Amen!

Maybe people appreciate that someone did make an effort to build this site so people can come and play on and of for about 6 years. I myself would contribute if i could.

Firstly up till now members tourneys have been working fine and I personally enjoy members as normally there is proper play. Secondly those 25k you get at beginning of month keeps me out of the baby tables 99% of the time. I do not mind contributing to a site I have found enjoyable to play for several years now and at some points been a life saver when I have been stuck due to illness with very little to do, which I have found there are many who play under the same circumstances. Lately I have felt a bit let down from the customer services as you call it, but I am sure in good time will be sorted. :o)

I agree whole heartedly Mad. Many a winters day due to illness I have been stuck and the social aspect has been a life saver.

I understand, but there's nothing in what you said that can't be done as a non-member....ie the social side. Also, it's a tired argument saying that it's an appreciation of someone creating the site for others to enjoy. It wasn't set up for that, it was created as a Google Web Toolkit experiment which started making money and was developed (minimally) for that reason. Well I guess if people see good reason to donate and are happy doing that, then I don't see a problem in that

when will you people learn, this is a free site but without the members to keep the site running then there will be NO SITE for you or anyone else

Do you honestly believe that? Of course there would be a site. This is a site that has very minimal maintenance yet still has some rather stellar advertising (no-brainer really and fair play to Ryan for acquiring the sponsors), it would still make money whether you paid membership or not.

Yes there are times when I find myself saying why do I pay? There are several things I would love to see get fixed and added. We have what we have and if we dont like it, there are plenty of other sites to play. There is a long time argument for being member or non member but what it comes down to is choice. (One point though, the members get flack for being members but there are alot of players who buy boosts every month, which works out more money and get no less than members, however little it is for that month without the member badge)

I have been a member and now am not a member.....I can tell you it made no wit of difference to my ability to win, which is limited at best.

If you have never hosted a web site I would recommend you keep your bitching to yourself. Free or not it takes hours of work to keep it running.

Quit harassing the members, there is plenty to bitch at without involving them. If you aren't a member then just quit bitching in general.

Sad to say that advice wont stick to me either so bitch away.

I'm not sure I see bitching going on here, I see more of a valid discussion, and rather an enlightening one at that. Yes I do know what it takes to host and maintain a website (multiple in fact), but I didn't feel it was worth mentioning as I don't see what relevance it has to this discussion. I've been here for around 6 years now and have always considered becoming a member, but all these years later I still don't see a reason to do it, ergo this thread about the issue of becoming a member or not.
This site has plenty of people bitching and behaving rather immaturely, we all know that and we generally know who the regular culprits are, however, again this bears little or no relevance to this discussion.
Most of the points made on this thread whether member or non-member have value and are honest - I'm not quite sure how you take the notion of it being bitching.....unless you are hankering for an argument!
Maddie, I think you've probably hit onto the main issue which is that of choice. I just feel that if you have paid membership, then it should be more worth your while. I'm sorry to hear though that you've received hassle for being a member - seems rather futile to give somebody grief for something so arbitrary.
RuttOh, I think you should perhaps not jump to the "bitching" conclusion so readily, if you re-read the posts, you'll see this is not an attack on members by any stretch of the imagination - as the saying "almost" goes "Some of my best friends are members" :)