Is anyone abandoning AT Forums?

[BuckMaster]

I wouldnt say abandoning but I know ive cut back from visiting from a average of 10-15 hours a week to maybe 30 minutes. Because of the SLOW bandwidth!

 

[Farmall]

I don't understand the people who are here everyday, and are very active with their posting and would'nt even consider subscibing. What gives? Its $30.00 bucks a YEAR.

I have dial-up and very slow at that - 26.4 and no I can't get anything else at this time. The difference for me on forum speed is amazing. I really enjoy my time here even though I don't post as extensively as others do. There are a lot of knowledgeable people who post here, and over time I have been able to get a lot of my computer and other info from them - that alone is worth the $30 a year cost of subscibing.

btw - no I am not abandoning AT.

 

[mastertech01]

<< Is that following the same logic that women use when they go out shopping, only to come back with full arms saying "look how much I saved!"? >>



Not even remotely close. Its the same as buying a Sams Wholesale Club membership for 30 bucks a year, and getting the goods you would buy normally for considerably less and over a years time you can save a lot from the discounts. Only here at AT you get FAR more than just good deals. Read what Baffled2 said a few posts up to get an idea. Hopefully it wont take TOO much of an explanation to get the point. For many moons we have had a free meal ticket.. its simply time to pay for the best. And it IS a nominal fee, whether you can afford it or not. If 30 dollars was THAT much of a strain on my budget, I would stop using the internet all together and work nights just to ensure my family had all they need. Sacrifice 3 Cocacola purchases a week and you will have money left over.

 

[Fritzo]

Yeah....I hang out at Fat Wallet a lot more now.

 

[Fritzo]

<< subscribe you cheap asses. >>



I REFUSE to pay for a forum. It's like paying for a room for everyone to stand in and talk. Stupid. If they got rid of all these icons and smiley faces they wouldn't have so many bandwidth problems :|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|

 

[Sundog]

nope

 

[n0cmonkey]

<<

<< subscribe you cheap asses. >>



I REFUSE to pay for a forum. It's like paying for a room for everyone to stand in and talk. Stupid. If they got rid of all these icons and smiley faces they wouldn't have so many bandwidth problems :|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:| >>



You wouldnt pay a cover charge? You wouldnt pay to get better seats at a concert?

 

[HappyPuppy]

I'm a happy non-subscriber. While waiting for pages to load I can take out the trash, cook dinner, play with the dogs, scratch the kids (oops), wash the car, mow the lawn, read a book, watch Rab save the world from nuclear holocaust or shine my shoes. Why would I want At to be any faster? If I wanted faster I would go somewhere else.

No, I will never subscribe to AT. Those of you who do are only accelerating the the move towards a "subscription only" Internet. What's next, pay for ZDnet, Joe Cartoon or "Pay per view Newegg"? It started with porn and now At is is charging for "premium" services. Pretty soon you will be paying for every Website you visit.

 

[A5]

And your $30 apparently also gives you the right to flame everyone who doesn't subscribe.

WTF do you care if I spend MY $30 or not? I don't care if I can afford it or not, I'm not gonna pay for something that I can easily get for free.

 

[gogeeta13]

yeah, and also i have tried the subscriber server with my friends account, it is slow and i get packet loss.

i will never subcribe, i would rather donate it to a charity or do something useful with it instead of paying for Anand's new Porsche

 

[n0cmonkey]

<< And your $30 apparently also gives you the right to flame everyone who doesn't subscribe.

WTF do you care if I spend MY $30 or not? I don't care if I can afford it or not, I'm not gonna pay for something that I can easily get for free. >>



I personally dont care. Im just tired of you cheapasses complaining that the servers are slow. You want some good service? Pay for it.



<< yeah, and also i have tried the subscriber server with my friends account, it is slow >>



Not for me



<< and i get packet loss. >>



The internet isnt perfect.



<< i will never subcribe, i would rather donate it to a charity or do something useful with it instead of paying for Anand's new Porsche >>



When the servers make enough money to atleast pay for themselves then make statements like that.

 

[ShadowDJ]

<< im on dialup, EVERYTHING IS SLOW FOR ME. so stop whining you spoiled bastards. >>



lol... I made the switch to cable. Faster, but AT is the same....
I'm never really here, so nobody would care if I left!

 

[gogeeta13]

<<

<< And your $30 apparently also gives you the right to flame everyone who doesn't subscribe.

WTF do you care if I spend MY $30 or not? I don't care if I can afford it or not, I'm not gonna pay for something that I can easily get for free. >>



I personally dont care. Im just tired of you cheapasses complaining that the servers are slow. You want some good service? Pay for it.



<< yeah, and also i have tried the subscriber server with my friends account, it is slow >>



Not for me



<< and i get packet loss. >>



The internet isnt perfect.



<< i will never subcribe, i would rather donate it to a charity or do something useful with it instead of paying for Anand's new Porsche >>



When the servers make enough money to atleast pay for themselves then make statements like that. >>



Normally, I dont attack friends, but don't speak without knowledge.

he just got a Porsche 911 Cabriolet, i guess is Carrera 996 wasn't good enough.

 

[Geekbabe]

[/i] >>



Normally, I dont attack friends, but don't speak without knowledge.

he just got a Porsche 911 Cabriolet, i guess is Carrera 996 wasn't good enough.[/i] >>



With all respect for your right to hold an opinion but so what? Anand has worked hard over the years, heck, part of my billing includes the fact that while others were out enjoying lives I was staring at a monitor or tech manual or peering into the guts of countless computers and deserve to be compensated for the time it took to aquire my skills. Anand has a nice ride ? good for him!

 

[eakers]

like once a week i say "im done with that place!"
but not because of speed only stupidity

but for some reason, i keep coming back...

*kat. <-- subscriber

 

[Fritzo]

<<

<<

<< subscribe you cheap asses. >>



I REFUSE to pay for a forum. It's like paying for a room for everyone to stand in and talk. Stupid. If they got rid of all these icons and smiley faces they wouldn't have so many bandwidth problems :|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:|:| >>



You wouldnt pay a cover charge? You wouldnt pay to get better seats at a concert? >>



Yes, I would, but I don't see Anand singing anywhere.

 

[n0cmonkey]

<<

<<

<< And your $30 apparently also gives you the right to flame everyone who doesn't subscribe.

WTF do you care if I spend MY $30 or not? I don't care if I can afford it or not, I'm not gonna pay for something that I can easily get for free. >>



I personally dont care. Im just tired of you cheapasses complaining that the servers are slow. You want some good service? Pay for it.



<< yeah, and also i have tried the subscriber server with my friends account, it is slow >>



Not for me



<< and i get packet loss. >>



The internet isnt perfect.



<< i will never subcribe, i would rather donate it to a charity or do something useful with it instead of paying for Anand's new Porsche >>



When the servers make enough money to atleast pay for themselves then make statements like that. >>



Normally, I dont attack friends, but don't speak without knowledge.

he just got a Porsche 911 Cabriolet, i guess is Carrera 996 wasn't good enough. >>



The forums do not make enough money to pay for a porsche. He probably got that from doing other work. Either way, I think they should be compensated, some what, for putting up a nice place like this.



<< Yes, I would, but I don't see Anand singing anywhere. >>



Maybe we should ask him. Either way, this is entertainment and education for many, Im willing to pay a nominal fee for better access to it.

 

[Red Dawn]

arod

<< havent subscribed and the forums have definately become more "buggy" and slower for us non-subscribers. But I dont really post here enough to justify subscriber access. Of course I hardly ever post unless I have an opinion. Hence my 2 post per day avg... But back on topic, the only reason you would need to subdcribe is if you thread crap and have over 3k posts... >>

Plus most of your allowance goes to pay for your Gay Porno subscription right A-ROD?!?!?!?!.

 

[minendo]

<< like once a week i say "im done with that place!"
but not because of speed only stupidity

but for some reason, i keep coming back...

*kat. <-- subscriber >>


Thats because I am here.

 

[Hossenfeffer]

<< yeah, and also i have tried the subscriber server with my friends account, it is slow and i get packet loss. >>

How often? When? Where? etc. For a while, everybody was getting packet loss due to a faulty NIC. I'd say try the thing again.

<< But back on topic, the only reason you would need to subdcribe is if you thread crap and have over 3k posts... >>

Nonsense.

<< he just got a Porsche 911 Cabriolet, i guess is Carrera 996 wasn't good enough. >>

Please tell me you're joking. This statement makes my eyes roll so hard they physically hurt. What part of "the forums lose money" don't you understand? Oh dear, they're trying to cut down on the financial loss? How dare they.

<< I REFUSE to pay for a forum. It's like paying for a room for everyone to stand in and talk. Stupid. >>

Yeah, try going down to the local conference hotel with several hundred folks and just "take over" a room to "stand in and talk". You're using their property. I'm fine with folks not subscribing, but please spare me the ignorant drivel.

<< If they got rid of all these icons and smiley faces they wouldn't have so many bandwidth problems >>

Color me crazy, but I'm guessing it wouldn't have near the effect you think it would. You're also welcome to visit the Customize page. "If you are on a slow connection, choose the Standard Graphics mode to decrease download times. (Standard mode will remove all graphics, such as emotion icons and

 

[Captain4]

I didn't know it was only $2.50 a month, but I still don't use it enough to justify spending anything. It was a great resource when I was building my computer, but this is the first time I've been on in months. I used to come here a lot from work when I was bored, but the speed was so bad that I quit (the forums, that is). MSN crossword puzzles and youdamnkid.com for me now.

Edit: George Costanza's dissertation on free vs. paid parking comes to mind here. "It's like sex. Why pay for something, when, if I apply myself, I can get it for free?"

 

[dakata24]

<< I'm a subscriber ,what speed issues ? >>

 

[Supermercado]

I don't subscribe and I have more than enough speed for how much posting I do.

 

[Bozo Galora]

actually a lot of people seemingly are abandoning non subscriber "slow" AT.
i have been noticing lately the time gaps on posting has been increasing dramatically. Even in Gen Hardware
there are posts 32/49/27 (whatever) minutes apart, and 10 - 15 minutes at peak hours. Posts are not
dropping like a rock anymore, and the posts seem to be a lot more bland/rehashed stuff.
things HAVE changed.

i dont know if this is a trend, or just a reflection of the general PC downturn.

 

[ChefJoe]

I threw down $20 and it's the best deal I got in on so far.