Reason targeted ads on ReasonTalk.

[TheGoodGoodMan]

I just read post by Lunesis saying that he will never include ads on this forum. I can understand his motives about keeping this site clean and that he started this forum for community not for profit. That's all very noble, but what is wrong with Reason targeted ads? Re developers can buy some non intrusive banner spot somewhere on the site, or Propellerheads can force on us some of the Discover ads as well . Profits can go to site maintenance and maybe to buy some prizes for best mix contest or whatever. The point is we can all benefit from this!
What do you think?
Vote yes or no in the poll and discuss.

[Last Alternative]

Um.. there is no poll but I vote yes for Reason/RE related ads as long as it doesn't get out of control. It would be a nice heads up to see what's new since the new PH website is pretty much DOA to me and I won't be going there anymore unless I have to. And even though I won't buy anything else until/unless R9 kicks ass but you never know if an earth shattering RE comes out. I'd like to know about it here so YES!

Edit: ok now there is a poll.

[Namahs Amrak]

I'm of the mind that there will be enough benefactors to help with the site's upkeep, and some money left over for Brent to put back in to the community with prizes etc.

I would prefer an annual membership fee over ads.

[Ostermilk]

Hopefullly developers will be making announcements anyway and contributing toward the upkeep for the priviledge of having a solid readership to ply their goods to.

I'd also hope that regular contributers will be able to chip in too as hosting, bandwidth, support all costs money.

Commercial ads though are a pain and involve alll sorts of tracking cookies and rubbish which in turn attract spammers and lord knows what else.  Worse than that though would be individuals that contribute big bucks and become a law unto themselves because they'll start to think that they contribute so much any rules of conduct don't apply to them or they think they are buying themselves into positions that would put the site in jeopardy long-term.

I'm sure Brent and the mods are well aware of all those kinds of pitfalls though.

I reckon direct commercial ads are a bad thing and as long as people are mindful of how much they get out of the place they will gracefully volunteer to put enough back so as not to create a need for commercial measures.

In truth though with 600 members and counting it would only be a few bucks each to keep the place rolling nicely, what is most likely though from my experience of these things it will be 10% of the members who will pay 90% of the upkeep costs to keep it clean.

I agree with the Shaman that if it ever did come to the crunch a membership would be preferable to ads for me also.

[Lunesis]

Just for the record, if any members did contribute donations and then ended up getting banned somehow they would get a full refund, so there will be no buying your way past the rules. This ain't no congress!  :s0225:

[Namahs Amrak]

Just for the record, if any members did contribute donations and then ended up getting banned somehow they would get a full refund, so there will be no buying your way past the rules. This ain't no congress!  :s0225:

Geeze, it almost sounds like you're pre-planning to ban one of the generous benefactors.

He or she better be careful. :s0238:

[TheGoodGoodMan]

Just to clear things up. Ads as I see them won't be provided by ad companies like Google or else. It will be direct deal between ReasonTalk and for example Softube or something. No cookies, just simple banner acting as a link to their targeted Re.

[Olivier]

What about, instead of Reason targeted Ads, the various Devs made an account here and periodically put in some great posts about their products. The best ad for a product is when a dev explains questions about their products As i see now thats permitted within the rules. Added benefit is that the forum keeps its independence.

[ScuzzyEye]

I would prefer an annual membership fee over ads.

If it is possible, it'd be cool to offer a way to pay to remove ads. So people with subscriptions don't see ads, but everyone else does. That would be fine with me.

Though it might be less attractive to advertisers, if the people with money to spare aren't being targeted.

[Smedberg]

No ads please. Of any kind....

[Theo.M]

I don't mind RE or refill ads at all.  I voted yes. If it got out of control as in, flashing obnoxious flash ads, or non targeted ads, then i would just use adblock.

However I don't think Lunesis would do it unless it lived up to his high standard for this forum.. and perhaps he could even say - for example - that for those that don't want these specialised ads, to feel free to use an adblocker. I mean who doesn't at least have a browser adblock plug installed?

And if one were to contribute with a donation, they could be given the choice in their profile, rather than ads being "auto off", because some contributors like myself might want them!

On the other hand there are situations where I *should* want ads but they are so obnoxious I can't stand it.. perfect example is the KVR news page - the ads are so big and loud, that it actually makes it an eyesore just to read the news, so i have them permanently blocked. Their forum ads are google stuff, so not always audio plug in related, and the ones that are are often flashing like crazy and scrolling etc.. 
Just some nice, tasteful static RE/refill ads would be absolutely fine, even preferable, as shown for half of us so far in this (admittedly currently low vote) poll.

Edit: Since posting poll has changed to be much more clearly in favour of no.

[Arsenic]

I'm more than happy to contribute towards the upkeep of the site - Anything to keep adverts away - targeted or otherwise.

[Namahs Amrak]

Why is there a discussion of ads? Is this going to remain an enthusiast forum or a business interest? I'll venture that if Lunesis posted a donation drive for the ANNUAL costs, in all the new excitement this week, we would raise the cash to keep it going until 2016.

Fuck ads.

[motuscott]

Only penis enhancement ads are good enough for this site.
Are you with me?

[motuscott]

I upped my post count with this one weird trick...

[Gorilla Texas]

I see nothing wrong with ads get paid bro! Running this forum feel ok now but in the future its gonna feel like a job you might as well get paid. Ads never stopped KVR or gearslutz,its in man's heart to be envious thats most don't want to see you get paid for this. I have no problem with music related ads. You especially need to do it for those who want to remain as guest like they do at Future producers. If you don't login over there you'll see ads all in the comments. 

[Ostermilk]

Ads never stopped KVR or gearslutz,its in man's heart to be envious thats most don't want to see you get paid for this.

That thought might be saying more about you than anyone else.

FWIW, there's nothing more I'd like to see than Brent doing well out of his own initiative here.  I just don't see ads as being part of the successi of this particular forum.

There were other alternative forums before Brent set this one up and I'm pretty sure most ended up here because they actually had faith in its founder and the motives of those that lined up behind him to assist.  Certainly that played a big part in me migrating here I cant speak for anyone else.

[Ostermilk]

Why is there a discussion of ads? Is this going to remain an enthusiast forum or a business interest? I'll venture that if Lunesis posted a donation drive for the ANNUAL costs, in all the new excitement this week, we would raise the cash to keep it going until 2016. Fuck ads.

Absolutely.

[motuscott]

Holy Moly Namahs Amrak, are you about to break thru the dilettante glass ceiling w/ your +300 posts?
What's the next level, "Guy whose brother in law owns a copy of Rebirth and I couldn't shut it down?
I remain your humble servant,
motuscott

[ionly]

The guys running this great place need some remuneration for their time and efforts. Personally, I couldn't deal with the logistics of it all - bearing in mind it's also a 24hr responsibility (with global time-zones).  However it turns out, I'm happy either way that there is a community resource to tap.

[Gorilla Texas]

Ads never stopped KVR or gearslutz,its in man's heart to be envious thats most don't want to see you get paid for this.

That thought might be saying more about you than anyone else.

FWIW, there's nothing more I'd like to see than Brent doing well out of his own initiative here.  I just don't see ads as being part of the successi of this particular forum.

There were other alternative forums before Brent set this one up and I'm pretty sure most ended up here because they actually had faith in its founder and the motives of those that lined up behind him to assist.  Certainly that played a big part in me migrating here I cant speak for anyone else.

The panel of mods here have done so much for free for the community you couldn't just get by the ads to see they get something In return? I think that's kinda selfish imo.

[Namahs Amrak]

Holy Moly Namahs Amrak, are you about to break thru the dilettante glass ceiling

Very soon you'll be breaking through the 100 Reputation points. Boy, you sure do have a lot of devotees

[craven]

No ads please. Of any kind....

with your signature, your post needs some irony markers (not sure if you were ironic or not)

[motuscott]

Boy, you sure do have a lot of devotees

The ladies say it's my smile.

[3rd Floor Sound]

Eh, I don't mind ads as log as it isn't flash-based or auto-play. Hell, If I could afford to, I'd buy ad space. Truly I'm speaking from the point of view of a user rather than a dev. Upkeep of the site could probably be supported by having an "ad month" every February or something.