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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!bellcore!vortex!lauren
From: lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein)
Newsgroups: net.news
Subject: Re: Just what DOES it cost?
Message-ID: <856@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Nov-85 13:27:43 EST
Article-I.D.: vortex.856
Posted: Wed Nov 20 13:27:43 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 24-Nov-85 05:35:27 EST
References: <1882@watdcsu.UUCP>
Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles
Lines: 19

The "poster-pays" concept has the fundamental philosophical
problem (leaving aside the very significant technical problems for now)
that money does not necessarily equal valuable messages.  A site with
lots of bucks to post messages doesn't necessarily have people with
anything useful to say.  A site with no money for postings
may have people who could post many useful items, answer queries
in an intelligent manner, etc.  This is part of the reason that
editors exist.  A magazine like "Time" doesn't just charge a fee
and say "we'll print any (legal) article if you pay the price."  Instead,
they judge articles on their merit and try to produce a useful
publication for the benefit of their readership.  As the readership
changes, complains about, or praises certain materials, the content
of the magazine gradually changes as well.  Readers who don't like the
content of Time can also go read other magazines with other editors
and other content priorities.

Saying that you can't post unless you can pay would be a big mistake.

--Lauren--