Re:Ask HN: Are you working on a Reddit replacement? What is it?
by Tenhundfeld on Friday July 03, 2015 @03:32PM
(#9827519)
I applaud your sentiment, but honestly, if you can afford Internet access, you can afford a one-time $1 (or even $5) sign-up fee.
I'm sure people will come up with some scenario where that's not 100% true, but I think it generally is. And you could probably devise alternate solutions for those exceptions. Some ideas off the top of my head:
1) The sign-up fee could be waived for anybody signing up with a .edu address.
2) Integrate with major library systems, and say the sign-up fee can be waived if you authenticate with a local library, enter your library card number, etc.
3) Offer a refund of the sign-up fee after 6 months of non-troll behavior.
I don't know. But I do think the benefits of having some money on the line and some basic identity verification outweigh the risk of drowning out some voices.
I'm sure people will come up with some scenario where that's not 100% true, but I think it generally is. And you could probably devise alternate solutions for those exceptions. Some ideas off the top of my head:
1) The sign-up fee could be waived for anybody signing up with a .edu address.
2) Integrate with major library systems, and say the sign-up fee can be waived if you authenticate with a local library, enter your library card number, etc.
3) Offer a refund of the sign-up fee after 6 months of non-troll behavior.
I don't know. But I do think the benefits of having some money on the line and some basic identity verification outweigh the risk of drowning out some voices.