So from what I have read in the last 10 min or so in this posting that this site is no longer for the hobbits but is here to be controlled by the venders. If a vender does not like what we want to talk about (anything) the vender has the right to have the mods shut it down?.
As I see it, that shows me that the venders want a close market and are afraid of any outside competition. With that kind of elitist attitude it make me think twice if I want to do business with any of them.
I would be hard pressed to say that this site cost anymore then $100 ( on the very high side) a month to keep running as I supply the PSAS their site for FREE. Yes FREE. And my out of pocket cost for that is less then $5.00 per month…. Hum
Mark
Mark, PSAS has 652 members, 293 images and 11831 total posts. PSAS is ran on FREE Forum Software.
On the other hand, Reef Frontiers has 23,333 members, and a data base of 54,574 threads. I couldn't begin to count the number of images on the data base. Heck, I probably have a couple thousand images of my own, on this data base. Reef Frontiers is also ran on forum software that's far from free AND needs to be upgraded, which will be an additional expense.
Please don't take this as I'm trying to compare the 2 forums, as a competition, because I'm not. I'm a member of both forums and am proud to be. In fact, I was among the first few members of PSAS Forum.
I wouldn't even try to guess at how much it costs to keep Reef Frontiers running, mainly because it's none of my business.
As to your other comments....
Vendors (Sponsors) do not run this site. Nor do they dictate how Reef Frontiers is ran. However, we as members need to appreciate the sponsors that we do have. Without sponsors, there would be no Reef Frontiers. That's been said so many times, in this thread, that I'd have thought it would have sunk in by now. I guess not.
If we, as members, don't support our Sponsors, financially, why should they continue to sponsor Reef Frontiers? Take it to a more local level. If we don't support our local aquatic stores, how do they feed their families, pay their employees, keep their power on? In other words, sponsors help Reef Frontiers keep our "doors open." Shouldn't we, as members, support our sponsors and help them keep their doors open?
No one is dictating where you spend your money. However, Reef Frontiers was never intended to be a "market." Reef Frontier's primary goal is to be a Discussion Forum, where like minded hobbyists can exchange ideas, wisdom advice and knowledge. Along the way, most of us make a lot of great friends and learn a lot. I sure have. Reef Frontiers wasn't set up as a "buy/sell/trade" forum. Those things are a fringe benefit, that we members enjoy. Part of what keeps that fringe benefit available, to all members, is the financial support that Reef Frontiers gets, from Sponsors.