(no subject)

[robotech_master]

So, not only are non-paid accounts less reliable, connection-wise, than paid LJ accounts (and even the paid LJ accounts are sometimes flaky), but now their connections are artificially slowed to dialup bandwidth as well.

Of course, I can understand their reasoning, bandwidth problems being what they are...but still, it's a little annoying to look around the Internet and see all these sites coming up with ways to make more of their subscribers pay for their services. Tends to make a fellow cynical.

Comments

[slog.livejournal.com]

Yes,

This is why I'm creating a GPL P2P journaling solution that I hope to have up and running by mid July. I'd post more about it, but I don't really want to put that on a public forum yet :)

Don't bribe people to pay for your services, give them something worth paying for, not bandwidth restrictions.

[ladyjestyr.livejournal.com]

still, it's a little annoying to look around the Internet and see all these sites coming up with ways to make more of their subscribers pay for their services. Tends to make a fellow cynical.

Why? I mean, I can appreciate that, on a budget, it's hard to cover the costs of everything you want to do. But we wouldn't expect to be allowed to stand in a bookstore and read all their books for free - or, more to the point, take them home with us and bring them back when we wanted. That's what a public library is for - the 'bandwidth-limited bookstore', with less selection and more stringent rules.

I remember the good old days of the free internet and miss them as much as anyone. But the simple fact is that the internet just isn't the money spinner people assumed it would be. Advertising just /doesn't/ pay for the costs of supporting an internet service like LiveJournal, or whatever. If we're not willing to pay for the services we really appreciate, they're liable to dry up and blow away as we watch.

Look how many of the free homepage providers, for example, have either completely collapsed or introduced really stringent restrictions. People haven't got less altruistic, they've just realized that it costs money to provide an internet service and that money has to come from somewhere - and it doesn't come from advertising revenues. Check out www.crankycritic.com and Cranky's woes if you don't believe me.

I'd rather pay my USD25.00 per year for a livejournal account than face the possibility of the whole service collapsing due to running costs. YMMV.