OK, having read so far, a few of my thoughts:

I am concerned about Paltlaks current push for charging which seems to coincide with Firetalk going - I think Paltalk have a monopoly now and can pretty much do what they like and with (I believe) rates for banner ads falling, I doubt if we will have free voice chat for long.

I agree with kat about the price being steep and I do not think that such rooms should have been priced as commercial rooms - I think the case for different scales is a good one.

I wish to correct one observation made in this thread: It was said we have gained a few recruits - yes we have but these recruits have come almost, if not entirely from meetings in open rooms (either through Mudcat open rooms like the song circle, or by Mudcatters getting to visit people in open rooms and inviting these people to a closed room) - unless of course people were clever enough to guess the password. Anyway, that (and my biggest reason for favouring open rooms) aside, it is a worry.

Jon