Interesting dilemma

[ordman]

Hey guys need your input on this one.

I made the Savanna Drawings available and soon the other 14 discs to the BOCN forum members via a fileshare site at no cost. My problem now is there are members that are unable to download these files because of size and modem speed. I have had one request to " pay" me for a copy of said discs from a member. Now here's the other problem (because I'm a nice guy) I can not ethically charge this member for something I have made free to the other members. I told him that I would provide him with the set of the discs at no charge other than cost of the DVDs copying and postage. I also said that I was open to donations if so inclined.
Now I'm quite sure that I could make a few bucks by copying and selling these disc
at auction and I may do that in the near future. But in all fairness to the forum members I can't charge one member and not another.

Need to make a clarification on the discs there are only 4 disc total
2 discs in the Savanna drawings (books 1,2,4,5,6)
2 discs in the mixed set there are 14 discs on them

So do I

1. Encrypt the files at the file-share and then provide members with the password
this would only prevent non-members from downloading from the site.

2. Make hard copies available to members that are unable to download them at cost.

3. Charge a flat fee for hard copies (Say $20.00) regardless of membership.


A little feed back would be good

 

[paul the grenade]

I think charging members postage and costs of materials is very fair.
Cheers, Paul.

 

[Gspragge]

Nothing wrong with any of your ideas. It is not the information you are charging for, but the time and trouble to make copies for others. If you can copy and ship 14 cds for $20 that is more than fair. It is not your fault that some cannot make use of the free version of your down loads, you have done your best that way. I often copy things for others at cost of cds and postage.

 

[BOUGAINVILLE]

Charging for cost of blank DVD and postage is reasonable . I always make an offer to do so. The helpfull members so far have declined the offer. I likewise wouldn't charge but then if it is more than a one off thing and there are heaps of requests then the costs will start adding up. In this case you must cover your basic costs.

What comes around goes around. I go to great lengths to scan and produce PDFs for BOCN members and have been busy doing so over the last few weeks. I do so knowing that out there there are other people doing likewise so that I also can have a PDF file of material that I don't have.

May I take the chance to thank you for the top quality PDFs that you produced. I really appreciate your effort in producing and sharing them with us. That is real BOCN spirit.

Cheers,
BOUGAINVILLE

 

[beihan62]

Hi Ordman,I would like to add my two pennyworth,It is nice to find members such as yourself and others in the BOCN that are prepared to fall over backwards rather than rip someone off,sir you are a gentleman,as are other members with similar attributes,many thanks,
Regards,don,

 

[bacarnal]

Ordman, For the first 5 volumes, I thank you very much, and await the final ones with baited breath. Whether I have to pay for them or not!! You have gone above and beyond what most would to get this information out. And thanks to Joe also behind the scenes. Thank goodness for the members like you and many more that I find too numerous to cite here for disseminating the information that you do. If you need to recover costs for not only materials but time spent away from Loved ones, we can't begrudge you and you should not feel like you have a dilemma. We all await your final decision and I, for one, will abide by whatever you decide. Cheers, Bruce.