on other forums that aren't obtrusive or annoying and the ones I see here sometimes have bright lashing lights or auto-play voiceovers that I'm just not willing to keep up with.

If this site can't afford to stay free, even after then maybe one solution is to charge a annual fee to remain members. How about $10 a year. If you want to stay a signed-in member, you must contribute at least $10 a year. That makes more sense than a monthly subscription.

Besides this is an open forum with what lately seems to be tons of politically charged garbage threads, repeat ideas and reposted material that a simple search would alleviate and clean up...but no one seems to care.

Whatever. ATS isn't what it used to be anyway.

Good luck Bill with whatever you decide to do.

originally posted by: Kryties
Too many people are using adblockers so the website is not earning enough from advertising to pay for its hosting and upkeep. The redirect page and the OPTIONAL paid subscription ideas are ways to combat this.

I don't understand what is so difficult about that to comprehend?

Yeah, I'm with you...what is the uproar about? Wasn't it, to quote my 3 year old, "really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really" obvious?

a reply to: Domo1

You are acting like it's being said that this site is going to go to a pay to read type of thing and that is not the case. It was explicitly stated that one could still view the site and participate, for free....you're just going to have to put up with the ads. (Well, not you, or I, but those who don't contribute here...unless that is changed. I, and others, have asked that question)

Why is ATS floundering? Why does ATS need donations and extra care?

Those questions have been answered about 10 times already.

Wake the f*** up and answer some questions SO. You asked for opinions and questions and you're hiding now. Stop pretending to be involved with the community and nut up.

This is beyond overly harsh. SO was on this all day yesterday (and that's just on the surface) and god only knows how much he's being doing that you or I know nothing of. It's obvious this wasn't a spur of the moment thing and there has been a lot of thought go into all this about potential solutions.

FYI, the subscription ideal was brought up by members, not SO himself.

It's still early in the day and SO even said in the thread discussion (one of them) regarding this that he needed a break. Give the man a break. We all need it sometimes. I'm sure he's feeling a bit overwhelmed about all this and making decisions that might very well affect the future of this site is not easy work.

There's really no need for all this hostility this time around...I mean, it's not like someone is trying to force you to pay to view or use this site. That's not the case, at all.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

LOL

Judging by the bitterness around here, I don't think it's you that needs to get laid.