Annual Fee For Your Comment?

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?"

Hey, Subscribers!

[Short Circuit]

Now might a good time to disable the "Subscriber Bonus" by default...that way, they won't know who you are.

IQ Test

[CyBlue]

I would prefer to see an IQ test to make a comment.

FP!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Boo yeah!
(and it didn't cost me anything....)

Uh..

[Valarauk]

You mean you guys aren't sending Cmdr Taco a dollar every time you post?

Re:IQ Test

[mmusson]

I don't understand.

Sounds like poor planning

[lheal]

* Shrug *

Hindsight's 20/20, of course, but it seems obvious to me that you introduce fees in a formerly free setting by charging for new, premium services. To use Slashdot metaphors:

• Subscription: $20/yr
• Mod points: $10
• Karma - Neutral to Excellent: $50
• Modproof your GNAA troll: $500.

Re:Hey, Subscribers!

[ShaniaTwain]

I would have responded sooner, but I'm busy enjoying all this free beer.

Re:fees happen

[yagu]

I can empathize with your stance you wouldn't want to provide profit (e.g., for slashdot) when you (and the community) are the providers of the content. But, in my opinion (and I don't know the economics of the posted article's site, nor do I know slashdot's), the fee requested or charged seems modest and I'm guessing it barely covers the cost of providing the systems, the bandwidth, etc. to support the forum. Again, I may be wrong about that, but I don't see this akin to gouging and submarining the user population.

On the other hand, were they (or slashdot) to ask something more like $20 A MONTH, I'd question their motive (as I question Microsoft's), and would probably step back and take a look as to whether I still considered posting on that forum at that price a "deal" I'm willing to take.

Again, market forces. Yes, we in many ways create and sustain communities like slashdot, but I know from experience putting something like this platform together, maintaining it, and sustaining ain't easy, and it ain't free. So, I'm willing to cut slashdot a little slackdot (even though it wasn't slashdot the original post points to -- just wanted to use the slackdot pun -- even though it was a bad one..)

Re:Like a $20 cover charge at a bar...

[ccady]

Yeah, but the $20 cover charge is payment for the fantasy that you're going to get laid. Ain't nobody got laid on Slashdot. (Screwed over, yes. Laid, no.)

Re:IQ Test

[Reorax]

Me two!!!!!! Lolroflmao!!!!!! a/s/l please!!!!!

Re:Let Capitalism run its course.

[anagama]

"Libratarians ..."
I'm a Scorporiotarian --- what should I do??

Re:I agree with this

[Legion303]

Cool. Set up the recurring payments to me via PayPal and I'll email you instructions on how to filter out low-rated comments.

Re:Alternate Proposal

[Drantin]

CowboyNeal (or whoever the Australian equivalent is)
AborigiNeal?

Re:Let Capitalism run its course.

[kfg]

Bite me.

KFG

Re:Let Capitalism run its course.

[anagama]

"Bite me"

You meant to reply to the grandparent correct?

Re:You forgot 7.)

[ArsenneLupin]

You don't pay, but you do notice that the site runs Asp and Sequel Sewer, and oh, that your keyboard has a single-quote (') key! You troll all you like, for free, and even in those areas of the website that are offline for the garden-variety, paying, customers!

/. has nothing to do with it!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

"Anyway, I think this whole Slashdot thing has nothing to do with it.

I think this massive surge in traffic is simply a testimony to the fabulous success of the new content and access model we have recently introduced."

Of course it is!

[snap]

[Flatline_hun]

[snap]

Comment withheld due to lack of payment - slashdot team

Re:Let Capitalism run its course.

[2old2rockNroll]

I'm a Scorporiotarian --- what should I do??

Yeah, I feel for you. I't must be tough finding work since they cancelled Farscape.

Re:Let Capitalism run its course.

[SharkJumper]

Expect the unexpected this week as an old friendship is renewed. Be open to the possibility that it will lead to something more. Business opportunities are all around you if you're willing to take a risk on a fresh idea. Your work relationships could become strained soon. Now might be a good time to take that vacation that you've been ...

...For the love of God, look out behind you!...

Oh, crap.

Re:Let Capitalism run its course.

[bugeaterr]

Capatalism is evil, EVIL I say!
Everything should be free, FREE I say!
Who isn't tired of these richy-rich magazine websites, sitting on their yacht, floating down the the advertising gravy river?
They should be paying their members for their glorious LOL- and IMO-laden comments.
How about sharing some of the bottomless cash cow that is the Australian PC Magazine Market???
I mean (AUS)$20 a YEAR?? For that much money you could put little Umbeki through College in Chad!

Better yet, you could fund the average Aussie's bar tab for 5 minutes!

The only reason I decided not to launch PCPerth Magazine is because absolute power corrupts absolutely!!!

Bastards.