Originally posted by nzondlo I just don't understand the worth of paying a monthly or yearly fee to this site. It's a bit of a dinosaur was probably built with a template way-back-when and that lacks what a lot of other features of modern forums.
It's rather like contributing to a local community project, or paying dues to a club (albeit on a voluntary donation basis). There's no stigma in
not donating, but if you (a) appreciate the value of this community (many of us do), (b) want to ensure there is motivation for the site owner - Adam - to continue paying significant hosting fees and investing many hours of his personal time maintaining and supporting the site (many of us do), and (c) can afford it (hopefully
most of us can, given the suggested amounts and what we spend on equipment for our hobby), then a monthly or yearly donation is a great way to help... plus, it comes with benefits such as increased photo storage and access to the Marketplace
If you find no value in these forums, get little enjoyment from them, and don't support the existence of a thriving, brand-specific community and support network, then yes - it's difficult to justify a donation. Personally, if I had to choose between buying one more item of photography gear, or donating to this site, I'd pick the latter every time...