Subscription to a website

[alyssium]

An interesting topic has come up recently which got me thinking, would people be willing to pay for an online service that was updated and enhanced or prefer not to pay for something that remained the same?

I guess that there are two sides to this question. I understand that there would be some collectors out there that hardly find enough money to purchases the odd artwork here and there and would prefer that everything remains free. On the other hand I’m sure that there would be other collectors out there like me that spend a huge amount of time on displaying their artwork and wouldn’t mind paying for that services. An example I guess could be photo bucket. The ability to use the free services (at the cost of having advertising flashed here there and everywhere) or the payed service which gets you additional features and services.

So the poll question if a website like “Rubberslugâ€

[iceman57]

What extra features to be added ? Video ? 3D ? Screensaver ?...

Those "server cost" and "adds" are definitively a Pandora box.
Nowadays, you count in Gigabytes, hosted for competitive costs and without any add...

So what can be so extra to be added by paying, visibility ?... I prefer pay Google for this, this is this company job.

[zerospace]

Sites like Rubberslug deserve to be compensated for more than just things like visibility and server space -- it takes a lot of work to build and maintain web software like RS uses to make creating a gallery easier. I think this is what the poster is talking about, not features like advertising. Since I've actually developed my own gallery software, I have some appreciation for what Jason has done with Rubberslug. It's quite a bit of work to continuously go back and fix your past mistakes, make things better and more efficient, and of course, add new features (which sometimes seem simple, but may actually be a lot more difficult than the average user might think ).

I think if Jason fixed the issues with RS as it is, he would be well within his right to ask for a small monthly subscription fee from those who are willing to pay for it (like at most a few dollars a month) that allows access to features like a marketplace or something. This would definitely be reasonable, IMO. I can see his point about not wanting to charge anyone for using something that is half broken (as RS somewhat currently is), so that's why I say he should fix the main persistent issues first, which I'm certain he would do before asking anyone to pay for anything.

[Sky Rat]

Well, I think it would be a fair idea. I am kind of astounded that the site has run for as long as it has for free (and with donations.)

I would consider it, but I can’t say if I’d be willing to stick with paying in the long run. I’m not someone who adds massive quantities of cels to my gallery each year, so while I can see the room for some improvements, I feel like I’m getting along just fine the way the site is running. And I’m already feeling stretched pretty thin with current expenses, so if it came down to –having- to pay for it, I might decide that having a gallery isn’t really all that essential to me (I know that the topic of current discussion is only about having to pay for an upgrade, not paying across the board, but I’m speaking hypothetically.)

I would probably be more inclined to pay if the fee were yearly instead of monthly (I suppose you could make it a monthly fee but give the option to pay it all together once a year.) I would definitely feel overwhelmed if I had to pay every month….even if it were set up as an automatic payment.

Otherwise whether I was willing to pay would depend on exactly what the enhancements were and what the fee was.

So long as free basic accounts aren’t eliminated (I think if paying became mandatory we’d see a lot of galleries close, and that would be a shame,) I don’t see any harm in trying this idea. But I don’t personally feel financially secure enough to commit to it right away. There’s a decent chance I’d go for it eventually though, I’ve felt it was worth paying for my livejournal account for several years now.

….So I guess that’s a ‘maybe’ from me there…..

[Keropi]

I wouldn't mind paying for more features. It would depend on what the features are and how much the fee would be though. I was paying five dollars a month on Tripod to keep advertisements off my site until it appeared that they were a good candidate to be the place where my credit card number got stolen twice. Now they made it so that you can't even update your site anymore unless you have a paid subscription.

I'm too lazy to move the site and I wouldn't update it anyway so I see no reason to. I don't visit my Rubberslug site or update it either, but I might be willing to pay for something even if I never open the place.

[sensei]

One of the issues is the site's overall visibility. Right now, it is designed for shop-talk among fellow animation art collectors. But for anyone else, the home-page presentation is esoteric and intimidating. Website design has developed to the point that most sites designed for a general audience open as a "Welcome" page that gives a little basic information, then allows visitors to choose a link that takes them quickly to where they would like to go.

I've stretched the RS format as far as I can go, using my Photobucket account (for which I pay an annual fee) as a hosting site for graphics that I then import into my Rubberslug home page and each of my galleries. (If you visit, you'll see what I mean: the banner is uploaded to RS, but the "Featured cel/sketch" are imported from Photobucket. Likewise, in each gallery, the banner at the top is imported from Photobucket, but the thumbnails below are on RS.)

I spent a lot of time developing "Gallery Tours" as a way of making the entry to the collection more viewer-friendly. And in the "Welcome" I do try to recommend first-time visitors to go there first. But still the main thing visible at the outset is the interminable list of gallery names. For art collectors, that's impressive; for (say) someone interested in understanding Japanese animation art as a process, it's incomprehensible and daunting.

I'd love to have a way to eliminate the list of individual galleries from the home page and simply have a link go to something like the "Quick Gallery Tour" page, where one could see at a glance a sample image of the series I collect, then click to visit a more detailed history/description of the series, and, from that page, click on links that go to the individual galleries. But at present this multi-layered approach (which I see on a number of non-RS galleries) just isn't an option.

This approach would also let me develop galleries whose sole purpose would be to discuss some of the details of the animation process for a general audience. I've played with this at times with my "Quirky Tours," but this would let me make these permanent parts of my website, with links off the "Welcome" page.

I feel that I've done as much as I can to develop my gallery as a gallery and now would be happy to consider new options in return for a subscription.

[zerospace]

Slightly O/T, but ouch, Keropi! I just looked at Tripod's packages and $5 a month is ridiculous for so little. You can do way better with other hosting providers (without getting your CC # stolen, too ).

I should add that I doubt I'd ever be willing to pay for RS, but that's mostly because I'm already shelling out the $$ for my own sites. If RS ever goes to a subscription system, I'd probably just close up my account over there and stick with my main site. If I didn't know how to build web sites and didn't have my own hosting, I'd certainly be willing to contribute to RS for the privilege of using it . But that's just me.

[Olivier]

I am using Rubberslug because it is convenient AND free. I wouldn't pay for it, even against some hypothetical improvements that I don't need (I am happy with the current situation). I would rather make my own separate gallery instead. There are free web hosting services all over the place.

[jcaliff]

I should add that I doubt I'd ever be willing to pay for RS, but that's mostly because I'm already shelling out the $$ for my own sites. If RS ever goes to a subscription system, I'd probably just close up my account over there and stick with my main site. If I didn't know how to build web sites and didn't have my own hosting, I'd certainly be willing to contribute to RS for the privilege of using it . But that's just me.

I'm in exactly the same situation. I maintain my own webspace (sort of... one of these days I'll update again!) and I only have a RS gallery to link back to my own webpage. I don't think I'd be willing to pay for that.

[Penguinton]

I am using Rubberslug because it is convenient AND free. I wouldn't pay for it, even against some hypothetical improvements that I don't need (I am happy with the current situation). I would rather make my own separate gallery instead. There are free web hosting services all over the place.

I completely agree with Oliver. I can barely afford this hobby as is. So even a tiny fee of a couple dollars a month is just too much for me I'm afraid.

[ReiTheJelly]

I already donate quite a bit to RS every year, so it wouldn't be any different for me. In fact, it might be cheaper.

I appreciate not only Jason's skills, but the fact that he has given the cel community an incredible focal point. Just look at all the thousands of pieces of artwork in one place. And then try to imagine what a pain in the butt it would be using google to search for all those galleries. There are hundreds of galleries that I wouldn't visit except for the fact that they're on Rubberslug. THAT is why I donate money every year.

[Sky Rat]

And then try to imagine what a pain in the butt it would be using google to search for all those galleries. There are hundreds of galleries that I wouldn't visit except for the fact that they're on Rubberslug. THAT is why I donate money every year.

Yes, what I like so much is the community aspect of it. I'd never bother to google search cel galleries outside of one or two series. But since I can see people updating through the home page I end up visiting galleries I never would have seen otherwise, and meeting a lot of people I probably wouldn't have talked to. I prefer having my gallery linked to others through a single site versus making my own independently, even if I could customize it better. I really appreciate the social aspect.

[sensei]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that RS go 100% to a subscription service. If that happened, the majority of galleries would simply close, and that would be tragic. Rather, as I understand the idea, the concept would be similar to many web services that have a "basic" service for free and a "gold" or "platinum" service, with extra features, for a subscription. That's true of Photobucket, which I used as a free hosting site for a while until I saw the opportunity of uploading gif animations there and so plumped for the "Photobucket Premium" option.

Obviously, if the extra features really worked and made the "Platinum" members' websites look better, then other serious Sluggers would consider upgrading. On the other hand, those who were satisfied with the basic look would remain part of the community and could stick with what they have indefinitely.

As I understand Alyssium's idea, it's just a teaser, something to propose to Jason, and not anything intended to disadvantage any present collector.

Unless Jason opts for the "Death Panels" option.

[Belldandy16]

even though i really really love RS, i dont ever think id be able to keep my site there if it required a fee (im very happy donating now and again but i just dont have the funds to pay for it on a monthly … or yearly basis).

thank you Jason for all you do for us!

[sensei]

This is, as I suggested, starting to sound like a discussion of health care reform...

Correct me, Alyssium, but I don't think it was ever considered to make ALL Rubberslug curators pay a fee, but simply to phase in a "premium" level where some curators would opt for more features in return for a subscription fee.

If you're satisfied with your present healthcare plan ... er ... Rubberslug gallery, then you get to keep it. Period.