Supporting Members, Subscription Feature

[Chris]

Supporting Member, Subscription Feature

I'm happy to announce that we've now introduced a few new perks for our supporting members.

Now when you donate, you will automatically be upgraded to the newly created Checkmate-Boats supporting members group.

As always, donating and becoming a supporting member is voluntary and is not mandatory or required to participate or enjoy our forums or website.

Benefits of Becoming a Six Month or One Year Supporting Member

-Ability to upload attachments from your desktop to our server (Maximum 50 MB storage)
-Ability to upload attachments from your desktop to certain categories of our photo gallery
-Access to the exclusive Checkmate Boats supporter's forum
-Increased private message storage of 300 messages versus standard 75
-Ability to post events on the forums calendar
-Supporter's Icon Image appears in postbit under your avatar.
-Username appears in yellow both on the online now box as well as postbit, signifying forum supporting status.
-Increased avatar upload size to 50 KB versus standard 20 KB
-Ability to create a personal album of images in our photo gallery and then link to the images in your posts on the forums.

Please note that all subscription purchases are effective on both of our sites - Endless Boating & Checkmate-Boats.

If you would like to have your membership upgraded on both sites, please send me a Private message with your two applicable board names.

Benefits of the Special Three Month Limited Access Supporter's Subscription

-This is a special three month supporter's subscription which allows a member to upload a limited amount of photos (approximately ten) to our servers.
-This program is ideally suited to a member who has a listing in our buy and sell forums and wishes to upload some photos so support their classified ad.
-This program is also suited to a member who wishes to upload a few photographs or to enter our "Boat of the Month" feature.

Currently three automated subscriptions are available. The automated system can be accessed through your control panel under the link "Paid Subscriptions". Or you can click this link! (http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/payments.php)

The automated system utilizes paypal and there are currently three options in a member's control panel.

$25.00 U.S. dollars for a 1 year subscription to the supporting group membership benefits.
$15.00 U.S. dollars for a 6 month subscription to the supporting group membership benefits.
$ 5.00 U.S. dollars for the special three month limited access picture uploading subscription.

*Depending on community feedback we may also introduce additional donation options.

The automated subscription system is just that automated. Meaning the board will automatically upgrade your membership to the "supporter's group" and then will also move you back to the regular group when your subscription ends. The board will also send out a courtesy email notifying you shortly before your subscription expires.

Alternatively, you can also donate any amount utilizing our supporter's page. The supporter's page can be accessed by clicking the "piggy bank" donate icon which is located at the bottom of most pages.

If you would like to make a donation by cheque, please PM me and I'll give you our snail mail address. Please note that donating by these methods is not automated, so please allow a day or two for us to process your donation and get you set up as a supporting member.

I'd like to thank all of our members who have participated in our forums over the past four years. Our little community has certainly grown over that time! And collectively we certainly have built an amazing Checkmate resource. :thumb:

This program is something I have wanted to introduce for some time and now that we have our new home I've been able to do it. I hope all of you are enjoying the new forums. :)

I've also put together a little Q/A which I've posted below. If you have an additional questions, feedback or comments about the Subscription Feature, just post them in this thread and I'll do my best to help and respond.

-Chris

[Chris]

Question: I already donated, do I have to donate again to become a member of the supporter's user group?

Answer: It depends on when you donated. We retroactively upgraded everyone who donated after Jan 1, 2005. All members who donated after January 1, 2005 have received a one year subscription tied to the date they donated. Members who donated between January 1/05-March 31/05 obviously would have already had their subscription expire. What we have done for members who donated during this period is as a goodwill gesture given them a subscription which expires on June 30, 2006.


Question: Do I have to donate to participate on the forums?

Answer: No you don't! You can still enjoy the forums as you always have, you can still post pictures by utilizing a secondary hosting service and then "hotlinking" to the images. The subscription program is a voluntary program which was set up as a perk for donating members.


Question: Why did you choose $15.00 & $25.00 as the two automated amounts?

Answer: Because it seemed many of our members were donating around the $25.00 dollar amount, we figured that would be a good level. The $15.00 dollar amount was introduced for members who may be new to our forums or for members who would like to utilize the buy and sell forum and would appreciate the having ability to upload pictures of their boat to post with their ad.


Question: Can I donate a different amount?

Answer: Sure you can. You can send whatever you like. You can do so via the supporter's page. We will then upgrade your membership manually which may take a few days to complete.


Question: What if I donate less than $15.00, what do I get?

Answer: Unfortunately, we don't have a program set up for donations of less than $15.00 at this point in time. However, if we get a lot of feedback that members would like to see a donation subscription level of less than $15.00, or for less for 6 months, we'll certainly consider it!


Question: Can I still donate anonoumously?

Answer: Yes you can. Again, you will have to do so manually through the supporter's page. If you want to donate annonmously, please indicate that to us at the time you donate. Also, please note, that to enjoy the subscription benefits you will have be upgraded to the supporter's group and will therefore show as such on the online now box as well as in the postbit area. Currently, there isn't a way for us to give you the benefits of the subscription service without putting you into the supporter's group. So you'll have to decide if you want to be truly anonoumous or receive the subscription benefits.


Question: If I want to use the forums for commercial selling purposes, is this the program I have to join?

Answer: The simple answer is no. The more complex answer is....The "supporting vendor" program is totally seperate from the supporting member program. If you would like to become a supporting vendor, please contact us. Generally speaking, we don't require anyone to become a supporting vendor, as long as you aren't posting shameless plugs for your business on the forums and are not utilizing our buy and sell forums for the purposes of selling. However, if you would like to use our forums for commercial purposes, please contact us PRIOR to posting ads and or plugs. You can contact us via email or you can contact me via PM and I will discuss the supporting vendor program and fees with you. Please note, we do not necessarily accept all vendors into the supporting vendor program.


Question: I would like to donate more then $25.00 can I do so?

Answer: Sure you can! Although at this time you will still only receive a one year subscription. Again, if we get feedback that members would like an additional automated subscription level, we'll certainly consider it!


Question: What happens to my attachments if my subscription expires? Will they be deleted?

Answer: No, they won't be deleted. Your attachments will remain. Although somewhere down the road we may have to prune the board of some posts and/or attachments due to server demands.


Question: Can if I get a refund?

Answer: No, we aren't going to provide refunds pro-rated or otherwise for any reason.

Question: How do I get my subscription updated so that I'm a supporting member on both Endless Boating & Checkmate-Boats.com?

Answer: Just send me a PM on either site, letting me know your board name on each site (if they're different) and I will update your membership on whichever site requires it.


If you have further questions you can post them in this thread and I'll answer them and also add them to this FAQ. :)

[captainmorgan]

not been here for a while because im an air-con mechanic and the last 4 weeks of this heatwave has nearly killed me. havent had the energy to visit here after getting home. the ac is still working good in my 85 enchanter, when i get the chance to fly it. manage to get a ride every weekend, and it has kept me from stressing out, thank god. tell me what to do for a membership, and maybe ill have some time with this cool down. thanks

[Chris]

I'll bet when you fix up people's AC unit on a hot day, you're the smilemaker. Or would that be icemaker? :D

Anyway, welcome back captain.

Thanks for inquiring about the board membership program.

There are a couple of ways to donate and get a membership.

One way is the automated way, which you can do through a screen in your control panel and your membership gets updated instantly. To do it this way you use Paypal.

Here's a link to the subscription area.

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/payments.php

The other way, is to send a cheque via snail mail and once we get it, we update your membership manually.

Thanks again for your interest in supporting the site. :)

[JBS]

I would like to be a member at the 25.00 level. JB

[Chris]

I would like to be a member at the 25.00 level. JBHi JBS,

Thanks for you interest in supporting the board.

You can get a one years subscription through your control panel. If you go through your control panel, the board updates your status almost instantly.

From the navigation bar hit...

>>>User CP
>>>Paid Subscriptions

From there you can choose between the one year and six month subscription.

Here is a direct link, this should also hopefully work.

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/payments.php

Thanks again for your interest in supporting our site. :)

[captainmorgan]

i can afford that price as it only cuts my tunnel ride by 3 minutes. other day, 5 minutes burnt 14 gallons plus oil, but when i stopped, 1 puked, 1 shook, and my eyeballs were hanging on springs. mail me the info how to join, and ill tell you how to become a member of our "damned fools club".:sssh: its not about horsepower any more, its the ammunition that brings on the conditionyou can tell who built my motors because they sound unlike any outboard anywhere, and they are made of junk. :bigthumb:

[TLB]

Just did the paypal for $25.00

Love this site:bigthumb:

[Chris]

Thank you sir! :thumb:

I appreciate your support and kind words. :)

[captainmorgan]

thanks chris. man, ive been busy with everything i do, not just hvac & elec. i see you in my inbox, and want to get on, but just like now at 1:30 am, im wanting to get some enjoyment for me, here on this killer freaking boat site that is the only reason im killing myself everyday. im sitting here in a pile of paperwork, and i just got done at 9:30 pm from busting my a** all day, and im just now opening the emails ive seen on here all week. if it werent for my love of the bay and my boats, id be dead. now ive got tears flowing, because i need a ride in my boats worse than ever. i dont advertise my business other than 2 magnetic signs on my van, and its all about helping people since my dad started this buss. ive got a bs in electronics/ computers and worked at nasa early 80s and quit cause i got tired of reading newspapers and drinking coffee. now im so stressed out from the demand on me. i love to help people, and im overwhelmed with work because of the quality. ive got to work in the am and its 2 am now, and hopefully i can think to type what i really want to say soon. i cant think now, but i know that i want to thank you and everyone else here, for helping me deal with not getting the chance for my stress releiving friday eve boat ride. ill be back soon. you people are the best, and thanks

[yellowfiero88]

Chris, I have been browsing here for a while now and have found that you have a great site with alot of good people on here. Payment sent for the next year!

[Chris]

Thanks 88!

I appreciate the kind words and the donation.

All of you are really what makes the site what it is. Without all of you, it would be a pretty lonely place.

-Chris