│ o | | o │
│ |This is probably as good a time as any to put in a plug for | │
│ o |user support of BBS's in general. The average user tends to | o │
│ |think of a local BBS as a "free" service, and does not | │
│ o |realize how much work and money goes into the operation of a | o │
│ |good, full service BBS. | │
│ o | | o │
│ |While there will always be those who are willing to operate | │
│ o |small, hobby type BBS, those Sysops who attempt to run a | o │
│ |larger, full-service BBS with lots of file storage, mail, | │
│ o |game doors, etc., are finding that it is just too expensive | o │
│ |to keep up unless regular users contribute direct financial | │
│ o |support. | o │
│ | | │
│ o |In today's economy, few Sysops are able to personally absor | o │
│ |the expense of running a good BBS without help from users. | │
│ o |For example, here at The Parole Board BBS the average cost of | o │
│ |running the BBS is $150 monthly, exclusive of maintenance or | │
│ o |new equipment purchases. This includes the monthly phone | o │
│ |bill, and the cost of obtaining certain files which, for | │
│ o |safety reasons, must be obtained directly from the author's | o │
│ |own BBS (e.g., anti-virus utilities, etc.). | │
│ o | | o │
│ |There is no way that a local BBS, such as The Parole Board | │
│ o |can actually become profitable... only multi-line national | o │
│ |BBS's actually operate at a profit. The best that can be | │
│ o |hoped for is that the Owner/Sysop's expenses are shared with | o │
│ |the user, making it possible for the Sysop to continue to | │
│ o |provide a service to the BBS community without taking away | o │
│ |from his family! | │
│ o | | o │
│ |If you are a regular user of a good BBS, and the Sysop an- | │
│ o |nounces that contributions are needed, help out! It might | o │
│ |mean the difference between having the BBS, and not having | │
│ o |it. In my view, it is better to not ask for contributions | o │
│ |(everyone will let "the other guy" contribute), and a fixed | │
│ o |subscription plan should be established. | o │
│ | | │
│ o |Having said all of that, I want to take this opportunity to | o │
│ |thank all of the Sponsors and Members of this BBS who have s | │
│ o |graciously given their support to the continued operation of | o │
│ |the BBS. Without that support, The Parole Board BBS could | │
│ o |have ceased to exist long ago. | o │
│ | | │
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