Blinky2004

Excellent view dubya, thanks a lot. [righton]

Ya Julie i just heard about that bad press with PayPal. Not into the details though, but i'm aware of it.

I would love to offer other payment solutions. In fact, as many as i can think of to use... except that it's a lot more work/cost to setup a SSI server/account plus me getting a merchant account and whatever else...

The facts i've read about online credit card fraud have me leary about providing "instant access" to materials... just because someone pumps in a number to an online form and presses "submit". Now mind you, i'm in NO position at this juncture to be too worried about this kind of thing, but that's why i like the "direct deposit" method also.

This will be a brain tease for a bit while i sort of facts and give it more thought. I'll talk to my buddy who owns this server and see what he can do for me about hooking me up with a SSI.

Thanks guys. [righton]

Bacardi

If I read well, you were saying from the start that the site itself would not become a pay-site, and that normal tuts like the one you have made up to now would continue to be free. What would have to be paid for is this specific series of highly specialised tutorials, a bit in the style of NAV design you have done in the days of the school, but then enhaced and reviewed etc.

So in fact, nothing would really change, except that a "members only" department would be added to the site, and everyone would be able to choose to become a member or not. And this would not influence or interfere with the forum.

I see no problem for this as there is no obligation whatsoever. If I see that I have to pay some 12 American Dollars per issue of Computer Arts Projects magazine which gives me two or three tuts, some interesting links and loads of publicity for apps "one should have" to be able to finish the tut...then what are we talking about huh?

As for the method of payment: someone I know who makes plugins for Cinema4D worked with paypal but has recently added the Share-It option because Paypal doesn't work correctly.

gymmie

Mark, you might want to check these out; no merchant account required, but they do process credit card payments. There is, of course, a fee for each transaction.

http://www.2checkout.com/index.html

http://www.worldpay.com/

http://www.propay.com/

Blinky2004

Everything in your reply is exactly correct Erik.
Thanks for putting it so clearly for everyone; including me! [righton]

Hey really Julie?! Wow ok thanks. I'm gonna checkout those other options. Basically they're the same as PayPal though, right? Just other companies doing the same thing...? PayPal charges transaction fees too. As well as currency conversion and deposit fees.

gymmie

Mark, I think they all use the same basic model as PayPal, but with more features (and with better reputations).

Another one that has a lot of fans; it's the old revecom:

http://www.paysystems.com/

BTW, I got this list from my web host in their forum, and weeded it out based on comments from real users. But of course you want to do your own research, maybe check with your host Setup and transaction fees do vary; so do features.

wbiss

Well I'll be damned if I could find the site that I was thinking of (you know what it's like)... but I did "stumble" across this one a few days ago. http://www.seekingcenter.com/tutorials/online.html This guy is charging $5 US a tute and uses the PDF format to deliver online...

Blinky2004

Ya i know how it is, no biggy.

That guy's got some decent painting tutes huh?

Hey?... so... do you guys feel it would be ok to just provide PDF versions of the material? I could simply link to the doc from a page and they would open up in the browser. From there, they could be saved out. That would make it so i wouldn't have to maintain 2 versions of the same material. Which then means i could post more often.

Any thoughts on that?
Does anyone actually NEED a html version of the material?

jpfitness

pdf is better i this instance I reckon Mark and I think that you should go for it
sfm

wbiss

Yep, not your "run of the mill" (which is the essence of your undertaking)... and, as a serious 'student of PSG'... I would pay for that!!!!

Hatch

I like this idea! You work is topnotch and your tutorials are the best out there. I would gladly pay $50-$100 a year to pick your brain and learn from your great tutorials. Have you thought about going in the direction of video? I love video tutorials simply because seeing is believing. Maybe .pdf tutorials to accompany the videos? Just some ideas. Maybe even a tiered payment/access system... $29.95... access to say 30 tutorials... $49.99 gets you the tutorials plus 10 videos.... $99.99.... unlimited access for a year. 30 pdf 30 videos... all hypothetical but as I mentioned before... I would pay... you have given away tons of knowledge and help...nothing wrong in making a $$$ or 2. Keep up the great work...Hatch :}