Will you leave if the forum is a Paid Subscription?

[UncaRay]

Unfortunately, I too would have to leave. Given that I am living "The Life" on a sustainable farm I have no spare cash of any kind. With the economy in a pile all around me cash is hard to come by and I am maintaining an Internet connection and electricity by the skin of my teeth one more straw would break the camel's back! I have no credit card and no bank account, and I suspect this would describe more of your members than you know.

Add to that my profound distrust for organizations that charge $$. It never takes long before the money takes over and changes the entire thing. Once the Salvation Army was about helping poor people. Now it's about funding the management's retirement package.

Here's a novel idea.

Post the exact amount it costs to maintain this thing. Put up a Paypal donation button and one of those widgets that lets you know how much has been donated and how much is still needed to hit the goal. Those of us without cash can donate time. Those of us with cash can donate money. And since the process is completely transparent nobody can argue, or even suspect, that the money is being mismanaged.

Hmmm?

[Mark]

Those with the money will have their say and theose who do not will only be able to read what is said by the people with money - that's New World Order in a nutshell...

[Connecting with Sauce]

It was nice while it lasted that early information bubble... the early energy the wealth of information shared freely... I still come here to see what is happening but it looks like I'm back on my own again seeking my own path... is there a tumbleweed icon?

[Carol]

The information bubble is going to expand exponentially as we are in the process of fleshing out our Library. The fun has only just begun.

[Evolution22]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Also, let us know if you plan on staying if the forum becomes a paid subscription forum.
This poll will help us understand how a paid subscription service
will affect the Avalon forum.

Thanks,
Kevin - Project Avalon Spiritual Mediator

Yes would leave.

What a horrible idea. I hope this Idea isn't from Bill or Kerry!

[herbivore]

requiring people to pay in order to access a source of information and interaction with like-minded people? that's no change. that's exactly what the powers that be would do.

forcing a more narrow-mind on all and everyone through the requirement of monetary exchanges for knowledge? sounds like the policy of many familiar institutions...

[herbivore]

IT IS an insult when someone suggests that if my income doesn't reach their standards I'm not worthy to share ideas with them.

[herbivore]

p.s. is this the change you wish to see?

[pineal-pilot-in merkabah]

the fee would be to pay for the hosting of the servers and nothing more. as i understand it. bill and kerry get funded off backers and richer contributors do they not??? ill pay a small fee, as i understand it the economy will collapse so how do we pay for it anyway..

the scenario will be paypal ect will collapse, by the time that new methods are forced upon us internt 2 will be on track and these sites will be gone .. anyone agree with this summation?

[herbivore]

i have some experience with hosting your own website and i can say that the server fee would be fractions of a cent if evenly distributed among all the avalon forum members. general camelot/avalon contributions could undoubtedly cover this cost.

you may be right, pineal pilot; the internet 2 is just going to be another idiot box, like the t.v. i don't plan on participating

[deepblu777]

David, Darling, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

You warmed my heart.

There is a lot of serious stuff at stake here, granted. Important to keep our wits, sense of humor and compassion all about us, yes?

Back to topic: I hope they don't start charging though, finding new perspectives helps me see truth. I also hope this is not a financial hardship for Kerry and Bill, we can all relate!

Here's a 'HA-HA' for you....always makes me giggle a little.

Jim Varney, 'Ernest Scared Stupid'...

'...there ain't no trees in Batswanna, uh-uh. I know. I am a Batswannian lumber-jack and I ain't never had a job!'

Peace, ya'll!

[herbivore]

" zorgon
Project Avalon Member

zorgon's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 666 "

[dutchie]

Originally Posted by pineal-pilot-in merkabah

the fee would be to pay for the hosting of the servers and nothing more. as i understand it. bill and kerry get funded off backers and richer contributors do they not??? ill pay a small fee, as i understand it the economy will collapse so how do we pay for it anyway..

the scenario will be paypal ect will collapse, by the time that new methods are forced upon us internt 2 will be on track and these sites will be gone .. anyone agree with this summation?

You said it all in a nut shell;Bill & Kerry get their funding from wealthy contributors.

[suricatt]

I'm very surprised you're actually considering paid subscriptions. In my view, it goes against the whole philosophy behind projectcamelot/projectavalon.

...my answer, just for the sake of the poll :
YES, I would leave!

[gordon]

Most-All members have aggreed that 'paying' for a Subscription is a bad Idea. MAYBE...Bill-Kerry and the Mods can have ads from companies placed on each click (going to each page-section of Avalon. In that way it would solve alot of problems with paying the bills.

Originally Posted by herbivore

IT IS an insult when someone suggests that if my income doesn't reach their standards I'm not worthy to share ideas with them.

So how would you feel about contributing quality content in leu of $$ which
could be added to the database?

My interest in a pay site is to eliminate the opportunists and snipers. Casual readers could read but not post. The price of admission for posting would be
to demonstrate that you were serious end sober enough to put together
an orginal article according to the charter guidlines. Demonstrate that you
are serious and not just a leech.

Would you show up at a community pot luck with your appetite and a smile?

[herbivore]

Originally Posted by Baggywrinkle

So how would you feel about contributing quality content in leu of $$ which
could be added to the database?

My interest in a pay site is to eliminate the opportunists and snipers. Casual readers could read but not post. The price of admission for posting would be
to demonstrate that you were serious end sober enough to put together
an orginal article according to the charter guidlines. Demonstrate that you
are serious and not just a leech.

Would you show up at a community pot luck with your appetite and a smile?

i admit a little cash in pocket wouldn't be something i'd oppose, in the circumstance that i actually did some work for the exchange. but, it depends on the 'database' of information you're referring to. if it's a avalon database or something of the sort, i wouldn't accept a monetary exchange for the truths i find. we're trying to step away from the monetary system. and besides, that's just a little step closer from the independent to bias line, in my opinion (which is the last thing we need); the truth mustn't be bias.

so what are you doing to stop 'serious end sober enough' 'opportunists' and 'snipers' (which are equally 'serious end sober enough' as the genuine posters,) from coughing up the few bucks to post? i think they would be as serious as we are, so a fee doesn't stop them. i'd think that anyone spending their time on this forum is serious about it, time is an important resource in this body. a fee just stops the people that don't have the monetary resources to pay. and in the process you omit a large group of genuine posters from being able to share their truths.

although being able to read the posts but not post yourself isn't as bad as not seeing the forum at all, which is what i had in mind when this was brought up. i hope this isn't taken too heavily, the internet has a way of doing that. more often i think we all need to try and 'be the change we want to see' in every little aspect of life.

Originally Posted by Baggywrinkle

Would you show up at a community pot luck with your appetite and a smile?

I have known a few in our guild that seem to have no problem with that...

That and show up to play after the setup work has been done, then suddenly have a urgent family matter at teardown.

We call em 'good time Charlies'

[Peer]

Originally Posted by Baggywrinkle

Would you show up at a community pot luck with your appetite and a smile?

No, I would bring my brother.....

[dutchie]

Originally Posted by Peer

No, I would bring my brother.....

[whitecrow]

Originally Posted by Baggywrinkle

So how would you feel about contributing quality content in leu of $$ which
could be added to the database?

My interest in a pay site is to eliminate the opportunists and snipers. Casual readers could read but not post. The price of admission for posting would be
to demonstrate that you were serious end sober enough to put together
an orginal article according to the charter guidlines.

And for those who are not talented writers?

Originally Posted by whitecrow

And for those who are not talented writers?

A photo essay perhaps? The eloquence is not the issue,
the effort and information is.

If you can grunt and point and still teach how to build a
fire, this is a good thing. It is valuable without money
exchanging hands.

Avalon is about building community. We all have skills
we can share at this level which will then trickle down
to end users all over the world. That is what the database is all about. That is why I signed on as a researcher. Hopefully it is more than a cool green title.


The database would ideally be a searchable indexed collection of this knowledge in coherent easy to read
articles. A group effort to benefit us all and help see us
through hard times. The Fer Fal essays are a good example. His information is priceless because his information is first hand fact, not theory.

For example, Fer Fal teaches that in a collapsed crime ridden society you are most vulnerable to attack when
entering or exiting your home. Who woulda thunk it?
Nice tidbit to know if zombie time comes, ehh?

[herbivore]

you claim this knowledge in this potential database would be in the class of 'priceless', yet a fee would be required to share the priceless information?

Originally Posted by herbivore

you claim this knowledge in this potential database would be in the class of 'priceless', yet a fee would be required to share the priceless information?

Why should I research for you if you are unwilling to give anything in return?

In a community garden there are shares. Shares may be
earned with labor or with cash. Is it my responsibility to
make sure that you eat when there is no food to be had
and you have done nothing to prepare? To an extent, yes. That is called charity. Are you looking for handouts? I can help. It is free for the taking if you know it exists and you know where to find it. It is priceless, and it will help feed your family in hard times.

http://www.biorationalinstitute.com/...a_strategy.pdf

There, now you can't say I never gave you anything.
Of course, it would be a good idea to support the author by buying a hard copy.

Is it my responsibility to show you how to grow the food
if you are unwilling to lift a finger on my behalf? In community I've got your back, we work together to our mutual benefit. In a welfare society you'd better work harder because they are all depending on you. The mods here are all volunteers. What have you brought them that will help feed their families if the system really does
crash?

In your own community/ground team group, how much
deadwood will you carry before you rebel and say enough?

The right information when I need it in a concise format
without wading through pages of unrelated and often trivial debate. That is priceless. I would pay money for it, big money. Indeed, I have in the past.

[KathyT]

Perhaps this should be moved over to servers who do provide free services to group forums. Yahoo groups is one and Google groups is another.

If what is important is getting the word out... there would be a lot of openness in those groups!