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Donations=Premium Accounts
I thought that maybe if someone donates, (and not just something stupid like a penny) maybe they could get a premium account, and not just those spiffy titles, but actually be allowed to have a little short signature, like for example, mine would be, "If you do not support me in my endeavors, you do so at your own risk." Something short and sweet. Also, people with premium accounts could start up polls. There really is no polls, not that I've seen, but let them be able to pose a question, and have things you click such as, Yes, or No, Bush, or Gore, A, B, C, D. The progress of the poll is moved as the people click it's respective category, and every poll has a time limit where it closes, but people are still allowed to post thougths and comments on the thread the poll was made, just not allowed to poll in anymore.
Maybe, if you donate you are allowed to have a picture by your name, though that's not truly necessary, could be cool for the mods to distinguish, and also to allow those who donated more fun? Really, no necessary at all. They could also have their original name italicized or emboldened, maybe highlighted over. Just a thought.
These are things to think about for people who donate, and they could get a premium account, so if people want that, they'll donate to the site.
I don't know why else you'd need money though. There are always reasons, and money can always be put to use, technology doesn't stay the same. If you can make it more fun for someone to donate and more of a privelage, such as premium accounts, people will donate. If you build it, he will come.
i'm not sure what we need money for around here, apart from it being nice to pay bills and such. and it would of course be a purely voluntary thing, though if we do it it would have to be a for-a-good-reason thing, like, what are you gonna pay for a signature? $5 ? $10 ?
i don't want to be tool army and be charging people for things they don't want. but if people are into it, i would likely support it. that's the whole point of this place anyway - give 'em what they want.
(and if they want more updates, then they really should be contributing money ;) )
my main thought we be to put everyone who donates in a given month into that months drawing/contest, and use the money to give out a prize or something fun.
other examples for good use include, say, new computers, cars, and places of residence for the tdn staff :D
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I don't know, it's up to you, you can go about it however you want. Like instead of donations it can be a required 20$ donation for a premium account and all it's little benefits.
Signature, title, anything else that I mentioned and is doable, now 20$ might be to much if you can only get a cool title and signature, but it can be however much for a premium account. A set fee, doesn't have to be like that at all, if you still want to allow the choice donations that can be done as well.
Prizes are always an option, like tool tix, but they'd have to be area specific for someone. There are other ideas.
You guys should just find a reasonable option to require money. If you don't donate, you don't get a premium account and you remain with the Lv. 1 Lurker deal, and a normal name. No title. It's not an unfair thing at all, I wouldn't think. It's for those who chose to donate, and they get benefits.
If ever new technology comes out you guys will need to buy that, and you'll need donations again, and even though you don't need donations now, do people still donate, or is that option no longer available?
It would be wrong of Kabir to give people premium accounts to people, and then create his own Tool Newsletter Kabir style, and slip out tiny little Tool tidbits that the band had made him promise not to slip out.
Though if you can ask the band, maybe they'll tell something not to major, but interesting, and people with the premium accounts will get in on all the fantastic stuff.
Just a thought, I doubt it would be to much to coax anyone to get a premium account just to get an E-mail saying that 3 days ago Danny went to Maynards restaurant and got an upset stomach, but was felt to bad about it to let Maynard know.
Edit: A good prize might be, once all the donations are collected some decent concert tickets for a special Tool show would be given to some premium account users, so that you could go and watch that concert, with other TDN people. That's if Kabir could get the hooks ups, and I don't think Tool would go for it, and wouldn't work. Since TDN users are spread across the globe.
Originally posted by Cronos I don't know, it's up to you, you can go about it however you want. Like instead of donations it can be a required 20$ donation for a premium account and all it's little benefits.
seems like that'd be in direct competition with tool army...
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Signature, title, anything else that I mentioned and is doable, now 20$ might be to much if you can only get a cool title and signature, but it can be however much for a premium account. A set fee, doesn't have to be like that at all, if you still want to allow the choice donations that can be done as well.
it seems like having special accounts would kind of create elitism...maybe we could just call it "enabling" their account or something..i dont know.
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Prizes are always an option, like tool tix, but they'd have to be area specific for someone. There are other ideas.
i think this is more to show that we're not in it for the money, and that all donations will be put directly back into tdn.
You guys should just find a reasonable option to require money. If you don't donate, you don't get a premium account and you remain with the Lv. 1 Lurker deal, and a normal name. No title. It's not an unfair thing at all, I wouldn't think. It's for those who chose to donate, and they get benefits.
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If ever new technology comes out you guys will need to buy that, and you'll need donations again, and even though you don't need donations now, do people still donate, or is that option no longer available?
i was kinda thinking this as well; maybe leave donations available so that we'll have something built up by the time something is needed.
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Though if you can ask the band, maybe they'll tell something not to major, but interesting, and people with the premium accounts will get in on all the fantastic stuff.
Just a thought, I doubt it would be to much to coax anyone to get a premium account just to get an E-mail saying that 3 days ago Danny went to Maynards restaurant and got an upset stomach, but was felt to bad about it to let Maynard know.
Edit: A good prize might be, once all the donations are collected some decent concert tickets for a special Tool show would be given to some premium account users, so that you could go and watch that concert, with other TDN people. That's if Kabir could get the hooks ups, and I don't think Tool would go for it, and wouldn't work. Since TDN users are spread across the globe
all good, fantastic ideas, but they ain't gonna happen. speaking for myself only, i would never ask tool to do something like that for tdn.
anyway, good thoughts. we'll have to maybe combine all of these into one big charter and display it somewhere :P
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Originally posted by dan seems like that'd be in direct competition with tool army...
No, because Toolarmy is a required fee. You can't get into their top secret army without coughing up cash.
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it seems like having special accounts would kind of create elitism...maybe we could just call it "enabling" their account or something..i dont know.
I don't think it would create elitism at all. It doesn't make you better than anyone else at all. All you have is a signature, unique title, and maybe some other little things to play around with. Whoever would think it creates elitism should just go and donate, and be with the elite then. No one ever said you would be more respected with a premium account, it's just there for those that want it? You know what I'm saying. The mods don't favor those who donated more. I'd say go for it, and let things fall into place or fall out of place. This board for the most part has some mature people.
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i think this is more to show that we're not in it for the money, and that all donations will be put directly back into tdn.
Yea, not that I implied you guys would pocket it. If you need it the money's there, I figure by now you still have some money left over from donations. You didn't get the precise amount for the tech. Obviously it's (I'm assuming) lying around somewhere because no one really knows what to do about it.
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i was kinda thinking this as well; maybe leave donations available so that we'll have something built up by the time something is needed.
Yea, I don't think you're going to be knee deep in money either. If more tech comes by, great, you're prepared, if anything comes by, you're prepared. With the rest of the money you can show the supporters your thanks somehow.
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all good, fantastic ideas, but they ain't gonna happen. speaking for myself only, i would never ask tool to do something like that for tdn.
anyway, good thoughts. we'll have to maybe combine all of these into one big charter and display it somewhere :P
Yea, I just said that as an example. I don't think we'll get that kind of reaction. We can't make them dance for us. Ok, I'm all for charter.
Originally posted by Cronos Yea, not that I implied you guys would pocket it. If you need it the money's there, I figure by now you still have some money left over from donations. You didn't get the precise amount for the tech. Obviously it's (I'm assuming) lying around somewhere because no one really knows what to do about it.
we have actually been returning money that was sent after we reached our goal and had bought the software.
hmm... sending in "donations" for a "cool signature" or whatnot? sounds a little shifty to me..... :-/
i personally wouldn't be able to do it, even if i wanted to, cuz money is just not something i have very often.... and if i do, it's in increments of $5-10... so that would kinda rule out getting a "premium account" which would only be a few cool things that most message boards already have anyway, without having to "donate" money... i think you should just implement the signature deal in with people's posts anyway....
also, someone said something about having people donate money in order to make your status thing go up, instead of being a "lurker", you could be a "very deep thinker"..... yeah, for the "small price" of.. what, $5? $10? i don't agree with that at all.. that's like saying someone doesn't deserve to be considered a "very deep thinker" unless they pay money.... maybe i'm missing the point here, but that's how i see this whole idea....
xBILLYx
__________________ Dreaming of that face again....
no, we wouldn't raise your "level" because you donated.
you are kinda confusticated, i think. you could choose what it said beneath your name. rather than the levels, you could choose something else. something custom.
if you dont know what you are going to do with the donations then why even bring up the idea of sending money.
I say you take out the idea of signatures and posting numbers and spend the money on something else. A new project to the site.
Signatures are preachy, and why should it matter how many posts you have, we are all equal. A money symbol by your name saying you donated to TDN is just an ego boost.
I'd say you put money towards something that gives us information. Like have some kinda of java game or something that asks questions about whatever.........anything.
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Originally posted by asphexict why should anybody expect anything for a contribution, why not just contribute?
Wasn't this suppose to remain un-replied to now that we have a sticky on the socialize section where comments on this should be directed? Then this would be compiled and summarized by it's points and counterpoints on the issue or something like that?
Basically there's no reason right now to accept donations so discussing it further seems pretty much pointless. I think the whole discussion should be locked until the issue comes up again. There's no reason to discuss this until the need arises for donations again.
