ADVERTISING OR HOW ABOUT THIS?

Ads do not bother me unless they are constantly moving or pop up over the work space. Tag line ads in the corners or the top or bottom with no moving (color changing, flasing, etc.)would not bother me at all. I did not think they paid that much for ads and might prevent new comers from returning. … a yearly membership might do the same sending newcomers running… DR. there are many money making ideas that could be done like a CMT ON SITE STORE to SELL items with CMT logo on them (hats, shirts, lapel pins) and rubber stamps etc. this could be run by one of the members (not everything has to have your total attention DR.) Donations made by members could earn us an Insignia by our name for example for a $50.00 donation a member could have a maple leaf beside their name on the site or the maple leaf could be different colors depending on the donation. Then in a section of the site the Insignia meanings could be outlined. That way the donation process could be totally voluntary but those who did donate would be known for their help.
Example an Empty Maple Leaf outline could be placed for a five dollar donation and if additional donations were added then color could be put into the leaf see below.
$5.00= maple leaf black outline
$10.00 = green maple leaf
$20.00 = orange maple leaf
$50.00 = multi colored maple leaf
$100.00 = red maple leaf
$200.00 = red maple leaf with a gold outline
$300.00 = red maple leaf with gold border and veins
$400.00 = silver maple leaf
$500.00 = gold maple leaf
These donations could be accumulative so when a level was reached the Maple Leaf would change color.

Now I really like this donation idea as no presure on anyone to donate and those who do will be known. That could keep the site ad free and help you support the site.
Newbies would not feel that the site was just another money grab and members who have been here a long time would give what they could afford. No privilages would be offered for high donations it would be … I love the site I can afford to send x amount to help keep the site running.

The above in only my own personal opinion and is not in any way meant to offend anyone. Should the above information be worthy of the site members concideration then I would expect that it would have to be fine tuned to meet with DR's approval and set up.

An on site store may be a good idea if someone is willing to run it because we all know dr is far to busy already and he does not need anything additional on his plate…I like the donation idea but I am not in favour of posting amounts donated by the use of distinctive markings indicating the amount donated….I would sooner see something that indicates that each donater is a proud supporter if the site..And let each person give what they can afford…

I like the donation idea but I am not in favour of posting amounts donated by the use of distinctive markings indicating the amount donated….I would sooner see something that indicates that each donater is a proud supporter if the site..And let each person give what they can afford… - BDKINGSTON

I have to agree with you on this one BDK it should be a donation pure and simple with no other recognition than beinga proud supporter….

I really like BC's idea, but I also agree with the fact the amount should be kept personal.
Somewhere in the bible does it not say something to the effect of..
Let not the left hand know how much the right hand puts into the donation box at church?
I don't know the exact quote. But it has the effect of one person may only be able to spare $5 where someone more well off can spare $50. However each person is giving as much as they can spare.

A side note.. now that DR said the ads will not be Pop-up or flashy picture ads..
I am still against ads, but if they do NOT disrupt the site & bring in some additional money to the site for upgrades maybe a test period can be done. say a month.
then we can say if we like them of dislike them.

BDKingston wrote " I like the donation idea but I am not in favour of posting amounts donated by the use of distinctive markings indicating the amount donated….I would sooner see something that indicates that each donater is a proud supporter of the site..And let each person give what they can afford…"
I have to agree with this as well, I'am not much in favour of advert's.
I will be putting my support behind the donation Idea.

I think BC meant well by his suggestion to add something like the maple leaf for different amounts of donations made by a member. It would give the profiles some more special features. But I like the donation idea better without showing how much was donated by somebody.

I think that dr could try the google add out for a while and see what kind of feedback he gets. Who knows, maybe we won't even notice it much. Maybe it will work like a link and would be used while members are in CMT. Sometimes when I read postings in the forums, I wonder what something means and maybe a link like that would make it easy to look it up right away.

AS BC said tho these donated amounts could be accumulative which means that no matter what or how often you choose to donate. So that being said I'm all in favor of donations and do like the maple leaf idea.