I know there are other sites that operate without asking for $$ from its users/contributors. An internet database that relies on member feedback is only as good as its participation levels. Would you expect participation--whether active or passive--to grow or dwindle if a user fee were imposed?

I've belonged to free forums/databases that provided a wealth of information and discussion at no charge. I've also belonged to a couple that solicited "donations" from its members & later were discovered to be using the donations to fund their own private equity ventures.

I'm not extremely fond of handing out cash, no matter the amount, when I don't know exactly who's using it or how it's being used. How did HMF come up with the amount they are asking for? Are they certain it will fund the expansion? There's just so much anonymity involved in a venture like this that I think it's reasonable to forgive people if they are relunctant to shill out more cash for what may likely be a very marginal added value.

Currently we have how many sites for roses dedicated to catalogueing & discussion? Is it best to have them spread out over several domain names or would rose enthusiasts be better served by 1 place that can be counted on as THE go-to source? (I'm talking gardeners, hybridizers, historians, AND commercial growers.)

Has anyone checked into running the site as a for-profit entity? What happens if the people/person/?? running it can no longer do it? ("Going concern" of business.) It seems to me that merchandising and information go hand in hand with roses and if we could get the people providing the product as involved, proactive, and passionate in discussions as the folks here, well, wouldn't that be fantastic? The excuse that setting up a fully-functional website to sell your product is "too hard" or "too time consuming" just doesn't fly in this day & age. How often do we hear pleas from the ARS that they need to get more young people involved in growing & caring for roses? Luddite mind-sets and lack of technology are not the ways to cater to later generations.

A couple of us have mentioned that other hobbyist website we enjoy. Someone should really check it out as they have done a fantastic job of creating a profitable haven for people who share a specific passion.

IMHO, the $25 a year is lower than would be expected. Rose people are pretty dedicated, passionate....obsessed, even. What is $25? One new rose, maybe. Its worth that to have access to all the data when trying to make informed selections.

I'm on several other garden and rose sites and I do contribute to most of them so I would not object to donating here too because I am on here daily. Since I don't go out a lot and don't have to have expensive cups of coffee and fancy clothes or dinners I consider it my entertainment budget.

Ingrid

Tammy

I do wonder if anyone has looked at the possibilities of click-thrus or footer ads for the companies that we already frequent, and how many other small suppliers might benefit if they were more proactively linked.

Please note that they accept NO ADVERTISING, unlike so many other allegedly public service sites. I love being able to peruse the HMF site undistracted by ads supposedly tailored to my preferences.