Is Free Republic a Fraud? Is it time for Free Republic to go away?

Free Republic | 11/28/01 | Jim Robinson

[Native American Female Vet]

Just so there is no misunderstanding I meant it is time to donate not end FR. :-)

[macclim8ed]

I agree. Many of us have yearly magazine subscriptions we value, and/or subscriptions to other less interactive sites on the Net (newsletters and such). To me, $15-$35 a year sounds like a reasonable range to consider for all the fun we're having, friends we're making, and information we're sharing.

God bless you and God bless America!

[mercy]

What you say is exactly correct as to why FR should not have been a subscription site up untill about a year ago. The fact that it is not a subscription site now is the reason it is 40% useless fluff. There's just too much wasting of oxygen going on around here and it needs to be trimmed back. It will become a greater site when it becomes more EXclusive.

[onyx]

My screen in locked into FR 24/7.

Dues, subscriptions, etc., I'll happily pay!

[freeplancer]

I think it is time to charge a monthly amount. I would pay for it!

[mercy]

Eggs Ackley!

[El Cid]

I like your 'handle'. What area is your Church located?

[basil]

Jim, thank you for baring your soul, once again. I, as most freepers do, certainly know that you aren't "getting rich" off of this site--truth be told, you have probably spent a lot of your personal money to keep it going.

I can not even imagine life without FR--the thought is too horrible to contemplate.

Freepers, it each of you would send just a few bucks to keep it going, we wouldn't have these problems. We are not talking about people needing to make huge donations (although that would be nice--LOL)--but since there are tens of thousands of us, a few bucks from each one would go a long way to keeping FR in the red.

I have learned that a monthly withdrawal from my credit card is a painless way to give--and I don't even have to remember each month to send it in. I recommend this method.

Thanks, both Jim and John, for all you do. Please know that you are loved and appreciated.

[Dan from Michigan]

For all the BS you had to put up with from me lately without a ban or anything, I figured I'd donate. :)

[MozartLover]

*PING*

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

You made my heart stop. What would we do without The Guild!

[July 4th]

There are a few other things I've thought of since my last post.

First, Free Republic has quite possibly the largest knowledge base on the web. I do hundreds of Google searches every week, many unrelated to politics or conservatism, and Free Republic threads always come up somewhere. The information generated here is interesting and useful, and will continue to be. That said, someone does have to pay for it.

I know people love the fact that we don't really have banner ads, and that payment is purely optional. But if you can't meet your bills the way we're doing it, there have to be some other options. Here are a few ideas:

1. Banner ads
2. Flat monthly payment
3. Some kind of posting/bandwidth tariff
4. Solicitation of big-money donors, by FR management and/or members.

I think #3 has definite possibilities. The Madison chapter of the College Republicans does a Wisconsin fundraising mailing every year, not all that large, and comes up with a few thousand dollars. Something on a larger scale could be more successful. (There are also several high-net-worth conservatives who might be generous).

Anyway, if it needs to be done, we should do it. I think right now, it really seems like down-time on FR, even with 9/11 stuff. The utility of this site will be unparalleled in the 2002 election cycle. (Maybe the GOP would send some money?)

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Just so there is no misunderstanding I meant it is time to donate not end FR. :-)"

Duh! I knew that and I know Jim does also!

[Askel5]

It's not that I think he's got to hold to some higher standard based solely on the founding principles of this place and doesn't deserve to make a profit, I just don't think it a crime he doesn't. Strangely fitting, actually.

(And I'll admit I can't help thinking of him as the richest man in town. Working from home as member of some hugely successful Father & Son team to boot.)

What he should do is split the forum so he can load with ads or charge a "cover" for threads like Bikini-clad Babe Sick of shaking it with Santa ... wants a Nice Boy from Free Republic and make money off the FReeper rec room and bar where there would be no copyright issues associated with the posting of vanities and such that run over 700 posts.

[GeronL]

5. I'm curious to know what percentage of your costs is covered by ads

have you seen any ads??

[WIMom]

Hah! I guess I won't have to use the carpet bomb technique!!!

Hiya Willa!

[Trailer Trash]

Jim

I'll gladly pay a monthly fee for the privilege to post on this forum. Perhaps you guys could come up with a system to let anyone post a comment on a thread, but only members who pay can start a thread? Well worth it IMHO. Or maybe someone who pays gets a little gold star next to their screen name? Whatever it takes.

The idea that this forum may not exist is simply impossible to comprehend.

You have a check in the mail.

[AgThorn]

Hey Jimbo - you simply HAVE to keep it going ... Free Republic is a one of a kind "happening" (showing my age).

I am most curious though, being in the computer field, where the costs are going. I grasp your initial disclosure here on keeping two servers and a 10Mbps pipe active, but to me that is not that big of a system or pipe.

It would be nice to have a group of tech-heads on this forum (and last look there are a lot of them) to go over the transaction rates, pipe costs (glad their coming down), server loads, server costs, software makeup, etc.

Perhaps that is already being done, perhaps it can be done better.

I know that "too many cooks can spoil the broth" but I also know that "another pair of eyes is always welcome" (or something like that ... gotta get a new book on age-old sayings ... ;-)

[Bob J]

Jimis in charge and what are you talking about...

[July 4th]

Sorry, that should be #4 has possibilites.