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Tue Apr 16, 2013 7:05 pm  |
I was interested in posting in a Gardening ProBoard forum which of course you have to be a registered member to post. All the ProBoard forums state membership is free. But when I read the Terms of Service on their website, they all state the same Terms of Service, esp: (my bold)>
13. FEES
(a) RESERVED RIGHTS
You acknowledge and agree that ProBoards reserves the right to charge for access to the Website and use of the Services and to change its fees from time to time in ProBoards' sole discretion. ALL PURCHASES ARE FINAL. ALL FEES ARE NONREFUNDABLE. By opting for membership or paid services, You authorize ProBoards, or its payment processor, to charge subscription fees to the credit card, debit card, or other payment method you provide, in addition to applicable sales taxes and other applicable taxes. Use of PayPal to pay ProBoards constitutes Your binding agreement to all applicable terms in the PayPal Terms of Services and Legal Agreements. In the event of a discrepancy pertaining to fee collection, You have ten business days from the date of the completed charge to send notification to ProBoards about the discrepancy, after which all charges are no longer subject to change. ProBoards' decision not to exercise any specific right or require performance of any specific obligation under this Agreement, including without limitation the collection of monthly or annual fees from You, shall not affect ProBoards' subsequent ability to exercise such right or require such performance at any time thereafter. Nor shall ProBoards' waiver of Your breach constitute ProBoards' waiver of any subsequent breach."
So I called them, yep, I called the ProBoards administrators and asked re Terms Service fees despite the ProBoards website stating in writing that it's free.
The guy said "Oh, our legal department has to put that in there"
So I said "So, it's not free? None of the ProBoards forums are free?"
"Oh yeah, its/they're free but we can change it" he says.
But the Terms of Service wording alludes to charging a monthly fee, and then you really can't do much about it after ten days if you're a member already.
Anyway, just wondering whether anyone here belongs to a ProBoard forum and whether they're charged fees.
I really love gardening and there's a really lovely Garden Forum on ProBoard.
Sorry for the long post.
But I can't post this question in their forum because i'm not a member  |
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Tue Apr 16, 2013 8:24 pm |
| I belong to a ProBoards forum and have not paid fees. I do think they charge for the iPhone app. I use the web browser. |
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rzyvo
 
Joined: 17 Apr 2013
Posts: 0
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Wed Apr 17, 2013 1:33 pm |
Hi Kath91,
Just wanted to note that ProBoards at its core is a free service, and has been that way for 13 years. While the core service is free, there are some optional paid services that are available, such as the ad-free service to remove the advertising banners from the forums which is a monthly service.
So if you're wanting to join the gardening forum that you found, you won't be charged for it, nor will you even be asked any billing info when registering. Hopefully this helps to ease your concerns  |
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Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:22 pm |
The Delphi forums operate on the same idea. I am a Basic member but have the option of going up to the next level.
I really don't see the value in paying extra for the next level; so I stay at Basic service.
There was a skin care board that I was on years ago. The owner/moderator of the forum was brilliant but wanted to charge $15.00 membership fees. Not that $15.00 is a lot; but I spend too much time on forums. I did not pay the membership fees and opted out. |
_________________
Canadian with fair skin. 50+ years old sensitive and reactive. |
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Thu Apr 18, 2013 2:09 am |
mega-grateful to all for addressing my concern
ever so mindful of cautiously focusing on written agreements, i just couldn't wrap my brain around how it's verbalized to me and advertised as free membership, however, in written stipulation, it wasn't... apparently, the ad-banner issue plays into this confusion, but, heck, sure isn't legally written as such, is it. 
@ Autumn1995 - you're right, it's not the cost as much as the overall value + time
@ ShastaGirl - i did see something about mobile apps on their webpage, will have to look into that
@ rzyvo - don't know who you are but am taking your 'no hidden fees' word on it > it's free.
translation -- don't click on make this forum ad-free--LOL
Bottom Line: should the forum not display banner ads that would then mean there definitely is an immediate fee.
again, thanks to all
eager to enjoy more happy gardening |
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rzyvo
Joined: 17 Apr 2013
Posts: 0
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Thu Apr 18, 2013 3:06 pm |
| Kath91 wrote: |
@ rzyvo - don't know who you are but am taking your 'no hidden fees' word on it > it's free.
translation -- don't click on make this forum ad-free--LOL
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Just to be transparent, I'm a ProBoards employee. This topic came up in a Google alert, and I figured I'd offer some assistance here. So please do take my word for it
To further clarify too, ProBoards does not ask for any billing info when you register a free account. Even if you were to click on the 'make this forum ad-free' link found at the bottom of the forum, the only way you would be charged after that point is if you filled out your billing info with us along with payment info. So accidentally clicking the link does not mean you're automatically bound to a fee.
- Ricky |
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Fri Apr 19, 2013 2:50 am |
rzyvo ,
i kinda figured you were affliated
with ProBoards from the get-go
by your authoritative response-post...
hence, your word i was
& planned on taking...
literally. 
thankx for the positive
confirmation & extended
clarification.
YAY, Google Alert!
(so, now, how about tweaking the
legalise of that darn-tricky
Terms of Service at
your next Board meeting) |
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