Clinton, that is not the way I understand it. The internet while obviously needing money was built through academic research and development and a desire to share information. The commercialism came in at a later date when companies saw a means of making money out of it.

I believe that with the commercialism came the flood of the masses (which includes me) to using the services and although things won't change and I believe that in some ways, it is for the better this change has in itself brought a need for sites to find bigger finance.

Consider this one: I can run a small site with a forum for £50 per year which could be used for a small number of people seriouly dedicated to an area of interest - I could even fund that myself. I believe Mudcat costs something in the region of $400 US per month to finance - why? The biggest reason in IMO is one of popularity and hits and bandwidth and capacity become major issues, in that sense, one could argue that BS here (although I believe it has great advantages) carries a huge price tag as does making that information open to just anyone to read.

I support the ideas of information for the masses and I support the open policy Mudcat has and I don't know what the answers are. The financial problem I would have is I don't just read Mudcat - within music I read umf, umc, rmc, alt.banjo and the bbc's new site as well as Mudcat and at the suggested $15 a site the cost on music alone would go well beyond anything I could consider.

There is an overlap of people in all these places but charges could mean that people are likely to have to make choices and in the world of folk music, I suspect that move would involve more people who have serious interests making better uses of other free resources (MC is the best I know of but it isn't God, even in terms of "experts" and this place would suffer as a result - even with the dt.

My feeling is that while it is still possible and Max is willing (and believe me I appreciate him on this even though I am critical about some things) is that the volountary donation system remains the best.

Jon