posted 04-14-2004 15:08               

Although I happily pay dues every year, I find TUG members' insulting people who don't join to be distasteful. If somebody won't join, they won't be bothered by insults except maybe to stay away from the BBS.

I don't like to be a member of an organization that is unfriendly to non-members.

posted 04-14-2004 19:51               

Is this correct? (I have this thing for accuracy today).

posted 04-15-2004 13:41            

As for Carl D, I was not referring to him...for all I know he exchanges into DVC and doesn't own; believe it or not, I have a friend who reads our bbs's and owns DVC and won't join TUG. I gave her one of the TUG biz cards and suggested she join but she won't, for whatever reason. I also know Marriott owners who won't pay, but they sometimes try to get me to give them TUG review and sightings info. One had the nerve to ask me for the secret pwrd when it last changed, and I told him point blank that I would never do that for him.

posted 04-15-2004 15:15               

It's similar to the situation where we live where we need contributions to maintain our private road. Some people don't want to pay unless everyone pays because they don't like free-loaders, yet, when I suggest we have a sign at the entrance giving credit to the contributors (to encourage more contribtutions by giving recognition), people don't want that either, because they don't want to embarass those who don't pay. In the meantime, the road falls apart.

I just see that charging a fee in order for someone to be able to post a Sighting, rate a resort, or submit a Review, is akin to our contempt for Redweek.com for charging their customers to be able to contact sellers.

Like I said, it's not our call, but it does occassionally create a bit of class bias, doesn't it? As I mentioned, TUG is the only of a half-dozen forums I visit that has a membership fee, so, obviously others do it without one.

Edit: FTR, it does not matter to me if TUG has a membership fee as long as those who don't feel a need to pay it are not treated differently. It is their decision as to whether the extra benefits that come with membership are something they can use.

As in the case of non-members already cited, it is possible to contribute substantially without paying money.

If money is not an issue, perhaps membership can be granted for other contributions, such as for submitting reviews.

quote:

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Originally posted by Carol C:
JLB, that's precisely the reason I think TUG should do away with member dues and stop differentiating between members and non-members. Certainly there must be a way to support the bbs's with classified and banner ads.

As for Carl D, I was not referring to him...for all I know he exchanges into DVC and doesn't own; believe it or not, I have a friend who reads our bbs's and owns DVC and won't join TUG. I gave her one of the TUG biz cards and suggested she join but she won't, for whatever reason. I also know Marriott owners who won't pay, but they sometimes try to get me to give them TUG review and sightings info. One had the nerve to ask me for the secret pwrd when it last changed, and I told him point blank that I would never do that for him.

Just wanted to clarify my postition on these issues.

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JMHO
JLB

posted 04-26-2004 21:42            

quote:

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Originally posted by Carol C:

As for Carl D, I was not referring to him...for all I know he exchanges into DVC and doesn't own

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Oh no! My scam was uncovered!
Actually, Most who read my posts know that Disney is the only TS I own. I honestly wouldn't even know how to trade through II since DVC is a corporate member. In fact, in the last 15 years I have not vacationed any other place beside Disney, averaging two trips per year.

posted 04-27-2004 08:08               

Paying $15 for that would surely have alienated that person to this site.

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JLB

Credentials: >15 years timesharing/>75 exchanges/multiple weeks/long-time independent TUG contributor/Branson-Table Rock Lake boat rides

Areas of Knowledge and Interest:
Timesharing:Buying/Selling/Renting/Donating/Exchanging/Searching/Resort Management/Newbies/Florida(>30years)/Kauai/SOCAL/Colorado/Missouri/Arkansas/ Iowa/Ohio/Florida

posted 04-27-2004 17:07            

Some places have tons of reviews, some none, some very outdated. I KNOW trades are going on out there, I read about them all the time on the BBS. I wish everyone would write reviews (and I love seeing photos!).

posted 04-27-2004 17:33               

quote:

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Originally posted by abbekit:
Perhaps TUGS could drive membership with some sort of bonus.

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Resort Review Award

posted 04-28-2004 08:25               

I'm assuming one must be a member to qualify for the award.

quote:

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Originally posted by muranojo:
I recently got two 6-mo. TUG membership extensions free because I posted two reviews to areas that hadn't had recent reviews. It's a nice perk.

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JLB

Credentials: >15 years timesharing/>75 exchanges/multiple weeks/long-time independent TUG contributor/Branson-Table Rock Lake boat rides

Areas of Knowledge and Interest:
Timesharing:Buying/Selling/Renting/Donating/Exchanging/Searching/Resort Management/Newbies/Florida(>30years)/Kauai/SOCAL/Colorado/Missouri/Arkansas/ Iowa/Ohio/Florida

Other:Finance/Law/Real Estate/Consumer Advocacy/Estate Planning/Priceline/Hotwire/Sports/Boating/Fishing/Golf/Lake-living

posted 04-28-2004 11:53               

Gotta agree with ya JLB!

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Trev (:-)

posted 04-28-2004 13:08               

So, I guess what I'm saying is, is there any reason a non-member couldn't 'review' a resort via posting in the appropriate BBS forum?

posted 04-28-2004 15:48               

I would venture to guess that most of us started here as non-members, perhaps seeking information and getting the lay of the land. Then, finding it to our liking, we ante'd up.

A review in the Reviews would be different than a review on the BBS in that it would eventually be gone. It would be a little awkward, I would think, to ask a non-member for a review when they cannot review Reviews themselves.

quote:

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Originally posted by TheresaR:

So, I guess what I'm saying is, is there any reason a non-member couldn't 'review' a resort via posting in the appropriate BBS forum?

Theresa R

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JLB

Credentials: >15 years timesharing/>75 exchanges/multiple weeks/long-time independent TUG contributor/Branson-Table Rock Lake boat rides

Areas of Knowledge and Interest:
Timesharing:Buying/Selling/Renting/Donating/Exchanging/Searching/Resort Management/Newbies/Florida(>30years)/Kauai/SOCAL/Colorado/Missouri/Arkansas/ Iowa/Ohio/Florida

posted 04-28-2004 22:56               

quote:

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Originally posted by JLB:

Edit: FTR, it does not matter to me if TUG has a membership fee as long as those who don't feel a need to pay it are not treated differently. It is their decision as to whether the extra benefits that come with membership are something they can use.

As in the case of non-members already cited, it is possible to contribute substantially without paying money.

If money is not an issue, perhaps membership can be granted for other contributions, such as for submitting reviews.

---

I do not think non-members should be treated differently, and I agree it's their decision as to whether the extra benefits are worth the $15. I also agree it would be nice to offer free membership to non-members if they contribute a review.

JMO, if we open up the whole board, we may see a decline in people willing to post sightings. (Or, maybe we'll see more sightings from non-members posting...I doubt it, but who knows?) Or, potentially this could lead to another 'exclusive' Yahoo! group forming just to exchange sightings and the sightings board would dry up here, just like SA did.
With what appears to be a shriveling exchange inventory, people may be more protective of information.

Another way to look at this: Is this a for-profit or non-profit site? Magazine sites will let you look at the headlines, but you have to pay a subscription fee to access the full story. I had always assumed there was a support/management cost associated with running TUG and TUG is non-profit: the members-only features are a way to incent people to contribute to these costs. Just looking at the number of non-members who are responding to Joyce's CP weeks offer, I'd say TUG has a lot of potential new recruits.

I originally started this thread for two reasons:
1. I thought membership, via 'special' incentives, helps support a non-profit BBS
2. Members posting sightings on the open forum or taking info. from a members-only area and posting it on the open forum dilutes the incentive to become a member (after all, isn't it the intent that these incentives will provide members with a special, exclusive benefit for paying a membership?)

If #1 isn't true, then #2 may be of lesser significance to some.

posted 04-29-2004 08:49               

quote:

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Originally posted by muranojo:
Is this a for-profit or non-profit site?

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Please see
this thread in the TUG Features Archives.

posted 04-29-2004 16:11               

TUG seems to have found a happy (and successful) medium between keeping almost all of their content free (sort of like BFT), but having some value-added content that is paid for (like redweek). As much as I consider myself a good person, and not a cheapskate, to be honest if the Reviews and Sightings areas opened up to all, with TUG now asking for a voluntary contribution to help the board, I probably wouldn't contribute. I probably sounds stupid, the content available to me hasn't changed, the contribution amount might be lower than the current dues, but maybe it's just not wanting to pay for something that really is free.
The dues I guess basically keep me honest. They're enough for TUG to be able to keep themselves operational (good for them), and low enough that I certainly feel I am getting good value for my money (good for me). I'm satisfied with how TUG operates now, I don't see a reason for them to change.