I think we're all a little spoiled, but the reality is that lists take
time, energy, software and hardware in order to exist.  If all of these
things can be donated by various people and institutions, that's great,
but we should all recognize that the "free" list is costing someone
somewhere something.
 
Realisticly, I think we can expect to see "by paid subscription only",
"promotional (this list brought to you by company x)" and "by
contribution" lists more and more as universities are forced to become
tighter
with their increasinly reduced resources and as businesses continue to
become part of the Internet community.
 
Susan Lowell
 
On Wed, 19 Apr 1995, Natalie Maynor wrote:
 
> >   Occasionally, some of us get notes posted that are not advertisements as
> > such, but that are requesting money for various funds and/or foundations. I am
>
> This is not exactly the same thing, but your question reminded me of it.
> It's something I've had mixed feelings about for a good while now.  What
> are your thoughts about a list that solicits contributions in order to
> pay graduate students to help run the list?  It's a large, moderated list
> that obviously requires a good bit of time to take care of, the money
> contributed goes into fellowships/assistantships/whatever for the students,
> the whole operation is clearly on the up-and-up.  But something about it
> has bothered me from day one.  I don't really like the precedent.
>    --Natalie ([log in to unmask])
>