Fraser:
I'm about as knowledable as a chook about the costs involved in maintaining a web-site like this; but I assume that it has to be "maintained" in some way and your Administrative expertise should be compensated commensurate with the time involved (I suppose you could go off and take a few days' break with impunity).

Personally I'd be happy to pay an annual "Membership Fee" for the privilege of belonging and enjoying ...
... because there is no such thing as a free feed.

Say (?) AU$20.

Sorry - I don't have a Credit Card.

And it could pay moderators too!

In all seriousness, I don't think a membership fee would be very popular.

__________________
Climate Change Australia

I did suggest voluntary donations, but Fraser said at the time he'd got it covered

__________________
"The stars are my home"
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark, near the Tanhauser Gate... all those moments will be lost, in time... like tears in the rain..."

Quote LAZSERUS:
"I looked over the forum and liked what I saw, so I decided to take a ride. I've been looking for a good solid forum focused on space for quite some time. I always tend to find the ones where there are nothing but "I know more than you" people, or quite the opposite - babbling idiots who have absolutely no concept of reality. It looks as if this forum has just the right temperature. I haven't found any idiots or know-it-alls. It seems like a really relaxed environment. My kind of place."

The above considered comment from a knowledgeable person convinces me, who doesn't know any other forum, that the Universe Today is a first class forum; top quality.

And whilst I agree with Kashi : "I don't think a membership fee would be very popular." , I would suggest that it is reasonable to pay for a quality product.

Reasonable for reasonable people, anyway.

It could be reasonably assumed that most Forum members are intelligent; and are either students with little spare money, or professionals who can afford a reasonable Membership Fee.

So - let the fee, as originally suggested by DippyHippy, be voluntary.

Then it wouldn't be a fee would it Chook?

__________________
Climate Change Australia

Kashi - I'm just throwing my hat into the ring, believing in democracy.

So I'll voice my opinion(s) and go along happily with the majority. No big deal. If it turns out another way I'm a happy loser. Better to voice your opinion and lose than not being able to voice your opinion at all. Win some, lose some. OK.

Sometimes compromise is better anyway, and I thought that DippyHippy's suggestion made sense.

In any case I'll be happy to hear what The Boss has to say.

There is nothing stopping people from donating money. Personally I think the forum is great the way it is. Having money involved might turn some people off.

__________________
Climate Change Australia

Well, Kashi - why would anybody pay a fee for no added-value? I wouldn't.

To blandly suggest - "Donate if you want to." would be an exercise in mindless futility. Zero results.

But there are many ways of scaled membership, or added-value. Look at Shareware, for example. Pay the small fee and you received the full program (rather than the crippled/ un-enhanced version).

Anyway - I don't want to debate this matter. I thought it was worth a spin and its up to Fraser anyway.

By the way - do a couple of simple calculations and you will see that a reasonable membership fee would be quite rewarding - and good luck to the people who put in the hard yards.

If I was Fraser I would think quite seriously about your idea, but as a user I must say that I like having it all free

__________________
Climate Change Australia

OK - suits me .

personally, i would be happy to subscribe a small fee

__________________
Damien,
International Baccalaureate Physics teacher
Optics, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Instrumentation Major
Admin: Pacific Science and Art

I am a student. I have no money.

__________________
Climate Change Australia

you have internal organs, blood don't you?

__________________
Damien,
International Baccalaureate Physics teacher
Optics, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Instrumentation Major
Admin: Pacific Science and Art

I said... don't worry about it - put your wallets away. The website covers its expenses, no problem.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the best way to contribute to this website and community is to participate in this forum. I know the economics don't make a lot of sense, but the reality is that a healhy forum really helps building Universe Today overall. It helps bring new people to the website and newsletter, and encourages people to return.

My goal is for this to be the best forum on the web for space and astronomy, so if you can help me build that, I'm in your debt.

__________________
Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

Wunderkind Fraser.

Sorry Kashi - I was trying to get you some money :P .

Welcome back Damienpaul - and congratulations again on your new status as a Newly Married Man.

Did you see any new stars? B)

I don't mean to drag the issue on, but I'd just like to add that people *do* voluntarily donate to the upkeep of websites. I've done it and I've had someone donate to help me too. I think if someone believes in the site and in what it stands for, then they'll help to ensure it's survival. It doesn't just apply to websites either.

Anyway, like I said, I don't mean to drag the issue on but I guess my Dad was right when he told me as a child that I always had to have the last word. My reply? "No I don't!""

The resulting clip around the ear was short but to the point :P

__________________
"The stars are my home"
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark, near the Tanhauser Gate... all those moments will be lost, in time... like tears in the rain..."

<smack> lol, i agree and have a cheque book ready

__________________
Damien,
International Baccalaureate Physics teacher
Optics, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Instrumentation Major
Admin: Pacific Science and Art

Well - I have too, Alice, but The Boss doesn't want our money. Can you believe it! :blink:

Quote Kashi:
"I am a student. I have no money."

Shame for Moderator Kashi, too.

How is he going to fund his trip to Japan soon? B)

Kashi, you think you have no money, try being a teacher and a full time student at the university, with five teenage kids and one tweenager. (Four are my step-kids but they still need cars, glasses, braces, clothes, etc.) Pay property (county and school) taxes, income taxes, Social Secutiry taxes (which I'll never see anyway), sales taxes, user fees, insurance for the house, the cars, health, dental, vision, etc. Whew, I better stop, I'm depressing myself.

__________________
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein

woah! that sounds like a lot tinaa! I will stop any thought of having a whinge! - puts mine in perspective.

__________________
Damien,
International Baccalaureate Physics teacher
Optics, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Instrumentation Major
Admin: Pacific Science and Art

My mom keeps promising me that the grandchildren are worth it. She said raising kids are a lot of work, but grandkids are lots of fun. I can wait!

__________________
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein