Of course. Then everyone can see what an absolute twit you are.
| Free Republic 4th Qtr 2024 Fundraising Target: $81,000 | Receipts & Pledges to-date: $19,211 | |||
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| Woo hoo!! And we're now over 23%!! Thank you all very much!! God bless. | ||||
Posted on 04/19/2012 1:22:35 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
I've checked with an ad agency. We can probably raise the funds we need to operate FR at our current level and at the current market price for online advertising if we run a banner ad at the top of every page and at least one rectangular ad in the above the fold body of the page and a couple rectangular ads in the sidebar. If that doesn't generate enough revenue, we can also run pop ups or pop unders and we can even run audio and video ads if need be. But of course, if we go full bore commercial, we'd have to insure strict copyright compliance with very brief excerpting of all articles to avoid lawsuits. And the agency would require that we install a filter to censor out any bad or unacceptable words in our posts.
Or, of course, there's always the membership model. We could setup a members only system where paying members get full access and non-paying members get throttled back, etc.
I don't like either of the above models and think we'd soon lose a lot of our readers and participants. Of course that may happen anyway if we can't fund it and if we cannot get our equipment problem under control, or if my refusal to vote for or support an abortionist/homosexualist/statist who has plans to install ObamaCare, er, I mean RomneyCare into all 50 states runs everyone off.
The donation model has served us very well since 1997 when we first started using it. It's very clean, uncomplicated and we attract participants who perhaps can't afford membership dues but do want to join the discussion and join our rallies, protests, prayer sessions, etc. And the advertising model would probably bring in the revenue, but it comes with strings attached.
I'm sure there are other ways and ways to combine features of various models, sell books, cds, gear, etc, offer no ads for paid subscribers, etc, even ISP services, but all of these also complicate matters.
I'm an old dog and I like to avoid new tricks, new complications, additional overhead, additional accounting, additional rules and regulations, etc, wherever possible. I like to stick to simplicity and with what works.
Thank you all very much for your continuing participation and support.
Of course. Then everyone can see what an absolute twit you are.
It has always been a policy of FR to keep secret how much folks donate - if they so desire. Many just don't want it known, and that is, and should be, their prerogative.
23% in 19 days. Do the math.
CB, please reconsider your position. I went through a short period during which I had to drop my donation to FR.
I felt bad about it of course, and dropped Jim a FReepmail and told him I would get back on board as soon as I could, but in the interim I would be "free-loading" by continuing to participate at FR.
He responded that he understood, that it wasn't a problem, and I was welcome whether I could donate or not.
My point being that things happen to people, they sometimes have reasons they can't donate.
As far as identifying whether someone is a Conservative or not, just think about it ... they can't hide for long here on FR. I believe I have recently seen you participate in rooting out one or two non-conservatives yourself.
This is not a flame CB, just a suggestion that, other than the site owner, not knowing who donates and who doesn't isn't really that important.
BTW, someones name not being on the donor list doesn't mean he/she isn't a donor, as being on the list is optional for the donor.
Have a good evening CB.
Isn't it fun and rather useless to over past history from one's own point of view? FWIW, supporters of each candidate have their very own view that's likely totally different from yours.
In my view, members who elect to stay here, but stay here seething, pouting, and sitting on their wallets, might as well move onto those other sites.
Tea Party Patriot FReepers don't whine and cry.
I might add, I am speaking only for myself and my own experience here. Primaries are always rough and tough at Conservative Free Republic.
How convincing...NOT!
ROFLOLOLOL!
Exactly!
You left out the part about denigrating the boss man in his own house!
This is such a crock. Civility is expected only from those who don't toe the line. Outright unhinged hostility is what they face. It wouldn't be so bad if they were allowed to dish out back out but they're not. At one time, the only people who got zotted from FR were trolls and disruptors. Now it's a crapshoot if your next post won't be your last if you dare to deviate from the echo chamber.
It didn't used to be like this.
FR has always been volatile. There were flame wars since I joined. This has never been Miss Manners class.
YES, I did, and THAT, is the most egregious of all.
Thank you very much!
Like several others have mentioned, I think the Premium Member model is a winner. Folks who are willing to shell out a few bucks a year, don’t see the ads, while non-paying members (and lurkers) do.
This is the same model that the Delphi Forums network uses. On their network, not only do Premium Members not see the ads, they also have a bunch of cool posting functions that non-paying members don’t have.
Altogether, it works very well.
That is the ugly truth of it, isn't it? Freepathons keep getting longer and longer, it seems. The last one was excruciatingly long. Made me wish that I was independently wealthy, so I could just write the check to end it.
I really like your design ... and not to be a spelling nazi or anything, but you may want to proofread it before printing any more :-)
Go straight to hell ahole!
LOL that’s the draft and the only copy I still had on the computer.
I was thinking of making one with a dog pawprint with a flag design.
Please read this carefully - its all well-intended, every line is important (or a little humor, possibly stupid) but I believe worthy of your consideration ... a little long ... sorry. ;-)
Not gonna say I told you so. Nope. No way. I'm not even gonna make you search for my previous suggestions - I'll just summarize a couple of the easiest, least intrusive but likely very effective previous suggestions.
I will note however that fairly recently I suggested it was time for you to cash in! You've had more than your share of health problems, you're not getting any younger, the little lady probably would appreciate a nice dinner out (Arby's doesn't count), maybe even a nice vacation or two a year - Fresno as a destination doesn't count either. ;-)
You've built a tremendous resource for conservatives, who reportedly are a bunch of rich bass turds, let's hit them up. You should not be begging - FR should be a cash cow. You deserve it. Do it. ;-)
FReepers go into withdrawal when you're down for an hour - myself included. Please consider the two suggestions below - easily implemented as a start and see how they do before taking the banner ads and your loss of control.
Thanks for everything,
Charlie
PS: I'm pinging some of your fund-raising slaves and a few others for input - they work so hard, they're creative and a quarterly fund-raiser should only last a week or two - just time enough to pick up some new monthlies/newbies into the system!
1) Monthlies or anyone who donated in the last quarter has their name in their post set to perhaps the color green
"18 posted on Thursday, April 19, 2012 8:50:48 PM by PosterNameHere (Donate or die ya jerk! ;-)".
Ask John - its a trivial check against your "paid" list and added when you get the poster's start date - included automatically with every post.
With this technique, any contributor's support status is noted without establishing a "class system".
In terms of psychology, if its clear who supports FR and those that post regularly but do not contribute then there's pressure on the non-contributor - if his/her opinion is so important why can't they help keep it online?
Its also a reward for those who contribute and post to have it noted that they're part of keeping the best forum on the internet up and running.
I did suggest one time that for each post, a contributor's status could be followed by a small gemstone gif (like an asterisk) with perhaps a diamond signifying more than a dollar a day, emerald = dollar a day, ruby = $10/quarterly, whatever.
This technique does set up a "class system" but arguably those who contribute more than dollar-a-day, the dollar-a-days, etc. deserve a little extra recognition.
Non-contributors might even think twice about their snarky response when addressing a Diamond contributor - making their pathetic opinion possible. ;-)
2) Anyone with a current quarter donation of $5 or better has unlimited posts. Non-contributors get 20 "free" posts per quarter. Bumps included.
Note: New FReepers should have 6 months unlimited posting privileges. Once we have them hooked then you limit the posts of non-contributors.
Thus even those on the most limited resources could share their most important thoughts. You'd have to decide on the free post limit.
I used to have links to FR stats showing daily post stats but they no longer work so I lack any useful data.
When they hit their limit on "free" posts AND they try to post you just send them to your PayPal page! ;-)
If a FReeper would like to contribute but simply can't then a simple FReepmail to you or a Mod requesting a dispensation would be easily allowed.
So there you go, easy changes, no ads, just getting support from those that use and appreciate your creation.
Either or both keeps you independent, ad-free and hopefully with a little something in your retirement/vacation account.
One last thing. Please, please, please figure your contributions required to include server upgrades necessary to stay up 24/7. Thanks!
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