Wow---this post spun out fast...

I think it makes perfect sense that you can rid yourself of the ads just by becoming a paying member - your use of the site gets paid for one way or the other.   I can't think of too many sites that offer that.

I've dabbled in computers as a Linux fan, and I can say that the little I've done (very little) is dizzying enough, much less running a site that has been everything I could have dreamed up myself!

Here's to Erik!

Mad_dog_96 wrote:

 I may be outspoken and stupid for posting drunk but not an idiot. If you can't distinguish there's a difference between communism and socialism then you are an idiot.

I tried signing up but apparentally you need a credit card and I only have a debit card, I'm going to get that sorted out and will sign up asap.

I'm glad you're over it Mad_dog. However, it may be wise and ethical to remember (if possible) to not vent your frustration when you've tilted-back a few too many. (I've yet to find ethics in a bottle... heheh)

Cheers!

PS... Erik wrote: "next question: is it ethical to complain about something you get for free?"    Classic!!

I know i'm crazy...

but the yellow page ads are actually helpful.

wow, I didnt realise chess.com had drunk move protection.  Where might I find this setting?

I feel like this discussion would have been a good one about 10-15 years ago, when it was not clear what a good business plan would be. As it is, the site makes some $$ from the free users via the ads, and makes other money from the paid users via the membership fee.

The next question, which is private to chess.com management, is how much are the operating expenses of this enterprise? There's the hosting, the servers, the new development, any $$$ they spend to get top-level talent, etc. I don't pretend to know all of the details, but I know that it is not free to put on such a site.

Now, if there really were absolutely tons of paid memberships which were overflowing the coffers of Erik's and his employees bank accounts, and then they decided to add even more ads to make even more money, that might get in the realm of greedy. But even so - it's a great website, and who am I to say that they shouldn't investigate whatever revenue streams there are. Maybe in that scenario, it would allow them to reduce yearly membership fees, or who knows. It's up to them, right?

The irony of this is that on a different thread someone recently questioned why there should be a trophy that says "I Was Drunk."

I'm glad that everyone is saying basically the same thing here. The initial post is really very very silly. Thanks again Erik.

Rakia wrote:

If communism suceeded in practise as it was meant to be, we would live in utopia. So it's not really ideaology that's wrong, it's the people who abuse it for their own profit. Being a communist is not a bad thing, exploiting others is. But enough with politics.

The flaw of communism is that it didn't take into account people.  A form of government on paper that doesn't take into account people isn't really a successful form of government anywhere on paper.

It's like this: My new form of government is "everyone is happy."  There you have it, I have the perfect form of government on paper.  Everyone is happy.  If my new government "suceeded in practise as it was meant to be, we would live in utopia (sic)."

Communism is a great form of government for a planet of desireless, apathetic robots unconcerned with their own prosperity and content with mere survival.

neospooky wrote: The flaw of communism is that it didn't take into account people.  A form of government on paper that doesn't take into account people isn't really a successful form of government anywhere on paper.

It's like this: My new form of government is "everyone is happy."  There you have it, I have the perfect form of government on paper.  Everyone is happy.  If my new government "suceeded in practise as it was meant to be, we would live in utopia (sic)."

Communism is a great form of government for a planet of desireless, apathetic robots unconcerned with their own prosperity and content with mere survival.

Geesh... This post is getting way off track... So, I'll add my two cents regarding Communism.

The problem with Communism is it's idealistic and not realistic.

The idealism of Communism is everyone shares everything, no one in need. (Very simplistic, but that's basically it.) If this was actually possible, I can understand the appeal, However...

The realism of Communism is this: People are people... lazy, self-centered, etc. So, the hard working farmer in a Communist society gets the same "pay" as the lazy farmer who sits on his duff and contributes basically nothing. Therefore, the economy tanks as but a few are providing for the very many.

How in the world did I ever get sucked into this?  I need to get a life...

the only one that bothers me at all is the economist, as it is right where my alert box is and is big enough for me to need to scroll down a lot to get to the alert box but it doesnt bother me much.and it is  has COMPLETE sense. the paying members pay the money the ads use to pay to be advertised.

ps, I noticed how on one of the "reviews" for economist, it said "I used to think. Now i just read economist."

That's a problem that is killing America, too many whiners who just complain the whole day and don't do anything else. They are part of the problem when they should be part of the solution. You get ads everywhere you look. Heck, I'm paying a monthly fee for my cable, what should I do about the ads on my TV? I pay taxes to maintain the highways but there ads on them, what am I supposed to do about that? Mad Dog 96 and everyone who agrees with him can help to improve chess.com by finding somewhere else to play chess.

kenytiger wrote:

That's a problem that is killing America, too many whiners who just complain the whole day and don't do anything else. They are part of the problem when they should be part of the solution. You get ads everywhere you look. Heck, I'm paying a monthly fee for my cable, what should I do about the ads on my TV? I pay taxes to maintain the highways but there ads on them, what am I supposed to do about that? Mad Dog 96 and everyone who agrees with him can help to improve chess.com by finding somewhere else to play chess.

QFT

Oh heck yeah I want to weigh-in on this one! As for me, it's far more an issue of 'have you no decency left?' than anything else. Let's analyse then:

(1) Sure the site if free; I hung around just to look; it took less than a week and I was a gold member.

(2) How would you like blinking or glitter ads glaring when you're having an intense game or 8 or so in a tournament?

(3) Any person in this country should readily understand this principle: "Time is money." Therefore, any time spent with just the simple maintanance is not receiving money.

(4) Ever try to run a revenue generating web-site?

And finally it outright offends me that there are some folks so ugly that they would write the owner in a public forum to gripe. Bad form. No Class. Get the picture? CHEERS!

kenytiger wrote:

That's a problem that is killing America, too many whiners who just complain the whole day and don't do anything else. They are part of the problem when they should be part of the solution. You get ads everywhere you look. Heck, I'm paying a monthly fee for my cable, what should I do about the ads on my TV? I pay taxes to maintain the highways but there ads on them, what am I supposed to do about that? Mad Dog 96 and everyone who agrees with him can help to improve chess.com by finding somewhere else to play chess.

 Oh get over yourself I already stated that I wasn't thinking straight in posting that.

As for Communism, well there never has been a proper Communist state so we can't say it doesn't work in practice because it has never been practiced. What you seen in the USSR was State Capitalism.

Mad_dog_96 wrote:

As for Communism, well there never has been a proper Communist state so we can't say it doesn't work in practice because it has never been practiced. What you seen in the USSR was State Capitalism.

Don't you think there's a reason why text-book Communism has never been implemented?  As another poster mentioned - "everyone is happy" system sounds great on paper too.

I actually happened to live in a socialist country at one point - and couldn't wait to get the hell out.  Happy citizen of the 'evil', capitalist USA right now - and would never trade places with any country that claims to be 'worker's paradise'.

Don't you think there's a reason why text-book Communism has never been implemented?  As another poster mentioned - "everyone is happy" system sounds great on paper too.

I actually happened to live in a socialist country at one point - and couldn't wait to get the hell out.  Happy citizen of the 'evil', capitalist USA right now - and would never trade places with any country that claims to be 'worker's paradise'.

 Communism never was a "everyone is happy" system. To the beorgeoisie and upper classes it sounded like a nightmare. Lenin tried to implement true Communism but realised it couldn't work, like removing money altogether from the equation. Just wasn't feasible. I'm not saying America or capitalism is evil but it's a very unfair system. Anyhoo I think issues like this should be kept to the Open Forum, care to make a thread on it and discuss there?

agreed. move politics to Open Discussion group :)

oginschile wrote:

Welcome to the club Mad_Dog.. I think useful postings in this thread are exhausted. The dark side is vanquished and we can all resume enjoying our happy community!

*Queue Beethoven's 9th*

 Was that really 2 pages ago.

If this bothers you so much, then two words for you:

GET FIREFOX

Hi Erik,

Chess.com is a great site, thanks to you and all the staff for your hard work.  Can't wait to see what you have lined up for the future too, do you have an affiliate program on the horizon?   I would also like to see cool chess merchandise like caps and t-shirts and things for sale in the future when you get time!

I also want to say that there is nothing wrong with making money from a creation you have worked so hard at so don't listen to that nonsense!  Make as much money as you can!

Regards, Andrew