Congratulations on ditching the TV, and beating me to it by many years. Think I did it like five years ago. On the Darknet I don't recall finding any site paywalled yet, but obviously can't say that about the regular internet where such crap abounds. I don't consider any site too risky or dangerous, though I would not be buying anything without mastery of bitcoin, which I have pretty much given up on. My 'new' PC will have Win 7 and MX Linux on separate HDDs, and will accomodate use of LiveCDs via the boot order. That is set to DVD burner>mobile rack SSD (Linux)>mobile rack hard disk (blank)>internal HDD (Win 7). When I want to go direct to Win 7 I just turn off the mobile rack, and hit 'F1'. When I want to go direct to Linux, I just leave the DVD birner empty, and when I want to use a LiveCD (Kodachi Linux or TAILS) I just make sure it is in the DVD burner prior to boot. All pretty much automatic. I already mostly have the gameplan worked out prior to turning on the PC, so I don't have to keep bouncing back and forth. Since I have boot order set to DVD burner first, I do LivdCDs first, then practice with MX Linux and take care of online banking/shoping, then finish up with Win 7 (mostly just expolring the internet, watch movie/TV show, email, etc.). I have not run across any poal/voat alternatives on the Darknet yet, but then I have not been looking. Between poal, mewe, ruqqus, 8kun, and saidit, I pretty much have all the social media I can handle. I can take a look see through the various directories today, and see if anything turns up. If I don't get back to you if a couple days it means you slipped through the cracks, and a reminder is needed.