Paid Account Trial

[annissamazing]

I've been toying with the idea of upgrading to a paid account. LiveJournal is currently offering a two-week trial, so I'm checking it out. The cost is reasonable, but is it worth it?

[Poll #1712505]

Comments

[redknightalex.livejournal.com]

I refuse to use check boxes if I can't check them all so I wrote a comment instead. :D

I've had a paid account since...I dunno, maybe 2006 (or 2004), with a year or two where I wasn't around enough to even post, so I always think of it as worth it. I love the extra userpics (icon addict here) and, when I first went paid, I wanted to make my own layout for my journal with my mad programming skillz (which, by the way, is still in the works). Of course, you can always cruise the layout comms for a layout you really like and use their CSS instead. If that's a big determining factor for you, try glancing at some of those comms for layouts that you might like and if you need a paid account (I could give you some comm links if needed).

Honestly, I can't remember what else is worth it for a paid account (you get storage space and other weird things) but the price is relatively cheap that I've always been, why not?

[annissamazing]

That's what the last question was for! :D

I usually don't even think about changing my icon. I need to do that more. Thanks!

[gement.livejournal.com]

I forgot that free users can't edit comments! Yeah, I'm never going back to unpaid again. They've got me. I very occasionally use voice posts as well. Not often enough for it to be a deciding factor, but it's awfully fun as an option.

I've been in the pissed-off crowd on how they've handled certain issues, but at this point Facebook is making an artform out of making LJ look like good citizens. Dreamwidth is the perfectly groovy hippy alternative (and I have a mirror account there), but my family and friends are on LJ, so here I'm pretty sure I will stay.

[redknightalex.livejournal.com]

Ah, totally forgot about the editing comments perk (which shows how long I've had a paid account). Editing comments can be a risky thing, however, especially when multiple emails are sent out to the recipient. I know I've spent a few minutes going over emails to see where the edited difference was myself.

As for Dreamwidth: I agree on the "groovy hippy alternative" to LJ part that, in some ways, it is a bit more friendly to the more outlying parts of fandom in particular. I also have an account there, have since there was a big push to Dreamwidth after an anti-LJ outcry, and used to cross-post for a long time. Now, seeing as most of the anti-LJ hate has died down (it seems), Dreamwidth is a bit of a fringe element. They work hard on their code-pushes but I never felt a real sense of community over there. Sure, it may be the "cool" thing to have both (or just be on Dreamwidth), but they lack a lot of the features LJ has or charges a nice premium for them (as apposed to what LJ offers). Personally, I'd stick with LJ, especially if you are thinking of putting down money somewhere.

As an aside: I don't always agree with LJ, and would rather have DW be the be-all end-all for things like this, but LJ is too entrenched and good at what they do. Figure it's the lesser of two evils.

[annissamazing]

"I know I've spent a few minutes going over emails to see where the edited difference was myself."

I do that. Usually it's just a typo.

[redknightalex.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who constantly changes her icon to suite the post better (or, sometimes, to annoy me). Mostly it's that (or a typo) but it still has an amusement factor.

and I misspelled Picard 8~(

[elgordo42.livejournal.com]

The only shiny thing that attracts me is the "edit comments" ability. I wrote the word "usually" twice in one sentence and wanted to revise it, but..Too Late!

Re: and I misspelled Picard 8~(

[annissamazing]

Same here. I have been known to delete a comment and rewrite it, but that's such a pain!

I think you're right about the "Power users". I've recently started using LJ a lot more than I used to and I think at this point I might qualify.

[annissamazing]

Yeah, the ability to edit comments is what will probably sell me. Yesterday, I commented in someone's journal, "I wish I weren't at work," and now I'm all unhappy that I can't go back and change it.

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

The comment box in the poll didn't hold everything I wanted to say!

I upgraded for more icon space. I stayed upgraded - and then went permanent - for an ad-free LJ (yes, I use AdBlock, but LJ keeps bringing in new ads), and for the ability to edit comments. Generally happy with it, and I certainly don't have any intention of going anywhere else :)

[annissamazing]

They're picky about how many characters you're allowed!

If you don't mind me asking, how did you get a permanent account? They're not currently for sale. I'd love to get a permanent one. I'd rather shell out a rather large sum of money up front than shell out a relatively small amounts every so often. I've been on LJ for 9 years (woah!). At this point, I'm pretty sure I'm not going anywhere. :)

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

In the nine years you've been on LJ, permanent accounts have probably been on sale three, maybe four times. They don't offer them often at all, and not on any regular timetable either. I've had mine for, I think, four years, and I remember one sale since then. Mine was $150, and the last time they were on offer the price was $175.

For LiveJournal, it's obviously better to have the steady income stream than a lump sum up front and no further income (unless people buy additional paid accounts, or icon add-ons or whatever). But if they do have a sale again, it'll be announced on the news community. In the past, they've announced it a week or so before it happens, and then the sale is only open for a few days. In the most recent news post, someone asked about a permanent account sale, and a staffer replied that there are currently no plans for one, however.

[annissamazing]

That makes sense. I think I'm going to start paying for an account. I'd really like the ability to edit comments and I also like the stats feature. Thank you!

As an aside (and since I'm already typing here), I looked into changing my username to annissa (just dropping the g), but it's already taken by a woman who likes Whedon and Who. Those and other similarities weirded me out a bit. haha!