Myth@Bungie.Org

Wednesday March 27th 2002

The Mill Ain't Free { Zandervix }

NEWSFLASH

As if this community needed anything else to gripe about: Fileball (you know, host to The Mill) has announced today that they will start charging for Downloads AND Uploads. Here's the story:

Starting March 27th (today), FileBall.net will become a pay-for semi-private service. A membership account will be required for users to contribute, and also required to consume.

Contributing is in the form of File Submissions, Ratings, Reviews, PR, and any Forum Discussions.

The website and file details will be viewable by the public, however only signed-in users will be allowed to download any files, rate/review files, or submit links and PR. All site related forums will be locked from public participation, including reading. Only signed-in users will be able to list, read, and make forum posts. The FTP restrictions on multi-connect FTP clients will be lifted for members.

Membership fees are: $3 for single month payments, $8 for three months at a time, $30 for yearly payments (two months free).

All current membership accounts will be turned off until payment is received for an account, at which time it will be re-activated into full working form. Membership can end at any time by not paying, and it can be re-activated at any time by sending in membership fees. No accounts will be deleted to allow for later re-activation. All files currently in the system will remain in the system indefinitely unless a paying member deletes their own files like normal.

We will not accept Credit Cards on the web (at this time), only Check, Money Order, or US Currency will be accepted. Membership can be terminated at any time, and reinstated at any time. Its solely based on payments received by you.

To gain information on how to re-activate your account, email the Accounts Department with your Usernick. Accounts will then email you the payment and mailing directions for which you have the option of paying or declining (emailing accounts does NOT obligate you).

Thank you for your patronage, but due to lack of any promised funding from funders (MG), this is how it will be.
The word on the street is that MacGamer promised funding, then backed out, thus causing this. But wait, it gets worse:

If not enough users pay for membership accounts by the end of April, the site will go offline until other forms of funding is made available (it could be permanent). Anyone who has paid when this happens, will be refunded in full (including postage) for any pre-paid months that the service will be offline. Refunds will NOT be given if the server is down for short routine maintenances, or down due to internet routers or other forms of uncontrollable outages. Refunds will NOT be given in the event an account must be prematurely terminated due to serious malicious abuse of terms.

To help make things clear, this is solely to pay for the machine, hosting, and services. It is not something we wish to do, or do to make a serious profit. Rates will decline over time if enough people are members.
Also, as if they are preparing for the worst, read this:

In a couple weeks, depending on how well memberships are going, CDs of entire archives will be for sale to the public for $5 a CD (some archives require more than one CD, Mill uses 8 CDs being $40 total) (some archives can be combined, Sims, RedFaction, and Starcraft will all fit on one CD). Paying members will get a discount of $4 a CD. CDs will be burned in desired format (Mac or PC) consisting of the chosen archive files at the date of burning. Monthly CD subscriptions will NOT be available. If there is a serious demand for these CDs, availability will be limited due to time constraints.
I'm not sure if I should be saving up $40 or trying to find a friend with his own server with lots'o'space. Thanks a lot MG! Of course, my crotch is getting rather numb from all the kicking down there in the last few months.