Well, this is like the 4th or 5th related thread where I let everyone know that I would pay a membership fee, and left it at that. I feel I need to add additional opinions as it relates to these threads. That is, I personally am getting tired of the large number of people who say.
1. It is a great site and I potentially saved a bunch of money by checking out the BOI, but since it's always been free I would leave if money was charged.
2. I'm too poor, I don't have the money..........etc.
and related comments.
I think it's all crap. Like many people here I am way short of money, I did not add one single herp to my collection this whole past year. Did not "save" myself from being ripped-off, by using the BOI, because I didn't purchase anything. I still donated $10 just because this is an awesome site, then forked out another $25 and became a contributing member.
People are saying, I'm too poor to pay...........yet they came here to check out the BOI, cause they didn't want to get ripped-off........which is it? you're poor or you are spending money on herps. Boils down to, you are either to f........ cheap or feel the BOI is some god given right that you should be able to use for free to save yourself money from being ripped off.
Come on people we are talking about $10 or maybe $30 a year. The price of a 12 pack or two (how much is beer? I drink rather infrequently, so not to sure). The price of 1 or 2 movie tickets, or a coule magazines.
So
or get off the pot.
As far as thinking that a fee will change the BOI, like many I have expressed some of these same concerns. So I can see that side of the "arguement", given that this is Rich's site if he determines that a fee is indeed the way to go, and that it also applies to the BOI, then that's the way it is.
I've decided to be optimistic and hope for the best, that being.... after some initial pissing and moaning by many of us, that we decide that this place is indeed worth every penny, and membership and participation continues and grows, and that the fee also cleans up the BOI a little bit, by making it harder to pay fees to keep reregistering.
Worst case scenario, a lot of people bail out, and rely on the other big site, and many people who no longer have the free BOI to bail them out, get ripped-off and places like bearded pets and the dozens of other thieves, start making money again and return to the other site with their ads, since we all know that it takes forever to get them banned from advertising over there, and that's with the knowledge of the BOI. Just think how it would be for all the people who didn't want to pay the ten bucks. They would have no way to know that "such and such" business, was the new "bearded pets" because the second they posted any kind of "inquiry" or complaint or anything remotely related to "checking out" an advertiser, the post would get deleted and you'd probably get banned from the site. Meanwhile.......the dozens or hopefully hundreds of us left over here "talking amongst ourselves" like people think might happen if a fee is charged, would be saving our hard earned cash, because we would know about those new business'
So if Rich decides a fee will affect the BOI in particular, I say if you are just too cheap or feel that the BOI is some kind of "right" and don't want to pay.....don't let the door hit you on the way
.
If you are like me and many others, and don't feel there is anything wrong with a modest fee, but have reservations about it because of the effect it may have on the BOI, we will just have to ride it out and hope that the outcome is the best case scenario.
That's my take on the situation.