The money symbols - We gotta sort this shit out.

Mr.Bishop

Mr.Bishop

Active member
Staff member
OK.... so all conversation about this topic is now being moved to this thread. We're going to get this sorted out once and for all, and we're going to do it right here.

We took donations in the early days of the site. People donated, and that is absolutely amazing. We will never forget that.

After the site sold, we decided that it wasn't fair to take money from hard working people. We stopped taking donations, and instead said we'd just give stickers for free.

Everyone got angry. They wanted to give us money.

So we decided fine, we'll take donations but because we don't want to give your money to a big corporation, we'll give you stickers in return. Everone was happy, and gave us money for stickers.

Then we decided "man... lets give people more in return, and instead of giving cash in an envelope, lets take paypal and give them really good stuff in return." The whole idea that everyone needs to really focus on here is this:

THERE IS DONATION MONEY TACKED ON TO THE PRICE OF EACH PURCHASE.

So if someone buys a $45 Tall-T, $5 was just given to the cause of Newschoolers. Since its part of the store, we can keep it there and invest it further. The idea was that in this case they would only get a green money sign, symboling that they gave $5 to NS. If they bought another shirt, they'd get upgraded to the $10 symbol and so on.

This way, yes they got something in return, but contributed the exact same amount in the end, though they did it for someting in return.

Someone posted the analogy of donating to a hospital, or taking part in one of those draws - both equally help out the hostpital, but people are more receptive to giving money when they get something in return.

So our initial idea was to lump everyone together, but those who have donated feel that they deserve credit for supporting the site in the early days don't want to be lumped in with the store people.

NOW I couldn't agree more that its amazing that people donated, and everyone around here knows how awesome what you did was. I would be more than happy to make a new symbol for store purchasers...

BUT the way the world works is that someone would see the sign and want it, and we would have to once again take money for absoslutely nothing in return (other than a little symbol) and give it to a big corporation.

We here at NS were just trying to get away from that, and give back to the community that gave us so much throughout the years.

Anyways... when we opened the store we had "contributions" built right into it (the word donation had to be changed because of legal reasons... its reserved for real charities). So the people who bought have contributed cash to the Newschoolers cause, and by every right deserve recognition for it. I had hoped we could all just get along and give mad props to the old school donators who are the OG's that made this shit happen. Moving forwards though we wouldn't segregate further.

I want to take a public vote on this, and hear everyone's opinions on the matter, as there's only a few ways we can go....

-We can eliminate money symbols all together. Current contributors would have credit in their profile, or be put into history in some other way.

-We agree to get along, stop taking contributions for nothing and buying in the store has small credit from every purchase that goes towards getting your bling.

-We create a second tier of symbols, which signify store "investors". The catch here is that if we keep the original symbols, we will have to allow contributing for nothing again. We have a place where you can simply paypal money to us and get a sign based on the old system. We'll keep the items in the store so that we can lump the cash together and use it to invest back in the store actions.

Personally I feel dirty about the last option, but if we're to keep the OG donators as is, people will want that and we clearly can't stop taking people's hard-earned money.

SO

Whaddya guys think?
 
When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree,

there will be an answer, let it be.

For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see,

there will be an answer. let it be.

Let it be, let it be, .....

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me,

shine until tomorrow, let it be.

I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me,

speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, .....
 
So technically if someone bought enough stuff from the store they could get a cookie sign?

and I like option 2 the best if someone feels the need to buy a bunch of awesome stuff to get the higher symbols than more power to them
 
well so far everyone that didnt donate in the beginning is going to say we should just all get along but everyone that did donate in the beginning is going to say to have it divided between the two. well for me i'm in an interesting spot. i wanted to donate with nothing in return for te sake of donating because newschoolers has been good to me but then i found out i couldnt because of the selling to 411. then i learned i could donate inspite of that. so i did. but now i just want some stickers. i havent gotten anything from them and i donated like a month or two ago. so well i'm not really one of the old donators from before neither am i one that got donator status from the store. i think you hsould have two different symbols personally but have their monetary values known and equal. if that makes sense.
 
I thought the best idea was one I heard to create a new symbol for those who are contributing through the store of a little T-shirt.. What is the matter with that idea?
 
i think we should just keep it as it is. it really isnt that big of a deal and we dont need to make one out of it. if someone buys some stickers, give em a symbol. done
 
yeah, 500 bucks worth of stuff from the store to get a coin.

I say keep it the same symbol wise and as nomen has mentioned just write something in the profile. Keep everyone happy. I think that would be the easiest. Like if someone gets a coin, then you know they are reppin ns hardcore.

The issue is pretty split between the original donators. 50% say who cares, they are supporting ns like we did and the others are saying we want our og cred. I think the issue revolves around the Contributor forum and access.

Ideally it would be nice just to keep everything the same and just continue on but that's not the case. I say close the forum to store people until they reach bling or something (comprimise). And think of it as a cult now. I think the og donators will support that. That way the hot girl thread, inside dirt for donators! thread, n00b hates, top-secret n00b pwning ploys, ect. can be kept to those ever so deserving members..

I'm pretty impartial to this issue though. If you want to make a whole bunch of flashy new symbols go ahead or if you want to remove it all thats cool. People still know who the legit members are, you don't need something to prove it.
 
-We agree to get along, stop taking contributions for nothing and

buying in the store has small credit from every purchase that goes

towards getting your bling.

Best one I think.
 
T shirt symbol. This is a new era and it should be noted as such.

PLus you will be able to see which of your friends to hit up for

stickers if you can't contribute for some reason. :)

Furthermore won't the new little sick symbol encourage new people to get a new status symbol?

Access to the forum should be allowed to everyone the same who

contributes whether OC or NS store. They are the ones repping NS the

hardest by rockin the goods or by being an original donator.
 
I like the t-shirt idea the best and would this t-shirt icon replace the current donator icons for the OG people? or would it be possible to have 2 icons? like $$ so it could be like cookie+tshirt or w/e
 
i agree but what about if some one bought from the store and donated pre-store? cuz for me i donated after the 411 buyout but before the NS store. would i get two symbols? that would get kinda ridiculous. if you've already got two yellow $$ signs then you buy a shirt your name would be "yourname$$X". i mean, i guess it could work but could also be confusing
 
Nothing is wrong with it, but there's no way to shut off the old way. If there's symbols people will want them, and they will want to contribute. So if we have T-shirt symbols, then what do I do when I get 100 PM's asking how to Donate?

Same thing happened when we tried to shut down donations last time. THIS is the issue, not anything else. Can't leave something in place and not let anyone else have a crack to get into it.
 
This has to be simple... we can't re-code the site just for this, so it'd basically have to be one or the other.

 
Lets just keep it simple for administration.

The change should go in effect at what ever point they can institute it. In other words whatever symbols you have thats what it is. If you got an old symbol for buying something from the store recently, then you will have to buy something to again to get a newshirt symbol. (Which you will likely do anyhow)

IMHO of course!
 
why not just leave both options open? i like to dump my paypal account to you guys every once in a while when i get down to 5-10 dollars because i have no other use for it. just have the store operate as a store with no more special bonuses.
 
speaking as a person with no donation status, i have to admit that i don't mind a possibly sub-par username or height on the online list. should i have donated before studio 411? well yes, i shouldn't but being a poor and closeminded highschooler, i didn't really think about it. having been able to get to know the site and the people behind it better, i know that newschoolers is an amazign asset to the skiing community.

i think that those with icons from the actual days of "contribution" should be the one with the status. i don't think buying a product is a donation, because you are doing it for yourself. you don't buy a nike shirt and be like, "yeaaaaaaah! i just sent a nickle to a kid in africa!!" i doubt that's how you think. you like nike or you like the shirt, so you buy it.

a donator on ns is someone who took money out of their own pocket to send to ns. what did they get out of it? an e-symbol. nothing to flash to their friends, nothing to show their parents, but they were able to show the ns family they cared.

recently, i did buy some stuff in the store, but my thoughts were 50/50. it was like jeaaa this stuff's sick and it also was cool to know you were helping out something you used on a daily basis. do i think i should get some bills next to my name? no, because i don't really think i did anything.

i appreciate and commend the kids/people who put faith in ns from the beginning and would sent them their lunch money or a portion of their paycheck. because of their sacrafice, i think it's only fair to keep those people as the ones with symbols. let them stand out, they did something significant.

as for a buyer icon? how many icons are we going to have as the years go on? i think eventually it will get cluttered, and as NS gets bigger, and everyone sees how sick the stuff they offer is, we will all have icons, therefore ruining the idea of distinguishing yourself.

sparknotes:

-those with icons pre-studio411 era should keep them

--props to those of you who fall uder that category^

-those buying stuff, you got a package arriving at your house, do you really need to proclaim it with an icon? no

...2cents
 
i threw a few dollars before the whole 411 thing, and i've bought a tshirt stickers and a scarf from the store. before that i wanted to send a care package denoting such money be used for beer and "goodies." i like how i have a stupid $ sign, but its not necessary. i think if its in the profile, like contributor and "investor" it would still be cool. i might be cool to have two symbols, but then you're right people will want the old one.

or just give me a zillion symbols so i'm way better thats cool too.
 
II really have put a great deal of thought into this topic, being someone who has donated before the 411 buy out and after, without using the store. I truly feel that if all symbols are stripped from people they will get mad regardless if they care or not. For me, I enjoy seeing my name towards the top of the list, i feel super cool! Anyways, For the people that did donate money to the site, they KNOW that they did, so they should not have a problem without a sign because they know they did something for the site in times of need, but no one will be happy if signs are gone. period.

I honestly think that there should be two symbols. And to DOUG: you wont consistently get emails if you tell people first hand that in order to receive one of these "symbols of contribution" they must purchase something from there store. There is no need for open contributions again, although it can be done, as you know, I have done it.

In regards to the getting along, IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. We are on the internet, everyone has an alternative personality on the internet and will do what ever it takes to have control over others. We have to face it. Therefore the getting along idea will not happen, just because people have control issues (ex: some of the "og's")

People having alternative symbols would be the best option! It will be the best compromise while people will still be known for their true contributions when the site was in need.

SPARK NOTES:

•Getting rid of symbols will be a terrible idea, causing mad caos around the site

•Getting along will never happen...Its the internet

•The only reasonable option involves two symbols. (ex: if you purchase a tee shirt you will have a small tee shirt next to your name, if you purchase stickers you will recieve a small sticker. Or just having a store symbol because if you purchased all things from the store you would get hundreds of symbols)

 
Second choice makes the most sense to me. It seems the most fair and logical. It keeps things less cluttered (don't need two different signs) and less confusing though.

One question though, if we did it the second way. If you were already a contributor and you bought something from the store...would the amount of money that you "donated" from buying that product upgrade your donation symbol?
 
I would say add "OG" in peoples profiles if they donated back in the old school. Keep the symbols as they are.

When someone new buys from the store they get schwag and a symbol, they then become a 'contributor'. Those members who donated because they wanted to donate to NS should just have something else in their profile signifiying that.

O.G. Contributor (or something to that effect).

I don't know why people care so much about it. Honestly one of the most useful things about the symbols is the way the online list is ordered. Most of the people i communicate with are donators, so it's easy to see who is online because they are near the top.

(I know thats what a friends list is for, but i don't want to add 500 people to my friends list, as i would end up with a second online list)

Bottom line, i say

- No changes to icons

- No changes to method of donating

- O.G Donators get something extra in their profile saying O.G (For the want of a better word)

- New donators get standard contributor recognition.

 
People actually care that much about a little dollar sign next to their names? I say get rid of it. Sort the online list alphabetically and by name colour so people can PM a mod or admin when they need something. End of story.

Of course, I don't understand why you won't take donations in the first place. It's not dirty, some people just love newschoolers and love Doug, Cko, Schmuck et al. enough to give them money for no other reason. I suggest you let them, and then buy beer with it (or, if you're Schmuck, JD + coke). That way it's like they're buying you a drink.
 
Another good idea.. Green or orange at top cause they are the people to contact with questions.. leave pink and blue alphabetical. Put all the status symbol stuff in the profiles.

Of course, this is going to cause an uproar for those who bought a symbol to appear at the top of the online list.

Honestly. IMO The only way to keep everyone happy is to find away to keep the old system of donating and create a new symbol for contributing to the store.
 
Perfect explaination doug...too bad it wasnt sooner :P

If people are buying shit from the NS store online, I would have to say they appear to care enough about the site because they are throwing down cash for its products (with built in donation). Thats the definition of support people and i think they have every right to get a lil symbol next to their name if they want it along with access to the donators forum to view the hot chick thread...lol
 
says the person that didn't actually donate haha.

Honestly, I'm really surprised this is even that big of an issue. People are taking the bling sign as some sort of status symbol or something and its ridiculous. I'm pretty sure when you first donated you they didn't even have the little dollar sign thing or anything (it was something that was added later), not totally sure about that. Anyway this is clearly causing way too big of a problem. Getting rid of them isn't a very big deal though because its just a little dollar sign on the internet ha.

It would be sweet if people could just buy stuff from the store, and donate separately, but it seems like that is clearly not an option. So we are back where we started.

I think we should worry less about it, if people really care THAT much then get rid of the $ signs and put "donator" or "contributor" or whatever in their profile or something.
 
I really agree here. People who donated...know they donated and should be proud of it. People will still be respected by their NS name because they have been known for that, not their symbol. Just keep their status in their profile, or even keep the symbol in the profile if people really care that much.

I will start by saying take away my symbol if people care this much.
 
Keep the icons but sort the online list like you suggested. That way the people still get their symbols but it takes away the "donate to get to the top of the list" fever...

 
i saw keep it the way you were doing it, new symbols and everything is just going to be confusing. we dont need to be selfish.
 
As someone that donated the old fashion way (Buying drinks for Doug, Chris, and Paul at a premiere) then donating AGAIN the new old fashion way (sending money expecting nothing in return) I agree with Jen. Get rid of it all. I bought the guys some drinks because I appreciated what they were doing, knew they weren't making a lot of money off it, and I love(d) spending time on Newschoolers.

Exclusive groups are stupid. You can put my name back in blue with no donator status and I'll be fine

Put the "Original Donator" status in the profiles, throw Red, Green, and Orange and the top, alphabetical at the bottom pink and blue. Done. Finished.

If you still would like to "donate" money to an NS* cause, you guys could PM me and "donate" money to the "Keep Mike Rogge writing articles for Newschoolers.com" as a Freelance Writer" fund. Schmuck takes up all the budget and I'm going to be very hungry when I graduate in December.

Cheers!

*Newschoolers.com in no way approves or supports this message
 
I could see it all thrown out and not care one bit.

I had known about donators but I had no idea about a forum for it or what kind of symbol I would get, I just sent NS what I thought was fair for the fun and great info that I get here.

It would be cool to still have away to support the site like buying clothes or sticker with built in donat....uh contributions but I don't need no stinking symbol for it.

I would however still like the ability to post in the hot girl thread.
 
People shouldnt get donation symbols for buying stuff from stores, let the donators get the symbols, and everyone who bought stuff from the store, if u want a symbol, donate

keep it simple, buying stuff doesn't mean your a contributer

and to NS administration

obviously you sell things for a profit, no one thinks of you less for doing so

you have a site to run

so basically to sum that up

No symbols for people who buy

symbols for donators

and if you want, put another thing in the store that absically says, if u want to just donate send money her

xxxx@paypal.com
 
-We agree to get along, stop taking contributions for nothing and

buying in the store has small credit from every purchase that goes

towards getting your bling.

That one..
 
make the OG donators a different colour than the store donators, like their name. keep the icons the same. and keep the contributors forum exclusive to the OG guys.
 
i bought stuff from the store after reading that it was like a built in contribution so it would be like killing two birds with 1 stone. the sign doesnt mean that much but i thought the store was going to be for like donating and getting something back and then showing your support for NS in real life. i say do #2 people are giving money to NS because everyone knows a tall t doesnt cost $45 people buy it cuz it has the NS logo on it and they are supporting their favorite site.
 
We create a second tier of symbols, which signify store "investors".

The catch here is that if we keep the original symbols, we will have to

allow contributing for nothing again. We have a place where you can

simply paypal money to us and get a sign based on the old system. We'll

keep the items in the store so that we can lump the cash together and

use it to invest back in the store actions.

OH SHIT.. stupid me.. Yeah that one.^^^ or a slight variation.... seems like it would keep everyone happy, except Mr Bishop.

 
Does no one else thing its kinda creepy to publicly display who buys shit from the store with little t-shirt icons?

IMO, just leave it they way it is giving clothing buyers the green $ symbol (the extra markup on on store items is the same as sending NS $5-10 bucks in the old system), sort the online list by colour and alphabetical, and call it a day. This really shouldn't have been this big of an issue.
 
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