This forum software might be too old to allow it, but I wouldn't mind if Doug put Google ads on here. Google does ads correctly... on topic, unobtrusive. And I understand they're usually fairly profitable for the hosting site. (In fact, the whole ETS site oughta have a google ad area somewhere on the page. Does the non profit nature of ETS prevent it?)

Also, again, if this forum supports it, allow us to buy "emblems" (or whatever the system calls them). Little icons that show up next to our name. CPF uses these for various purposes. If I contribute to ETS, I get a special icon for a year. Another, relatively easy, way to make money and encourage those who haven't to contribute.

ETS may not want to endorse specific retailers, so this may not work... I think we should start mentioning in the comment areas on new equipment buys where we got the idea to buy the gear. Maybe that would encourage people to pay for larger ads on here.

(Look, I'm not crazy about advertising. But it can make a site a fair bit of money, and I'd rather learn to ignore the ads than learn to do without my ETS fix.)