LWN: Comments on "A new era for LWN"

A new era for LWN

phubert — Wed, 23 Oct 2002 16:34:18 +0000

Yeah, I bought a Linux mug from some site ..ahhh ON THE MUG: www.linux.org .. but the darned thing was too small to USE... gotta be 16 oz.

O.K. lwn.net, you wanna sell mugs for support: make them BIG ..please?

I gave away 5 or 6 of the linux.org mugs .. but no one else is using them, either.. see my point?

Perhaps the Tux Gallery could provide some inspiration for mug designs?
(Yeah, I DON'T know if that would be practical .. but if it IS.. I may have hit on a new source of revenue for lwn.. right?)

Just wanted to say that cookie handling works

TheOneKEA — Wed, 09 Oct 2002 01:30:44 +0000

Mozilla 1.0.1 is now fully supported with cookies; LWN's cookies stay in my cache and log me in when I come to the site. Great job y'all :)

A new era for LWN - Please offer yearly lump sum subscriptions!

ortalo — Tue, 08 Oct 2002 12:42:02 +0000

I have been given access to the October 3 edition, and I'd be happy
to extend it, but is it possible to "extend a subscription" for more
than one month?
As a non-US (european) reader, I suspect that my bank will charge some
money for the euro/dollar currency exchange. I'd rather keep that
cost low in proportion of the total subscription cost (whoever
pays it: LWN.net or me :-).

I'd really like to go to a 6 month or 12 month subscription extension.
(And I promise I will be reasonable and not extend too much so that
you do not get too much money too fast... :-))

Possible to get a bill?

zmi — Sat, 05 Oct 2002 19:28:52 +0000

OK, that should be enough for the finance. I didn't go that far in the beginning, because I was not sure that this will be there.

You should do something on that: A lot of developers could have their company pay the subscription, but they would need a bill on paper, with an account number where money can be transferred to. A lot of companies here in Europe do not have credit cards, so that's for sure a big problem right now. Fix that, and you might have a lot of other subscriptions.

I subscribed for 6 months at once now, because I dislike to pay always a litte bit (in fact, it would cost me more because my finance advisor bills me per booking line). If in 6 months you still exist, I will book for another year.

Good luck, and greetings from Austria/Europe,
zmi

Congratulations!

dlpierson — Wed, 02 Oct 2002 15:27:47 +0000

As a survivor of a website .com, I have some idea how hard it was to
make this decision. Hope my $10 a month helps.

One quibble on account creation -- I left the "what type of development
do you do?" unanswered because you had no answer for someone who develops
both proprietary and free software.

Good luck,

Dan Pierson

Overseas payment options

Benno — Wed, 02 Oct 2002 13:00:49 +0000

I'm from overseas and have been an avid reader for over a year, what i'd like to know is how best to get the $120 to you, would an IMO suit? and where should i send it?

A new era for LWN - Please offer yearly lump sum subscriptions!

corbet — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 14:47:20 +0000

But we do offer one-payment subscriptions. We just don't encourage them for the reasons I've outlined above. But if you want to pay in one shot, just select that option in the subscription process.

A new era for LWN - Please offer yearly lump sum subscriptions!

pgoetz — Tue, 01 Oct 2002 00:00:53 +0000

I understand your desire to "not charge people for services they haven't received" in case LWN goes out of business, but I think you're making a serious mistake by not offering the option of paying for an entire year at once.

Never mind the annoyance of having a $5 charge on my credit card every month. (I would select a lump sum payment for this reason alone). A more serious issue is that I can't get reimbursed by my company given this payment structure. If I paid a single $60 for one year and got an invoice, I would take it to my local bean-counter and get a crisp new $60 electronic transfer at the end of the month. As it is, it's simply not worth the bother of going through the paperwork to get $5 reimbursements every month.

For this reason, I'm 100% certain you're actually costing yourself subscriptions by not offering a lump sum payment option! As cynical as this might sound, people are a lot more relaxed when spending the boss's money and might not even be losing sleep over the fact that they won't get their full value out of a year's subscription. Please reconsider this ill-advised decision, as I've been reading LWN for a long time and would like to see you all stick around.

btw, I bought a subscription anyway, of course, but I'm probably not canonical.

A new era for LWN

unaiur — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 20:50:12 +0000

A debit card also works (at least Visa Electron)

What if we already donated?

unaiur — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 20:42:03 +0000

This was my first transatlantic debit card operation and it went fine. 15.47 was charged on my bank account. Until now, I thought that the Visa Electron card only works on Europe...

Possible to get a bill?

corbet — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 20:02:43 +0000

The subscription process provides an "invoice" page at the end of the process. If you need something on paper, drop us a note, and we'll see what we can do.

Possible to get a bill?

zmi — Mon, 30 Sep 2002 16:57:14 +0000

Hey LWN,

I'd like to subscribe but wanted to know whether I can get a bill for that? That's a question from several people here, because their company would pay for it.

Hope you go on!
zmi

Annual discounts

tuxave — Sat, 28 Sep 2002 04:18:39 +0000

You should really book subscription income as a liability and only move small portions to revenue as you fulfill each week of a subscriber's subscription. This provides you the benefit of only having money from the current week's payments as expendable as well as building up a cushion with steady predictable revenues for the future.

A new era for LWN

jhoyt — Fri, 27 Sep 2002 17:54:01 +0000

LWN is CHEAP at $60/yr. LWN as a magazine that is support
primaryly buy subscription. Printed magazines that have no
ads cost US$100+ per-year and there are not discounts.
The magazines that give 40% discounts make almost no
money from subscription, all of the revenue comes from
ads. And the price for the ads is based on the cirulation
of the magazine. Which is why you have the 40% discount, to
get the cirulation up.

A new era for LWN

leews — Fri, 27 Sep 2002 14:43:55 +0000

I've read LWN since the beginning, and I congradulate you for sticking with it through thick and thin.

Just signed up. Keep up the good work.

WS (from Singapore)

Text based Ads

Odinson — Fri, 27 Sep 2002 14:28:25 +0000

Please don't stop ads for subscribers. I occationally find interesting products through them. I'm sure you get some revenue from them and the sooner you get on your feet the better. Since they are so unobtrusive I really have no problem with them.

Now if they where 2 min flash pop up adds...

shiver

A new era for LWN

tor — Fri, 27 Sep 2002 14:11:15 +0000

Ok I signed up for a year ($60) after seeing Larry McVoy's
posting on lkml.
From another intenational subscriber,
Tor (Norway)

Future Plans

amh — Fri, 27 Sep 2002 13:50:58 +0000

I seriously hope that LWN succeeds -- I've just signed up for 12 months.

I wanted to mention that one of the best things about LWN at present is its small overall size, plus very high S/N ratio. I'm not sure I would welcome it becoming much bigger, because then I could skim it in half-an-hour a week.

Just my tuppenorth.

Andrew Hilborne

Lycka till!

Jerker — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 23:10:06 +0000

I hope my subscribtion can be of any help.

I have suggested a site-subscription to my university library...

Good luck!
Regards,
Jerker Nyberg.
Computer Science student, Uppsala, Sweden.

A new era for LWN

barbara — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 22:07:57 +0000

I've just signed up. LWN is the best site for Linux news, IMNSHO.

As others have said earlier, please consider annual, quarterly, and bi-monthly payments as well. Play to win!

Barbara

A new era for LWN

dkite — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 20:38:15 +0000

My first internet subscription. Best 5 bucks a month I've ever spent.

Keep us all informed. If 5 ain't enough, let us know.

Derek

Bug

ctg — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 19:09:19 +0000

I see.

I obviously didn't understand that. I wanted to pay one lump sum. I'm actually mildly annoyed at the prospect of continual debits over the next 12 months. I'm happy for $120 dollars to go in one fell swoop while I have the money for it...

What if we already donated?

a9db0 — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 16:28:21 +0000

I donated, but didn't get the email (or it got filtered).

Not to worry, though. I've been a regular reader since 1998 or so, and I'd call it payment of back subscription dues.

Oh, and your subscription process is blissfuly pain free. Thanks.

divide yearly subscription

kay — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 16:05:32 +0000

Hi,

I subscribe for 3 month but dont like the monthly paying.

May be you can divide the 12 month subscription period into 3, 6, 9 and 12 month. So I can donate aehm subscribe with one payment for a given period of time.

alternative you can extend the monthly subscription to 3 and 6 month.

Kay

What if we already donated?

Clonezone — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 15:13:11 +0000

Well, I donated and I've independently subscribed. I consider the donation retroactive subscription payment. LWN can keep it. They deserve it.

A new era for LWN

mdarmistead — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 14:30:46 +0000

Just subscibed at the $5.00/MO rate. A $5/mo hit on the credit card is fine. Consider this: If you buy one soda per day from a vending machine at work, (here in OK a can is .50) given four - 5 day work weeks, you spend $10.00 per month for a liquid that runs through your body and is eliminated within 24 hours! So, for LESS than the cost of a single soda per day, you can get LWN for the whole year. Now, maybe we ought to do a cost comparison for those people who daily drink $TARBUCK$ coffee.......

Hard to justify

kbee — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 14:22:15 +0000

I have read with sympathy about your struggle to find a way for LWN to pay for itself. I sent a donation at the end of March because I think you provide a valuable service, and I'm a fellow supporter of free software. However, I can't justify the subscription terms you've set up.

I agree with what some posters said - that you are playing 'not to lose' by offering subscriptions on a monthly basis in case you go under. For me as an individual, should you go under, I would just consider it a donation to free software.

I think $60 is too much to pay annually when I can wait a week and get the news for free. PC Magazine is going for $35/year. I know it's not a clean comparison because they are print, and they offer free access via the web site.

I would suggest $40 on an annual basis, tops, and make me wait a month to get the free version. Make it hurt a little. Or only make part free immediately and make part subscription only ala Salon. The second suggestion is less in the spirit of free software though.

Keep trying, and thanks for the open discussion.

Annual discounts

AAP — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 13:28:40 +0000

I agree. I have too many monthly bills as it is. I'd rather pay for a whole year and not worry about annoying reminders for awhile.

A new era for LWN

pointwood — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 09:46:56 +0000

Just signed up. Thanks for providing such a great news site!

Bug

bombadil — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 06:03:51 +0000

Probably not a bug. You subscribed for 12 months on a monthly basis which results in paying 10$ now. Next month another 10$ and so on ...

A new era for LWN

Wuukie — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 06:00:17 +0000

Same here; I don't have a credit card and I spent all my money paying the transfer fees to Western Union while helping Blender3D. ;)

Maybe some day...

Excellent Timing

ctg — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 05:36:32 +0000

I've spent 6 months being a starving hacker... but have just got a three month contract... and have been paid. I was going to by a wireless card for my notebook (after mortgage payments etc) - but for the same price I can buy a subscription to LWN and read about all the security problems with 802.11b instead of encountering them. Which seems a far better thing to me.

Bug

ctg — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 05:32:16 +0000

Either a bug or very confusing... it looks like 12 * $10 == $10

Eklektix, Inc. (LWN.net)
 556 Grant Avenue
 Louisville, CO 80027
 USA
 FEIN 84-1408602
 September 26, 2002


Item(s) purchased


Item
Description
Cost


1
LWN.net monthly subscription at the project leader level for 12 months
$10.00


TOTAL:
$10.00


 Paid via credit card ending in xxxx on September 26, 2002

What if we already donated?

jcurious — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 04:44:40 +0000

I never got an offer, but it's no biggie.. consider my previous donation a "past due" ;)

A new era for LWN

ksmathers — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 04:31:49 +0000

If we want it to BE, then we shouldn't complain about $60/annum .. Either we DO want to support this, or we don't.

Well, as I wrote, I have supported 'this'. Discounts for yearly service encourage more people to join for a year at a time so that I don't have to wonder if the thing will exist next week, or the week after, or the week after that. It also concentrates the membership drive into discreet points in time so people don't get bored with the message.

The multi-rate thing is almost more like NPR (which I also donate money to). I'm confused by whether I'm supporting the site with my membership, or paying for membership. If it is support, then where is my LWN thankyou mug? ;)

What if we already donated?

lonely_bear — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 03:13:37 +0000

What are the information you needed to identify a doner? I have donated some money through cridit card, and the bill indicated it has been charged. But I did not received any email. I am not sure whether I have left any email address while doing the donation.

Anyway it does not matter. A donation is a donation. I did not expect to get a free subscription at the first place.

Just now I try to do a subscription, but get connection error? any problem?

A new era for LWN -- and no strings attached!

a_hippie — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 02:58:41 +0000

Greetings:

I was very concerned about the fate of LWN following the recent
separation of LWN from who ever it was, oh yeah, Tucows.

The more I think about the issue, the happier I am that Tucows
and LWN have parted. This completely frees LWN of the concern
"biting the hand that feeds it." Now I can be assured that if
the story needs bias views, it gets it; if a story needs global
objective views, it gets it. Yes, the more I think about this,
the better I feel that you are now looking out for us, the readers,
not some browbeating bigwig with a paycheck.

I am looking forward to getting my personal "too poor to pay
attention" subscription!

Please continue making LWN the great read that it has always been.
Next, perhaps you can get all the folks that were lost over the
last year and a half back so we can have all the other departs
return to LWN.

This is my nickel's worth, please keep the change.

Wishing you the best,

tatah

a_hippie

Annual discounts

freelsjd — Thu, 26 Sep 2002 01:29:20 +0000

Play to win! Don't play "not to lose"

A new era for LWN

mjt — Wed, 25 Sep 2002 22:48:09 +0000

Yeah, great. One thing left to do - at my side - is to figure out
how to transfer money to lwn from here... Never had/used any smartcard
before (there was no need). Check transfer will cost additional ~20%.
Oh well... (Errm, I'm at a strange place in the world... ;)
Ok, ok, so let's try some credit card first time for LWN... ;)

A new era for LWN

planet12 — Wed, 25 Sep 2002 22:39:44 +0000

Is there any chance of having a "struggling self employed hacker" option at say US$3.75 per month / US$45 per year?

I haven't yet subscribed as I don't feel right calling myself a "starving hacker", but on the other hand the yearly subscription fee for "professional hacker" equates to a weeks worth of food for myself and my family.

Somewhere in between I could probably justify to my wife, considering how useful LWN is to me.

P.S. In the demographic information collection form when creating an account there is no way to specify "I develop both free and proprietory software", which I believe is quite a common situation.