Hi Jody,

I'm finishing up a few big jobs this week and will send you a check.
I seem to go from big job to big job so at times cash needs to be
channelled optimally (food, utilities, mortgage, etc - you know).
Your request came when I had already decided to send a birthday
present after this next piano.

$50.00/yr - is that an average?

It is not a charitable deduction but most certainly a business expense.
I'm surprised not more than 11 people have e-mailed.

Keep up the good work.
Tkanks,

Jon Page
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)

 [ Editor's note:
 [
 [ When I started talking about charging for subscriptions, the
 [ big question was "how much" ?  The hope was that we could bring
 [ in enough income to subsidize our time as well as our expenses.
 [ A typical monthly magazine subscription is around $20/yr.  Monthly
 [ technical journals are typically a lot more.  Weekly and daily
 [ magazine and newspapers are also typically a lot more, perhaps
 [ 1 to 3 dollars per week.
 [
 [ We wanted to pick a number that didn't cause a mass exodus of
 [ subscribers.  If fewer people were participating, the Digest
 [ would be less interesting.  Perhaps we should charge substantially
 [ less that what Internet service costs.  Most of our subscribers
 [ pay around $20.00/month for Internet access.  Perhaps another
 [ $5/month would be an insignificant burden ?
 [
 [ We batted the numbers around with several MMD subscribers, and
 [ decided that we'd try the experiment of letting the subscribers
 [ decide what its worth to them.  It has the benefit that no one is
 [ asked to leave because they WON'T pay, and it relieves us of the
 [ problem of deciding who should get reduced price subscriptions
 [ because they CAN'T afford it.
 [
 [ Its probably too early to tell what the average support payment
 [ will be.  I say this because its possible that those enthusiastic
 [ about supporting with large payments us may have already done so.
 [ We'll see.  In the interest of subscribers' privacy, we won't ever
 [ reveal who paid what, unless that information is volunteered in an
 [ e-mail message addressed to the group.  However, we may, from time
 [ to time, report statistics on income.
 [
 [ So far, the most common amount is $50.  One of the $100 checks
 [ was notated "retroactive for 2 years".  Here's the distribution
 [ so far:
 [
 [              Over $100       *
 [              $100            **
 [              $50             ******
 [              $30             **
 [              $25             **
 [              $20             ***
 [              $15             **
 [              $10             **
 [
 [ Each * is one check.  A significant number of these came with
 [ notes thanking us for our work.  The positive feedback is very
 [ much appreciated.
 [
 [ Not listed above was a check for $70 which was sent as a "voluntary
 [ 5% commission on a sale made through MMD".  The note enclosed with
 [ the check encouraged me to make this "policy".  Its certainly
 [ an interesting way of to set pricing on advertising: "It costs
 [ nothing unless you sell something".  Of course, this would be
 [ difficult to audit.  However, I think its food for though for the
 [ vendors here.
 [
 [ I want to make one more point before I end my message today.
 [ I appreciate the concern expressed earlier in today's Digest
 [ about establishing a specific amount so that there would be
 [ no danger of editorial favoritism towards those who sent more money.
 [ At this time its not our intent to specify a required subscription
 [ amount. Robbie and I will, however, try to remain objective in our
 [ editorial policies.
 [
 [ Thanks again to everyone who has expressed their support of the MMD>
 [ Jody