I Miss "SomeBeach"

[circmand]

Well, if you noticed, when I wrote free, there were quotes around it.

What I mean by "free", is that it's like a free membership to your library. A place where you can go and get information without paying for it. THAT is what the Internet started out like. But, it has mutated into some sort of hideous monster of crap and nonsense. There is really only a small percentage of the Internet left that is of quality, ad-less, spyware-less, FREE content.

I guess I am sort of an anarchist/idealist in that respect. Information should always be "free".

Bart

has a membership fee

[nfpgasmask]

our library in Indiana PA has a membership fee

That's messed up. I've never known a local community library to charge fees. Unless you return your books late, of course.

Bart

[handeeman]

That's so weird you should bring this up today Handee as just TODAY I was driving along & thought about him and recalled he changed his screen name, but couldn't recall which was the old or the new as I was trying to recall if he's posted recently. Anyway...., Somebeach (Doug), we really hope you come back and share some chit chat with the "fam".

Handee, does that mean our brains are wired the same somehow???

"Handee, does that mean our brains are wired the same somehow??? "
Oh, you better hope not!

LMAO.....I have to agree with the Dr.(Zeus)

[circmand]

That's messed up. I've never known a local community library to charge fees. Unless you return your books late, of course.

Bart

not every place does things the way other places do. That way people who use the library pay for it and those who do not use it are not paying taxes for it. The idea something is cheaper when everybody pays for it is wrong. People who do not want it are forced to subsidize those who do. Except for things everybody uses the cost should be born by those who do.

[vt_maverick]

not every place does things the way other places do. That way people who use the library pay for it and those who do not use it are not paying taxes for it. The idea something is cheaper when everybody pays for it is wrong. People who do not want it are forced to subsidize those who do. Except for things everybody uses the cost should be born by those who do.

...as taken from the how-to guide for establishing tolled freeways.

Just joshin' ya a bit there circ.

[circmand]

...as taken from the how-to guide for establishing tolled freeways.

Just joshin' ya a bit there circ.

I am all for tolled freeways just dont call them freeways they are tollways. If it gets me where I am going faster like the turnpike I will pay up. When I was in Houstob I had 2 ways to get to works one was toll with an electric eye you did not even have to slow down. The other was surface streets. So many people were going down town on the Westpark tollway the surface street were faster.

[deermagnet]

"It seems he was being hassled by some of our members privately about not being a site supporter."

This issue of members receiving unfriendly PM's has come up before. It's very easy to avoid these kind of PM's. I totally disabled PM's for my membership and hid my email from other members using my control panel. You can just allow PM's from a few buddies if you like. I also went to stealth mode when logged in that hides my online status so no one can stalk me in the forums.

If someone needs to contact me, they can do it in public on the forums.

Mark Griffin

[Riff Raff]

If someone needs to contact me, they can do it in public on the forums.

Mark Griffin

DeerMagnet--- I just wanted to make contact with you in public to verify our dinner-date for this weekend. I realize it's your turn to treat, so I prefer a nice blush wine and my T-bone steak cooked medium rare. Oh, and make sure the dancing girls arrive promptly this time for after dinner entertainment.

Back on topic, I too was initially prodded via private E-Mails & PM's to become a site supporter shortly after logging-on as a new member. A better monetary motivator for me to donate was not being labeled as a "Zoid" (before Moncha changed the format).

[pbkid]

i just dont understand the personal prodding for someone to pay for a site that is designed to be optionary.

scott has said mulitple times that he feels very strongly that the site is donation only, not membership-fee driven.

so, why should anyone have the 'power' to tell another person they need to donate? our MODERATOR tells us no.....

i know that i was a member here for at least a year before i donated. i would have left if someone forced me to pay before i was ready.

[Marlin]

i just dont understand the personal prodding for someone to pay for a site that is designed to be optionary.

scott has said mulitple times that he feels very strongly that the site is donation only, not membership-fee driven.

so, why should anyone have the 'power' to tell another person they need to donate? our MODERATOR tells us no.....

i know that i was a member here for at least a year before i donated. i would have left if someone forced me to pay before i was ready.

I just read all of the posts in this thread, I never saw anything that said he was forced to pay?
I thought he was just nudged to support, I am in a similar boat as Bart, this is the only site I pay for, and as far as I am concerned, it is most certainly worth it just in archived info alone.
The concept that anything is free is completely false, be it something as simple as a streetlight or the fact that you can choose to pay or not, nothing is free.
The library is paid for by taxes, which means those that have jobs and pay taxes are paying for it, and those who do not......have "free" access to it without paying a dime. Kind of like universal health care, cash for clunkers....

[SomeBeach]

I happened to check the site out and was flattered that there was a forum of I MISS SOMEBEACH. I actually signed in to check on Moncha after a member sent me an e-mail saying he was sick. I would like those site supporters who proudly boast their status to know I too was planning to support the site. I am not a wealthy man but $20.00 is not a big deal. Prior to taking the time to send my Paypal donation I noticed a devision in those who support and those who do not. It didn't matter why a person didn't donate it was about those who did and those who did not. One member was talking about needing tires and everyone pitched in to help out. I thought how nice that was to help out a person in need. As I am sure other members are in financial distress, it did not matter (to a few) who took it upon themselves to decide if you use the site you should pay. I stumbled onto another forum where it talked of persons who do not support and some members refered to them as "free loaders". I thought it was sad that members of this site, not Moncha (the boss), took it upon theirselves to decide non supporters were obligated to donate money. In fact, there is quite a bit of discussion on supporting the site. There is so much talk on supporting the site that I was a little offended that members would PM me to directly ask for money. Then to suggest I saved all this money and owe the savings to the site just hit me wrong. The site is free and any money given is a donation. Yet there was so much dialogue regarding those who did not donate $20.00. I know others feel like me and some of those may struggle to come up with the money. I would like to leave by saying I am not a free loader. I am a procrastinator but not a free loader. But before I could contribute I felt like i was not part of the group. I have to wonder what is said between yourselves in private messages about persons who have not donated.
I want to leave this site by saying I did enjoy the conversations and looked forward to getting on this site each night as I wound down from the stresses of my job. As a group you have made it clear that free loading is not accepted. I honor that decision and chose to quietly leave the site rather than get some friendly advice for free. I have posted this forum to help share what occurred. Had I not seen the forum discussing my failure to donate $20.00 I would have quietly faded away. I appreciate those who have contacted me to get me to sign on. I feel that since I was singled out as an example of a non supporter I would be embarrassed to ever sign on again. I think you guys would have liked me. I'm pretty funny and creative. As for Moncha, you have a fantastic site. I pray you feel well soon so you can get back to doing what you love.
As for those who are so passionate about site supporting I would recommend that you solicit donations by sharing the benefits. Encourage members to give but don't single them out. And never send a personal message to someone you don't know trying to make them feel guilty because they participated in a "how to" forum but they didn't donate. Some members refer to that as a gentle nudge. Let the forums nudge. I don't know how many members are not site supporters but they are members just like you. Praise those who give. End each of your chats by reminding the other members you are a site supporter. Get personalized license plates that say ST SPRTR. But don't seperate the group by making the non supporters feel they are inferior or free loading. You don't know why they aren't giving.
And that concludes my membership into this group. Hope I didn't offend anyone but hey, if I did you can open another forum like Glad Somebeach Is Gone or Can you Believe That Somebeach or maybe What A Cheap Bas&@%d Somebeach Is.
PEACE!

[nfpgasmask]

But don't seperate the group by making the non supporters feel they are inferior or free loading. You don't know why they aren't giving.

Exactly my point. It's too personal. Good luck SomeBeach.


Bart

[vt_maverick]

I happened to check the site out and was flattered that there was a forum of I MISS SOMEBEACH. I actually signed in to check on Moncha after a member sent me an e-mail saying he was sick. I would like those site supporters who proudly boast their status to know I too was planning to support the site. I am not a wealthy man but $20.00 is not a big deal. Prior to taking the time to send my Paypal donation I noticed a devision in those who support and those who do not. It didn't matter why a person didn't donate it was about those who did and those who did not. One member was talking about needing tires and everyone pitched in to help out. I thought how nice that was to help out a person in need. As I am sure other members are in financial distress, it did not matter (to a few) who took it upon themselves to decide if you use the site you should pay. I stumbled onto another forum where it talked of persons who do not support and some members refered to them as "free loaders". I thought it was sad that members of this site, not Moncha (the boss), took it upon theirselves to decide non supporters were obligated to donate money. In fact, there is quite a bit of discussion on supporting the site. There is so much talk on supporting the site that I was a little offended that members would PM me to directly ask for money. Then to suggest I saved all this money and owe the savings to the site just hit me wrong. The site is free and any money given is a donation. Yet there was so much dialogue regarding those who did not donate $20.00. I know others feel like me and some of those may struggle to come up with the money. I would like to leave by saying I am not a free loader. I am a procrastinator but not a free loader. But before I could contribute I felt like i was not part of the group. I have to wonder what is said between yourselves in private messages about persons who have not donated.
I want to leave this site by saying I did enjoy the conversations and looked forward to getting on this site each night as I wound down from the stresses of my job. As a group you have made it clear that free loading is not accepted. I honor that decision and chose to quietly leave the site rather than get some friendly advice for free. I have posted this forum to help share what occurred. Had I not seen the forum discussing my failure to donate $20.00 I would have quietly faded away. I appreciate those who have contacted me to get me to sign on. I feel that since I was singled out as an example of a non supporter I would be embarrassed to ever sign on again. I think you guys would have liked me. I'm pretty funny and creative. As for Moncha, you have a fantastic site. I pray you feel well soon so you can get back to doing what you love.
As for those who are so passionate about site supporting I would recommend that you solicit donations by sharing the benefits. Encourage members to give but don't single them out. And never send a personal message to someone you don't know trying to make them feel guilty because they participated in a "how to" forum but they didn't donate. Some members refer to that as a gentle nudge. Let the forums nudge. I don't know how many members are not site supporters but they are members just like you. Praise those who give. End each of your chats by reminding the other members you are a site supporter. Get personalized license plates that say ST SPRTR. But don't seperate the group by making the non supporters feel they are inferior or free loading. You don't know why they aren't giving.
And that concludes my membership into this group. Hope I didn't offend anyone but hey, if I did you can open another forum like Glad Somebeach Is Gone or Can you Believe That Somebeach or maybe What A Cheap Bas&@%d Somebeach Is.
PEACE!

Well said. Mind sending me an email with some off-site contact info in case I wanted to look you up when I'm on your side of the water?

Sorry to see you go and best wishes.

[ZEUS]

Not much else to say, I guess... since he has already 'signed out for good'.

[pbkid]

agreed, it can be gently nudged in the public areas but it should never point to one person for donations. and like scott has said so passionately that he wants this site to always be free for VX lovers.

thanks for your positive input while you were here and hopefully you'll be back one day..