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The send-a-link feature
The recent discussion on improving LWN's readership led to one clear action
item: the addition of a feature which would allow subscribers to create
special links which they could use to point out interesting articles to
non-subscribers. These links would bypass the normal subscription gate,
allowing articles to be read while they are still current.
That feature has been implemented, and is now active. There is no limit on the number of links a subscriber may create, and no limit on how many people may read an article via a given link. A few caveats do apply, however:
Privacy stuff and details: for each link, we track who created it and the number of hits it receives. That information will go away some time after the link expires - which happens when the relevant article becomes freely available. The links are constructed in such a way that they will continue to work forever. Currently, following a subscriber link leads directly to the article in question; in the future, we might throw in some sort of encouragement to subscribe. We are most interested to see how this new feature - which was driven by requests from our subscribers - works out. (Log in to post comments)
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 5:05 UTC (Thu) by Duncan (guest, #6647) [Link] Good job!Now that the feature is available, I'll have to see just how often I find to use it. (Hopefully my need to use it doesn't disappear now that it's available! <g>) I've no argument with it being project lead plus only, and will almost certainly upgrade for the privilege, next time I need it (particularly if that aggregate hit tracking number is made available, so I can see if my link gets any takers, and therefore is worth the upgrade). With this in place (and with at least single-use links available for standard level subscribers), I've no objection to a 10-day (my favorite, due to the implications of making the content available on a weekend) to 2 week subscription blackout period. ... OT for this specific article, but on topic for the general series, and the question (set) just occurred to me... The idea of gift subscriptions has come up before, and if I'm not mistaken the option is available. What's the status of that? How many such subscriptions have there been, and do they tend to renew either as continued gifts or regular subscriptions? <Checking, yes, $30/6-mo, $54/yr., gift certs w/ emailable/printable redemption code.> Do you find standard level subscribers springing for gift subscriptions or upgrading to project lead level first, before they go gift? ... Just weighing the merits of possibly surprising the lead programmer of a favorite piece of software for Christmas, vs. upping my own subscription to project lead... Such a gift might kill two birds with one stone, supporting two of my favorites! =8^) Maybe an article covering this would be timely? =8^) Duncan
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 6:22 UTC (Thu) by lutchann (subscriber, #8872) [Link] It should be noted that the subscriber link capability is disabled for this article, so project leaders will have to go to other articles in the weekly edition to test the new feature.
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 14:59 UTC (Thu) by corbet (editor, #1) [Link] Actually, the feature isn't disabled - I've not hacked up the "disable" capability yet. I just didn't bother to make this article subscriber-only...the site doesn't offer "send a link" for freely available articles.
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 20:26 UTC (Thu) by iabervon (subscriber, #722) [Link] It might be good to have free pages link to a page that contains their normal URL (with a note that it isn't actually a subscriber link), just so subscribers don't have to do things differently depending on whether the page they're trying to send to someone is free or not.
(I didn't know you could have non-subscriber articles that aren't ever on the front page. Learn something new every day, I guess.)
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 8:51 UTC (Thu) by evgeny (subscriber, #774) [Link] > It would, however, be interesting to hear what people think of keeping subscriber links as a differentiating feature for the high-level subscriptions.
Wouldn't it contradict the very idea of implementing such a feature? It was meant as a way to disseminate the awareness of LWN in the community, wasn't it? and now you want to restrict this channel of advertisement. Better, you can differentiate the price. E.g. "project leaders" get this for free, while normal subscribers have to pay e.g. one day of subsription per link posted.
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 9:54 UTC (Thu) by lacostej (subscriber, #2760) [Link] Completely agree. The only reason I would use this feature is to send it to people so that they can see it and maybe subscribe to the site. So making this a feature only available to high level subscribers limit the range of potential referers.
Some ideas:
- these linked pages should maybe contain ads (in a way that shows that these adds are not part of the offer if you are a subscriber). After all you are giving content away for free.
- these linked pages should have a link for quick subscription, e.g. maybe with the first week free. I.e. the person sees the links, has a "want to try free for a week?" link, subscribe, and can see the latest week for free. Only works if you never registered before of course.
- the quick subscription should maybe reference the person that passed the link on. Getting a new subscriber to pay for a year could for example extend the original sender's subscription of a week or 2.
Today is all about networking :)
With regard to the link, I have a groups of friends to which I send interesting Linux related links. What happens if I send this list to several people (e.g. through a small (10 persons) mailing list)? Will only the first person that click on the list be allowed to read the content? Is that a non-allowed used of the feature?
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 10:05 UTC (Thu) by remijnj (subscriber, #5838) [Link] With regard to the link, I have a groups of friends to which I send interesting Linux related links. What happens if I send this list to several people (e.g. through a small (10 persons) mailing list)? Will only the first person that click on the list be allowed to read the content? Is that a non-allowed used of the feature?
The article says: So there seems to be no problem with that usage.
"project leader" level differentiation Posted Nov 3, 2005 12:01 UTC (Thu) by jbw (subscriber, #5689) [Link] I think there should be some kind of "project leader" level differentiation, even if it is a trivial feature. If there was, I would subscribe at the "project leader" level. By not having a "project leader" level feature, you are losing $54 from me each year.
It is not clear that this is the right feature to reserve for the "project leader" level. I agree with the point that this feature could help to bring in more subscriptions, and hence should be available to all subscribers.
"project leader" level differentiation Posted Nov 6, 2005 20:17 UTC (Sun) by jabby (guest, #2648) [Link] I disagree. I think that you should give what you can afford and not hold back as a means of leverage against a service that you value. I also think that it would be discriminatory against people who just can't afford to subscribe at higher levels. Anyone who subscribes is a valuable member.
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 17:07 UTC (Thu) by ordonnateur (subscriber, #6652) [Link] Renewed my sub at project leader level last month, nice to find there is a reward for virtue :-)
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 21:30 UTC (Thu) by yodermk (subscriber, #3803) [Link] I also agree that the feature should be available to "regular" subscribers, especially since the point is to familiarize more people with LWN.
I could personally use it, and I probably won't be a "project leader" anytime soon, at least not until I'm back in the States with a regular salaried job. Right now I work with a nonprofit in Ecuador. I work with several other IT folks from my organization around the world, and there have been a few times when I've wanted to send them an LWN article. Sometimes I did after it became free, sometimes I forgot.
I also think it's just fine to add a subscription nag, perhaps to the top of the page somewhere.
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 3, 2005 21:42 UTC (Thu) by corbet (editor, #1) [Link] The feature will almost certainly be made available to all subscribers, likely within a week or so. I think I agree that this is not the feature to use to differentiate the higher-level subscriptions.
The send-a-link feature Posted Nov 4, 2005 16:50 UTC (Fri) by pdundas (subscriber, #15203) [Link] You could make "ad-free" links or a greater number of sendable links the differentiator between PL and normal subscriber versions of the feature.
But we're getting perilously close to creeping featurism, I fear.
Where is the "send a link" line? Posted Nov 4, 2005 6:43 UTC (Fri) by lafcadio (subscriber, #1632) [Link] Maybe it's late and I'm running low on coffee, but I don't see a "send a link" line (somewhere on the left column?). Am I missing it?
I just verified my subscription level is project leader.
What gives?
Michael
Where is the "send a link" line? Posted Nov 4, 2005 14:36 UTC (Fri) by corbet (editor, #1) [Link] It will be in the left column when you are looking directly at the article of interest. You won't see it in the weekly edition columns, and you won't see it on articles which are not under subscription control. Hit the "comments" link below the article of interest to get there.I could, maybe, arrange for "send a link" to also appear in the weekly edition presentation, at the bottom of the article (next to the "comments" link). I'll have to think on that.
Where is the "send a link" line? Posted Nov 4, 2005 14:49 UTC (Fri) by lafcadio (subscriber, #1632) [Link] Cool, I see it now. It's not entirely obvious that one needs to go to the comments page in order to send a link. Once there, it works nicely.
Thank you!
m
Just upgraded Posted Nov 4, 2005 9:58 UTC (Fri) by zmi (subscriber, #4829) [Link] Hi, I upgraded my account to project leader, just to have that "post alink" feature. So it brings you money already. Maybe a good info for others: My subscription would have been until about April, the upgrade (done in 1 second) reduced that to January - seems to work :-) what should be done on such personal links: - display that page with ads to earn some money - display my name on it, and that I recommend the reader to subscribe to LWN - offer a subscription directly on that page. Very good feature, hope it helps you. mfg zmi
Just upgraded Posted Nov 4, 2005 16:27 UTC (Fri) by zooko (subscriber, #2589) [Link] What about one of those social marketing deals? How about if I send someone an article, it comeswith a link that says "Click here to subscribe to lwn.net for as low as $5/month. We'll give you one month free and we'll give ''Zooko O'Whielacronx'' one month free as a reward for signing you up.". Or one week free, or a gold star on your lwn account page, or something. The point is to take advantage of people's natural socialization to bring in new subscribers.
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