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Underground > Policy & Help >

The Well? Scandalous Suggestion for the Future

Imaginary Mongoose Solutions

20:39 / 15.03.02

Wow, Barbelith is changing faster than I can keep track of. There's been a troll attack, apparently the Knowledge went batshit and scores of other things have apparently been been going on while I've been off doing other things.

(BTW, can someone tell me WTF happened with the Knowledge?)

So we're left with an expanding user base that will soon outstrip Tom's ability to support it. Simultaniously, the board is afraid of more trolls and fuckwits.

Well, in a few of the threads on the topic that I've seen, people have compared the 'lith to The Well. And it's not a bad comparison at all.

However, the Well has used a tried and true methos for keeping out morons for a long time and it's worked pretty decently. The Well charges.

Jackoffs with too much time on their hands tend to pick on targets they don't have to pay to get into. And while there are ethical and moral issues involved with a fee-based system, (and logistial ones), it would serve to a) keep out trolls and b) help Tom let the Nexis..err Barbelith grow.

Just a suggestion... mabye not the best one, but it's got merits.

Matthew Fluxington

20:48 / 15.03.02

Yes, and smart, worthwhile young people with no credit and little disposable income can get weeded out so we can become a nest of aging yuppies like The Well. Fabulous.

20:53 / 15.03.02

As I pointed out in the thread EXACTLY like this one, some people don't have checking accounts, credit cards and the like. I'm willing to pay, but it would be cash.

Anybody willing to become Barbelith's treasurer?

Matthew Fluxington

09:01 / 16.03.02

Continuing to play devil's advocate:

[slight sarcasm]Yes, and once we're paying monthlie fees, will we still be 'anarchists'? Or just share-holders in Barbelith Inc.? Can AOL/Time Warner buy us too, maybe?[/ss]

[ 16-03-2002: Message edited by: Flux = Sweet City Woman ]

09:04 / 16.03.02

Share-holders? Cool...do we get secret decoder rings, and official "Barbelith Underground" mugs?

09:19 / 16.03.02

Put that in your portfolio...a hundred common shares of Barbelith Inc, a subsidiary of Time/Warner.

quote:Anybody willing to become Barbelith's treasurer?

Nice idea...but who mon ami??

09:25 / 16.03.02

Umm, kids, I know I'm not gonna' score points with you on this, but I started that other thread "exactly" like this one 20 minutes from the posted time, except I have work to do and things to accomplish to it didn't go up in like 30 seconds.

AND: I'm the only one offering a viable solution that benefits everyone. What do you want? Are you willing to pay for the privilege? I started on Barbelith in 1997. I have a slight feel of vested interest in this place 'cause I've worked in it as a moderator, engaged in lots of great discussions, made some great virtual friends and seen it grow over time.

This problem has come up in the past. And Tom has done everything he can to keep this Board available to the masses at their convenience. THIS BOARD WILL NOT LAST ANY LONGER IN THIS MANNER. It is already showing the signs of break down.

Paying a very small fee every month or send a bloody MONEY ORDER will ya so you can be part of this great experience for years to come? Is it that much of an inconvenience for you? Or do you just not care enough?

Sorry to sound bombastic, but give us a break and live in another 'real-world'. Cool things don't last forever and you sometimes have to make a sacrifice here and there to keep them alive.

09:25 / 16.03.02

I want to make this as clear as I can at this point. I am happy to have people contribute some money to the running costs of the site. But I'm NOT charging people to use it and I'm NOT turning it into a business. People who donate some money will NOT get a better service than those that don't.

Barbelith is not and will not be about making money for as long as I can afford to run it as such.

We're moving off the subject here - there's enough scope for the site to keep growing at the rate of monthly bandwidth increase for a good six months to a year at least. Don't get tense. I'd just rather think about ways of keeping the community manageable now while we still can!