Commander et al:
Actually, with so many good posters sticking around, it won't be hard to free-ride as a lurker. It's interesting, since my membership, which was a gift membership, was also designated as a "lifetime" membership.
My own speculation methods are taking me in a different direction, in any event, much more dependent on data and computers and less on give and take and banter across the boards. I've learned a lot here, of course, and am very grateful to the posters.
If you analogize this situation to a newspaper, you get an interesting result. The publisher of the newspaper, unable to get enough $$ from advertising and subscriptions, has decided to require the reporters, reviewers, editors, copy readers and typesetters to pay $$ for the privilege of providing content. Readers (lurkers) will still get the paper for free at the click of a mouse. And, for the privilege of doing so, and the ability to send private messages on the system, the content providers are willing to pay their "one time, lifetime" fee.
As I've said, it's been a pleasure here at the cybercafe.
Kb |
