ralper

I'm curious, if you couldn't participate in this site and this forum unless you paid the membership fees, would you pay or would you stop participating?

Lainey

In answer to Rob, yes, I'd pay if that was a condition of participating. Right now that doesn't apply.

Dean, I'm sorry to hear of the decline in your lung function.

ralper

Apparently you're getting value out of this site. That might be a good enough reason to pay.

Lainey

^
Logically speaking it is. But why buy the cow...............?

ralper

Because somebody who wants the cow should buy it or else it might walk away. Worse still, if nobody buys the cow, but everybody milks it, there might soon be no cow for anybody. That some might get the milk for free, that's just the way it goes, but if you want to be sure to get milk, you'd better buy the cow.

Lainey

I know all this, of course. Just still and enjoying the comments.

S1997

I just wanted to add, that my post above, about 'ponying up', was only intended to be a light hearted poke, non-accusatory in every respect. In my view both paying members and guests who 'join are equally Vintage members, stars or no stars.

The site allows you to choose to participate either as a paying member or a non - paying guest. So as has been said above, we can choose either way with no immediate consequence.. I just hope that no one feels intimidated by Guest status and drifts away because of the decision to participate in that way.
As to the Forum's being less interesting, I'm not going to comment. For me there is enough heart left here to keep me checking in every day and sometimes connecting with good friends. I also draw meaningful support from great Vintage friendships and exchanges. Spring Fling and other gatherings I like - all direct results of this miserable little forum venue and greater S2ki.

Roller coasters sometimes go up and sometimes go down. But more often than not they go up again.

ralper

Yes, but only when there are riders. When not, they shut down.

S1997

I agree, Rob. I was was referring to ^^^ the fluctuating levels of interest on the site, and the richness of exchange and discussion. For me it is sometimes higher and sometimes lower.

dlq04

I'm very sorry as well. It was not my intent to make light of your condition, although it may have come across that way.