[Mitch]

This is what I mean... In the left hand side of each person's post there is a list of that individual's details. The details include gender, scooby snacks and other bits of trivia. I was thinking of also adding a paypal feature, where if a student likes the answer they got, they could pay the answeree in cash instead of scooby snack. There is no mandatory requirement for the user to pay anyone, its just a way of thanking the person who answered and a way of getting the "potential" for some monetary gain. I'm 100% committed to keeping Chemical Forums a "free" site, but was wondering if anyone would like this feature?

Drawbacks.

Anyone that would opt for this feature would have to have their e-mail address shown behind the scenes in html. I would not make a new field for paypal email account, so you would either use the email address you use to sign up for chemicalforums or would have to change your current email address to something you wouldn't mind being spammed at.

Your thoughts on this are highly encouraged.

[constant thinker]

That's an interesting idea. I doubt many people would use it. You should make sure it's an opt in feature (like you said). Have you ever considered a donations link using PayPal? It would help you pay the bills.

[Mitch]

The Google ads around the site pay for the site and then some. So, I'm okay from this end.

[Borek]

The Google ads around the site pay for the site and then some. So, I'm okay from this end.

Glad to hear that, I was about to ask one day.

Are we still hosted in the same place, or have you found something more reliable?

I am not sure if I like the PayPal idea (even if I have a chance to be beneficiary ). In a way I agree with Geo - forums layout is already overpacked with options. I understand your will to make the place as fancy as possible, but I am afraid it may loose clarity somewhere on its way.

[Mitch]

I understand that concern, I just wanted there to be a more beneficial financial impact to helpful members than a scooby snack.

The server is still hosted by the same old company canaca. Since, I haven't seen any error messages nor slowness of the site, I'm not going to change providers unless it gets bad again.

[Albert]

Mitch, I firmly believe this would be the end of this web site.

I remember a girl who posted a test she got as homework (without showing any attempt, of course) and promised 25$ to the person answering her.

It was immoral and really sad, in my opinion.

The paypal feature will lead the forum to the point of post-your-homeworks-and-I-will-fight-for-giving-you-the-final-result-before-the-others.

I also remember the many times admins reaproched me for passively answering high school students who should have studied more or, at least, read their books.

And I look back at the many posts and topics 'wiped out' for this very reason.

Mitch, if you add that wicked feature I think I will leave this forum.

[lemonoman]

I understand that concern, I just wanted there to be a more beneficial financial impact to helpful members than a scooby snack.

I see what you mean...but then again...if anyone's hanging around, expecting to be rewarded for helping out students on this forum...then they're probably in it for the wrong reason.  That is to say, that if this PayPal feature started up, I can imagine people joinging the forum for the money...not because they particularly like chemistry

[Mitch]

Okay, thats why I ask these things.

[lemonoman]

Okay, thats why I ask these things.

We appreciate you letting us have input

[Donaldson Tan]

NO

[mike]

Maybe you could just put us on salaries (joking of course)

I don't mind either way.

I think there will be loads of people who will give away the answers for free anyway.

I could use the money though, will it make me rich?

[Mitch]

I strongly doubt it would make anyone anything. But, it was just one of those ideas I sometimes have.

[Will]

Mitch, I firmly believe this would be the end of this web site.

I remember a girl who posted a test she got as homework (without showing any attempt, of course) and promised 25$ to the person answering her.

It was immoral and really sad, in my opinion.

The paypal feature will lead the forum to the point of post-your-homeworks-and-I-will-fight-for-giving-you-the-final-result-before-the-others.

I also remember the many times admins reaproched me for passively answering high school students who should have studied more or, at least, read their books.

And I look back at the many posts and topics 'wiped out' for this very reason.

Mitch, if you add that wicked feature I think I will leave this forum.

I considered it being quite a good idea but Albert has made an excellent point. Deleting/editing do-my-homework-for-money posts would waste a lot of the administrator's & moderator's time.

I think a small donations link at the bottom of the menu list on the left would be a better idea even if the ads pay for the site. The profits could pay for all the time that the administrators and moderators (eg. Mitch, Borek, geodome, movies, jdurg, AWK, mike etc.) dedicate to this website, or pay for some wacky cool features like something built in to the website that can draw chem structures that you can attatch to your post, or a setting that will recognise C2H5OH and automatically turn it into C₂H₅OH! Actually, a bigger variety of smileys would be cool, especially some chem-related smileys . Now I'm being fussy .

[Albert]

Thank you for quoting me! That's very kind of you. 

Your idea of a donation feature is interesting. Wikipedia works this way, isn't it?

However, I'd increase the number of banners for non-members: say, a little one after every post. That's the way FlavourPill weekly emails look like.