Yea, 2¢ is about what it's worth. . .

Firstly, is it absolutely certain that the problem is a hardware one. . . I cannot really remember the UT to ever be "fast", personally, and there may well be other issues that are at play.

Now, about the customers having to shell out for infrastructure improvements. . .
I see you want to change the world, or at least the standard practise of the vast majority of for-profit corporations and business that do this as a matter of course. Why is it acceptable for the phone company, the cable company, the hospital, the bank, the baker and all other goods and service providers to do this yet "a travesty" for Michel to do so?

Regarding elimination of "regular" (my term for non-PUTM) membership. . .

Possibly Michel feels that it was that very mechanism that got him the PUTM membership he enjoys today. And it is quite possible that it will continue to do the very same thing into the foreseeable future.
There is also the question of affordability. Just because you can easily afford $50. does NOT mean that everyone can (and you actually say that you don't pay anything, making it even easier for you to make these statements). Call it a silly attitude if you want, but I see the Internet generally and UT in particular as being an enourmous potential help in "levelling the playing field" across the world. I see that as a good thing.
It doesn't really matter that 'UT is a business'. It is, but there are countless ways to run a business and some even put a thing or two ahead of draining every penny of profit out of a product or service.
I personally believe that a FREE BASIC MEMBERSHIP IS CRITICAL TO THE UT.

And the real fact of the matter is that, as is commonly done, "members" will vote with their feet if they feel that a product or service is not up to snuff or if they find a better service/product.

You know, John, I wrote privately to someone well over a year ago that it sure felt to me that you were the VB trojan horse on the UT. Maybe you've added the foxforum/wiki to your "list of clients".

I was truly disappointed to see that you didn't stick to your "threat" that you were 'outta here'! Looks like you have some problem practising what you preach!

Your liver must be in terrible shape,

Jim N

>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....