Shoobie & the Sand Crabs Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 have you ever been scared that they might start charging to use the geocaching site I'm sorry I wish I could pay but I don't have the money Link to comment
+Milbank Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 have you ever been scared that they might start charging to use the geocaching site no Link to comment
+hydee Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 People contribute to the sport and this site in many different ways. Someone that hides a great cache is as important to this site as someone that buys a t-shirt or a premium membership. The community as a whole supports the site, not just the small percentage who pay for premium membership. Groundspeak has promised since the very beginning the basic game will always be free. That will not change. Link to comment
+IV_Warrior Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Worried? Nope, it's right on the Premium Membership sign-up page. Are you going to charge us to go Geocaching? Never! The traditional Geocaching game will always be free. Subscriptions will be for new enhancements and new games added to Groundspeak. It takes development time and resources ($$) in order to make these ideas come to life. Not to mention the continuing hardware upgrades to keep the site responsive to your visits. Link. Link to comment
Trinity's Crew Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Since I became a paying member, my fears have subsided a bit. Seriously though, Groundspeak has always vowed to keep basic membership free. My biggest fear is that cache maggots may force the site to become pay only some day. Link to comment
+Riddlers Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 have you ever been scared that they might start charging to use the geocaching site nope, I gladly paid as soon as I got hooked on the hobby, life style or what ever it has become. Today is my one year date for geocaching. I found my first cache one year ago today and looking forward to another great year. Link to comment
+Doodad Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 I gladly paid when the chance came up. I spent much more on caching than what goes to keep the site up. Now I cannot live without my pocket queries and cache sheets on a PDA. Link to comment
+robert Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 have you ever been scared that they might start charging to use the geocaching site I'm sorry I wish I could pay but I don't have the money Nah! You'll be fine. Link to comment
+Team Tecmage Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 We too have been paying since the Premium memberships became available. GC has been careful not to reduce the available services to free users- unlike many other sites out there. Link to comment
+Tharagleb Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 The OP has been answered fairly well, but it got me to thinking. If Groundspeak came up with a "Benefactor" membership that cost more but with *NO* extra goodies, just to support the site, I would pay for it. I get so much for the little I pay now. Link to comment
+RuffRidr Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 The OP has been answered fairly well, but it got me to thinking. If Groundspeak came up with a "Benefactor" membership that cost more but with *NO* extra goodies, just to support the site, I would pay for it. I get so much for the little I pay now. You can prolly do this now. I'd guess they probably wouldn't turn down donations. --RuffRidr Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 If Groundspeak came up with a "Benefactor" membership that cost more but with *NO* extra goodies, just to support the site, I would pay for it. I get so much for the little I pay now. I never noticed that the 'donate' link wasn't there anymore. RuffRidr is absolutely correct, I'm sure. Send them a check, it will find its way into their coffers and be magically turned into donuts. While you're at it, send me a check. Link to comment
+planetrobert Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 how about instead of donating to the site... buy a bunch of swag from the gc store and give it away at the next geoevent that will make you extra popular. Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 (edited) There is nothing free about geocaching. Not the severs, not the employee/s, not the bandwidth and so on. "Free" doesn't pay the bills. T-Shirts do, Premimum memberships do, ads do and so on. It doesn't matter how many caches we has hiders place, it may give back to the communtiy but it doesn't pay the bills. If Geocaching.com ever didn't meet the whatever Groundspeaks goals for it are, or it's not sustainable, I expect them to pull the plug. If what you do gives you nothing in return, then there is no reason to do it. If you would do it out of the love of the game, and that is bleeding you dry, you are going to have to give it up or go bankrupt. In the end, if all other methods they use didn't pay the bills and the choice was charge or pull the plug on the site I think it's an easy decision for them to make. It's not prudent to admit that, but I would not hold it against them because it's simple reality. What I would truly hate to lose is all the logs, and history that this site holds should this site ever decide to quit. Edited March 22, 2005 by Renegade Knight Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 It would never go "pay-to-play" because TPTB's biggest asset are the cache they get for free. If they start charging, those will go away in a heart beat. They're not dumbies. Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 (edited) I can't stop laughing! I'm afraid that I might get canned. Edited March 22, 2005 by sbell111 Link to comment
+Husker Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 I find it odd that someone that can drop the coin for a gps, a computer and internet service can't scrap up $30 a year. Link to comment
+RJFerret Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 GPS might be free (work, school, friend, gift) and is optional (topomaps, compass). Computer/internet access is free at libraries, work and schools. Ghostcachers don't even use that, as some get cache page printouts from friends. Enjoy, Randy Link to comment
Radman Forever Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 I find it odd that someone that can drop the coin for a gps, a computer and internet service can't scrap up $30 a year. You never know a person's situation... Link to comment
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