It is said that the present is pregnant with the future.

[Norm]

Wish I had Voltaire’s wordsmithing abilities.

Hard to believe this site is nearly two years old. We are currently rejecting about 300 new signups a day (nearly all spammers). I don’t know if that is good or bad. I do know that we have growing pains and suffer occasional stretch marks as the volume increases. And, that the volume will continue to increase on our current path. Respected members, now and again, bring up the problems of quantity over quality. We will lose the respected posters if the content is too far diluted. If the point of the site was all the ads for casinos and porn sites that we run, quantity would be important. (I receive about six offers a day for such.) But, as Seneca one said: “It is quality rather than quantity that matters.” Of course, he committed suicide.

Quantity vs. quality has been the question in my mind for two years. I am looking for quality. But, some measure of quantity was needed first. If a quality post is made in a forest, does anyone hear it? I believe we have reached that level. More than that level. That allows more concentration on quality.

The Internet is about as dynamic a milieu one can find. Obsolescence does not come about by adapting to change. It comes about by ignoring change. So, we will try to react to change before it overtakes us. Looking at the comments thus far, I am heartened. Not a perfect outcome. Apologies to those that don’t like these changes. But, it looks to me as though, with some consequences, the effects will result in an overall improvement in quality.

I cannot divine the future any more than anyone else. But, I know that it always comes, and one must deal with it. I am not going to run the same software in the same format for 20 years as the world changes about me. As Yogi Berra said: “The future ain't what it used to be.”

[HowMany]

Good stuff Norm.

[stopgambling]

I support your decision.As a student for the knowledge that's available here,I gladly pay the fee. I am also going to join bj 21 as well which I wanted to do long ago.The old home bjinfo, or bj the forum or bj 21 i will be happy to join and learn and hopeful contribute one day.

[hardin county boy]

“The future ain't what it used to be.”

norm, since you chose to ignore a guy who knows everything and has been a member two full months (me) and are proceeding with the fee, a thought that might maintain the quality, interest and participation on BOTH the free and paid sides: establish "rules" for the paid side to keep whatever it is you consider "low quality" out. the policy being one warning, privately, and banned the second time with refund.

truth be known, i KNOW the fee violates the great philosophical tradition you obviously know well---better to change the name to "the blackjack site", lest the spirit of the ancient forums be reduced to commerce.

hope it goes well--good luck.

[Norm]

I assume you're referring to ancient Roman fora. But, not every conversation was public in those, and they were places of commerce even in Roman days.

[Kat]

“The future ain't what it used to be.”

Yogi Berra is one of my favorite gurus. Relevant:

It ain't over til it's over.
A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore.

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.
It ain't the heat, it's the humility.

It gets late early out there.
You can observe a lot by watching.

[hardin county boy]

I assume you're referring to ancient Roman fora. But, not every conversation was public in those, and they were places of commerce even in Roman days.

you are 100% correct and i feared when i posted that you knew and would call me on that--i got busted by you but still, the SPIRIT........

it is early yet but i hope you will give consideration to some of the free sites also having ie a "stories" thread as a lot of more general blackjack stuff may involve stories that are not about AP.

[Rainmaker]

Flash, Tthree, and 21form gone. Obviously an improvement in quality, no bull.

[Three]

I assume you're referring to ancient Roman fora. But, not every conversation was public in those, and they were places of commerce even in Roman days.

Norm you could still do the roman model. Be a good host and invite them in and give them a taste of your wares. Make sure it's soft though.