Pirating software is NOT a good analogy for paying for online content. By pirating, you are using the product against the EULA and getting something for free which raises the price for everyone else (supposedly). Sites like this OFFER two options, pay and non-pay, and each one has a certain level of benefits. Non-paying members should NOT be made to feel like they are stealing what AT has to offer at the expense of other people. However, I have seen this kind of peer pressure put on non-subscribing members by those that do subscribe, sometimes. I feel this approach is unjustified, but don't want to turn this into a subscriber vs. non-subscriber thread.
I am more trying to understand the economic model of online content sites and what role the public is expected to play in them.
And, I
do support AT. I spend a lot of time offering advice and helping people out in other forums. Well now I spend less time here than in the past, but for every question asked I offer my help probably 3 times. Seeing as this is a community, this kind of support is valuable. As far as monetary support, what are each member's obligations? Anand hasn't published any statistics on costs, profits, etc. for running this place and doing all the reviews on the main page. I have no information to work on to establish a baseline for what I should be pulling out of my pocket, and handing to the owners of this site. Supposedly, forums cannot profit by just advertising. But to what extent the membership should be expected to contribute cannot be determined without disclosure of financials.
For instance, NPR (National Public Radio) tells you what their costs are, how much the public contributes, what foundations give to them and how much they give to them. This full disclosure has educated the public, which benefits from this great informative radio station, on what is reasonable for them to contribute in order to maintain the product they have been receiving. Online content sites (computer-related, news, financial, etc...) have not offered the same to their members. I guess I am saying that I have questions about why I should contribute monetarily, and to what extent, before I do so. Doesn't that sound reasonable?
edit: sorry I had to make my pt. more clear
Originally posted by: Cenalian
My best reasoning would be that you enjoy the place alot, why not support it???
Everyone can help out in one way or another, this is just another example.
Its sort of like pirating software in a way. If you enjoy the software, why not help out the people that are responsible for it???