As far as I see it the "original" members got the free membership because without their patronage the site couldn't have developed and that when the owners sold SH on, the proviso that original members got free membership was included in recognition of that support.
Why all the nitpicking all of a sudden ? Granted the fees have risen but that's got nothing to do with the founder members.
I think the idea that new members should be told the arrangement with the founder members is farcical. The fact is that in the past an arrangement was made and honoured, why is that so bad. This kinda reminds me of where I used to live, People used buy houses next to the Aerodrome and then complain about the noise of the planes.
hi,
i have not read all of the thread, as i am presuming afetr reading 3-4 pages i get the jist.
i joined this site almost 8 years ago, now when i joined the site was small, non gadgety, no advertising etc. it was a small community, almost a co-operative.
yes it took someone ( praise be mark if ya reading lol) to set the site up, but i think anyone who was here at the time will agree it took the members to run the site, be that formally as a mod or op or by being a active site member.
it was always said the site will NEVER be sold or charge. it was through the support of the active members that made the site great and im sure a site that made it worth intrest to a company.
now we were all very happy with the site, then one day logged in and found this whirlwind going on and were informed the site had been sold and taken over???
i was most shocked that it was upsetting our community and the site would become too commercial and that we had lost mark.
we were promiced then , as we had been whne mark and the community owned the site that we would never be charged to come here etc. which seemed decent as the site would have collapsed if we had all at that point walked away, you might think that is extreem, and if we all left now that would not happen, but it really would have then.
so i understand you paying members may feel agreeved by this status, and that we get to use all these great new facilities, but we were happy the way we were,
its like we all lived on lovely community island and now all the torists have started comming here and big slides and clubs have been build the torists are asking us to now pay to live in the community we were already at before it got taken over.
xx fem xx
The mistake was to offer free membership to the original members should only have been offered for a limited period.
In my opinion the site have to stick with their original contract and we, the majority, are going to have to pay.
Beware SH there are many up and coming sites.
that's another point. if there are other sites serving the swinging community free, why does someone pay to be here?
obviously they looked at the choices and still decided the experience here would be more rewarding. sometimes people are happier paying.
also how you use a site can bring rewards without paying too much.
most sites allow you to create a free profile. but don't act on it staright away. let it sleep a few months and see if your profile gets any response.
if and when it does then pay for membership.
There is nowhere even remotely like here.............I respect the management for sticking by their contractual agreement. They are simply the first and only people that I have ever experienced on a large website to do so, and trust me we have used the net since it was run on gas. It has to be said all the best things about this site are still the free parts, so it isnt the moeny that doesnt motivate us to use extras, its a lack of interest in what they offer.
I guess what the people running it realised early on is that the real secret to SH, both back when they acquired it and now,is the people. It is far and away simply the largest most genuine repository of real UK people in the lifestyle, and it has to be said that perhaps the life memberships are part of the reason that remains the case.
Thanks Guys
Peace xx
:kiss:
