>Hi Rox...
>
>The issue is not the MVP's get free PUTM. I have always been willing to pay my own way...
>
>The issue rests with the advertising aspect. The banner on the home page needs to go.
>
>That is the only issue.....

Hi John,
I understand the issue & I agree with it. Since I'm not in the MVP program, I can't gripe about an ad banner and feel like I have a legitimate voice in that argument.

But as a PUTM, I do feel I can gripe about a membership fee for a forum that does not encourage active participation of the MVPs in my field. To me, the free PUTM for MVPs is a major selling point for why I should pony up the bucks for membership. When I first came up here, it took me about a week to figure out what the different envelopes meant. With that knowledge came my first introduction to the MVP program, and since I recognized most of the blue envelopes names from all the published works I valued - it was the initial reason I joined. Yeah sure I enjoyed the extra features that came along for the ride, but the extra features were not the reason I wanted PUTM in the early days - it was the active MVP participation. Now that the free PUTM for MVPs is no more, I see things a little differently.