Absolutely!!! When it first went to pay, I didn't have the extra $$. Someone "adopted" me!*S* The next year when the fees were due, I was back at work and I paid mine..and "adopted" someone! I thought it was pretty impressive how members stepped up to help friends!

No, I would not pay.

If Spike were to return I would gladly pay again
If Spike were to return, or if it was run the way he ran it, I would not pay to play. There would be no Rate and Review Forum, and no Hot Topics Forums. He was also known by some to ban members for the silliest of reasons.

Just what did he do right, or what is ivillage doing that is not up to par like when Spike was running it?
Did he never delete posts here? Was discussing religion, politics and other controversial subjects allowed?
Was rudeness permitted?...instead of being censored, deleted, and sending warnings? I occasionally see folks all up in arms about Freedom of Speech when posts or complete threads get deleted, in spite of the forum rules being pretty cut and dried.

What did some of you see that was so well liked? Just curious. I know the reasons why several disliked his style of running things but they were moreso on the gardening forums.

He once banned a member, and when another member wrote him on the behalf of the banned member, she too got instantly banned. Silly, silly, silly...imho.

I would pay to post. Reading is free, you could always read here when it was "pay to play", remember the influx of lurkers we had when it opened up to everyone again and the chaos that caused for a while?

I didn't have a problem helping to support Garden Web and I wouldn't have a problem with it now. If it was $15 a year again, that's a small price to pay per day or week, for entertainment.

In a word, NO!!

It's tough to pay for something that was free.

Remember, we have "The Kitchen Table Gang" group on Facebook to post/talk to folks that belong (Facebook is free).

No, I was on here when it was free and when it went to pay I wasn't, then when it went to free again, I wasn't on here for quite some time. I would miss you, but I would not pay.

Sue

Yes, I would. How much do you pay for a magazine subscription per year, for a magazine that you might read once and throw away? It would be nice, though, if we did have to go to pay to play, that those of us who paid the renewal just before it went free again, me included!, would have that taken into consideration, and have the rate adjusted for the first year. No, I don't want to give them any ideas, either, but wether we asked/answered this question or not, if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen.

Tami

Yes I would again. this is one of the better forums styles on the internet easy to read easy to post. got my money's worth before and would do it again.

Yes I would this is family.....Sometimes I post more then others and then like these past couple of weeks just read...but I would be lost without it! STacy

Sure.

Oh yes. Did it before and would do it again.

Susan

Depends on the fee.

I defintely would pay.

I'll probably get smashed for saying this...

But is this question really about the ads?

But is this question really about the ads?
lol...I gotta ask...What ads? I never see any.

I don't see any ads at all, but I use firefox for a browser and use adblock plus and it works. I haven't seen any green lines.

To clarify - the only ads I get are the 'sponsored links' when you go to make a new post. Annoying? Yeah, a little. I just got really annoyed yesterday when I was reading posts at both the Diet and Health forums and kept seeing the spammers trying to sell their goods. The spammers aren't going to pay to post - so that problem would be solved.

As far as anyone thinking that I've put an idea in GW's head.. I'm pretty sure they've already considered that and knew that that's the way it was here once upon a time. If that would be more profitable for them than the 'sponsored links', I'm sure they would already have changed over to pay-to-post forums.

Lydia (still in line with her $15. :-)

yes

yeppers...sure would!

I doubt it very much.

Probably not, but would keep in touch with a few people I've "met" on here.

I dont see green lines or ads.

Nope...not at all.
There are many, many other good free forums on cooking, gardening, homemaking, etc.
If it were possible, I would probably continue to read, but wouldn't miss being able to post.

Cream

Yep, had it free, had it paid, would pay again!
Kathy G in MI

Absolutely! Especially if it meant getting rid of the banners. I have a popup blocker but still see the side banners.

However, most free sites have ads, and these are less annoying than many other free sites.

Yeah, I would pay. But the ads don't bother me although their pages are getting quite busy (especially the front page).

To be honest, I really don't know. I don't participate here like I used to. I simply don't have time.

I've been here since the beginning, paid when it went to a "pay to play", and would "try" to pay if need be, but with the economy like it is, trying to help unemployed family, and us being retirees on limited incomes, it wouldn't be easy.

Mike, we've noticed you don't participate like you used to and I, for one, miss your regular posting. I do get a kick out of the few posts you've made recently though.

Linda

I dont think I would considering there are soooo many boards out there that are free....the last time they did that, someone paid for my first year...I used to be all over these boards, but when they changed to a paying board, the ppl I really related to all went to another board.free, until we found a place we really liked. Now I have my own board, but still looooooove coming here....it is so active and so fun all the time.you "HAVE" to come here every day or you miss posts..LOL I LOVE IT
http://debfrompa.proboards.com/index.cgi?/

You bet! I actually liked it when it was pay to play.

I paid before and surely would again. Where else can you ask (or search) about whatever you need to know among the many forums and get both help and useful info?

The Computer Forum alone keeps me out of trouble/repair shop. And I'm always learning something new from other members posts. Plus I enjoy the people, and enjoy seeing familiar names pop up in other forums.

No, I belong to several message boards, as well as facebook, and myspace. I don't spent that much time, at
the Kitchen Table, to justify paying to post.

Yes, I probably would pay to keep my chair at the KT!

I tend to doubt it

Probably ... as you all know how addicted I am to shooting off my mouth.

But it would depend some on the price ... which we have no guarantee would be at the same level as before.

That former price of $15.00 may look like $15.00 to you ... but it looks like close to $20.00 to Canadians (with no allowance for inflation).

My assets dropped by over 25% a while ago ... what do you think the possibility might be that, in the light of the recent economic shrinkages, they might be willing to charge more like US$10.00 for the service?

In any case ... in case they're flying a trial balloon .. they've just learned that a substantial number are willing to pay to play.

I would miss it if I chose to leave ... but ...

... in this case ... you can take it with you (the funds, that is)!

ole joyful

when this site first went to pay, I paid for one year and then realized that I just wasn't using it all that much.

I suspect I would find the same thing again - I tend to use the internet in spurts - especially "paying" sites - I just don't really seem to use them once I start having to pay for the priviledge.

I remember "spike" too - he seemed irritable all the time, to me anyway. I never had "personal" exchanges with him, but would read between the lines and figured out what was going on.
No, I wouldn't pay.

They would be dumb not to charge all of you now knowing that you would pay. I don't think I would although I did years ago. There are plenty of other options now.

Lisa - I counted 45 people as saying they would pay.. that would be $675. a year. I think GW is making way more than that with their sponsored links and ads (the ones most people don't see). If they kept the ads and asked us to pay, I wouldn't. It would have to be a trade off.

If they went to pay I'm sure they'd lose at least 3/4 of their readers/contributors. A lot of people at this forum would pay because this is more of a community than the other forums. I doubt many people who only post at the pets or health forum for example would pay.

Nope. Wouldn't pay. Too many other boards available.
I use Firefox and Adblock. Both free. No ads or popups.

When Spike took it to a pay to play forum he only did it to sselect boards, didn't he? I didn't think he did it to all the boards but may be wrong.

I wonder why so many folks complain about the ads and banners so much, along with things being slow to load.

Have you ever tied any of the numerous suggestions that are given repeatedly to be ad free and surf GW with no distractions? Did you try different things and they just did not work, or what? Since so many have problems with the ads and banners, you might try asking for assistance at Computer Help Forum They are a great bunch of folks who will help you until you can get the problem taken care of.

They would be dumb not to charge all of you now knowing that you would pay.
Not necessarily. If membership would drop, then the advertisers also would not being paying GW as much to advertise here. It would be a trade-off for them, imho.

I doubt many people who only post at the pets or health forum for example would pay.
I think most folks have several favorite forums here. I have about 25 saved to my Favorite Forum Folder that I either post to very regularly, or check on frequently and maybe just lurk, watching for some new good info.

At last! Someone remembers Spiko the way I do.

There was no rhyme or reason to Spike's decision making process. I was heavily involved in the Pool and Spa forum years ago when I was remodeling my pool. The forum would often times get heated, usually between the same 3 or 4 people. Unfortunately the ones that should have been banned were not and the decent, helpful folks were banned. He allowed one person who would continually attack and threaten others to stay and wreak havoc. We often thought it was Spike himself.

I would pay. I've made many, many friends here and learned a great deal from the KTer's. the day isn't complete without the KT fix.

Oh..the joys of Spike. Way back when I was doing an internet radio show and I posted that if anyone wanted to listen they could follow the link and instructions I provided. Spike thought I was sponsoring another company and BOOM...I was sent to Disney. Had to apologize and explain to Spike that i wasn't sponsoring. He did let me back but I had to watch what I posted for a long time.

For those of you who don't know....Spike had the KT set up that if he didn't like what you posted you were re-routed to the official Disney website everytime you went to the KT.. I think it stopped when we started saying we were going to contact Disney about it.

SamKaren
your resident DJ

I think it stopped when we started saying we were going to contact Disney about it.
I 'think' the Disney foolishness only stopped after iVillage bought him out. I often wondered if it was 'legal' for him to use Disney for punishment. If I had been Disney, I would have been upset.

We often thought it was Spike himself.
There were some that thought he was an older woman who needed a man in her life, if you know what I mean....lol

He allowed one person who would continually attack and threaten others to stay and wreak havoc.
I 'heard' he had his pets...probably the forum police, but they must have done a good job since so many loved the way the place was under his regime.

As far as I know, the trips to Disney stopped when Disney learned about it. They thought it made going to Disney seem like a punishment, so it was stopped. I remember reading that but of course can't source it now.

Unless Spike was pulling the wool over everybody's eyes he is a man. A married man as a matter of fact. He and his wife went to at least one of the KT Get-Togethers and their picture was posted here at the KT. He asked that it not be posted again because his wife didn't want it to be posted. When it was posted I copied it and still have it.

This was Spike's livelihood, his business, and I felt he had the right to make the rules. Same as my DH and I made the rules for our home; anyone didn't like them didn't have to be there.

Since I've just put myself in the line of fire, I have one more comment. I seriously believe anyone who owns a computer and pays for internet service, could surely come up with a few dollars a year, if the cost is the problem, to be able to enjoy and benefit by what is offered here with these 150 or so Forums.

Sue

Interesting discussion, I would definitely pay again, like I did in the beginning.
Some forums were free, others were not.

It would eliminate the spammers, some forums get a lot of them.

No, probably not. As others have stated why pay for something that you can get for free elsewhere.I didn't pay the last time because I didn't want to enrich Spike. He had his favorites, was as rude and nasty in his emails to forum members as he himself complained about and made rules about. As was stated before there was no rhyme or reason to his banning of members. A lot of times he did not even give the banned members notification. Just did it. Then there were the 3 different persona's. Well, 3 that I know of...Spike, Robert, and Carl. All the same person. And nope I never had a run in with Spike. Never sent to Disney. Never received an email. As I have said before he was great on the technical side of the computer but his people skills were a whole different story. NancyLouise

I was bored this weekend and started going through my 'favorite places" and logged onto the KT. After an hour or so of reading I thought to myself, why did I stop coming to this board? Then I found this post and remembered. I paid for one year and rarely logged on. Then I just stopped completely. I remember Spike, never had a run in with him but recall some annoying behaviour.