I certainly agree with JVP. It is time to drop the freebie members.
Perhaps that alone will solve the bottleneck problems. Right now
it appears the only difference between a free and PUTM is the capability
to search. Let the freebie boys and girls start paying for the service
of this business... Maybe this could be made effective Jan 1, 2000.



>To Michel and the rest of the management here....
>
>First off, I am not going to engage anybody in a debate on this. I am using this platform to express an opinion that needs to be expressed.
>
>I think it is a travesty that in order for the needed infrastructure improvements to occur, the PUTM needs to shell out $125CDN. I think the management here needs a gentle reminder that right now, the level of performance is UNACCEPTABLE. There are advertisers paying money NOW. There are PUTM folks paying money NOW. If there are problems with bandwidth and/or hardware, the management here needs to address that NOW, not panhandle to the PUTM and wait until the funds are raised.
>
>On more than one occasion, I have heard the song and dance that the UT is part of a business. OK then, now is the time to walk the walk here. Is it a business or a charity? The appeal on the main page of the UT should be an outrage to anybody shelling out dollars for a PUTM now. You deserve acceptable performance NOW. That is what running a business is about. There are times when you need to make capital improvements in an infrastructure. If you don't have the cash, you finance it with long/intermediate term debt. I understand the cash flow implications, but that is why you use the services of financial institutions. Of course, it begs the question of why, after years of existence, why the improvements cannot be made today. In terms of hardware, we are talking about a $5,000 investment at most. This is a very conservative figure. $2500 would probably do the job. Hardware is so dirt-cheap now. It boggles the mind.
>
>Here is my advice... Instead of sticking the PUTM with the bill, I propose the following:
>
>
>SUTM (Standard Universal Thread Membership) - $50.00CDN
>PUTM (Premier Universal Thread Membership) - $100.00CDN
>
>Why should anybody get a free ride here?? Who said it should be free forever?? Folks that don't pay a dime get value up here. They should pay for it. I'll put my money where my mouth is. I am willing to pay the fee, even though I am an MVP. If you really want to cut the costs of membership, then increase the cost of a banner. In any case, you need to make this an economically viable process. Continually going after the same group of people that are already paying you money is not a good idea. You have a whole population of folks up here getting a free ride and as such, are using the same resources other folks are paying for the privilege to use. This is not an equitable scenario.
>
>Decide now, is this a business. If it is, get this issue addressed and fixed now. If it is not, move over and let somebody else run it. Somebody who is willing to put the funds in place to run this thing right....
>
>End rant....