The future of NikonGear Revival is as hard as any prediction to make accurate. We expect the new site will cover a pent-up need for a friendly and open-minded photographic community, and the rate at which former NG illuminaries have returned is amazing.
However, the reality is that running a web site incurs costs. A 'read-only' site such as the legacy naturfotograf.com is pretty inexpensive to run, and I have no objections to covering the expenses out of my own pocket.
However, NG Revival is hoped to be an active forum on which members partake in extensive discussions, lots of images are posted and critiqued, and all in general having a good time. Such activities do put more demand on the hosting service and server capability, and with that, also higher costs. So it was clear from the get-go by the Team that we should aim at membership subscription, but with the lowest possible subscription rates. Donations could be used of course, but by their very nature the sums gathered thereby are unreliable. We don't want to go in that direction.
As a subscriber site, guest access will be restricted. Too many web sites use subscription, or donations, to cover costs caused by the non-paying 'guest' visitors. We will use the subscriptions to improve the site for the benefit of the members.
I have set up a poll for what level of subscription rates existing and new NG members find acceptable. Please do vote according to what you think is realistic seen over a time frame of years. The NG Team does not want the highest number of members, we wish committed members who are actively contributing to the site as such.
As we don't know what payment options are available to us, the suggestions are for monthly payments. Hopefully we can go directly to annual payments, but for now, take the suggestions as a starting point.
On behalf of the NikonGear Revival Crew
Bjørn Rørslett
Poll