It reeks of upset juvenile behaviour and they are not funny in AF, ET or otherwise.

When you see a whole page of ET that has been spammed with BS posts by the same Multi - enough is enough. Surely there is a way to filter them out.

No wonder most of the serious football discussion is moving away from FFT. Quantity doesn't equal quality.

Theoretically.. if someone wants to make a multi they'll make a multi, about the only thing that can stop it is moderator approved sign-ups, but even then that's sketchy in case you deny someone legit.

Where is this serious footbal discussino moving pray tell?

There is no easy way to prevent multiple accounts being created.

IP banning would assume IP addresses remain static, but there are few people on static IPs these days.

Another option is to ban the sign-up emails that have been used prior.

Or we could go to a forum where a mod has to approve comments before they are published?

Too tedious.

There's nothing wrong with making and using a multi for humorous reasons.

How would regulars feel about a token fee to post comments on the site?

This is NOT something we have planned - it's just something that came up at a social networking conference in London today.

A site in Prague started charging people 3 Euros a month to post comments on stories. All content was still free. It was hugely popular with users.

As a side issue, it also eliminated a lot of trolls.

As I say, we have no plans to do this. I'm just looking for feedback on the concept.

How about if we also created a dedicated iPhone forum app and threw that in as well for your token $3 or $5 fee a month?



Edited by Kevin Airs: 20/5/2011 12:54:50 AM

Interesting idea. Not sure it'd work in this case.

I recently stopped 1) subscribing and 2) participating in the forum for the Australian gaming magazine PC Powerplay, as a direct result of a completely screwed up forum migration. That's just an aside though.

Tampering with the userbase like this is something that I hope would be very seriously considered, and like you said you aren't planning it, just curious.

It's a gamble, right?

You need to offer something that nobody else offers in order to get that sort of subscription model working. Part of my e-commerce major was spent looking at this sort of thing and it really comes down to whether you have either; a fanatical userbase ala Apple, Salon.com, etc or an offering which nobody else can compete with for free (arguably the NY Times and similar in-depth media outlets)

I'm not sure if 442 is quite there on either count. Your stories are good, but what stops a Joffa on another site just cut and pasting with a quote and then starting a thread there for people to comment on? We do the same there here for TWG and the like.

I'd pay for a 442 iPhone app which bundled up stories, exclusive content (much like the iPad) into a smaller package which included a dedicated forum viewer for a phone.

But a charge to comment on your stories each month? My mind says no.


P.S - you're in London? Or one of your Haymarket UK colleagues?

Hmm. I'd probably pay it as I am quite regular on here, and I believe you'd retain the core fans in that sense, but you'd be at risk of losing a lot of people who just comment sporadically.

So I guess you have to decide whether having 50% less people commenting BUT making money from those 50% is better for you than having a lot of people. It would be controversial no doubt.

I'd be much more open to an iPhone app, probably in preference of a once off payment as opposed to subscription, but that's just me.

I agree 100% with all that f1dave has said.

I wouldn't be opposed to a nominal subscription for the site. If for example it was automatically included with a magazine/ipad subscription that would be worth it. Or if it was truely a nominal amount, like $1 or $2/month that would be fine. Once you go up to $3+ per month it wont feel quite so 'nominal' - but that is just me. Also if the fee was linked directly to website improvement - in other words all income generated by subscription were emarked for use at improving and developing web content - then that would also be attractive. utilising it for more server space, improved bandwidth, higher grade streaming content etc (for example utilising it to get a slice of the internet pie of the HAL, would be a coup for this site if there was a game of the round for the HAL streamed by the site and available only to subscribers).

There are lots of options, but it would fail badly if there was not a plan in place prior to its implementation and that plan would need to be made very, very well known to your users.

A monthly fee sounds interesting. Its a tough one as its a constant payment that would add up. I think for the forums, we just have to accept that we have multis and trolls. Its a sad thing but thats just how the cookie crumbles.

I would definitely pay for a forum app, but would be more open to a one off payment rather than a monthly subscription.

This this this.

I was seriously about to type this word for word.

I really don't think the problem with multis and trolls is anywhere near as serious here as other forums I go to. Making a bit of a mountain out of a molehill, really.

But as far as the other bit - I would definitely pay a fee to have a proper forum app on iphone/android (what's the point of one if you're not going to do the other?) that makes it easier to post from mobiles.

great minds and all that stuff

I wonder why you think that :-k

Absolutely no reason at all. :-"

The iphone app would be great, but i wouldnt pay for it. Also i wouldnt pay per month to use this forum. Just sayin.......

As a developer, that really shits me. Why would you spend $5 on a coffee or $1 on a Mars bar but not $0.99 on an iPhone app? Gah.

Its not that, I dont have a Credit Card so its the way of payment that bothers me. When i wanna buy a paid app, i buy an itunes giftcard. Its not like getting $1 to get a mars bar.

So buy a giftcard (you can usually get $40 card for $30 and other decent deals like that) or get a debit card. I don't have a credit card either.

is it really worth charging money for sake of making maybe $500 a month (i dunno how many users this forum has)jus saying

How can we take soccer blogging seriously if FIFA themselves are f..ked? Lighten up I say. The people at the top (both at FFA and FIFA) can't sort their sh.t out, so you expect us to behave?

No-one has said that on here yet!

I agree mate i love a good troll/multi adds some excitement to place

I say you sad whingers are just as annoying as the multis themselves, just harden the fuck up for fuck's sake. They're not doing any harm to this forum, and there is the occasional multi that is quite funny, seriously, why is this a problem.

Bit of an overreaction Gooner.. the only person who seemed to have a serious problem with it was the OP... KA's discussion about introducing a nominal fee had nothing to do with multis.

And there is a big difference between 'the occasional multi' and one person making dozens of multis and spamming the hell out of this place, and I understand why Mr was annoyed at the time.

:cool:

Where the fuck are you paying $5 for a coffee? :shock:

Is StudzUp a brilliant multi, or just a really bad indictment of mainstream football society?

Perth has the most expensive coffee in Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/29/3203848.htm?site=perth&source=rss

(and no, I'm not paying that, I'm in London)

Blimey, And I thought it was expensive in Sydney. It's about $4.00 here. I just hope it doesn't become like Beer. It's nice to see change from a fiver in a morning!

$2.50 for a large coffee FTW

And KA is asking for feedback on having a monthly fee lower than that $2.50 that you are probably spending 4-5 times per week.

That little coffee shop outside Bankstown Station, on the side where all the busses stop is the fucking best! $3.00 for a large, and when it's large, it's like a Vente sized from Starbucks (Vente was the biggest? I can't remember). And their Small cups, $2.80, is the size of most places "large".

Mad little Brekkie deal, small coffee and a cheese and spinach triangle for $5.00

THIIIIIIS!

Drink short blacks. /problem

Some people need to be a bit less obvious about their multis.

Not many people can impersonate being a fat IT worker in their mid 40's. It takes a special skill to do that.

Edited by diego's son: 28/5/2011 04:23:19 PM

post deleted.

Edited by diego's son: 29/5/2011 01:31:20 AM

Can't say I'm any of that. But good try anyway.

EDIT: You're new here, so I'll give you benefit of the doubt, but if you want to stay here, I'd suggest not abusing them with your first post.


Edited by Funky Munky: 29/5/2011 07:25:11 PM

Give it up Mr DC, I gathered enough information to work out it was you months ago. Let it go.

Edited by diego's son: 29/5/2011 09:52:45 PM

As a 'fat Mid-40s IT worker' I haven't been on here in months for a look let alone posting anything. The IT industry keeps me too busy. I'm only here now as someone told me you had been slandering me.

KA can have a look at the IPs and verify that OE has nothing to do with me.

Your evidence gathering skills have failed you, still, thanks for playing.

Huh? What are you on about, how could someone put together that the data lead to you. I was referring to another bloke with a "D", but that wasn't exclusively a "David".

Oh and how could someone “tip you off” and assume that all roads led to you, so quickly?...hmmm....

Anyhow, nice to see that you have self awareness and admit your physique and age on an internet forum, how brave of you.


Edited by diego's son: 30/5/2011 12:06:47 PM

Perth (mining boom flow on, etc)! And you can't get a mars bar here for a dollar either....

That's fucked. $3-$3.50 is the average price in Sydney. But you'll pay up to $3 for a Mars Bar.

Are your mars bars laced with Cocaine or something :lol: I only ever pay $1.50-$2 for a mars bar.

I would rather pay $5 for actual coffee in Perth than $3 for the swill they call coffee in Sydney.

Mate, can you seriously stop trolling? It's clear who you were talking about, and he didn't even reply to it very quickly. Just give it up, you're making yourself look stupid, and pretty stalkerish too.

KC, I’d strongly advise you to mind your own business in this instance.

DS


Edited by diego's son: 30/5/2011 02:48:58 PM

If you don't want it to be other peoples business, don't post it on an internet forum. Seriously, what has he ever done to you?

The vending machines and the newsagency at Uni sell for $3 :lol:. I usually don't eat them. More a Snickers fan.

Is there a petition I can sign somewhere to urge Kiwichick and DS to drop the knives and jump into the sack already?

You're not getting 'actual coffee' in Perth (bar one or two places) but you get some tasty stuff in Freo. Pity about all the 'socialists' with their $50 Che t-shirts.

I found a great place in a little arcade somewhere near the main mall place that I can't remember the name of.

You know the place, I'm sure.

Ewwww!

Kiwichick and DS in a tree...:-"

ok this thread's run its course methinks.