Paid Access? Would you do it?

[chufeng]

I think that the reason you have as many people as you do is because it's free.

If you charged as little as $10/year, you would likely lose 70% of your members...and you would then lose more of your advertisers because the potential market has shrunk...I think you would lose money by charging a fee. Ultimately, you might make that up by attracting a more serious audience...but who knows how long that would take?

Also, you would need to offer more than just a place to exchange ideas...

In the YiLiQuan Association, we pay $25 annually...that entitles us to train at any YiLi facility, with any YiLi instructor...and we get weekly lectures by Sifu Starr (mini articles by e-mail)...we also get a reduced fee for seminars sponsored by the Association (if you go to more than one seminar, you usually recover your annual fee)...

A similar structure could work here, but WHO will write your articles?

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Bob Hubbard]

We are actually in the process of doing something similar. I'm looking for people willing to write articles specifically for inclusion in the Library (which will be totally redesigned to the new format).

The biggest question still is though, would folks pay for it, or just go elsewhere?

The porn comparision is fitting, I think. Why buy a Playboy when you can download it from alt.binaries.*? Or hop onto this weeks P2P program?

There are over a hundred other boards, some bigger, some more popular, some better, some worse. Why would folks pay for MT when they cant just get similar info elsewhere for free?

My problem is, I need to cover growing operating costs. I'd prefer not to charge the members as it violates part of my own ideas on forum openness.

I'm also not interested in payPal as I've heard too many issues about them. But, member contributions would work..but outside of paypal, how?

Another thing is, as much as I'd love to make a buck or 2 from folks, I'd prefer to give you something tangible in return. Hense the advertizeing, sponsorships and tee shirts.


:asian:

 

[Zepp]

You might get me to donate $2 or so every so often, but regular fees would be pretty much be the last you would see of me.

Maybe you could charge people for rights to upload content to the site (like videos and such)?

Another idea is to let people write articles for MT, and put a PayPal "tipping jar" on the page with the article. If a reader wants, they can tip a certain amount, and MT splits the money with the author of that article.

I've seen sites do that with fiction. It might work here.

 

[Rob_Broad]

Sorry for getting off topic here, but someone complained about my avatar to the staff here on MT. Since it was brought up to be that the person did not like my avatar I changed it, I hope they like the new one.

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz

My problem is, I need to cover growing operating costs. I'd prefer not to charge the members as it violates part of my own ideas on forum openness.

Have you given much thought to becoming a male prostitute?

 

[chufeng]

Zepp,

Why would I pay to UPLOAD things that I've worked on???

That makes no sense.

..and if I'm going to write an article, I would want more than "tips" in return...

Everything I've offered, so far, has been absolutely free...and I'm OK with that; but, if this forum goes for a fee, I'll ask for a reasonable compensation for my work (not on the forum, but for articles)...that only makes sense.

Your idea seems as outrageous as the guy who wants you to pay him $10,000 to fight him...duh, excuse me, but....you figure it out.

Kaith, if you are going to solicit articles from people with a significant number of years under their belt and then charge the readership, HOW are you going to compensate the authors?

I'm not trying to stir up trouble...just something to think about.

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by Jill666
But I also don't even pay for porn.

I think I'm in love! :ladysman:

You just gotta love a woman like Jill - she likes martial arts and online porn! What more could a man want???

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Jill, call me if you ever get out to Washington state...

Gambarimasu.
:asian: :tank: :asian:

 

[chufeng]

RSK,

That's simply frightening...

chufeng

 

[Bob Hubbard]

See, you hit it right on the head there. Why should I bust my *** to write something, donate it, and let someone else get the reward?

As I said initially, I was just fishing for ideas. Theres actually a few good ones in here for expanding the site to add more content.

Regarding charging for access, nah. Its gonna stay free.
I think the key is to bring in enough traffic to make the advertizing work better.

Purhaps something like the 'tips' jar would work, once I find a reliable and easy way to do it. At certain donation levels you recieve some form of reconization as a supporter?

Or I can get those PBS folks on the job and really rake in the bucks.


I mean, I can't live off selling RyuShiKan autographed pictures of my stones now, can I? (Then again.....)

 

[chufeng]

Yiliquan1,

Back in your cage...and the next time you pee on the carpet it will be the newspaper, do you understand???


chufeng

 

[chufeng]

Jill666,

Sorry, I think the dribbleglass picture got Yiliquan1 stirred up...

This has nothing to do with YiLiQuan the art...just the weird things that some of our followers do...

Humor him and he's harmless.

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz
See, you hit it right on the head there. Why should I bust my *** to write something, donate it, and let someone else get the reward?

As I said initially, I was just fishing for ideas. Theres actually a few good ones in here for expanding the site to add more content.

Regarding charging for access, nah. Its gonna stay free.
I think the key is to bring in enough traffic to make the advertizing work better.

Purhaps something like the 'tips' jar would work, once I find a reliable and easy way to do it. At certain donation levels you recieve some form of reconization as a supporter?

Or I can get those PBS folks on the job and really rake in the bucks.


I mean, I can't live off selling RyuShiKan autographed pictures of my stones now, can I? (Then again.....)

Not all writers write EVERY article for the sole purpose of getting
paid. When I was a stand up comic, I'd do free shows often,
to "get my name out there".

 

[arnisador]

The magazine model is interesting--it leaves a variety of options, as long as the authors are compensated. That would be worthwhile 'premium' content, presumably at a fraction of the cost of e.g. Black Belt.

The male prostitution approach may need more work. But if Saddam Hussein can have plastic surgery, why not Bob Hubbard?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I think theres a few differences between me and Saddam...

1- I'm cuter
2- I'm a lot FN poorer

and most important..

I'm not burried under 100 tons of rubble thinking maybe, just maybe, I shoulda taken that extended exile-vacation.

 

[chufeng]

Kirk,

I agree with you on that point...but how many Free shows are you willing to do?

If this is a free forum, and everyone has an equal voice and access, then I'm willing to share all day long...but if someone is getting paid for me to post my ideas??? That won't go very far.

Truth is, I doubt that I have much to offer the advanced practitioner...he/she has already gotten into the heart of their art.

But, maybe I can share some ideas with new people...and those who are still establishing a base within their own art...

It is unlikely that those people would pay to enter a website when other free access sites are available...and then we'd just be a bunch of old cronies sharing stories...

I think this website has more to offer those that lurk and occasionally jump in than thosae who arer already well established in their prospective art...

Am I going to start kempo? No.
Are you going to start YiLi? I doubt it (but you are welcome).
Is KempoTess going to start western boxing ???

You get my drift...this forum is about exchanging ideas...about trying to see the common ground between the arts.

It's not about recruiting (except that Kaith, et al, would like to recruit more to the website) others to your art...

Occaisonally someone with overinflated credentials and a HUGE amount of self-importance comes along...is it distracting? YES...but that person is still allowed to be here, as long as he/she doesn't violate the rules...will that person draw fire from some of us? YES...but then, they deserve it...especially when they are unable to produce a viable source of their MASTERSHIP...
Even the greatest masters never acknowledged themselves as such...in fact they were quite humble...

I've rambled on enough...
I've read that us YiLi folks can get long-winded.

:asian:
chufeng

 

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by chufeng
I've read that us YiLi folks can get long-winded.

Ya think?

Gambarimasu.
:asian: :tank: :asian:

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Yiliquan1
Ya think?

Gambarimasu.
:asian: :tank: :asian:

Compared to the “War & Peace” length posts by a certain “SenseiXXXX” youz guyz posts are just a sneeze

 

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by chufeng
Humor him and he's harmless.

Mostly harmless, thank you very much...

Gambarimasu.
:asian: :tank: :asian:

 

[RyuShiKan]

Originally posted by Yiliquan1
Mostly harmless, thank you very much...

Gambarimasu.
:asian: :tank: :asian:

I think I am one of the few folks, if not the only one, to ever see Matt “Tequila” Stone.

But I won't go there...........

 

[Yari]

I'm on the "other " side of the world and at the same time I pratice an art that is not represted very well on this board. And alot of people have there own niché (sp?). I'm not copmlaining about that, just telling the facts. But if I had to pay to access this site I would pretty much drop coming.

I like the idea of donation, but I probably wouldn't use it beacuse it would hit my blind eye. I just wouldn't see it after a while.

Maybe paid access for articles?
Or video footage?
Or combining that poeple ordered though advertises they help both the advetiser and MT. Try Koryu.com they have an agreement with Barnes&Noble. So I try to buy my books through Koryu just to support them. Doesn't cost me more, but helps them.


/Yari