

How to Build a 'Paywall' That Doesn't Break the Web - alexismadrigal
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/08/how-to-build-a-paywall-that-doesnt-break-the-web/243039/

======
citricsquid
Any site that asks me to share _before_ I've viewed gets a big fuck you from
me and I'll just leave. It's ridiculous and completely ignores the point of
sharing. I don't see the cover of a film and say "Hey friend, you should watch
[film], it's awesome!"... because how can I know it's Awesome? I haven't seen
it. The same goes for any sort of web content, I am not sharing content unless
I _enjoy_ it and I can't know that before I have viewed it.

~~~
mfitzerald
This is very similar to the Groupon model... you get a deal (or a thing) while
being being motivated to spread the word. Not 'sharing' so much as promoting.
You're being inconvenienced (paying) and it allows you to edit the text.. so
you can just say.. "I'm tweeting this page so I can read it rather than pay
them. Sorry." I don't know. Not sure if this is the final iteration but very
cool that they're trying to figure out how to put value on content other than
banner ads. Hope they figure it out.

~~~
ahemphill
There's an "ignore" button. :)

~~~
mfitzerald
Yeah, that's nice too. So after we've donated does it remember us?

~~~
ahemphill
Sure does. (In fact, we're implementing some extra features for those who
choose to pay.)

------
emptyage
We tried to make this fun. Some of the hidden features that I think are pretty
cool include the way you can bypass the nagwall with the Konami code, and, of
course, the nagwhal: <http://two.longshotmag.com/404>

~~~
jpadvo
I poked around, but couldn't find any articles behind the nagwall. Any chance
you could let us know where we can see it working?

Great concept, by the way.

~~~
joeybaker
The nagwall isn't in every story, but it is on many. Here's one:
<http://two.longshotmag.com/story/money-tank>

------
computerbob
Or you can just turn javascript off and you don't get the nagwall either.

~~~
joeybaker
Certainly! We weren't paranoid about security. Though you could certainly
imagine a system where the content is only loaded after a JS event + cookie
combination of a kind.

~~~
gcr
What about search engines or text-mode browsers without javascript?

~~~
joeybaker
They won't see the nagwall. We only had 48 hours :)

------
pacifika
Will be interesting to see what the percentage of visitors is that end up
paying to not see this wall. I see a lot of parallels with donationware, and
all evidence from that indicates it's not possible to live off just donations.

So I hope there will be a followup.

------
benatkin
I disagree with the title. You are breaking the web. Or you're not. Either
way, it would have to be an odd definition of _breaking the web_ if going from
a standard paywall to your paywall changed the status of whether or not it's
breaking the web.

------
intellection
Internet accessible.

