With my hand. 

I understand paying for some things but I don't understand the things that they've stopped being free on this site. Looking at the members list? Posting from your own computer files? New PM's? It just doesn't make sense

Am very annoyed even though I dont come on here very often 

The number one way to exchange germs 

Well I'm not letting them keep it. So how do you get yours?

Anyway, to answer your question.  I haven't really noticed the changes.  However, I think the changes they have made will kill off the forum eventually.  While I appreciate their are running costs, other sites manage to to run without charging their users.  And it certainly won't encourage new members.

I think I've said before - unless there are thousands of members on other boards we don't know about I doubt even if we all signed up they'd get enough to pay someone to dust the monitors once a week.

I tend to give exact monies....

And where do you get that?  

Same as you unfortunately....

Ted O'Neill posted this a few days ago:

"Social Strata- a company that has been in business over 15 years and lists major customers like The Discovery Channel, Mattel, Scripps Network (HGTV), and thousands more."

(my comment - Social Strata runs all Hoop,la sites including Gagajoyjoy. It also runs the Eve community websites which were created before Hoop,la was developed and they still exist. I don't know how many of these are paid for the the owners of the various sites or are free like Gagajoyjoy. Community moderators such as myself help to reduce the time involvement of Social Strata so I doubt if the costs they actually incur directly relating to this forum are that much)

I always say that I'm open to change, but it has to be the RIGHT change. I've seen too much change with poor outcomes.

With respect to this forum I have not purchased a membership (yet) as I am keeping a watching brief to see how things pan out.

I was contemplating starting up a UK based forum myself, but once you look into it you find there are regular costs and you need some form of income stream to pay for them, advertising being one avenue, subscriptions another then there is your own pocket. But also the investment in time, they don't run themselves.

The sum of money for this forum seems pretty reasonable to me and I would have jumped in if all of the features now removed were important to me, also having so few members makes me wonder how long this forum will exist especially as they are now looking to attract income from forum members.

Personally I would like to see this forum grow in strength and see forum member numbers increase.

OK, that's my position. Questions welcomed, answers will be on a postcard.

There are free forums to be had....I have one...doesn't cost me a bean!

Nor my members....

But then I am not out to make a profit.

Yes, I'm sure you can get a free forums up and running, there are many things on the web that can be done for free, but there seems to be some form of retractions applied. I did a brief look at it, not wanting to be tied into a hosting company, but setting up the domain myself and using forum applications that give me the ability to offer a wide range of functionality and be able to control that functionality.

Whatever you do, your time will be required at some point. You have a personal responsibility to ensure that no one is using the forum inappropriately, if no one is moderating, that's a bad thing and I would suggest the owner has a responsibility to do so.

But time is a cost, even if it's only 10 mins a day.

Ditto what Slimfern said re UK forums..I have a teeny one for close friends to moan on  natter about the perils of getting old. . and also a separate bit for a  private book club too [on hold atm].. all free, and you can upload stuff too and PM and well do pretty much what you could do on here but they now want paying for..

I also run a Yahoo group with over 13, 000 members. . that one is free too..

then there is FB and private groups all free to users.. tho I don't run any of them

I understand what you are saying....the forum in my name is just for posting on...it isn't linked with anything else, out of choice.

It is a place to just sit & chat with friends....

We have FB to do all else on.

As adults I think we are reasonably able to govern ourselves & those who join us.

Those that step out of line get warned & deleted if necessary..

I can't help wondering with so few members here now if the intention is to make us leave.  I have paid to be a member on forums for bands but to be honest, I've yet to be on one that was worth the money.

The thing that incensed me most was there was an announcement of what was to happen and when people started to politely imo, voice concerns, they were shut down by the thread being closed.  No discussion entertained.

Leads me to believe our time on here will be short 

I'd hate to see this forum go. One question, what happens if not enough FMs pay and it has to close? Will I be reimburst? What about my expectation of this forum being here at least for 1 year because I, and others, have payed?

Its obvious ads won't pay for forum running costs / people's time when there are so few members to target ads at. So forget that and stop carping some of you!

We could all go elsewhere but we know what happened on our path since C4 forums... people drop away. Also I like the layout here - compare it to other forums like yahoo groups or even DS. Its a more comfy, eye-friendly design here somehow.

It would be a terrible shame if the forum closed but its probably an inevitability eventually without funding it somehow.

I know its a bit fick sorry... but could we buy out this forum collectively through an upfront fee which some would pay and others who can't afford it could have waived. We could run it [like a franchise] and stay here and then go forward as we like? 

FFS!
if you just want somewhere to collect & chat...then ask Olly.
It's not about carping one bit!

It's about being charged to do something that has up till now been free!

As for ads not paying for so few to be here.....well, can see fewer soon & no new members joining when they can go elsewhere for nowt!

in a previous post....'Business' was mentioned by Ted himself...well there ya go!

Case rested!

I don't like change per se...as for the changes to the forum , no comment

Awww gawn...ya know ya want to 

Slimfern... would you run this site, put in all the work and time that goes into it, for nothing? Just volunteer all that effort for people you're not even linked to in any way or friends with? If not, then you can't ask it of other people. 

We should be attracting members not putting them off.

This forum is shrinking

At Channel 4 it was sooo much more lively.

I'm gonna have to begin searching elsewhere if the writing is on the wall for this place.

Any suggestions?

No I wouldn't....but then there are all the attachments to attend to.

How many of us use such attachments ?

I can access FB for free...don't need to do it from here...same with twitter etc!

What exactly are you paying for ?

eh? Don't be asking me, I know nothing  .. google is your friend .. I am just a  trouble maker . . in their eyes anyway I reckon..   

Lol . Hi Slimfern I think I made my feelings clear in the announcement thread

Noted 

Have had R4 on all day...still none the wiser 

that bit was sorted by getting forum members to Moderate it..

Sorry Olly....was selfish of me 

I Love Google! 

Am sooooo tempted to be rude 

Ditto!

Me too. .before Google I used to maybe post a thread, now if I have a question I Google it every time

You are cheeky and brazen

And you are very brave to say so 

Are you me ?? 

He is! 

Olly moderators only do a little bit of admin and keeping order - they don't actually run the site and do the technical part - or pay for the server costs.

The O'Neills don't chat on here with us socially - so its not like they're doing this as a favour for friends. 

Someone in another thread said we'd had a free ride from Gagajoyjoy for a while. Thats how I see it too. No one wants to pay but what are the options? [Though I favour voluntary contributions through paypal to meet costs and a little graphic at the top of the forum showing what % of the target has been raised as I've seen that work elsewhere ] .

He's gone into hiding 

*stomps in*

I loves you all and this place aint goin' no where!!!!