What web sites have you paid for?

SteveDallas · 09-27-2002, 11:42 AM

[inspired by Undertoad's comment about a subscription area for lingerie photos]

So I'm curious. "Everybody knows" porn is the only thing people will pay for on the Internet. Or maybe not? Apparently classmates.com is doing well, and some of the online dating services are too.

So, I'm curious, what web sites have you decided to pony up some cash for? (Let's leave the pr0n out of it... I don't want this to devolve! well, not too much anyway.) I'll start off.

I got a premium membership at salon.com. I've read Salon darn near every day since 1997 or so. They usually have at least one or two articles I find interesting (which is not to say I always agree with it), which is an achievement. When they decided to start the premium program, I decided it was The Right Thing To Do(tm).

I also subscribed to emusic.com. I think the record labels have their heads in a non-sunshine-receiving position on this one (who's going to pay for a service they can only listen to on their computer?), but emusic's lack of restrictions on the downloads won me over. I doubt your average top-40-listening teenybopper would be happy with the selection, and I'd like to see it bigger, but my interests in classical music, show tunes, and comedy are covered enough to make it worth my while.

Finally, smartmusic.com. A very interesting service. I had previous used their software. What you could do was hook up a microphone to your computer and run their software and get a piano accompaniment while you play your instrument or sing. Their software was dirt cheap (maybe $10), but you had to buy an accompaniment disk for each piece at $25-$35. Still, I used it, and it was nice. I never was able to play the last page of Brahms' second clarinet sonata together with the piano when I was in college--we just didn't have enough mutual practice time. Now i can run it through at 1/2 speed as many times as I want. But now Smartmusic has changed to a subscription service, and for $10 per month you can download any accompaniments you want from their catalog. Coolness!! It's not a substitute for a live piano player, but it makes praciticing when you don't have one a whole lot more productive and fun.

09-27-2002, 12:26 PM

http://www.ign.com

http://kuro5hin.org (though I think my subscription is about to end - I never go there anymore)

http://www.cellar.org - more of a donation, really, but worth every penny.

Probably more, but I don't remember.

vsp · 09-27-2002, 12:38 PM

http://www.whatsbetter.com (pure entertainment, getting bigger all the time)

http://www.dapcentral.org (digitally encoding and distributing episodes of TV programs that aren't commercially available)

http://www.mame.dk (R.I.P. -- arcade game ROMs)

Griff · 09-27-2002, 05:21 PM

emusic if you're willing to dig around a bit its worth the subscription.

The Cellar even cheap Sobs like myself can kick in a couple bucks.

Undertoad · 09-27-2002, 05:43 PM

Audiogalaxy Rhapsody: Emusic with more choices and less freedom. No actual mp3s, no burning, HELLA better browse mechanism.

Kuro5hin: I'm with Dave; my sub is up in November but I won't re-up. It's either a grand experiment in generating community group-think, or the most self-important navel-gazing society ever. Either way, it's no fun.

Salon: another one I won't re-up. I was proud to be an original subscriber but I feel they've gone a bit downhill in the last year.

Smaller sites: I took $100 and spread it around the places I visit most. I plan to do that once a year. Who's with me?

Hey, maybe that's an idea... a pledge site where you could announce your support for non-advertising blogs and sites and stuff. A common theme the micro-sites could organize around. This goes on my white-board for further review!

elSicomoro · 09-27-2002, 11:40 PM

Actually, I'm thinking about doing the same thing that a guy in NYC did a while back.

This guy in NYC lost his job (in a dot-bomb), and was having a hard time finding a job. So, he set up a "donation" jar on his website, and made a nice chunk of change. I saw him on Jerry Nachman a month or so back.

And that's what I should do. Set up a PayPal account, hawk it, and have people give me $$$ or £££ or whatever. It all spends.

BrianR · 09-28-2002, 12:11 PM

I spend money at a few shopping sites (like EBay and such) but not ON them per se.

I DID subscribe to Rush 24/7 at RushLimbaugh.com though. Surprise surprise!

back to my sorry excuse for a life now

Brian

Slight · 09-28-2002, 03:15 PM

http://di.fm/

elSicomoro · 09-28-2002, 03:22 PM

Oh shit...I forgot about Tripod.

I used to pay for Tripod's premium service. $72/year got you 50MB of space and no pop-up ads. I've thought about doing this again, but Mr. Ham has made me an offer I cannot refuse.

And then there is my small contribution to Señor Shepps's website.

mbpark · 09-28-2002, 06:14 PM

www.somethingawful.com

Other than that, no other sites, really.

I did have a friend who paid for Stile Project. Really. He wanted his pr0n and dead people fix in the morning. Stile begged for money. He gave.

Mitch

Mjk · 10-03-2002, 03:02 AM

LWN.net

Cam · 10-03-2002, 09:38 AM

Ign.com

russotto · 10-03-2002, 03:04 PM

http://www.webscriptions.net

09-27-2002, 11:42 AM	#1
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	What web sites have you paid for? [inspired by Undertoad's comment about a subscription area for lingerie photos] So I'm curious. "Everybody knows" porn is the only thing people will pay for on the Internet. Or maybe not? Apparently classmates.com is doing well, and some of the online dating services are too. So, I'm curious, what web sites have you decided to pony up some cash for? (Let's leave the pr0n out of it... I don't want this to devolve! well, not too much anyway.) I'll start off. I got a premium membership at salon.com. I've read Salon darn near every day since 1997 or so. They usually have at least one or two articles I find interesting (which is not to say I always agree with it), which is an achievement. When they decided to start the premium program, I decided it was The Right Thing To Do(tm). I also subscribed to emusic.com. I think the record labels have their heads in a non-sunshine-receiving position on this one (who's going to pay for a service they can only listen to on their computer?), but emusic's lack of restrictions on the downloads won me over. I doubt your average top-40-listening teenybopper would be happy with the selection, and I'd like to see it bigger, but my interests in classical music, show tunes, and comedy are covered enough to make it worth my while. Finally, smartmusic.com. A very interesting service. I had previous used their software. What you could do was hook up a microphone to your computer and run their software and get a piano accompaniment while you play your instrument or sing. Their software was dirt cheap (maybe $10), but you had to buy an accompaniment disk for each piece at $25-$35. Still, I used it, and it was nice. I never was able to play the last page of Brahms' second clarinet sonata together with the piano when I was in college--we just didn't have enough mutual practice time. Now i can run it through at 1/2 speed as many times as I want. But now Smartmusic has changed to a subscription service, and for $10 per month you can download any accompaniments you want from their catalog. Coolness!! It's not a substitute for a live piano player, but it makes praciticing when you don't have one a whole lot more productive and fun.

09-27-2002, 05:21 PM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	emusic if you're willing to dig around a bit its worth the subscription. The Cellar even cheap Sobs like myself can kick in a couple bucks. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

09-28-2002, 12:11 PM	#7
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	I spend money at a few shopping sites (like EBay and such) but not ON them per se. I DID subscribe to Rush 24/7 at RushLimbaugh.com though. Surprise surprise! back to my sorry excuse for a life now Brian __________________ Never be afraid to tell the world who you are. -- Anonymous

09-28-2002, 06:14 PM	#10
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	one of the few sites I've paid for www.somethingawful.com Other than that, no other sites, really. I did have a friend who paid for Stile Project. Really. He wanted his pr0n and dead people fix in the morning. Stile begged for money. He gave. Mitch

10-03-2002, 09:38 AM	#12
Cam dripping with ignorance Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Grand Forks ND Posts: 642	Ign.com __________________ After the seventh beer I generally try and stay away from the keyboard, I apologize for what happens when I fail.

09-27-2002, 12:26 PM	#2
dave Guest Posts: n/a	http://www.ign.com http://kuro5hin.org (though I think my subscription is about to end - I never go there anymore) http://www.cellar.org - more of a donation, really, but worth every penny. Probably more, but I don't remember.

09-27-2002, 12:38 PM	#3
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	http://www.whatsbetter.com (pure entertainment, getting bigger all the time) http://www.dapcentral.org (digitally encoding and distributing episodes of TV programs that aren't commercially available) http://www.mame.dk (R.I.P. -- arcade game ROMs)

09-27-2002, 05:43 PM	#5
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Audiogalaxy Rhapsody: Emusic with more choices and less freedom. No actual mp3s, no burning, HELLA better browse mechanism. Kuro5hin: I'm with Dave; my sub is up in November but I won't re-up. It's either a grand experiment in generating community group-think, or the most self-important navel-gazing society ever. Either way, it's no fun. Salon: another one I won't re-up. I was proud to be an original subscriber but I feel they've gone a bit downhill in the last year. Smaller sites: I took $100 and spread it around the places I visit most. I plan to do that once a year. Who's with me? Hey, maybe that's an idea... a pledge site where you could announce your support for non-advertising blogs and sites and stuff. A common theme the micro-sites could organize around. This goes on my white-board for further review!

09-27-2002, 11:40 PM	#6
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Actually, I'm thinking about doing the same thing that a guy in NYC did a while back. This guy in NYC lost his job (in a dot-bomb), and was having a hard time finding a job. So, he set up a "donation" jar on his website, and made a nice chunk of change. I saw him on Jerry Nachman a month or so back. And that's what I should do. Set up a PayPal account, hawk it, and have people give me $$$ or £££ or whatever. It all spends.

09-28-2002, 03:15 PM	#8
Slight Semi-Evil Genius Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Boulder CO Posts: 195	http://di.fm/

09-28-2002, 03:22 PM	#9
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Oh shit...I forgot about Tripod. I used to pay for Tripod's premium service. $72/year got you 50MB of space and no pop-up ads. I've thought about doing this again, but Mr. Ham has made me an offer I cannot refuse. And then there is my small contribution to Señor Shepps's website.

10-03-2002, 03:02 AM	#11
Mjk Writer of Writings Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 14	LWN.net

10-03-2002, 03:04 PM	#13
russotto Professor Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,788	http://www.webscriptions.net

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