Seeing RF from a Regular Folk's Perspective

[Debater Slayer]

As some of you know, staff members have premium membership that automatically comes with their status as staff. Given that I have been a staff member for years, I will always have premium membership even if I retire, so I don't see ads like a lot of members do.

Recently, though, it dawned on me that I really don't know what RF looks like for regular members when they try to post on the forum. So, to get a better look into that, I have decided to use a test account for the purpose of seeing if the RF experience could be improved for members who don't have premium membership.

Please note that ads probably won't go away any time soon, so I'm only going to try to see the best way, if there is any, to improve the forum experience for those who are not premium members.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions, preferably in the Site Feedback forum.

Thank you.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Please get rid of the the annoying pop-up ads trying to sell us premium membership.

 

[Rival]

All it took for me was Firefox's adblock and I never saw the ads again, as a regular member. So I don't really see what the problem is.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Please get rid of the the annoying pop-up ads trying to sell us premium membership.

The forum's main source of revenue that I know of is premium memberships. I can see the need for very conspicuous and persistent advertisement of such. That is one of the most important types of ads for the forum.

 

[Debater Slayer]

All it took for me was Firefox's adblock and I never saw the ads again, as a regular member. So I don't really see what the problem is.

If a lot of members had AdBlock, that would probably reduce the forum's revenue noticeably. Instead, I'm looking for ways to make members not feel the need to block those ads.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

The forum's main source of revenue that I know of is premium memberships. I can see the need for very conspicuous and persistent advertisement of such. That is one of the most important types of ads for the forum.

What is the income from premium membership actually used for? Are there any accounts we can look at? If I knew where the money was going I might be more inclined to sign up for it.

 

[Baladas]

I used to use adblock, but I decided I cared too much about RF to continue using it here.
I just bought a year of premium, but I did it to support rather than to get rid of the ads.

 

[Debater Slayer]

What is the income from premium membership actually used for? Are there any accounts we can look at?

I don't know any more about the exact figures than you do. All I know is that ads are important for RF, as is premium membership.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I used to use adblock, but I decided I cared too much about the RF to continue using it here.
I just bought a year of premium, but I did it to support rather than to get rid of the ads.

Thanks! That's thoughtful of you.

 

[Baladas]

Thanks! That's thoughtful of you.

Sure thing. I just wish that I had bought the lifetime when it was cheaper. lol
I might still later on.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

I don't know any more about the exact figures than you do. All I know is that ads are important for RF, as is premium membership.

It would be useful to know what the figures actually are. It would be useful to know the total annual incomes from advertising and membership, and a breakdown of annual running costs. If RF is asking for membership fees I would like to know what the money is actually needed for, and what it is actually spent on. Is there a "profit", and where does it go? Is RF being run as a business?

 

[Baladas]

It would be useful to know what the figures actually are. It would be useful to know the total annual incomes from advertising and membership, and a breakdown of annual running costs. If RF is asking for membership fees I would like to know what the money is actually needed for, and what it is actually spent on. Is there a "profit", and where does it go? Is RF being run as a business?

That's true, I would be interested in learning this as well.
I am willing to contribute, but it would be nice to have more info.

 

[Debater Slayer]

It would be useful to know what the figures actually are. It would be useful to know the total annual incomes from advertising and membership, and a breakdown of annual running costs. If RF is asking for membership fees I would like to know what the money is actually needed for, and what it is actually spent on. Is there a "profit", and where does it go? Is RF being run as a business?

These are questions that I don't know the answer to, and I'm not even sure I would be able to share the answers on a public forum even if I knew them.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

These are questions that I don't know the answer to, and I'm not even sure I would be able to share the answers on a public forum even if I knew them.

Who do you suggest I ask?

 

[Debater Slayer]

Who do you suggest I ask?

I suggest PMing @Brent W if you really want to ask, but please note that there is no guarantee that he will answer. I can't really force him to say anything either, and I understand if he doesn't want to.

 

[Laika]

As some of you know, staff members have premium membership that automatically comes with their status as staff.

oh. so now you tell me!

*says the idiot who bought discounted lifetime membership before becoming an moderator*

lol. its still £36 well spent.

It would be useful to know what the figures actually are. It would be useful to know the total annual incomes from advertising and membership, and a breakdown of annual running costs. If RF is asking for membership fees I would like to know what the money is actually needed for, and what it is actually spent on. Is there a "profit", and where does it go? Is RF being run as a business?

my past experience from Revleft was that donations went to maintaing the servers, so I would assume RF has a similar set-up. But I wouldn't know for sure. so I'm honestly guessing.

But the Moderators mini-bar is always well stocked and the underside of the table looks very expensive.(Joke, obviously)

 

[Rick O'Shez]

That's true, I would be interested in learning this as well.
I am willing to contribute, but it would be nice to have more info.

I pay membership fees to a local astronomy club because I know they really need the money, and they use it for benefit of the members. The club produces simple annual accounts and any excess money is ploughed back into the running of the club. I am on a small income, and I am reluctant to pay membership fees to an organisation if I don't know what the money is needed for and where it goes.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

my past experience from Revleft was that donations went to maintaing the servers, so I would assume RF has a similar set-up. But I wouldn't know for sure. so I'm honestly guessing.

Sure, I realise that there are overheads involved in running a forum. On the other hand, RF is the only forum I know of which gets advertising revenue and requests a membership fee, so....?

 

[Baladas]

I pay membership fees to a local astronomy club because I know they really need the money, and they use it for benefit of the members. The club produces simple annual accounts and any excess money is ploughed back into the running of the club. I am on a small income, and I am reluctant to pay membership fees to an organisation if I don't know what the money is needed for and where it goes.

Very understandable.

 

[Laika]

Sure, I realise that there are overheads involved in running a forum. On the other hand, RF is the only forum I know of which requests a membership fee, so....?

Off the top of my head, I can say that Revleft.com, Stormfront.org, Christianforums.com do have a memership fee option (based on past visits). I only donated to Revleft which has a banner at the top telling you how much money they are short of for the month which sort of became a running joke (normally about $40 or so and I don't know how they kept it running). So RF isn't unique- but I'm fairly certain it does have a higher level of internet traffic than the first two. these are good questions if I'm honest and I'm in the dark as much as you are.