Annual Fee For Your Comment?

[mzkhadir]

Posted by timothy on Monday May 02, @11:52PM from the cartel-of-comments dept.

CaptainThunderbolt writes "Imagine this: you read an interesting story on Slashdot and you have a comment to make, so you login only to be greeted with a message saying you will need to pay a fee in order to make your comment. Seems ridiculous, doesn't it? Why on earth would you pay just to make a comment? Well, that is exactly how thousands of Aussies feel right now. AtomicMPC is an Australian PC Magazine with a fiercely loyal readership and an equally loyal online community. Yesterday it was announced that access to the most popular sections of the forum will soon attract a $20/year fee unless you are a magazine subscriber or a high-ranking forum member. The reaction to this announcement triggered the most vicious backlash I have ever witnessed as the website feedback forum went beserk. Users baulked at the idea of having to pay to access a community which the feel they are responsible for creating and I must say I understand how they feel. Is this a trend I should worry about? Will I one day have to pay a membership fee to access other popular forums?"

Ripped from slashdot.


What do you ATOTers think about this ?

 

[Goosemaster]

We gladly subscribed for premium accessibility, and then that business model was no longer needed.

That said, it is a catch 22 for content providers and hosters.
People liked it because it was a pressure-free enviroment, msotly because it was free, and then they go and do "this " to them....

 

[deejayshakur]

revolt and establish a new country. i mean forum.

 

[Viper GTS]

I paid for a subscription to this forum, and would gladly pay again.

I could easily justify paying $20 a month, let alone a year.

Viper GTS

 

[Amplifier]

Ask Infantry what would happen .

 

[Wadded Beef]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
I paid for a subscription to this forum, and would gladly pay again.

I could easily justify paying $20 a month, let alone a year.

Viper GTS

umm...

 

[waggy]

heh i just love how they talked about having a great small cummunity. Then rip into the people that are leaving because of the pay.

IF ATOT went to a pay scale like they did i would leave. At least when we had it you could still browse/post for free.

 

[mzkhadir]

^

 

[iamwiz82]

There are a million forums on the Internet. I'm sure I could find another one.

 

[loic2003]

If we had to pay for AT there'd be a whole load less BS like "spider" and all that other crap we have to put up with...

 

[Kelemvor]

Why not jsut have someone go create a free forum somewhere and have everyone move over there. Doesn't sound too hard. But that does sound like a way to lose a ton of your members if you make them pay.

 

[tami]

i don't think it's appropriate.

 

[mcvickj]

The content should be free to anyone. However if you want the bells and whistles like an avatar, sig, PM, ect then have a small fee to help with operating costs. I would mind paying a yearly fee for these kinds of features. Especially if I like the site.