Supporters section?

[ivan747]

Yes, the amazon affiliate thing actually brings in a fair bit of money. It's an easy way to support the blog if you happen to buy stuff through Amazon. I get 6% on each transaction, and that doesn't come out of your pocket.

I really recommend you update the store. It's been the same since I discovered the blog back when you were on episode ~120. Lotss of things have changed, the DS2000 series is an example. The AM-220 is surpassed by the AM-500 series and the FX-888 is discontinued.

Do you get benefits if we mention EEVBlog to our sponsors? I did when I got the DS1102E from Saelig, so I'm curious.

[alm]

To find out what I am missing I'll just have to start dumb drawn out threads about PC problems or assembler vs. C or something. My previous post about Kiriakos-GR was attempting to demonstrate that post count != useful contribution.

Sure, but there is at least some relation between post count and useful contributions. I'm sure we can all easily name some counter-examples, both positive and negative, but what other metric would be easy to apply (post count is probably even built into the forum software)? Counting the number of useful contributions without some sort of external input (eg. upvoting) is a non-trivial AI problem.

[Rerouter]

i myself hold noting against the section, mainly due to the post count entry requirement, in practice its very close to whirlpool forum's pool room, for that you need a certain amount of posts, to have been a member a full year and to have a positive rating from other users, inside it is more or less non public discussion and things that doesn't quite fit the rest of the forum, and there is never anything stopping a thread from being remade on the public side of it,

1000 posts seems a bit high but it makes it clear that you have stuck around as an active member, or that's how i see it,

[EEVblog]

Looks like something is going wrong with the subscription system in SMF. I am getting error messages and some accounts not activating.
"Paid subscription handler could not recover member ID" is the error message.
I think it might be that people are using different email addresses for their paypal account and their forum account, and the system can't verify them or something like that.
If you have paid and your account wasn't automatically upgraded to "Supporter" (see this under your name in the left of your posts) then please contact me with your forum name and I'll have to add you manually.

[EEVblog]

But how about just adding a sub domain to the eevblog with link script to your forum database that just daily scrapes the eligible users from your existing forum db.  Taking that approach does ensure that the EEVBlog maintains the same 'feel' that it always had while at the same time giving you the freedom to present whatever it is you end up doing for the eligible users in whatever format you like, without another domain etc.  Hey, have you reviewed your hosting agreement?  Do they have a limit on subdomains you can have? What about email accounts? You could offer a free blog with free subdomain.... let them worry about content.... 

a) I have no idea how to do that (the scraping database etc part). Subdomains is not the problem, I own the dedicated server, I can have 20 zillion subdomains if I want.
b) people already use the forum, so it is convenient for them to have it there.

[EEVblog]

OK, sorry folks for taking the cynical view of this new section when I saw it and the requirements to get in. I now understand that Dave's intent was not as I had thought. I can see the desire to give back to his community through some kind of "giving back" for contributions in money or posts. I think the threshold for posts is way too high and some people have contributed greatly with their first post here, with software or hacks or other things.

Sure, but were does that end? It would end up that half or more of the forum had access, so then what's the point? 

[EEVblog]

OK, sorry folks for taking the cynical view of this new section when I saw it and the requirements to get in. I now understand that Dave's intent was not as I had thought. I can see the desire to give back to his community through some kind of "giving back" for contributions in money or posts. I think the threshold for posts is way too high and some people have contributed greatly with their first post here, with software or hacks or other things.

Sure, but were does that end? It would end up that half or more of the forum had access, so then what's the point? 
I could of course have it ONLY for financial donors of course, or ONLY for the big contributors, but then I'll get complaints form both camps.

[EEVblog]

Sure, but there is at least some relation between post count and useful contributions. I'm sure we can all easily name some counter-examples, both positive and negative, but what other metric would be easy to apply (post count is probably even built into the forum software)? Counting the number of useful contributions without some sort of external input (eg. upvoting) is a non-trivial AI problem.

We have gone though this on the forum before, using the Karma system, and voting up posts etc. But it's agreed by most that this was a bad thing, so it was removed.
Yes, post cost is built into the forum software - reach X posts and you will be able to see the new board automatically.
I chose 1000 because there are currently 31 people over that limit, and it seemed like a good "exclusive" type number. If I lower that to say 250 (the current limit for "Frequent Contributor"), then that rises to 146 people. Lower it to 50 (Regular Contributor) and add another 424 people.
There are another 2162 people between 5 and 50 posts.

[EEVblog]

More seriously - I'm not against a paid for section (Dave has to eat, after all) but there is a risk that expectations will be raised considerably and then be difficult to meet. I know that some people have already donated and so extra content would be a bonus for them but there will be more and more people that pay, then expect premium content. As Dave is not an infinitely stretchable resource there is a danger that he comes under pressure to produce premium content to the detriment of the forum at large.

Make no mistake, this is NOT going to be "premium" content. Anyone who has already paid thinking, I will happily refund your money.
If I do end up producing "premium" (or separate paid) content I've talked about a bit, then no one will get it unless they pay for that content on it's own. It will likely be on a different web site that handles paid content.
If anything, any extra content for the supporters will be "sub par" content. Because as you say, to produce regular (edited) content a small number of paying "supporters" will definitely be to the detriment of everyone.

How about this, the ONLY benefit you can expect from your supporter contribution is 4 gold stars under your name on the forum, and access to the private forum section. That's it. Anything else will be an unexpected bonus.

I would consider setting the contribution lower so that it comes in under people's "don't mind whatever happens" threshold - for me $25 is above that. As to an actual amount I'd be willing to pay - perhaps £10 ($16 or so) but it's going to be different for everyone.

Yes, it will be different for everyone.
Lets look at the math:
If 1000 people sign up (and renew) at $25, that's $25K/year (minus paypal fees and say 30% tax). I would consider that a really upper level number. I don't realistically expect to achieve that many people "donating". And based on current donation numbers, certainly not.
So lets say it's 250 people instead. That's $6250/year (minus fees and taxes).
If I lowered that to say $15, then it's $3750/year.
Clearly I'm not going to get rich from this.

[BravoV]

Sure, but there is at least some relation between post count and useful contributions. I'm sure we can all easily name some counter-examples, both positive and negative, but what other metric would be easy to apply (post count is probably even built into the forum software)? Counting the number of useful contributions without some sort of external input (eg. upvoting) is a non-trivial AI problem.

Love the idea of voting from the forum members for those exceptionally members that have not reached the post counts but contributed tons of knowledges, their time & patience, proven of generously helping out noobs a lot.  Imho, these people are actually kind of like the blood of this forum, without them, the forum will be just a dry & boring place.

Just checked few names that have not reached 1000 PC, just a few came out from my brain :

- w2aew (Alan) , our resident scope's teacher 
- jahonen
- tekfan
- Lightages
- Rufus 
- Conrad Hoffman
- Jay_Diddy_B
- AcHmed99

... and a lot more ...

These are not an exhaustive list, and these names definitely get my vote.

[ddavidebor]

Sure, but there is at least some relation between post count and useful contributions. I'm sure we can all easily name some counter-examples, both positive and negative, but what other metric would be easy to apply (post count is probably even built into the forum software)? Counting the number of useful contributions without some sort of external input (eg. upvoting) is a non-trivial AI problem.

We have gone though this on the forum before, using the Karma system, and voting up posts etc. But it's agreed by most that this was a bad thing, so it was removed.
Yes, post cost is built into the forum software - reach X posts and you will be able to see the new board automatically.
I chose 1000 because there are currently 31 people over that limit, and it seemed like a good "exclusive" type number. If I lower that to say 250 (the current limit for "Frequent Contributor"), then that rises to 146 people. Lower it to 50 (Regular Contributor) and add another 424 people.
There are another 2162 people between 5 and 50 posts.

500?

[lemmegraphdat]

Free side and subscriber's side. Thing is that there is a hell of a lot of good stuff on the free side already. Premium content is gonna be a tough one.

[Dennis]

Dave,

Perhaps if you threw in a registered copy of "Dave CAD" for all paid supporters it would go down a bit easier

I can honestly see both sides, but I don't know why all the banter is going on about it.

If it is needed to keep the blog running then, "Que Sera, Sera"

[EEVblog]

Thing is that there is a hell of a lot of good stuff on the free side already. Premium content is gonna be a tough one.

Yes, that's why I've been putting it off for so long 
I'm doing ok financially at present, so no pressing need to do premium paid content.
If I suddenly lost a lot of advertisers and the forum sponsor, then I'd have no choice but to jump on it, or go back and get a real job.

[EEVblog]

Perhaps if you threw in a registered copy of "Dave CAD" for all paid supporters it would go down a bit easier

I planned to get some DaveCAD pads printed at one stage!

[ivan747]

Perhaps if you threw in a registered copy of "Dave CAD" for all paid supporters it would go down a bit easier

I planned to get some DaveCAD pads printed at one stage!

If you made like an A4 sized notepad with the classic schematic frame and DaveCAD on it, it would be awesome. Just imagine a video with Dave drawing stuff on a yellow sheet of paper with the DaveCAD "logo" printed on it.

[Corporate666]

I am fully in support of additional paid content if Dave decides to go that way.  I don't believe it would (or need to) take anything away from the free side.  It's sort of like having a job, then getting a second part time job.  As long as you perform your main job as agreed, what business is it of theirs if you are moonlighting at night?

In this case, if Dave decided to do some additional paid stuff (not sure what it would be), I would have no problem with it.  There are other perks that could be afforded to paid supporters too - for example, put up a poll in the paid section and let supporters vote on what the next "Fundamental Friday" topic will be.  Does nothing to harm the free members, but gives a tiny amount of extra benefit to payers.

Maybe there is even some opportunity to have site sponsors offer additional goodies, like "extra 5% off any Rigol scope at ABC Co, for EEVBlog Supporters".

Another possible goodie might be to let supporters have avatars, or allow supporters to plug their businesses/websites in their signature (i.e. make signatures only available to supporters).

[nuhamind2]

A t-shirt that say "I support EEVBLOG" 

[EEVblog]

All good ideas Corporate666. Takes nothing away form using the forum, but adds a few little bells and whistles for the supporters.

[Mechatrommer]

sorry i skipped page 3-5. but dave, have you considered monthly donator? even as punny as $1/mth. i think weight should be put more on it since it is more "long term" instead of one-time $25, which is more temporary and short-term.

[EEVblog]

If you made like an A4 sized notepad with the classic schematic frame and DaveCAD on it, it would be awesome. Just imagine a video with Dave drawing stuff on a yellow sheet of paper with the DaveCAD "logo" printed on it.

It would have to be just for my own use, becase I costed it out, and its just not economical to sell them. Postage would cost more than the pad, and paper is heavy. Then if I used it, I'd get a constant flood of email asking for one.

[pickle9000]

Dave, You should do a pdf for the "Official DaveCAD" paper that way people could print their own.

[ddavidebor]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiceeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[glatocha]

Generally I would advise everybody to make some donations. He is doing it for us. And we like it. Any electronic book costs ~100$. I think you get a lot more information here.

Keeping in mind that Dave will not do any - for supporters only - video. I like the idea of special section. If it push people more to the donations. It is ok for me.

I was thinking, maybe Dave can publish here some of his projects. Some of his previous publications (if copyrights allow).

[GeoffS]

Perhaps any future Competitions could be restricted to members who qualify for the Supporters Section?

Much better odds on winning which might be an incentive for others to sign up.