I started to notice that more sites are turning into paywalls, and I don’t like that and would prefer ads over subscriptions.

I am curious, what does the general community think about that?

  • @simple@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    610 hours ago

    So you think people should just work around the clock making content and not get anything for it? I keep seeing this view and it sounds so naive, you can’t expect donations to keep you afloat. Even hosting the website and domain names cost money.

    • Swordgeek
      link
      fedilink
      159 minutes ago

      People always have.

      How many people get paid to go to ham radio clubs, to write up plans for model airplanes, or to share telescope mirror polishing techniques? How many people try to profit off of community seed/plant exchanges?

      The only difference is that people are now looking for venues to generate profit by producing content, rather than producing content for its own sake. The concept of “every sharing of information must be financially profitable” is a sickness - a festering disease.

      Domain names cost about $50/year. Self-hosting can be done for free with most ISPs; and if you’re getting enough traffic that you need to pay for hosting, it starts pretty cheaply.

      Profit is destroying community at every turn. Resist the relentless lust to make an extra buck, and ENGAGE with people.

    • @Kintarian@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      18 hours ago

      I wouldn’t mind paying for quality content, but usually you end up paying for crap and seeing ads too. So now the corporate media is double dipping right out of your wallet. Journalism is dead and we’re probably never getting it back.

      • Aatube
        link
        fedilink
        27 hours ago

        Okay, so you never go back to ye olde shitty website because they are absolute scum. Now you keep getting to pay the quality content for making the stuff you enjoy without even touching your wallet.

        • @Kintarian@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          15 hours ago

          There are some Independent News sources I like: Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Consortium News, All Sides, Reuters, Truthout, NPR, and Propublica.

          • Aatube
            link
            fedilink
            14 hours ago

            You almost got the trifecta of news agencies. Check out Agencie France-Presse. Also, while they’re usually reliable, note that Al Jazeera is heavily biased towards the Arab Middle East and that NPR is heavily biased towards the US.

            Anyways, I think sites like these demonstrate why we should enable ads that are just a few billboards and don’t run into the prairie, as another commenter has said.