I just renewed my membership to NPN. Should've done it last month when my first year was actually up, but I was waiting on some of that filthy lucre from upcoming wedding clients.
I've gotten plenty of valuable advice, and people are Johnny-on-the-spot when a person has questions about anything. I've learned a lot more than $50 worth in the last year.
This is the best online community I've been a part of in the more than five years I've been involved with Web chat, and that includes a couple forums that I help moderate. I want to thank those of you who have helped, and it's been a pleasure to help those of you I have.
I'll second that Steve! Best bang for the buck there is! Thanks to Jim & Donna, Guy, and all the other folks who make this site so such a wonderful place to learn, share, and make new friends.
And not to seem too heavy handed, but I just want to emphasize that membership dues help finance this site (No, Jim and Donna have not paid me to say this.)
In the same way many view public television and listen to public radio without making membership contributions, there are large numbers of people out there who visit this site and take away a lot of value without becoming members and ensuring NPN's continuation. Like they say during Minnesota Public Radio membership drives, if you value what you hear, help make sure you can continue to hear it.
And now, back to that wonderful set of Beethoven sonatas.
Steve, thanks for mentioning that! You are 100% correct - without paid membership, this site could not exist, or at least it would not be as free of advertising as it currently is. To put the rate of membership into perspective, only 3 people per 200 who visit/spend time on this site become paid members - I suspect public radio/television faces the same dilemma. But for those that do, we try to make the NPN experience as rewarding as possible.
Jim, my membership lapsed for a few months 'cause I didn't know when I was due to pony up. For those of us that do support the site a gentle reminder that it's time to pay again would be helpful, especially those of us that have CRS disease.
Posted by Jim Erhardt on July 15, 2007 at 11:49 AM
Kelly, thanks for bringing this up!
We actually send two notices. The most common reasons why the nortices are not received are (1) the member has changed their email address and (2) our notices end up in a spam folder.
BTW, updating an email address on the Preferences page here in the NPN forums does not help in this regard - you must send the new address to editor@naturephotographers.net so we can update the membership database software, which is used to produce the renewal notices.
Discussion
6 repliesI've gotten plenty of valuable advice, and people are Johnny-on-the-spot when a person has questions about anything. I've learned a lot more than $50 worth in the last year.
This is the best online community I've been a part of in the more than five years I've been involved with Web chat, and that includes a couple forums that I help moderate. I want to thank those of you who have helped, and it's been a pleasure to help those of you I have.
NPN, rock on!
In the same way many view public television and listen to public radio without making membership contributions, there are large numbers of people out there who visit this site and take away a lot of value without becoming members and ensuring NPN's continuation. Like they say during Minnesota Public Radio membership drives, if you value what you hear, help make sure you can continue to hear it.
And now, back to that wonderful set of Beethoven sonatas.
Thanks again for your support and participation!
We actually send two notices. The most common reasons why the nortices are not received are (1) the member has changed their email address and (2) our notices end up in a spam folder.
BTW, updating an email address on the Preferences page here in the NPN forums does not help in this regard - you must send the new address to editor@naturephotographers.net so we can update the membership database software, which is used to produce the renewal notices.