Spanishdict Survey
I just logged on to Spanishdict and was asked to take part in a survey. No problem I thought, after all I do like this site and the least I can do is give them my feedback. Well, after spending about 10 minutes and getting 80 odd% of the way through the survey I was asked to provide details of my annual household income. I didn't bother answering this, but then the survey would go no further - answering that question was compulsory. So I cancelled the survey and closed the window.
What are they on? I was perfectly happy to give them probably 15 to 20 minutes of my time and answer all sorts of questions, but why are they so interested in my household income? I wouldn't even tell this information to a friend never mind a web site!
I was asked twice on the survey whether I would consider paying for using this site, then they want to know household income. Erm, where is this going I wonder?
39 Answers
f charges are to be made somehow what about the "input" from members who provided it for "free" ?
What I find amazing is that there are three threads of feedback on the site and hundreds of letters, I suppose, and only very few things have been amended.
How long does it take to add two accents on the main page, which is seen by everybody for example?
Heidita is a driving force for most of what I like about SD, but there was no place to acknowledge her
I don't know about acknowledging us moderators, but at least let us know? I had no idea a survey was being launched . Or a paid ad-free site.
What I am fighting for is good and effective moderation and having a mod in the American time zone is essential.
We (cogu especially) are also trying to get a person back who actually knows about Spanish grammar like nobody. I think that is much more important. This forum cannot exist if it does not have proficient speakers, and at this moment, there are only about five native Spanish speakers on the site, two of whom are seriously unhappy.
I just picked the answer with the lowest income. Maybe they'll think I really need that 50 dollar giftcard 
. Poor guy, studying Spanish with so little to spend, let's make him happy......
I signed on, saw the survey questionnaire and then my wife called me to dinner. I haven't seen it again but thanks to Billy I won't bother. And, would I be here if I had to pay? Not likely!!!
Hello everyone. We just added a "I would prefer not to say option" for the income question. Rest assured, the forum and currently available reference materials will remain free in the future.
Most importantly, thank you for all the feedback! It is invaluable as we plan how to improve our website and help more people learn Spanish and English.
Look, you are all being silly. billygoat (I mention you because you started this) I expected a little more thought out of you. You're very smart and usually have good posts but I really think you and the other members are over-reacting.
This survey is simply a "tell us how we're doing" survey. I worked in for a survey company before and statistics are A.L.W.A.Y.S. part of the survey. It organizes it, if not helps get a better view point in many ways. My guess about the household income would be maybe they're trying to assure that they are pricing things affordable so they don't lose members. Span¡shD!ct has always been very caring and wallet-conscious of it's members, hints why the best online resource is free and I'm sure it will remain free.
I think Span¡shD!ct is offering some extremely good marketing ideas with the "ad-free version" of the site. It's been complained about before that people don't like the ads, but hey someone has to pay the bills to keep this community's doors open. If the ads bug you, you now would have a way to get rid of them.
I don't think this will become a pay site, but I do think in order to keep it running (this coming from a business point of view) they will need to try and develop some subtle and painless revenue works. As well y'all should not be so quick take everything to heart, especially when you're asked a generalized statistical question in a study.
Please do not bother me if you're insulted, unless you read everything I wrote.
Hm. I take surveys with certain regularity, so the anonymous question about income range didn't strike me as odd. But two questions about a specific monthly fee did shake me up a bit. Of course, there's only one answer for that: No.
I feel that I put enough effort into this Forum (let alone people like Heidi, Cogumela, and other harder-working and more serious contributors than myself) as it is, without also being threatened with having to pay.
Yes, I know running something like this is expensive. So you have advertisement, and heck, you can take donations, like Wikipedia. But you certainly won't be seeing me on a paid version of SD (well, unless the one getting paid - and well - happens to be me! )
Heidi: What I find amazing is that there are three threads of feedback on the site and hundreds of letters, I suppose, and only very few things have been amended.
I second this.
Heidi: to get a person back who actually knows about Spanish grammar like nobody. I think that is much more important. This forum cannot exist if it does not have proficient speakers
And this.
Billy: What are they on?
And this.
I thought the questions were very appropriate, especially since I have been lobbying forever (several months) for ad-free subscriptions.
I did not know the "household income" question was mandatory, but if so, making it mandatory is in exceedingly poor taste.
I think it essential for them to keep the bulk of their content free, as other sites only keep mostly baby learner stuff and static content free. To me it seems essential that they keep an enormous amount of high-quality, exceedingly useful, and constantly (at least daily) updated content free. Such content would keep them in the number uno position vis-à-vis the other language learning sites.
Heidita is a driving force for most of what I like about SD, but there was no place to acknowledge her (**or ** others in the survey). They could have included a general "comments" field.
Also, I hope the next time I log in it will know I already took the survey and I don't have to keep closing the dang window a thousand times.
I am really surprised to hear that such a personal question would be included in feedback about a popular and well-loved Language site...even more so.... prevent people from progressing to the next question in the survey! Our question to the survey designers ..What is the relevance of this question to using SpanishDict and why is answering this question critical to continuing with the survey?
After all, the survey should include an option that says:'' I prefer not to say'' like many online surveys Many people consider such matters too personal to reveal to people outside the family and I respect their decision so should the people conducting the survey!
Like Billy and i suspect many others I prefer to answer survey questions honestly, but ones such as these either encourage people to lie/make up something or discontinue the survey which rather defeats the idea of such a survey!...The results could be totally worthless and not truly representative of what people really receive!
Looks to me like management made a HUGE mistake in not consulting their loyal fans first
I would vote for a proposed Tip Jar, provided it were to be split amongst correctors and moderators! 
I would even put some twenties in it once in a while if I knew it was going to the correctors!!!
Mi6 said:Last night I had a dream. It was not about the money! It was how many points we earned last year . That would be a important question for SD-members!
That cracked me up! Because if you asked me how much I made last year, I'd have to go check my tax return, but if you told me how many points I earned last year, (albeit a very small amount) I could tell you in a second! Too funny!
Anyway, I was going to say that I was really disappointed how the whole survey did seem geared towards making more money on the site and not about helping the users of the site. I didn't get the feeling that it was about how they could improve my experience, but how they could get more out of me. Really I felt like I was being asked, "What do you like best about this site so we can charge you for it?"
My heart goes out to the hard-working providers of Spanish-Dict who want to see some more income for their work. I haven't been here as long, so I don't know the whole story, but I would think it somewhat reasonable if they wanted to see a little more income from those who would be willing to pay. I personally wouldn't pay for less ads or if they wanted a more personalized website, because they don't bother me, but I can understand why some might. I'm really surprised that some of the moderators don't seem to get any compensation for their input (if I'm reading all the comments correctly) So I would hope that some of that extra income would make it into their pockets. For that, I think I could stand to contribute to an ad-free page.
What I don't agree with is making some games and videos only available for members, as the survey suggested. That idea doesn't seem to harmonize with the spirit of the site which from the beginning boasted that E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. is free, and it will anger me a bit to watch Paralee say at the end of every video that everything at SpanishDict.com is free, when it's not anymore. The survey also seemed to suggest that other activities may be limited to only paying members. The one thing that mainly turned me to this site over others was not fighting for attention to one of my questions, so when they ask, would you pay to have priority questions (or something to that effect) it makes me feel like all they care about it money, and I don't even want to contribute to a site like that.
I don't really know, but thank you for the heads up! Now I know, not to be part of the survey!
I did answer the survey, and I must admit put my household income in without even thinking about it. It seems to be a pretty standard question on consumer surveys. I was pretty well guessing as it is in dollars and I didn't do any maths, just guessed.
I wouldn't pay for an ad free site, and as I am already paying for a language course which gives me a qualification I wouldn't pay for extras either. Maybe if this was my only source of learning materials I would, but I do think the most important thing about the site is the forum and the people on it.
As I'm ashamed of how little I manage to earn I was quite happy to fill in some dollars, it sounded much better than the truth.. It is a common enough question, and not connected to the inland Revenue.
Addicts, be warned, there is no option for the number of weekly visits you make above 20+...
I do resent always being asked my sex and age ..It is very rude!
