I'd like to quote something that adriennek said in a thread, about that joke "class system" I started: (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=24390&highlight=geek)

I really hope that anyone who comes to MousePad feels welcome here, no matter how long they've been registered, what forums they read, how often they do or do not post. I think every member is valuable, or can be, anyway. Just because someone is new or lurks, doesn't attend meets, or doesn't read every forum doesn't mean they are less important or less knowledgeable or less valuable.Hey! Then theirs Lani, with one of my other threads (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=16797&highlight=Polling):
MonorailMan -- one of our guiding community policies here is to try to avoid popularity contests and "who's better than X" comparisons. Such contests inevitably end up with disparating comments about some party, and others end up feeling left out because they are not mentioned.
We ask that you respect our community policy by not asking for the creation of a forum that by its very existence, encourages this kind of popularity contest environment. [That is, your request is denied.] You get my point. :mad: :crying:

Nothing I said has changed. I stand by my statement today. I hope anyone that comes here feels welcome. Everyone that comes here gets equal consideration.

The only thing that has changed, as AVP said, is that members who want features that require more resources, will pay for those resources to support those features. That's all.

We still treat members "equally". I won't be nicer to a paying member than a non-paying. I can't be bought. Nor will I be rude or unkind to a non-paying member.

Adrienne

I'm not sure I understand your argument, MonorailMan. My reply to you had to do specifically with your request to add polls to our boards. We still don't have that.

I'm not sure I understand what you think has changed or what the problem is MM. The decision to not have polls is a separate and different issue than the new subscriptions.

These subscriptions do NOT create a "class" system. If you choose to not subscribe, then you experience will not have changed. If you think that the avatars somehow intrude on you or are a class distinction, then you can quite simply turn them off in your User Control Panel. As far as the ribbons are concerned, I think you will see them go the way of the Dodo (strictly my prognostication based on the feedback thus far - mainly from subscribers).

Might I suggest you read this post (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?p=402243#post402243) from AVP on this very subject.

I get what you're saying, MM, but I don't agree.

I can only speak for myself, but the ribbons don't mean anything to me. I treat everyone with the same contempt I treat everyone with. :D

I don't think the payment thing is a class thing. I see it as a donation to a board that I spend 8+ hours on a day.

Just be happy it's not a pay only board. That truly sucks.

Isn't that funny, you can't turn off the ribbons. I can turn off the Avatars, but not the ribbons. Proves my point even more.

A good analogy:

All Disneyland guests are equal. If I pay for a Donald T-shirt, I get to wear it around the park, and others can see it. You wouldn't have one, unless you bought one yourself. Avatars are the same way.

All members are treated equally. What's the problem?

Edited to add - I do agree about the ribbons.

I wouldn't use "outrage" for my feelings. Overall, I've got no problem with the subscription service. In the long run, it will probably be a good thing. I have no issue with support MP or paying a premium for 'perks' (say, paying a large one time fee to get unlimited access to Disneyland?). I've got a minor quibble with the "ribbon" (which, for those who haven't caught on, is being discussed behind the scenes and may not last) for the same reason I don't purchase "Annual Passholder" sweatshirts. It's not "outrageous," but it's not something I'm particularly fond of right now. I'll see what decission is made about it and go from there.

My only problem is that the globes on the ribbons do not have the USA centered. How un-American.

:D


I can see the point about the ribbons. I think it should be something you could turn on or off.

FYI: My madness isn't about the paying at all. In fact, if they want to pay let 'em pay. However, I am mad over the Ribbons.

I agree with CP, and would actually pay, if the ribbons went away.

Another Analogy:
Take for example, if you had to walk around Disneyland with a huge "I'm an SoCal Annual Passholder", "I'm an Deluxe Annual Passholder", or "I'm an Premium Annual Passholder" t-shirt. People would treat each other differently, No?

(Words got the best of me on my OP) ;)

Isn't that funny, you can't turn off the ribbons. I can turn off the Avatars, but not the ribbons. Proves my point even more.
OKay, I have a ribbon, but see.. what I feel we ALL have to understand is that the people who wrote the code, or the program, didnt do it with padders in mind. THEY didnt know that we wouldnt like them.
So, as with any other new thing, your new car, your new pet, a new dress... we have to break it in and see what we dont like about it.
It's not always a 2 hour fix. Why cant we all back off and give them a chance to fix it, instead of harping?
personally, I dont want my ribbon, but I am willing to give them a chance to figure out code that they didnt write.
That's my opinion.

Give it a week and then complain some more.

People have jobs, you know.

As my dad would say, "Hold your horses. Keep your shirt on."

Or as I would say, "Dude, chill." But in text that just looks mean. You need the proper voice. :D

(Words got the best of me on my OP) ;)
You changed your sig... How come?

:(

You changed your sig... How come?Yeah MM, you sig has a flaw in it:
People with no ribbons, people who like their ribbons (but don't flaunt them), and the "I have a ribbon, darn it!" people. There are people that have them but don't like them. No one has said "I have a ribbon, darn it!" Where are you getting all this anger from?

And "MP Poverty"? Like Bill said, calm down, ok?

FYI: My madness isn't about the paying at all. In fact, if they want to pay let 'em pay. However, I am mad over the Ribbons.

I agree with CP, and would actually pay, if the ribbons went away.As I pointed out in the other thread, the largest message board in the world (ezboard) has this exact system in place.

If you're a paid subscriber, then you get a gold button next to your name, and which is up to your discretion on whether or not to display it. And we know that Tony is trying to see if the ribbons here can be made optional just like at ezboard.

However, over at ezboard, someone who is not a subscriber cause a forum's renewal rates go up for every page view and every post they make there. That's how ezboard deals with that expense. If a user isn't a subscriber, then ezboard passes on the expense to the board owners at the board's renewal time. And those page views cost the board owners thousands of dollars at renewal.

In fact, if people who are considered tremendous drains on the resources of a ezboard forum (because of multiple posts) do not have the support icon turned on, they usually get flamed or someone else buys their subscription for them because the board's continuing existence is important to the posters.

So, there is precedent for this. I'm sure the ribbon issue will get all worked out very soon.

Sheila

Here's why you can't turn off the ribbons:

We didn't think of it.


We had discussed it beforehand, and those some of the though expressed were brought up, it was generally thought to be a decent idea. We had to hack the system to put the ribbons there (something we don't like to do) and it didn't occur to us to further hack the system to allow people to turn them off.

But yes, it could be that this was a sinister plot to produce a MousePad underclass upon whom I could trod with open glee and apparent abandon. But I already had that, so probably not.

Since people are all expressing views, I will note that I don't like the ribbons either, but not because I have any concerns about a "class system" on the boards. Basically, I dislike them simply because I find them annoying. I'd like to see them go away for the exact same reason why I don't have avatars enabled.

If the ribbons were replaced by something much smaller, non-color, and/or simply text, I wouldn't have any issue when them at all.

-Jeff

But yes, it could be that this was a sinister plot to produce a MousePad underclass upon whom I could trod with open glee and apparent abandon. But I already had that, so probably not.Hail, mightly Lord and Master...please deal kindly with us! We are at the mercy your every whim! Aieeeee! <runs away from Alex's huge, iron-clad boot stomping down from the heavens>

Ok. I am really feeling stupid! What "ribbons" is everyone upset about and where do you see them? Sorry if this soundsl ike a stupid question...but I'm lost :(

Ok. I am really feeling stupid! What "ribbons" is everyone upset about and where do you see them? Sorry if this soundsl ike a stupid question...but I'm lost :(They were only around for one day. Anybody who subscribed got under their name.

Response from users drove Tony to replace them with just a line acknowledging subscribers.

Ok. I am really feeling stupid! What "ribbons" is everyone upset about and where do you see them? Sorry if this soundsl ike a stupid question...but I'm lost :(We had experimented with a "ribbon" icon yeasterday. This was replaced with a text line which reads "MousePad Subscriber."

That's why you can't see it - it's no longer there.

AVP

Response from users drove Tony to replace them with just a line acknowledging subscribers.

Be careful with the assumptions there... :D Staff are people too and while Tony made the adjustments and he works his tushie off for us doing that, he's not soley responsible for decisions about the ribbons being there or not being there.

Adrienne (Not taking credit, just not giving it all to the users or blame all on Tony.)

Be careful with the assumptions there... :D Staff are people too and while Tony made the adjustments and he works his tushie off for us doing that, he's not soley responsible for decisions about the ribbons being there or not being there.

Adrienne (Not taking credit, just not giving it all to the users or blame all on Tony.)Yeah, I didn't quite write that correctly. Basically, I was trying to get in how the popular concensus was to not have the ribbon (for a variety of reasons). Poor Tony, who I know is working his tuckus off on this recent upgrade, got stuck with the chore of changing it.

Thanks for the heads up Adrienne!

ok, guess that shows just how observant I am. I read the boards every day and hadn't noticed the change. At least I know I'm not going blind!! Thanks for explaining it.