I'd been thinking about this a bit, but I really hadn't seen it anywhere, and wondered if it had been considered. Maybe you could offer a "BuF Supporter" account, along the lines of, for example, what ArsTechnica does.
It would work all over BuF: you could have it cover for ad free browsing. As far as the forums go, I don't know how well vBulliten would handle it, but you could offer things like longer/html signatures, HTML posting, more inbox space (I would pay an extra $10-15 a year for an couple hundred extra pms, for sure!), access to the members list, and of course, a 'supporters-only' forum just for the glamour of it. In addition, it would seem easy enough to offer a 'package' where people sign up for a Buf e-mail account and Supporter's Forum account for $25 a year, all on one bill.
Of course, I would not reccomend going the way of GameSpy, where you offer 'member exclusives' ... while that is nice from a economic standpoint, I think it would go against the nature of what BuF has brought to the plate already. I know I'd pay $10-15 a year to get ad free browsing and the ability to use HTML in my signature
It would work all over BuF: you could have it cover for ad free browsing. As far as the forums go, I don't know how well vBulliten would handle it, but you could offer things like longer/html signatures, HTML posting, more inbox space (I would pay an extra $10-15 a year for an couple hundred extra pms, for sure!), access to the members list, and of course, a 'supporters-only' forum just for the glamour of it. In addition, it would seem easy enough to offer a 'package' where people sign up for a Buf e-mail account and Supporter's Forum account for $25 a year, all on one bill.
Of course, I would not reccomend going the way of GameSpy, where you offer 'member exclusives' ... while that is nice from a economic standpoint, I think it would go against the nature of what BuF has brought to the plate already. I know I'd pay $10-15 a year to get ad free browsing and the ability to use HTML in my signature
