I also thought having people pay a fee to provide a solution may be a problem. An alternative way of doing this would be to allow people reply to topics in order to provide solutions but not create new topics. I don't think this would work in practice though because it would probably take too much technical work to setup and then further work to moderate, given that some people would be posting their own questions in other peoples' topics.
Considering Ronni has been a financial member all this time I don't think anyone should have a problem with being financial to post solutions as I'm sure no-one would refute that she answers far more questions than she asks. It's also good to see people saying they are happy to stay on and it's going to be inevitable that the lists loses some people. Perhaps price negotiate for people who who may be struggling to afford the fee could occur off list but also in conjunction with an assessment of how valuable those members may be to the list. Regards Ruben > Hi all, > > I'm not sure that the attitude expressed by Peter and Eugene is one of > expecting others to subsidise their Mac support. I think there is a valid > expression here that many long time members of the list (myself included), > who over the journey have offered more replies/answers than questions, will > now no longer be able to contribute unless they become a financial member. > Paying a fee to request support is one thing, paying a fee to offer a > solution is quite another. > > The committee's decision is based on the need to "give value to those who pay > the WAMUG subscription", which I guess is fair enough. The risk you run here > is that you will actually devalue the membership through the potential loss > of your knowledge base that contributes to the list. You also run the risk > of "making a rod for your own back" in that the success of the list becomes > ever more reliant on a smaller cohort of good folk to answer all queries. > What happens when those people move on, or contribute less due to other > commitments? An open list encourages perpetuity. > > Anyway, theses points have probably all been raised by the committee and the > decision has been reached. I do wish the WAMUG list well, I hope it > continues to serve as an effective User Group. > > Regards, Matt > > ------------------------------------ > Matt Huitson > IT Manager > School of Psychology > IT Manager > Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences > University of Western Australia > 35 Stirling Highway > Crawley, WA 6009 > Australia > Work +61 8 6488 2507 > [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > > On 28/06/2012, at 8:20 AM, Ronda Brown wrote: > > I agree Tim. > > I also have only been to one WAMUG meeting, but I have been a financial > member of WAMUG for years. The financial members of WAMUG have made it > possible for WAMUG and the mailing list to continue. > Without the financial members there would not be WAMUG or the mailing list! > > I also know that times are tough and trying to make our money go around is > difficult. But that is for the individual person to decide; if they don't use > the mailing list to ask for support and feel they cannot afford the $30, that > is their choice to make. > > The level of support and information that is given on our mailing list for an > annual fee of $30 is more than reasonable. A consultant will charge that for > one email support issue. > > I am disappointed in some members attitudes that they expect the support, but > expect others to pay to keep that support possible. > > The committee has taken a long hard time to make this decision and I applaud > their decision. > > Regards, > Ronni > Sent from Ronni's iPad > > On 28/06/2012, at 7:15 AM, Tim Law > <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > > Since I bought my first Mac in 1989, I've attended one WAMUG meeting. > > But I've learned heaps from receiving the list emails, and been able to ask a > question or two over the years. For me WAMUG IS the email list. > > I agree with Carlo, and the minimal cost is completely reasonable to receive > reliable accurate info and feedback. This is unlike other non computer forums > that I participate in where users are all amateurs and their contributions > are only as accurate as their experiences. > > I urge caution for the committee providing free access based on requests from > members. If it is based on the applicants ability to add value to the list, > then that is one matter, but to make assessment on income is likely to get > bogged down in value judgements, comparisons between applicants and other > messy things, all for such a small amount of money. > > I think it's a shame that people are seeing this small fee as a reason to > exit the list. We live in a user pays world, I support the committees > decision. > > Tim > > > > Sent from my iPad > > On 27/06/2012, at 23:06, cm <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> > wrote: > > Hi Peter and Eugene and other list members, > > We list followers are really grateful for your contributions over the years > and we contributors are honoured to have been able to help you out on other > occasions. I just wanted to let you know that there is no need at all to end > your connection with WAMUG. You will still be able to read any and all posts > to the list, and you will still continue to receive WAMUG emails to your > inbox unless you choose to stop them. Also if you ever happen to be passing > through Perth, meetings are open to all and we would love to see you there. > > The decision to allow posting to only members was not made lightly. Running > the list has a very real cost, both financial and in the time of > contributors, fairness dictates that those who pay the membership fee are > entitled to use the service above other persons who join, post a random > question or put up for sale a piece of equipment, and then disappear. Sadly > neither of you, Peter and Eugene, are anywhere near to this category of user > so I have two solutions to suggest. Firstly remember that the WAMUG > membership fee is less than a reasonable call-out charge for most Mac > consultants. So if at some future time you need a consultant, consider > joining our list and with luck we will all pitch in, fix the problem, and you > will come out financially ahead. The second solution I would like to offer is > that at the next committee meeting we will discuss some bursaries for members > who really cannot afford to pay the membership fee. This would be entirely > confidential between the pros > p > ec > tive member and WAMUG. If the committee is in agreement you will see a mail > out on this subject after the next committee meeting on July 17 and our > website will be updated to reflect this. > > So I really hope this is arrivederci rather than adieu, and if not we are > grateful for your contribution to WAMUG. > > All the best, > Carlo > > On 27/06/2012, at 21:34 , Reg Whitely wrote: > > Dear Eugene > > I have never met you but you have helped me, and so many others others, in so > many ways on the WAMUG mailing list. > > As I have said to Peter, I have appreciated all responses to my queries from > you, and from others on this mailing list, for many years, and want this to > continue. > > Please do not discard the WAMUG Ship yet. > > Reg > > > Reg Whitely > > Home: 08 9921 7272 > Mob: 04 8899 7313 > Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > > > > On 27/06/2012, at 7:54 pm, Eugene de Gouw wrote: > > Like Peter I too must send my final farewells as this will likely be the last > time I am able to write to the list. > > I have been associated with WAMUG virtually since its inception, attending > meetings at Curtin University in the early years. Family and work > commitments impacted and eventually curtailed my physical presence at these > meetings but with the advent of the internet and the WAMUG mailing list I was > able to maintain contact. > > From time to time I contributed to solutions, aiding in problem solving and > at other times was quite delighted at the quick and accurate response from > others when I encountered problems myself. > > I thank this community of Macintosh fanatics as I have enjoyed the friendly > dialogue. > > I wish you all the best as you move into the next phase of WAMUG. > > Regards, > Eugene > > > On 27/06/2012, at 7:00 PM, Peter Sealy wrote: > > I would like to say adieu to you good folks as 30 Jun is just about here. > > I have not contributed a great deal to this group partly because by the time > I have got around to reading any email which I could have answered someone > else has answered the question, most often of course the indefatigable and > amazing Ronni. That in no way dimishes the effort put in by many others to > contribute to the group. > > The other reason for the paucity of my contribution is that I see myself as a > minnow in the Mac geekdom. > > As an Age pensioner I have to ration my memberships to social organisations > and while the membership fee may be 'only' a small amount to you still > working, I need to be careful. > > I am the List Admin and Moderator of the ACT Apple Help Email List which > keeps me busy in observing the Mac webosphere. And as a paid up member of > this august group, that cuts out my 'hobby' fees. I lived in Canberra for > many years but now live in Albury. > > We do not require paid membership of our MUG to join our email Help List. > Merely being a Mac enthusiast is sufficient. That said we don't have many > non-Group members in the List and if any of you sought to send your electrons > eastward we would make you welcome. The warning is that our List is nowhere > as active or cerebral as yours. Athough we do publish a monthly Newsletter > (for financial members). > > Best wishes, see you in the Mac cloud. Thank you for the camaraderie. > > Peter Sealy > Thurgoona AUSTRALIA > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Settings & Unsubscribe - <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug>
