View Poll Results: Should we dissolve the membership fee?

Voters
85. You may not vote on this poll
  • NO! Leave things as they are. Don't go messing with something that aint broke!

    83 97.65%
  • YES! The fee is too expensive. I can live with a slow website and the loss of some features.

    2 2.35%
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Thread: Possible Website Changes - Need Your Vote

  1. Possible Website Changes - Need Your Vote

    As many of you know, I have never liked having a membership fee for the website. And, since membership fee renewals are just about ready to roll around, I'm beginning to feel the pangs of guilt again.

    As always, before any changes are made, I'd like to hear your opinions on the subject. Please keep in mind that IF we do go ahead and get rid of the membership fee, a few things will change.

    1. We will have to move back to a shared server. This means that the website will definitely be much slower than what we are accustomed to now. The gallery will most definitely take longer to load and we may also experience time out periods - depending on what type of server we're placed on and how many other websites are on the server.

    2. We would probably need to get rid of server intensive applications such as the chatroom and the arcade and whatever else the web host would deem as a resource hog.

    3. Information that we currently keep private for 'Shack Plus Members' (ie. Swap addresses and such) would no longer be as private. They would be accessible to anyone who registers on the website. We could, however, start a hierarchy system where you have to have so many posts before you can view/be placed on the member list.

    4. The swap board and 'for sale' boards will be available to anyone who registers for an account. While I can still ban individuals who do not comply with the swap/selling guidelines, we do lose some of the safety net that we currently have established.

    5. Due to bandwidth restrictions, we may have to put a limit on the number of photos a member can upload to the gallery per day.

    6. The templates would most likely have to go as well. While they don't take very much space on the server, the bandwidth to download them is considerable. When you move to a shared server, they put a cap on your bandwidth consumption.

    Good golly, after writing out that list, it doesn't seem like such a good idea to even consider moving back to a shared server, does it?! Perhaps asking for $10 a year isn't as bad as it sounds to me. Perhaps I just tend to over think things way too much and am just interfering with a system that is already working great for us....

    But it's not what I think that matters. The question is WHAT DO YOU THINK? Your opinions and concerns mean a great deal to me and to the other staff members.

    And, as always, majority rules so if you have an opinion, speak up!

    PS. This is a public poll. Results will be publicly displayed for everyone to see.

  2. #2
    I like how we have a secure site for members only and how it's fast and reliable. The $10. membership is worth it to protect us from others wanting personal info. as well as keeping the website a great one.
    Kim

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Down Under, Western Australia
    Posts
    14,854
    I love the chat room, as you all know. I'd be really sad to see that go
    I like the security we have now
    I like having the templates
    I love the Shack just the way it is- and I am willing to pay the small price of having all the fun stuff.
    Sarah



  4. I don't have a problem spending $10 on my craft. It is a small price to pay for the enjoyment, security and freedom we have to do pretty much what we want to do. The templates alone are worth way more than $10, so, I'm in for another year and more.

  5. I would much rather pay the $10. Don't mind at all!

    :-)
    Traci
    Traci




  6. #6
    Charge me $10, charge me $20 but please don't put us on a slow server where trolls can come and annoy us! I really don't mind spending $10, and I think it is a very reasonable fee.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    somewhere on the corner of creativity and insanity!
    Posts
    18,234
    I think we should keep the fee. It's only $10 and I think for what we get it's worth it!!! I'd hate to see the chat room go and I'd also not like not being to upload pictures. JMO.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Cape Cod, MA USA
    Posts
    14,850

    My Humble Opinion...

    PLEASE do NOT change a thing!
    I love the way things are just as they are now...unless something else awesome gets added at some time in the future.
    I will GLADLY pay my $10. when my membership is due...
    When I think of how much I spend in a year on this craft, I won't even blink an eye over the $10!

    There!!! That's how I feel!
    Joanie

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Richfield, Minnesota (suburb of Minneapolis)
    Posts
    3,896
    Well, when you list all the benefits of membership, of course I'll pay! I belong to several websites, and it really is nice here with the security of the info! Thanks for a great site, Sherry!
    --Lidia

  10. I agree that we should leave things the way they are.
    $10 a year is almost nothing!! I can go without two peppermint white hot chocolates to pay that
    I especially like the fact that we dont get bots here, to me thats worth the $10 right there.
    The swap thing is another plus, not that we dont enjoy our new members, but it shows a dedication to the craft if they pay to be able to do them. And we get to know them better

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