Posted by Brian Irving on November 19, 2008 at 1:51 PM
Hi everyone
I am a little confused about membership of this forum, am I right in thinking the following:
Everyone with access to a user name and password is a member, therefore everyone who posts, critiques or otherwise is a 'paid up' member
When I look at the member photographer list many of the 'posters' are not listed
I visit the forum every day but rarely post, the recent thread on cloning (today) refers to members by many of the contributors to the thread but they are not listed in the members list.
My question is, does my cash membership (4 years) and other in-kind contributions I have made, buy expensive server disc space for the benefit of non-members?
Clearly this is not a free forum so how can non members post images?
Regards
Brian
Posted by jack chapman on November 19, 2008 at 2:08 PM
i think the difference is the frequency in which you can post an image, guest members can't post images as often
as for the list i think you have to specifically ask to be put on it, as far as i know i'm a fully "paid up" member and my name isn't there
no doubt the Mods can clarify
Posted by Brian McGeough on November 19, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Yes it does, you do not have to be a member to post pictures or comment as far as I know.
Brian,
The Members Photographers list doesn't include all paid members of UKNPN just those that have gotten around to adding their details and contact info to that page (or to be more precise, asking the Mods. to add their details)
You don't have to be a paid-up member to register, post or critique although there are posting and image hosting restrictions for non paying contributors.
If someone on the forum has the NPN Member icon at the bottom of their posts then they're a paid-up member.
My question is, does my cash membership (4 years) and other in-kind contributions I have made, buy expensive server disc space for the benefit of non-members?
No, they have to host their own images. Only by paying the membership fee are you able to use NPN's hosting facility/space.
If you're a paid member (npn member icon shows on posts) then you can:
- post an image in UKNP ever 24hrs and use the NPN image hosting facility.
- post additional images in other forums according to their members posting frequency.
- ask us to include your details on the UKNP members page.
- include web details on the NPN Photographer index (via your control panel).
- include a link to your web page as an icon on your posts (via control panel).
- include an avatar and quote/links at the bottom of your posts (via control panel).
- make use of a 120 image portfolio on photoportfolios.net, and include a link on your posts.
- get discounted rates on admission to the UKNP Conference.
If your membership info isn't on the UKNP members page, then you've either not asked us to include it, or have let membership lapse at some point and it's been removed (you'll need to ask for it to be re-instated).
As a guest (non-paid member - no membership icon on your posts) you:
- can post a new image on UKNP every 72hrs.
- can post images on other NPN forums according to their Guest posting frequency.
x can't use NPN image hosting & bandwidth.
x can't ask for their details on the members page, nor on the NPN Photographer page.
x can't show web page icon on the bottom of their posts
x can't show an avatar or quote/links on the bottom of their posts.
x don't get access to Photoportfolios.
x have to pay full whack on admission to the UKNP Conference.
There are also some other changes to the forum in the pipeline that will be to the favour of paid members over guests - but more about those when they're ready to roll out.
So no, your membership fee doesn't pay for image hosting/bandwidth for others to use.
HTH
Posted by Richard Peters on November 19, 2008 at 4:05 PM
Looking forward to seeing those changes, also to my details being added to the member list as I was informed I need to wait for those new changes before my details can go on
Posted by Brian Irving on November 19, 2008 at 4:13 PM
As already mentioned above, guests aren't allowed any NPN/UKNP image hosting/bandwidth.
Whilst they can reply to a topic, or post a new topic - if they want to include an image in a topic/post, then they need to have 'private means' to do so - ie they have to use their own web host for the image. When you view one of their images, the NPN server sends your web browser to their website/webhost to get the image for you to look at - ie their website sees a hit in their statistics and their bandwidth is used, not NPN's.
Jim, gets money form various sources, subs, advertising, shop sales - I assume that from this money he keeps this site running at a break-even/profit and as such the above sources also pay for the forum code changes and the hosting of the whole NPN site.
Guests (people who do not pay a sub) I suppose get to use the site and post text (not pictures) at no expense to themselves (at the moment) but this is true of most forums who try and attract members.
As an aside, and I know the following is not the intent of your post but if you don't mind it is a appropiate time to address it since we are talking of money, there is a misconception/rumour that the Mods (Nick, Phil and I) get a 'cut' of subscription money or make money from the Conference etc - we don't, all we get is free membership.
If you want to know anymore about how NPN is setup/financed please post a question on the general discussion forum as Jim doesn't 'call in here' as frequently as he does there - and we know no more than what we have said.
Discussion
8 repliesI am a little confused about membership of this forum, am I right in thinking the following:
Everyone with access to a user name and password is a member, therefore everyone who posts, critiques or otherwise is a 'paid up' member
When I look at the member photographer list many of the 'posters' are not listed
I visit the forum every day but rarely post, the recent thread on cloning (today) refers to members by many of the contributors to the thread but they are not listed in the members list.
My question is, does my cash membership (4 years) and other in-kind contributions I have made, buy expensive server disc space for the benefit of non-members?
Clearly this is not a free forum so how can non members post images?
Regards
Brian
as for the list i think you have to specifically ask to be put on it, as far as i know i'm a fully "paid up" member and my name isn't there
no doubt the Mods can clarify
Brian
The Members Photographers list doesn't include all paid members of UKNPN just those that have gotten around to adding their details and contact info to that page (or to be more precise, asking the Mods. to add their details)
You don't have to be a paid-up member to register, post or critique although there are posting and image hosting restrictions for non paying contributors.
If someone on the forum has the NPN Member icon at the bottom of their posts then they're a paid-up member.
No, they have to host their own images. Only by paying the membership fee are you able to use NPN's hosting facility/space.
If you're a paid member (npn member icon shows on posts) then you can:
- post an image in UKNP ever 24hrs and use the NPN image hosting facility.
- post additional images in other forums according to their members posting frequency.
- ask us to include your details on the UKNP members page.
- include web details on the NPN Photographer index (via your control panel).
- include a link to your web page as an icon on your posts (via control panel).
- include an avatar and quote/links at the bottom of your posts (via control panel).
- make use of a 120 image portfolio on photoportfolios.net, and include a link on your posts.
- get discounted rates on admission to the UKNP Conference.
If your membership info isn't on the UKNP members page, then you've either not asked us to include it, or have let membership lapse at some point and it's been removed (you'll need to ask for it to be re-instated).
As a guest (non-paid member - no membership icon on your posts) you:
- can post a new image on UKNP every 72hrs.
- can post images on other NPN forums according to their Guest posting frequency.
x can't use NPN image hosting & bandwidth.
x can't ask for their details on the members page, nor on the NPN Photographer page.
x can't show web page icon on the bottom of their posts
x can't show an avatar or quote/links on the bottom of their posts.
x don't get access to Photoportfolios.
x have to pay full whack on admission to the UKNP Conference.
There are also some other changes to the forum in the pipeline that will be to the favour of paid members over guests - but more about those when they're ready to roll out.
So no, your membership fee doesn't pay for image hosting/bandwidth for others to use.
HTH
My final question is a reiteration of my first:
Who pays for the 72 hr post that non-members get?
Regards
Brian
As already mentioned above, guests aren't allowed any NPN/UKNP image hosting/bandwidth.
Whilst they can reply to a topic, or post a new topic - if they want to include an image in a topic/post, then they need to have 'private means' to do so - ie they have to use their own web host for the image. When you view one of their images, the NPN server sends your web browser to their website/webhost to get the image for you to look at - ie their website sees a hit in their statistics and their bandwidth is used, not NPN's.
to clarify further.
Jim, gets money form various sources, subs, advertising, shop sales - I assume that from this money he keeps this site running at a break-even/profit and as such the above sources also pay for the forum code changes and the hosting of the whole NPN site.
Guests (people who do not pay a sub) I suppose get to use the site and post text (not pictures) at no expense to themselves (at the moment) but this is true of most forums who try and attract members.
As an aside, and I know the following is not the intent of your post but if you don't mind it is a appropiate time to address it since we are talking of money, there is a misconception/rumour that the Mods (Nick, Phil and I) get a 'cut' of subscription money or make money from the Conference etc - we don't, all we get is free membership.
If you want to know anymore about how NPN is setup/financed please post a question on the general discussion forum as Jim doesn't 'call in here' as frequently as he does there - and we know no more than what we have said.
Cheers
T