A question on cancelling subscriptions...

[DannyBoy]

Will private message limits and other minor extras that subscribers received be included / increased for the majority when subscriptions are removed entirely?

Also, i know Zuni has pointed out that bandwidth will be increased for the forums, but when?

Dont want to sound fussy but surely the movement of ex-subscribers to the normal servers will increase bandwidth consumption and slow down things?

Just a few minor things id be interested to find out about.

Thanks
Dan

 

[amdskip]

When is a good question. No offense to Anandtech but things sure don't move along very fast it seems. The subscriber servers ending announcment was "coming soon" and that took like 4 weeks to get posted in which we really didn't learn anything.

Edit: Check out the other thread already going on about this.

Features etc are covered in the official notice and the other thread, thats all the info i have right now guys.

 

[DannyBoy]

Forum Subscriptions are officially no longer available

We let the cat out of the bag a few weeks ago, letting people know why the subscriptions page is no longer available. This post is the official notice from Anand and myself on this subject.

We started subscriptions as a way to subsidize the rising costs of bandwidth and it was successful in accomplishing that task. With recent changes (advertising) the forums are now a more self sufficient application thus subscriptions are not required to keep the forums active any longer. We will be increasing the forum speed for everyone in the future (TBA), and also implementing a unified feature set for every forum user at that time. We will announce dates/timings once we get near the implementation date.

Existing subscribers will have access to the subscriber server for the duration of their subscription. Once the last subscription has ran out the server will be shut down.

Thank you for your understanding and contributions to what we think is an invaluable resource.

I dont see anything relating to what features there will be if any when the subscription servers go.

Will the subscription servers be used to compensate the users of anandtech forums and the site?
Will the normal non-subscribers (soon to be everyone) get increased pm limits etc.

Again im just curious to find these things out.

thanks

 

[DannyBoy]

Ok ive looked closer at other threads, i see theres no information at present so n/m.

Dan

 

[Jeff7]

Yeah, sometimes it's sort of like information must be extracted, rather than requested.
The main features I want:
-More PM's - 1000 was good.
-Full text search

and of course:
-no ads (return of subscriptions)

 

We are the minority it seems.... There is nothing we can do....

Maybe some day Anand will let us pay for a few extra features..... Not likely to happen...

 

[Jason Clark]

Bandwidth was already increased on friday (so things i can move fast do ) The rest of the changes will probably happen later on, because remember there are still people that PAID to have those features it is not fair for us to just give it to everyone right away...

L8r

 

[Paulson]

We understand Zuni, but those who JUST renewed their subscriptions for a year when the subscription page was accidently uploaded in a database backup shouldn't ruin it for the rest of us...

Personally it would just be easier refunding those who paid for another year and taking down the subscriber service now so things can get ironed out as soon as possible...

Just a suggestion... I'm not going to complain too much more...

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: Paulson
We understand Zuni, but those who JUST renewed their subscriptions for a year when the subscription page was accidently uploaded in a database backup shouldn't ruin it for the rest of us...

Personally it would just be easier refunding those who paid for another year and taking down the subscriber service now so things can get ironed out as soon as possible...

Just a suggestion... I'm not going to complain too much more...

Amen

 

[jpetermann]

Originally posted by: Zuni
Bandwidth was already increased on friday (so things i can move fast do ) The rest of the changes will probably happen later on, because remember there are still people that PAID to have those features it is not fair for us to just give it to everyone right away...

L8r

So basically we are screwed for several months. That's what i get for actually supporting a site. That will be the last time I give money to do that. What ya should have done, is let everyone that was a subscriber stay on. charge us monthly, whatever.... but to say "hey great things are coming, but we can't give them to you yet because others are paying for them," that really stinks. I would pay right now for them again. Seems like I heard "great things to come" when I subscribed to the service though, so I won't hold my breath.

Not trying to be a butt about this. And I don't blame Zuni, but I would think someone somewhere would actually care what the people that support this site think.

PJ

 

[amdskip]

Subscription End Date: August 21, 2004

I did not renew during the time when the files were accidently were put back on the server. I think I did it just before the cutoff date and got lucky.

 

[jhites]

Originally posted by: Zuni
Bandwidth was already increased on friday (so things i can move fast do ) The rest of the changes will probably happen later on, because remember there are still people that PAID to have those features it is not fair for us to just give it to everyone right away...
L8r

Why don't we set up a poll or something and just ask the subscribers if there are any big issues with making the changes? I am on my 2nd subcription and don't have a problem at all with the changes. It would seem to benefit the whole site and everyone that visits the forums. Just my 2cents.

Welcome jhites.
Your subscription details are as follows:
Subscription Start Date: April 13, 2003
Subscription End Date: April 26, 2004

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: jhites

Originally posted by: Zuni
Bandwidth was already increased on friday (so things i can move fast do ) The rest of the changes will probably happen later on, because remember there are still people that PAID to have those features it is not fair for us to just give it to everyone right away...
L8r

Why don't we set up a poll or something and just ask the subscribers if there are any big issues with making the changes? I am on my 2nd subcription and don't have a problem at all with the changes. It would seem to benefit the whole site and everyone that visits the forums. Just my 2cents.

Welcome jhites.
Your subscription details are as follows:
Subscription Start Date: April 13, 2003
Subscription End Date: April 26, 2004

It is done.

 

[jhites]

On a side note:
Many ppl do not frequent the Forum Issues Topic very often. IMHO I think that the discontinue notice with a link to the poll should be a sticky in the other Forum Topics.

 

[beatle]

Originally posted by: amdskip
Subscription End Date: August 21, 2004

I did not renew during the time when the files were accidently were put back on the server. I think I did it just before the cutoff date and got lucky.

Hey, amdskip has a late expiration date on his subscription! Everyone get him!

Seriously, I agree with Paulson that if the real delay is waiting for the existing subscribers accounts to run out, that it would be much easier to refund their money, or at least a pro-rated amount, than to make the rest of us wait for these features. I am chomping at the bit to do a few full text searches!

 

[jhites]

I am chomping at the bit to do a few full text searches!

From checking the pole: Would all remaining Anandtech Subscribers, in relation to the updated features planned for all members after the last subscription expires, object to them being implemented now / or at anytime before the last members subscription expires?

63% do not object and another 15% don't care on way or another. 78% are just fine with starting it before subscriptions expire.

 

[Hossenfeffer]

Hell, I'll chip in to pay off the folks with subscriptions ending more than a month or so from now.

Seems like things move slower than a pregnant yak through cold molasses around here. Granted, it's not likely on the top of anyone's priority list, but for the love of all that's holy, just cut the thing loose and let's get on with forum-life as usual. I signed up on day 1 with the promise of "More features". I got nothing more. So why hold true with other promises for the other folks?


Shameless EDIT: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one."

 

[tm37]

Hey even if they give non subcribers more PM's they are still looking at the ads.

I am a subscriber and that was the main reason I subed up.

If we have to wait until the final subscriber runs out it is going to suck for a while.

I don't understand how giving the free members more PM's and full text searches is going to effect me.