Supporter benefits?

[CircaRevival]

On another forum I visit if you support the forum the title under your name is changed from "member" to "$site Supporter" and you are granted access to an area of the site where only supporters can post and can talk about politics and whatever else. What do the powers above think about this for SOTW? Just a suggestion.:)

[Gandalfe]

After some serious consideration we have decided not to pursue this. The staff feels like it might create a them vs. us situation that would not be in the spirit of the forum as it stands today.

[awholley]

Acknowledging site supporters could, however, inspire others to do likewise, and the pat on the back of the title "Site Supporter" could make existing supporters more likely to contribute again...

[CircaRevival]

OK, thanks for the reply. In the other forum it's no biggie- once in a while an "inside joke" from the supporter area is mentioned...but I never got that vibe when I was just a "member". awholley has found the main point though.

[Pete]

You might not have been around for it, as some of our new mods weren't, but we turned on the Title system when we started this vBulletin incarnation of the forum (we voted on it) and were handing out titles on a whimsical basis. The reason why I stopped that (note: I was formerly an Admin here) is that TITLE HOLDERS weren't getting offended, but other people were offended that $poster got $title.

IMO, that would have been easily cleared up if it happened like this:

BOB: I hear you got a new title.
RAY: Yup. It says "Peashooter".
B: I'm offended by that. I'm gonna complain to Harri and the mods!
R: Chill, dude. I posted something amusing about Selmer Modele 22's being "peashooters" and then one of the mods sent me an e-mail asking if he could change my title to that.
B: So you're kewl wit dat?
R: Yup.

~ Life goes on. The SOTW Forum is a bit more whimsical. ~

Unfortunately, what happened was that the offended parties started posting a whole bunch of threads saying how they were unhappy.

Anyhow, if you specifically want a title, you might want to contact Harri or a mod. They might do it. There are still a few whimsically titled people on this forum ....

[CircaRevival]

It's not about the titles- I used to have one that I asked to be removed. (I got bored of it) :)

I'm just trying to bring in more support.

[Pete]

Understandable, but I do understand Gandalfe's point: all of the currently titled folks that are here have gained their titles because they did something extrodinary for SOTW in some way, shape or form. So, if I saw, say, paulwl post something and I was a newbie, I currently look at the title and say, "Hmm. Might wanna listen to him."

Anything else would be a paradigm shift that some folks might not be able to make.

I'd hate to think that someone would be ignored because he didn't contribute *financially* to this forum. Contributing your expertise is as good as contributing financially, unless the bill's due.

There was a thead, someplace, listing normal financial contributors. It didn't list the folks on the Mouthpiece Donation thread or the 100+ folks that bought 2006 Fundraiser calendars.

Anyhow. Just my opinion.

[SAXISMYAXE]

You might not have been around for it, as some of our new mods weren't, but we turned on the Title system when we started this vBulletin incarnation of the forum (we voted on it) and were handing out titles on a whimsical basis.
Actually I was here. I've been a member for many years (longer than my 2003 "saxismyaxe" account advertises), I simply wasn't a member of the staff at that time.:) Cheers.

[kcp]

It isn't about giving titles that we're affriad of, it's...

... and you are granted access to an area of the site where only supporters can post and can talk about politics and whatever else.

First, we don't want any discussion about politics on this forum.

Sencondly, as Gandalfe says we're affraid that granting access to a seperate, "special" area only for supporters might create a them vs. us situation.