Supporting memberships

[mosc]

As time marches on our site is becoming more popular. The load on our servers is always increasing, and we are continually looking for new services. The most recent addition is the audio conferencing software, Venrtilio, http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-38767.html. We are in need of upgrading our servers from a single dual processor to double servers, one a new quad processor. This will provide superior performance by splitting the database and the web servers. It will also provide some redundancy in case of a hardware failure.

All this costs money. Many members have been very generous and have made donations via the widget on our front page. Most of the people that use electro-music.com to sell DIY products have donated all or some of the proceeds to electro-music.com. Thanks everyone. While we are more or less breaking even, we could offer better service with more operating funds.

I'm thinking of setting up some sort of premium, or supporting membership. This would cost some small monthy or annual subscription fee, like $5 or $10 a month. It would provide some extra stuff for our members. I'm thinking:

An email addres - username@electro-music.com
A private or artists forum
A personal front page, like electro-music.com/username
Increased storage for attachments

There are other ideas I have, but they would take a bit of time to hack into the software.

Perhaps the most important benefit would be the great feeling you would get knowing you were helping to support electro-music.com as a sustaining member.

What are your thoughts on this? Are these features I mentioned above of value to you? Would you be willing to support our community in such a way?

Any thoughts and ideas are much appreciated.

Before we continue this discussion, let me say that I wouldn't ever want such a system to keep out people that couldn't afford to subscribe. Thus, I'm thinking that perhaps the best thing would be to make the premium membership voluntary, and the exact amount of the "dues" to be voluntary as well. Some of us could afford $100 per month much easier than others could afford $1 per month.

[Muied Lumens]

I am up for supporting electro-music, premium or not.

That said, an e-mail sounds great, and paying for extra storage is no different from what you get at other sites anyway.

[klangumsetzer]

hello howard,

i am with you on all points.
i too think that the monthly amounts should be voluntary so that premium doesn't become elitist.
you can count on my support.


best regards

eike
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[Antimon]

An artist's page sounds like a cool idea, though I'd sign up for a voluntary subscription with or without any extra features.

One thing to consider might be the support of these extra functions. It's one thing that the site goes down a day or two when it's a completely free thing that everybody is just happy about having - it may be another thing (for some) if something you've paid for doesn't deliver. This concern is double-edged - it may put extra pre-emptive stress on you who manage the site, and it might also cause extra badwill from those who pay and don't get what they expect. While I don't really think that kind of badwill would stand a chance here as it is today, things may change and new services may attract new people who don't look at electro-music.com the way we do today.

Just a bit of Devil's advocat stuff from me. I'm sure this could work splendidly. And you know much better than me what the demands on management here are and will be.

/Stefan

[modulator_esp]

I'd be up for paying a bit towards helping keep the site running regardless of any extra stuff, as I already get lots out of electro-music.com

[nobody]

While I get a lot out of hanging out on EM, I have to be honest and say that getting extra stuff for even a voluntary membership fee of an unspecific amount makes me uncomfortable. I realise I am in the VAST minority (probably - maybe I'm wrong) but all things money make me very uncomfortable. So many things are wrong with modern society because of money. I would honestly like to not see EM all monied up. I would, however, happily make a contribution now and then for certain things (server breaks down, everyone pitches in for a new one) and contribute time - I have far more time than money. Knowing that some people can pay even $1 a month and get a little something extra when I might not be able to would give me a weird vibe and detract from my experience here. And that would suck!

This is a site full of wonderful artists who clearly do this for the love of it. I truly believe that all members at all times should get what everyone else gets and those of us who can give money will when the need arises (if I can, that includes me).

As far as upgrading the server goes, check out geeks.com. I have had good experience with them. A wealthy (but EXTREMELY frugal) friend of mine has spent tens of thousands of dollars with them (on this site that is a LOT of effing stuff!) and recommends them highly (he could just buy whatever wherever, but no - he recognises the value of his dollar and knows he's getting quality). Geeks may - and probably will if you just keep checking - have something you can use for a server upgrade. You may be able to get a better server for anywhere from $100 - $500, and I'm sure we have enough people here to help pay for it by asking a one-time $1 from everyone.

[Skrog Productions]

I would support a voluntary contribution towards the site upkeep, also, ideas for making a visit to the store a fresh experience.......

It would be great to see some handy smaller pcb's (simple quad lfo / waveshapers / dividers, etc ) available at the store, i realise pcb designs take a while to get to the 'for sale' stage and need initial funds for proccess.

But , if there are more cool pcb's on sale , i will definitely buy.

Maybe a simple cheap t-shirt for the main radio streaming concerts (EM2010 / NYE and/or equinox).

How about having a double compilation cd in a card slip available after any future radio streaming events with agreed chunks of music from each artist. hand designed cover from a member good with art, 2x CDr $10 inc p&p , i'd pay that. Yes, artists upload their sets sometimes but a physical release in your hi-fi feels better (and that's not a rude reference to an audiophile )

The DIY builders should submit an audio track each for a non serious fund raising cover versions cd only available to EM members only, that would be an eye opener .

Dave.

[Airlock]

I support a subscription if it comes to that, but I would like an alternative to PayPal to do it if possible. I bought 2 CD's from the store today after seeing this thread, but there's not much else there I'd buy for now.

[RF]

Sometimes all it takes is letting people know there is a need....

bruce

[droffset]

Either way, I'm happy to support the site. This place is full of great people and has advanced my understanding of so many topics it's amazing.

I'd be interested in seeing some expanded DIY offerings in the store as well though. My backlog is shrinking!

[Inventor]

I pay GoDaddy close to $100 a year for my web space which gets about 1,000 hits a month. I'd much rather see that money go to electro-music, so I like the ideas presented here.

Also in the future I'd like to sell my music. The free albums that I've released on ocp's netlabel have totaled over 1,000 downloads, so I know that people are listening. Would there be some way to do something like a music store for this - where people could buy mp3's instead of CD's? Just another idea.

Les

[mosc]

[mosc]

[mosc]

[nobody]

[Inventor]

Hey audiodef, I don't know what account I have, but it is $6.99 a month. It's a linux virtual hosting plan or some gibberish like that. I also pay $11.99 or so a year for the domain name. That adds up to close to $100 a year. I'd switch to a cheaper plan if I knew about it, but it looks like soon I'll be switching to an electro-music account maybe, so we'll see.

Les

[Danno Gee Ray]

Les,

If you sell your albums with other people's lyrics on them, you will need to compensate those whose lyrics you use. I would donate such compensation to electro-music.com in the case of my lyrics, others would need to make such decisions on their own.


Dan

[Inventor]

Yes, good point Dan. I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks for mentioning it.

Les

[destroyifyer]

Perhaps an open source, original sample forum would be nice. I had the idea of an open souce song forum, but this is further down the line when the terabyte of tomorrow is the gigabyte of today. For now I am officially suggesting an open source sample forum with a good moderator or two to delete static and obsolete samples. Enough could be mustered to throw together into sample packs perhaps. This would support the idea of the premium membership. Wouldn't want people just grabbing our hand-crafted samples like we're their drum sample crafting slaves, if they contributed nothing to the site. This would be nice especially for drum samples because usually when you see sample packs for sale they are often either samples of vintage drums or they are recordings of acoustic drums. I'll even admit that sample-based drum design is time consuming and not for everyone. This would give members a chance to use original drum samples without them being out there for the world at large for the most part to grab-and-go.

[Uncle Krunkus]

I for one am very behind on my "donations". I still owe for my MPS prototypes and Softpot prototype, both of which I promised a similar price as the final boards to be sent to the E-M donation box. Even though I have a new job, I'm still baulking at actually putting some cash on my Visa for them.
So I s'pose I'm one of those people who could not afford to make any type of regular donation, no matter what extras may come my way. I don't actually have time to use any of the things you mentioned Mosc. That's not to say they are bad products. Just that I have no use for them.
I would, however, like to make the donations I have already promised, and agree with the principle of users making more donations, based on the services they use.

[klangumsetzer]

just to clarify: i do not need any extra services - i like the site as is. however, a subscription service or reminder would help me remember.

if you should go the pbs route i of course will become a gold member to get the tardis-look alike usb hub.


best regards

eike
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[mosc]

[klangumsetzer]

[Airlock]

[Inventor]

Yeah, it might be a good idea for us to get together and create various electro-music downloadable products including sample packs, albums, circuit board design files, music programs, etc. Sort of a "Best of electro-music" collection of products available on CD or download would be great IMHO.

Les