Thanks very much for your input, Mike.
One question: How would you suggest we fund List operations? The
current cost is about $1,500 and growing as subscriber numbers
increase.<
George, This is the first time, to my knowledge, I've been made aware of the
operating cost of the list. It wasn't mentioned in your original email as an
issue. Is that $1500 per year? How many subscribers are there currently?
You and the other people who give both their time and resources to make this
list available to us provide a wonderful service. You certainly should not be
expected to bear the cost associated providing this service without at least
reimbursement of your costs. I suspect that, if asked, the majority of
existing subscribers would be glad to contribute to offset the cost of operations.
If this is an issue for you, and I can certainly see how it would be, then the
list needs to address it.
As you said in your original post about the archives, this has been a public
forum and "shouldn't be hidden from access on the web". As such it invites
open discussion, dissenting opinions, widely differing points of view, as well
as a wide range technical competence and advice. Its inspiring, humorous,
infuriating, opinionated, educational, robust, and fun. These characteristics are
what I enjoy about the list, and its the individuals that participate in the
forum, not the forum itself, that make "the list" successful. I hate to see
us lose anyone from the list that regularly contributes to its value. Having
said that, you operate the list and you must do as you feel is appropriate.
If cost is the issue, I'm not much on paying a subscription fee to share a
forum but I'm certainly willing to contribute, as long as we're allowed to share
our ideas, humor, and opinions in an open forum.
Mike Coble
>Thanks very much for your input, Mike.
One question: How would you suggest we fund List operations? The
current cost is about $1,500 and growing as subscriber numbers
increase.<
George, This is the first time, to my knowledge, I've been made aware of the
operating cost of the list. It wasn't mentioned in your original email as an
issue. Is that $1500 per year? How many subscribers are there currently?
You and the other people who give both their time and resources to make this
list available to us provide a wonderful service. You certainly should not be
expected to bear the cost associated providing this service without at least
reimbursement of your costs. I suspect that, if asked, the majority of
existing subscribers would be glad to contribute to offset the cost of operations.
If this is an issue for you, and I can certainly see how it would be, then the
list needs to address it.
As you said in your original post about the archives, this has been a public
forum and "shouldn't be hidden from access on the web". As such it invites
open discussion, dissenting opinions, widely differing points of view, as well
as a wide range technical competence and advice. Its inspiring, humorous,
infuriating, opinionated, educational, robust, and fun. These characteristics are
what I enjoy about the list, and its the individuals that participate in the
forum, not the forum itself, that make "the list" successful. I hate to see
us lose anyone from the list that regularly contributes to its value. Having
said that, you operate the list and you must do as you feel is appropriate.
If cost is the issue, I'm not much on paying a subscription fee to share a
forum but I'm certainly willing to contribute, as long as we're allowed to share
our ideas, humor, and opinions in an open forum.
Mike Coble
