I'm always partial to giving my money directly to a site. I guess you could say I am in favor of ideas 1-3.

Idea 1 makes sense, but if out of the blue we changed from the current free model to this. Wouldn't people feel the need to justify the one time payment? I understand the value of this community, but someone outside of it looking to come in would look in and say "it was free, now it's not. What has changed that warrants this charge?"

Idea 3 is sort of an extension of idea 2. As mentioned I think it would a fine name to refer to anyone who enters this models "Patrons." Give a few worthwhile perks and leave it at that. Also, not sure of how good an idea it is, but maybe allowing people to donate on top of it? I know there isn't some defined price model of how this works, but if people want to donate a dollar, or something smaller than the price of the perks they could do that? Maybe set up a system of donation where any amount can be donated, but after a certain threshold you get certain perks as a patron?