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    #51
    Ah sorry, ?30 per annum, at least. There is a donations page and no reason why I couldn't have donated to that but they're easy to overlook, put off, evidently not that effective. An initiative like this I think would be much more so.

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      #52
      I very much agree with ChrisJ on the board being free at the point of use and am confident that we can develop a model that will allow that to continue to be the case going forward

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        #53
        Yes, all I'd want for my money is that the board continue, preferably ad-free, and be free at the point of use.

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          #54
          Have to admit I cancelled my ?2/month contribution when I went freelance a couple of years ago and things were looking uncertain. Only too happy to reinstate, go to ?30 a year, etc.

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            #55
            As to the question of whether there continue to be a WSC association, I think there should be; a sort of honorary affiliation, in view of the long history of WSC/OTF, signified by the retention of the little chap in the logo and perhaps mutual links.

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              #56
              Surely they wouldn't assume legal liability for merely linking to us.

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                #57
                Or they are just rightfully sick of us. Especially you.

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                  #58
                  Happy to contribute. I agree with the costing excercise, depending on numbers, the yearly amount could change a bit. That said, always good to have a bit in reserve.

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                    #59
                    278 GBP / year? Given I'm sure there have been at least a few voluntary contributions, that means probably less than 10 of us actually subscribed to the original 2 pound/ month PayPal request of 3 or 4 years ago. But read that thread and there was a lot of earnest goodwill...

                    For anyone abroad, 2 GBP comes through to me as 2.34 Euro on PayPal. OK, a bit of a rip off, but less than a quarter of a packet of chewing gum per month on the exchange rate at its worst.

                    If you think that you get a better dissection of the truth here than you do from any paywalled, vested - interest newspaper, or The Guardian, or state run TV station or social media? If this is one of the first places you turn to when you really want proper reaction to anything current or breaking then cough up the cash. 2 quid per month.

                    Even if if this is just a comfortable refuge, or you lurk here simply to laugh at the hopeless, misguided lefty old fat bastards.

                    If people have doubts about PayPal, then fine, do it through Patreon or find another way.

                    If 50 of us gave 2 pound per month. If 50 of us gave 5 pound per month? If we agree to give a short term donation to at least let the board decide in the long run what to do?

                    I would cut Netflix, or Amazon or any other twatty gits demanding a slice of my hard earned money.

                    OTF would be the last subscription I would ever cut. It's the only remaining place where I really have to think before I open my big gob. Where I really give a fuck what people think about what I say, and, I'll be honest, where I've found the answers to my instincts on things like Brexit, and Covid and Grenfell, and The Wire.

                    I've been massively helped by people on here, more than they could really know. And I hope I've helped one or two people too. I disliked GMan when I first arrived. Now I count him as one of the people I most admire. I know a beautiful lady in New York and am intimate with her animals. I've watched Hobbes grow from a desperate, lonely wreck one night to the bloke he is now. I didn't know any of that Melody Maker lot at all before I came here. I love Nishlord and Nefertiti equally.

                    It looks like this is the time to stop wringing hands and cough up a couple of quid. And yes, always free at source and no adverts, or it may as well die gracefully.

                    And I can't be an admin because I'm an emotional, anti - social hours, truck driving drama queen.

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                      #60
                      I've been contributing to the WSC Patreon thinking that part of that found its way to OTF. I'm not saying that I feel ripped off, but I'd be happy to just buy a WSC subscription and then have a monthly donation going to OTF.

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                        #61
                        I obviously wasn't paying attention a few years ago when we changed back to OTF, as I thought the WSC affiliation had ended then. And obviously I gave no thought as to who paid for it.

                        I'm poor but can stretch to 3 quid a month, I'll just cut back on the horses a bit, or start winning a bit more. Probably the former.

                        I'd be in favour of the totally free access, but also if we can research somewhere cheaper and equally/more secure then fine.
                        Diacritics would be nice, too.

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                          #62
                          Originally posted by Incandenza View Post
                          I've been contributing to the WSC Patreon thinking that part of that found its way to OTF. I'm not saying that I feel ripped off, but I'd be happy to just buy a WSC subscription and then have a monthly donation going to OTF.
                          Likewise - and like Logan, a few things I could cut back on to stretch to same.

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                            #63
                            Set up an OTF Only Fans, and finance the board through nob pictures?

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                              #64
                              How much is it a year to run then?

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                                #65
                                Great thread. Think I agree with our Uruguayan correspondent and everyone else. ?3 a month is just a box of Aldi stubbies

                                Anyway...we have a mystery benefactor (and senior though currently resting OTF-er). The only demand is that yours truly is restricted to the crossword megathread

                                Gon...er, the MysBen is offering a cool one-off million quid (so a hundred grand for each of his banned accounts....)

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                                  #66
                                  If anyone wanted some help getting the legal side of things sorted, I'd be happy to help. We could pootle along with a common or garden unincorporated association but that works fine until it doesn't work (the latter caused by things very common on the interweb, such as flame wars and flounces or legal takedown actions) or get a Community Benefit Society which gives legal personality, or possibly a Company Limited by Guarantee.

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                                    #67
                                    Originally posted by EIM View Post
                                    How much is it a year to run then?
                                    About 3k we think based on the opening post.

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                                      #68
                                      I'm assuming that whatever "owns" OTF should be a cooperative

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                                        #69
                                        Especially if it is to be based in the UK

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                                          #70
                                          For my two pennies worth, or two quid, or whatever:

                                          * Those who can, contribute what they feel comfortable doing on an ongoing basis. If it has to reduce, reduce it. If it can go up a bit, put it up
                                          * Those who can’t, don’t
                                          * No special treatment/privileges or behaviour let-offs for donors
                                          * All donation / non donations are anonymous
                                          * No ads provided donations are sufficient
                                          * We have some idea how donations and costs are balancing out (or not) as we go

                                          I’m sorry that I can’t do anything specific, my life is too erratic. Maybe that will change if and when I have a job change/retire.

                                          Snake Plissken you remain an absolute legend.

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                                            #71
                                            My lawyers tell me that "I'd be willing to help out" is not a binding contract, but "I'd definitely chuck in a few quid" would be. So yeah, I'd be willing to help out. (Mind you, I don't even have a credit card. Postal order? Luncheon vouchers?).

                                            All problems would be solved if one Premier League footballer would be willing to sponsor OTF. It could be in exchange for an immunity deal: no criticism permitted on the telly threads ("there was no stomp, his foot slipped"). A few OTFers might get banned for violating that term and condition, but that's a small price to pay, surely?

                                            Anyway, I know nothing about how any of this works, but whatever is decided, I'll get on board as long as it's technologically idiot-proof. Good luck, and thanks.

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                                              #72
                                              Excellent idea tee rex. So which player should be our “target most likely”? I like the cut of that Marcus Rashford’s jib, but he seems to have a bit on his plate already.

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                                                #73
                                                Probably a player with limited English, we don't want him reading too much (luckily the non-functioning search should keep some past insults hidden).

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                                                  #74
                                                  Originally posted by tee rex View Post
                                                  Probably a player with limited English, we don't want him reading too much (luckily the non-functioning search should keep some past insults hidden).
                                                  John Terry then.

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                                                    #75
                                                    ROFL, as the kids say.

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