Posted on 06/23/2006 12:27:30 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
I am not certain what the legal ramifications would be in changing Free Republic from donations to a subscription service. It seems to me the switch may be detrimental to legal issues such as copyrights. If that is true I'd appreciate if someone could briefly explain that to me. However if that is not the case here is my suggestion:
I have been wondering about this for some time now and have not seen any discussions about it. So I would like to ask: Is it time for Free Republic to become an online subscription service?
Currently, the site is very antiquated. People can easily abuse the "add a keyword" feature and there seems to be a growing number of liberal trolls, foreigners and even pro-homosexual agenda-driven people infecting the site. In order to cut down on the undesirables and enhance FR at the same time, would it be advisable to start charging a monthly fee of about 15-30 bucks to be able to log into the site and post? There could also be different subscription levels like Basic, Premium or Platinum. That way, the more you pay the more features you have access to. Some of these extra-services could include storing photos or FR could be a conservative search engine for the web.
I have seen online sites where people can still read the boards for free. FR could do something like that so it would still be accessible to the Conservative public even if they are not paying members with posting priviledges.
Websites that rely heavily on banner and pop-up ads need as many hits as possible so for them restricting posting rights to subscribers might not be so desirable. However, Free Republic does not work like that. There are no ads other than some book links on the home page so the number of hits is not as crucial to the bottom line which is currently being paid for by donations.
Donations seem to be working well, but I am sure the cashflow could be improved. How many of you people honestly are put off donating money to FR because it is not what it should be? Especially in regards to the undesirable element that can be found throughout many of the threads. Wouldn't this change in format go a long way in eliminating the undesirables? I think so. Plus it would be neat to experience an upgraded more modern version of Free Republic.
Note: If you are a democrat troll, foreigner or pro-homosexual/lesbian then I am really not interested in your opinion and you should not be posting it to me (just the fact that I have to add this note is proof that something is not right).
Ditto's.
Oh, did you actually get to read them? *EXCELLENT*
(For the any interested Freepers out there, there was hardly much objectionable in those posts, outside of my very impolitely questioning some of Berlin's personal 'virtues' - no obscenity - see - I'm still here ;>)
Oh and 'Berlin' - if you don't want to tangle, then please avoid any posts that smack of 'men-bashing'...those are the only types of posts that have ever gotten me in trouble around here...if you want to know why this is a touchy subject with me, well...the answer's somewhere on my recently updated homepage.....and it its really not funny...
Auf Wiedersein!
You're not the first person to think about these things, you know. You should read this classic by Russ Kirk, and recognize that the "undesirable elements" are a constant check on conservatism becoming complacent or turning into fascism. Leftists are the ones who think they've got the way to make the world utpoia if only everyone did what they think is right. Think about that as you demand a radical change in just the small scope of this forum.
PROST!
"I knew it! You are more than a little goofy."
Still sore, huh? Put some ice on it.
No Amnesty ~ Not Now ~ Not Ever!
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders and support our Minutemen Patriots!
"Did you used to post under the name "German business"."
No.
Boston quiet, the commies seem to have shot their wad, a lot of infighting according to their sites. The elections are coming up and a FReeper, Bob Parks is running for rep, not getting a lot of support from the RINO's in the state party, but he making a run for it.
He left before?
That means he might be back.....Good!
I miss his posts.
I know.
I was heartbroken too.
Here's to hoping he'll be back.
"If you were looking for a consensus, then I think you got it with a resounding NO!
But it seems every time someone says NO, you just can't seem to take that as a 'final answer'.
Why is that?"
It's not a matter of whether I can take a final answer or not. I have tried to reply to the main points that people have been posting here without repeating myself. So for example I did not respond to every single "start your own business" post which if people would have taken a little bit of time and effort they would have seen that suggestion hat already been posted about ten times and could have saved themselves the time.
And I don't think that I necessarily got a definitive answer in this thread as to what the general consencus is. Because those that agree with me are not going to be so motivated as to post that while on the other hand those who disagree with me are sounding rather angry and bitter and that is causing them to easily reach for the post button.
In this light from seeing the large number of hostile posts and in some cases blatant personal attacks I would most definitely say that the silent majority agrees with me and at this point there are 5874+ views and 390 replies so I would put those that actually agree with me at about 5000. That's 5:1 in my favor, not bad in my book :)
*ROTFLMAO*
Erik, is that you?
(Erik is my cousin-in-law from LA, and the above paragraph sounds word-for-word as one of his 'never give up' emails....The problem? He's not just a liberal, he is a CALIFORNIA liberal....)
Methinks you've lived in Berlin so long that you've 'gone native'........
ain't that the truth!!!!
ok.ok...I'm giving myself a time out!!!
This thread needs more cowbell.
(BTW have you made a contribution to the upkeep of this really, really good and successful site that you think should be changed?)
And in addition to pinging is the copying of others when referring to them in posts. That helps keep the conversation going - can you hear me now??
In this light from seeing the large number of hostile posts and in some cases blatant personal attacks I would most definitely say that the silent majority agrees with me and at this point there are 5874+ views and 390 replies so I would put those that actually agree with me at about 5000. That's 5:1 in my favor, not bad in my book :)
< People can easily abuse the "add a keyword" feature... >
Actually, I've come to enjoy laughing at the "abusive" use of the "add a keyword" box. Sometimes I'll see a post and start laughing before the first reply because I just know the keyword box is going to get hilarious. Like this one, for instance. Chill.
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