I don't see a down side to affiliate links. If you're going to shop there anyway, why not click on a different link to do it?

I'm curious, too. I'd love my online dollars to have the added bonus of support here (granted, I'm no bigtime purchaser. Still.)

What are some of the objections?

How does it affect reader experience, Gus? What would we experience differently?

Someone drops a link to a book purchase into a discussion, let us say. I am reading this discussion as: The Buffistas preference would be that this link would be, more preferably, a pointer to the Buffistas affiliate link to that book purchase. There would be posts related to this preference. That is one difference.

Another difference could be visual. If there is a stack of vendor buttons somewhere around the site, there might be some conflict with the concept of we being fan-supported and fiercely independent.

I'm not saying any of those things, Gus.

There is nothing implicit in the "I think we should have affiliate programs" that has to change your user experience. However, if I know there's a link on the links page that means that b.org gets a cut every time I shop and B&N? Dude, I'm sure going to use it, instead of just typing bn.com into my browser window.

No skin off my nose, and a couple pennies to our coffers.

However, if I know there's a link on the links page that means that b.org gets a cut every time I shop and B&N?

No issue with the links page. None. No issue with the links page having all kinds of hideous vendor-supplied graphics and link forms, in fact. I am easy. Just ask Trudy.

It will be a disappointment, though, if anyone every feels chastised because they have not used the One True Buffista Way of purchasing something.

But Gus, I'm not even talking about link forms or vendor supplied graphics.

In fact, if there exists a Buffista B&N affiliate link, I would just bookmark it, and move on with my life.

I don't talk much about where I shop now, and I don't call people on where they shop. I have no plans to start.

And if you bump into the One True Buffista Way of anything, gimme a shout. I've not found it yet, and therefore can't poke at people for not following it.

Do we need money again? I'll gladly send some Jesse's way, iffn that's warranted.

No, we're good. I'm not trying to convince anyone they should spend money they weren't going to spend anyway, nor convince them one vendor is better than another, or even that anyone needs use the links. They're reasonably effort-free on our end, so why not?

But Gus, I'm not even talking about link forms or vendor supplied graphics.

Crap. I have lost the thread of the discussion, I think. Wasn't there a pre-proposal notion before the membership to both get an affiliate link to a number of vendors and to visibly link to same on the board?

If not, Liese is on her own.

I think we might as well join some affiliate programs. Once we have, it makes sense to put those links where we put all our links.

If no one objects to people "hawking" their fanfic, or personal sites, or cafepress or favourite whatever on the page -- since it's its purpose, I don't see why this wouldn't fall right in vein with it all.

However, once I know the links, I'll bookmark it and move on.

I don't see how your user experience will change, Gus, if you don't want to use the links. Are you bothered by the other links on the link page that you don't use?

IIRC Liese isn't fond of the large corporate bookstores.

Which doesn't so much mean the following wouldn't be useful to those who do wish to shop there.

I think we might as well join some affiliate programs. Once we have, it makes sense to put those links where we put all our links.