Would you pay to have access to your favourite forum?

[Steel]

I don't mean any kind of pay-per-view dot com (yes, I'm looking at you DF). I recently joined a particular forum but it is a trial access and to keep viewing I would have to contribute a fee per year. I am tempted.

Would you pay to view, learn & participate?

 

[Imdanny]

No. That's not the internet I'm used to, and if sites like the New York Times want to go behind a pay wall, later days. See ya.

 

[bebe]

hmm, depends on what the content is. If it was something I was truly passionate about and I could benefit in certain ways, then maybe.
But something like a social networking site, no way. I recently paid a member fee to support a car forum, but the fee gave me access to have personalized factory tracking on a car I ordered.

 

[Indylady]

It depends on the forum and what it was about.

 

[perry]

I am a member of a site where I paid a one time membership fee (I think $25). That was 4-5 years ago.

While the membership fee obviously does not fund the site - it also keeps the spammers and trolls away. Overall, I like it; and believe that the site works well.

You do not have to be a member to read on the site - but you do have to be a member to post.

Perry

 

[Circe]

I am a member of a site where I paid a one time membership fee (I think $25). That was 4-5 years ago.

While the membership fee obviously does not fund the site - it also keeps the spammers and trolls away. Overall, I like it; and believe that the site works well.

You do not have to be a member to read on the site - but you do have to be a member to post.

Perry

Interesting model!

I would, but it would have to be something I was *very* serious about. I'd do that for my professional interests, but not for a hobby.

 

[lulu]

I pay $18 per year for Dave's Garden and I think I get a lot of valuable advice.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I would prefer the system that gives you options like Pandora has.

When I joined Pandora 4 years ago they gave me an option, either pay nothing and allow advertising to occur during my airtime, or pay $25 a year and no advertising on the website and during airtime. I choose to pay the fee. My husband has not paid, and he states the advertising is not that bad. But I also like what Pandora is doing and wanted to support it.

For a forum, if they had that option, I would pay the fee if I found myself frequenting it a lot to avoid the ads. But if I just found it, I would not pay to "see what it is about" I would just put up with the ads, even the intrusive ones that many forums have.

 

[zoebartlett]

I probably wouldn't pay for a regular "just for fun" forum, but I have paid a membership fee for specific teacher resource sites.

 

[elrohwen]

No - I'm way too cheap. There are plenty of free forums out there, so unless it was a subject that was very important to me and that was the only forum about that topic, no way would I pay.

 

[Tuckins1]

No, I wouldn't. But that's just me.

 

[Ninna]

I am a member of two private sites. I joined the first one seven years ago [hobby] I think the initial fee was $20, no advertising/Spam. Free samples, product sharing and honest feedback... 340 members, Love it.
The second one is $12 per year, 60+ members, just friends helping out with site costs. If a special class is being offered, members split the cost.

 

[that_someone_special]

No. But I did pay for pandora to have no ads best $36/ year I've spent!

 

[Cehrabehra]

No. That's not the internet I'm used to, and if sites like the New York Times want to go behind a pay wall, later days. See ya.

This.

But perrys idea is cool too, useful anyway. It would depend I guess, but probably not

 

[vbnet]

nope, I'd find a free website

 

[Gypsy]

Nope. I wanted to join Angie's List but they wanted a fee to join and I refused. I think if they include a 30 day trial and the fee is VERY reasonable maybe. But I can tell you, I didn't do it with Angie's List and probably wouldn't do it for much else either.

 

[february2003bride]

For hobby reasons- no. For work or school reasons- yes.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

For hobby reasons- no. For work or school reasons- yes.

I agree. I would not pay a fee for a "fun forum."

 

[Dancing Fire]

I don't mean any kind of pay-per-view dot com (yes, I'm looking at you DF). I recently joined a particular forum but it is a trial access and to keep viewing I would have to contribute a fee per year. I am tempted.

Would you pay to view, learn & participate?

don't give the Admin any idea...

 

[Autumnovember]

Depends on what the forum is about, how interesting I consider it, and how much $$ it is.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Nope. I can't imagine needing anything that badly.

 

[Kaleigh]

No. I don't see the need to pay.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

My husband has been a member of a forum for a number of years. The site was running great, but the guy began growing low on cash and asked for donations. My dh and many others donated and the site managed to pull through and is just as good as ever. I guess DH had a chance to test drive the site for a few years....

For me, if I had KNOWN a site and enjoyed it for a long time, I'd contribute. I wouldn't fork over $ to join a new site.