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May 1, 2003, 1:17am

I'm happy about the responses I've received about allowing tourists into AW.
I don't believe I could have found something more worthwhile and fulfilling
to tackle other than helping someone in the community. Responses are as
follows and more on the way:
-----------------------
agree......maybe aw should let tourists into" every world" ?..why
should we pay more ? after all we are " recurting for them" as
many of my friends want to see my builds first" before signing up"
--------------------------
I get tired of PKing to empty worlds too
--------------------------
why should i pay to have tourists in my privatre worlds? I refuse :)
--------------------------------------
this is so true and since now have limit and cc it sould since we are paying
lot more whichb before would had paid our cit and thwo tourist at the good
old days so they are not loosing anything
--------------------
I so agree! how do I help out?
-------------------------------
Your help is greatly needed. Opening AWI public worlds back to tourists
will happen only if the entire community speaks out. PLEASE do your part by
posting your opinion to the Newsgroup or sending email to
jp at activeworlds.com The AW experience for us and for future generations of
citizens depend upon making our voices heard. Please read m0e's below post
to the newsgroup:

"Tourist are the life blood of our community, without them, we will not
grow. sure they can be a major pain, but having done 4 years as a PK, I
never grew tired of helping a tourist. for the past year+, tourist have not
been able to enter some of the AWI worlds. because of this, some ppl have
left, and the GZ's of these worlds have for the most part become empty
:-( the bottom line in this is .... tourist should be able to travel to any
of the 'Public' worlds, and if a private world owner is willing to pay, to
their worlds as well I'm tired of seeing dead gz's, and overworked GK's" m0e

May 1, 2003, 1:28am

yeah, AWI worlds should be open to everyone, doncha think? but *shrugs* it's
just my opinion :p
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May 1, 2003, 1:43am

Another opinion.
-------------------------
You are right however you are wasting your time - I totally agree with you
AW has become barron and without life - the decission to ban the tourist
population has crippled a once fun and exciting universe experience. I own
three worlds and even tho I pay to allow tourists it makes very little
difference because they are basically UNWELCOME in the universe they rarely
come in even though one of my world reguarly is featured in Worlds To
Watch... I WILL not stay with AW when SecondLife.com becomes viable. I feel
that the decission to ban tourists points to the ignorance of those who see
themselves as to important to consider the real needs of this dying
community... Sad!
--------------------------
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May 1, 2003, 1:44am

You never stop do you? Your fighting a losing battle.

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May 1, 2003, 1:56am

At least shes fighting CarL. I am so sick of all these people who have been
around for 3 or more years, and have watched the community and universe fall
apart around them, and then all they can do is complain about the
management. Its doesnt matter how right you are, even if the management is
horrible, stop griping and do something about it. Even if that is only as
good as preaching to the wind! Get off your asses and stop trying to put
down people who try to do something. All you have to do is say "I'm behind
you" or "What can I do to help."

LF

May 1, 2003, 2:29am

More opinions.......
------------------------------
I agree with the message. Sadly, I don't AW could care less about the
tourists, They've rasied prices on cits 300%. It's all about money, AW
doesnt care about the "community"
------------------------------
I feel a lot could change if AW would let ppl use the product freely while
they are deciding weather or not to take out a cit. They could limit Tourist
build rights it say so many hours total then they have to decide to be a cit
or not build. But then at least the worlds would be populated again... U see
they still get their money and there are still ppl on and numbers are up but
they don't really move about much the go to their worlds... U need the
tourists to make it a real Universe experience...
---------------------------
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May 1, 2003, 2:38am

I have been around for 5 years and I agree. Tourists should be let into the
the public worlds and they should also be let into the private worlds. This
place is almost dead compared to when I started comeing here. The world
owners pay almost double now, in some cases triple what they used to pay to
own a world. But we also as cits pay triple what we used to pay. One would
think that all that extra income would be enough. Now tourists aren't
allowed. So without tourists there are going to be very few new paying users
in the future. And, what happens next? Are we all, as the only paying users,
going to end up paying more and more increased world costs and cit payments
to maintain the growing up keep of AW?

I think tourists should be let in to all the worlds. I also think that aw
should add an option for the world owner to either let tourists in or keep
them out of the private worlds. It should be up to the world owner. The
tourists are the new paying user of the future. Without them either prices
will go so high that no one will be able to afford to use aw or aw will die
for lack of users in a growing technology.

I wonder why the people who run aw don't see that they are cutting their own
throats by locking their potential customers out. I don't see how that is
good buisness.

Imagine


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May 1, 2003, 2:53am

I agree, I think that they should let tourists back into AW. It's where I
built my first house as a tourist and is the whole reason I got to like
ActiveWorlds. It was a world for open chat that wasn't too hasty on rules
and wouldn't eject you if you slipped up and accidentally said "damn" or
something. AW is what got all of the customers....not the gate, not the
school, not any of those other worlds. AW is what got the citizens.....but
hey, I've been fighting at this for a while now too......AWI would make much
more money if they opened AW to tourists....but once again,......bad
decision making. :o(


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May 1, 2003, 4:03am

I worked for a dotcom a few years ago. We were making money hand over fist, but we were just one of two registrars owned by a young
wheeler dealer in NYC. We were not his 'baby', his NYC based company was (we were in MD), and the NY company was LOSING money hand
over fist. We expended great effort and angst to convince the owner the profit could be had for both companies if he would do such
and so. The bottom line was - he bled our company dry to pay for the one that was dying, and in the end guess who folded? Us.
Simple reason - he was just a guy doing his own thing the way he wanted to. Tuff luck for the 100,000 customers our company
serviced. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that without tourists AW is dying slow death. A chat program that only has 300+
chatters on any given night? It's a wonder it's even still open, (and you can bet there's a reason unknown to all of you that it
is). Anyone who's been here longer than 3 years can see it clearly. You can make petitions till you're blue in the face, but if
the owners of AW have their fingers in fun'r pots they'll do it their way. If most of you are like me, you become attached to your
builds. It feels like 'home', but guess what? There are no guarantees on the net. I was one of 10,000 members in Excite's Virtual
Places, was there 7 years, and same story. Chapter 11. The bottom line is profit, not people. The net is just that, a great network,
and you'd do yourself more service by exploring what else is out there in 3d and sharing your findings, than comiserating. If you
love to build, share programs, info, start learning how to do something more than just what AW offers. 3d is the wave of the future
in many areas on the net. I know it's very sad to see so much virtual real estate empty now, the thrill is gone. I have to wonder
how many who are crying the blues about AW's current state of affairs now were protesting thoses dreaded tourists when they filled
the universe? Good luck to all of you however it goes. I hope we all continue to keep finding a 'home' on the net :)


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May 1, 2003, 7:38am

Does this have Mel Gibson in it?

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May 1, 2003, 8:28am

I am not sure why I am responding to this post, but by chance someone will
listen, I respond to this post with facts that I know.
Being the owner of a big world here in AW for close to 21 months, I have had
alot of contact with the staff at AW.
I too was hurt when AW totally banned tourist entry to AW all together and
after a month of protesting, we convinced AW to reallow toursts back.
Trouble was, they were locked in at the gate. It took a few of us concerned
world owners to shell out $60.00 USD to give them some room to breath by
opening our privately owned worlds to them.
I have asked all the members of management at AW about removing the
restrictions on tourists, all have told me the same thing over and over
again. Tourists use up band-width, numbers show that when AW allowed
tourists free access, yes the universe numbers were high, sometimes hitting
300 people, with the most in AW world. But out of those numbers, most were
tourists!
According to Tom (FLAGG) AW made more money when tourists were totally
banned from AW altogether, then they did, or have since tourists were
allowed back in.
Also it still stands that many could not afford AW when it was $19.95 a
year, because most are teenagers who can not afford AW, or can not use a
credit card. The same goes now, but prices are higher.
But whats worse, is the punks in AW who get great pleasure out of dystroying
a tourist's hard work and discouraging them from even considering a
citizenship, its those people who hurt AW the most and to think they say
they like AW...hmmmm shakes my head in wonder.
My tourist enabled world was mercilessly was striped of tourist builds
daily! No wonder AW is dying who cares to stick around when 5 hours of hard
work and creation are wiped out by some punk in 30 seconds.
Just a real life point here, my son PSXferarri started out as a tourist, all
his work was destroyed by some punk and the time I bought him a cit, he lost
any fether interest.

May 1, 2003, 12:09pm

*looks at the list of worlds that tourists have access to, and in some
cases, building rights* And here you made me think that AWGate was the only
place they could go ;) I think they have more access to AW then I do on
any demo for a new game....I feel jipped!


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May 1, 2003, 12:53pm

Even though I just this last week renewed the tourist fee for my world,
Amberlin, I do agree that tourists should be allowed in any of the public AW
worlds and any of the private ones which desire to have them come
in --building or not. I paid the fee so that friends from other areas of
cyberspace could come in and see what I'm doing. Although I have kept
building privileges strictly to myself, I do welcome the tourists and others
who hop in from time to time. In fact, I even have several tourists I
number as regular visitors to Amberlin.

I'm not one of the older members who have been here for years, but I already
realize the fact that we do need "new blood" to keep AW alive. And I do
want it to keep thriving and growing. I would like to see the tourist fee
dropped. I also like the idea of allowing tourists a certain length of time
with some or restricted privileges to let them get a taste of what's
involved before they would have to register.

After all, hopefully, when it comes right down to the bottom line, don't we
all want the same thing -- a successful, thriving, and growing Active Worlds
Community???

Lady Barbara of Amberlin
aka Barbara Eisner



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May 1, 2003, 1:09pm

I agree that tourist entrance to worlds should be free, but I also think you
should have a way to keep tourists out

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May 1, 2003, 2:23pm

Of course AW is makeing more money since they banned the tourists. Since
they banned the tourists they have raised the prices on the already paying
customers by 300%. We as the paying customers are takeing up the monitary
slack of what they would have made had they left the tourist as it was and
then some.

I'm sorry that there are people who would destroy tourist build. Perhaps aw
could make it possible for no one except for the world owner to destroy
tourist builds? Make it part of the world owners rights?

I know I can't afford the tourist fee or I would pay it. My world fee was
doubled the last time my world was renewed. I can't afford any more or I
would let tourist into my world. When tourist were comming to my world they
had no idea how aw worked, they couldn't even fly, some couldn't walk. What
exactly are they teaching them at the gate about aw? In the past I have been
the one teaching the tourist about aw when they came to my world. I made a
lot of new friends from tourists. Aw has a lot more paying customers because
I worked with tourist and because of that they ended up paying the cit fees
at first and now a lot of them own worlds. And, my world has never been a
tourist building world. We are not just another chat in the net, we are a
community. The only way our community will grow and thrive is to add to the
community by letting tourists in.

I think AW should find a way to deal with the bandwidth issue instead of
useing it as an excuse. So, Lets say 2000 tourists show up today and deside
all at the same time to become cits and buy worlds. What happens then? Will
the bandwidth be an issue then? Will aw close up cause they can't handle the
new cits and world owners cause of the bandwidth? Or will they find a way to
deal with the bandwidth? More likely AW is trying to suck what they can out
of the already paying customers and cut their losses on the potential new
customers (tourists). It's the easy route to take; the easy money.

I really like all the new changes in 3.4. Aw put a lot of thought and effort
into it, and I do apreciate that they are doing all the things they do for
us. But at the same time I really don't see why they don't want to their
company to grow by keeping potential customers out.

Imagine







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May 1, 2003, 3:23pm

MR B is NUTZ!

Replying 2 my post as if i'd sed nethin :S

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May 1, 2003, 4:44pm

The bandwidth argument does not apply for non-AW hosted worlds.
A tourist who is there anyway even causes less traffic on AWs
servers if he visits a self-hosted world.


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May 1, 2003, 4:45pm

Perhaps there is no good solution to the bandwidth problem.

SW Chris

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May 1, 2003, 5:29pm

Eh? Count me out. You can get a VERY good feel for Activeworlds from AWGate
and the open tourist worlds. Perhaps TOO good of a feel (Which is why most
worlds were closed to tourists - they had no reason to buy cits because they
could just "freeload", so long as they were willing to give up a few things
like owning a world and using bots and occasionally having to rebuild their
stuff)

AW actually did a lot better before tourists existed at all (Scroll up - E N
Z O said it). I'd be interested in seeing that come back, at least for a
short period to see how well the [exceedingly weakened] community bears it
and more importantly, how business goes for AWI.

Granted, it probably wouldn't work - these aren't the "golden days" of the
Internet anymore - back when it was all about adventure and learning and
other noble pursits - now it's all about getting somthing great for as
little as possible for the individual, and making as much money as possible
for the organization.

Not every day you see a teenager get nostaligiac, eh?

--Wing
Citizen 305004
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May 1, 2003, 6:41pm

To steal a phrase...

You know you really should write a book, why bore others needlessly.

- Mark
The Doctor

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May 1, 2003, 8:54pm

o saer,

I feel AWI has the same deep love and affection for this community and the
overall want for it to survive as we do. However, their job is the business
end of the company. The fact that this looks like what has prevailed over
the last many months doesn't mean this is the way it has to be. An
organized effort by the community asking for change in a reasonable manner
is the job of the Community, not AWI.

[View Quote] >Anyone who's been here longer than 3 years can see it clearly. You can
make petitions till you're blue in the face, but if
the owners of AW have their fingers in fun'r pots they'll do it their way. >
>

May 1, 2003, 9:09pm

I have always agreed.... the real reason tourist were limited was to
generate more money. If tourist could go to any of the bigger buildable
public worlds... no one would pay to have them on private worlds. By now
they should understand the cure was worse than the disease.
---------------------------------
I pay for tourists already not my worry that aw looses people It isnt my
company
---------------------------------
Inside (name witheld) community we tell exactly the same and we ask each
time we can to enable tourists for all worlds like before January 2002. JP
knows our demands and we will continue to ask for it in calm and respect.
You have our support for your message and I hope we will finally be heard :)
Thanks you very much for your engagement on AW and have a nice day ! (sorry
my english is not very good I hope you will understand the sens of my
message :)
----------------------------------
er, well...i think those good 4 nothin tourists should pay to get useful!
Citesens are useful, not Tourists. but i know...we need more tourist build
worlds to make them wanna pay! il think about doin it....the less tourists
we have the better! the more citesens we have, the Better! il think about
doin it
----------------------------------
Its the server space that a non paying customer uses and the policing the
tourists require..i certainly wouldnt want to pay for free users..when im
losing money...the priceswent up thats why people left
----------------------------------
thanks for that gram .. i send my opinion and stated i prefered it when
tourists were allowed access to all worlds :)
----------------------------------
Alphaworld ought to be opened up..I remember being a tourist there..I just
don't think its the same now and it's a real pity
----------------------------------

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May 1, 2003, 9:21pm

I notice no one brings out the problems we had with tourists *raises
eyebrows and smiles* Interesting how quickly peeps forget those things when
convenient ; :)
----------------------------------
If you think that AW (the company) cares about their users, I've been
trying to get them to help protect children and other users for YEARS, now,
e-mailing them on several occasions, and asking them why AW allows slavery
which is in open violation of US law (where, btw, AW has its business) and
other things, but to no avail. It seems they don't care about the children,
or how many of their users are hurt or killed because of the gor worlds
being here. There's even a little memorial to one of the people killed
(read this page and search for the word faithh "url withheld") that went to
the gor worlds near AlphaWorld's GZ! And that's just one of those we know
about. How many others have been killed that we aren't told about? How
many deaths are too many? In MY book ONE is too many, but AW doesn't seem
to feel that way!

I have made it a point to refer people to other chat programs for quite
some time, now, both in real life and on the Internet in all the chat
programs and Websites I have. I've been a user of AlphaWorld / ActiveWorlds
since 1995 in one identity or another, and the final blow came when AW
'killed off' the tourists throughout the entire program on January 3rd,
2002. That was when I made my decision. Heck, when they later announced
that they'd 'tourist enable' private worlds for a fee, I paid them the same
day because I didn't think it was fair that they'd force people who couldn't
afford their high prices to a single world! Of course, AW hates me so much
that it took them about two weeks to get around to making MY world
accessable to tourists, while doing it for other worlds first... But hey,
that's the way some businesses like to treat their customers. I'm hoping
that AW goes out of business within the next few months, and I'm helping any
way I can!

As for m0e being the kind-hearted guy that the words in the telegram try
to make him out to be... There are VERY few people in AW who are that
gullible. I personally think he's one of the biggest supporters of gor and
slavery there is in AW. Here's a few examples of his 'fairness':

"URL Witheld"

"URL Witheld"

And this from the (then) head of the PKs!

So, if you want ME to help a business that will support slavery, you're
asking the wrong person. The blood of innocents is not going to be on MY
hands!

I tried to reason with ActiveWorlds, and their PKs, but they insisted upon
ignoring my concerns and treating me like this, so when they go out of
business, they've only themselves to blame.
---------------------------------
I speak with the gyus at AW often I have stated this view on every occasion.
the sad fact is that AW only has 6 employees. And revenue currently is
barely adequate to support continued operations. They are justifiably
afraid that returning to the old pricing plan and access rights (tourists)
will diminish revnue to the point that continued operations are no longer
possible (No AW). The are considering allowing the tourist back in once 3.4
is standard (meaning everybody must upgrade) under 3.4 they can allow
tourist returns but disable building rights. The current problem is the
result of a poorly planned price increase that darn near put AW out of
business since the customenrs largely voted with their feet and left. To
get AW back where it was requires AW to attract new customers and lots of
them who are willing to pay for the service....thats the bottom line. I dont
think enough people would become citizens at the old rate to off set the
money they make now - more next gram
Meaning that if citizen a pays 70 dollars a year and is halfway through the
year and they change back to 20 bucks the person has 35 dollars worth left
on the citizenship which extend him for a year and a half . That is lost
revenue. becuae he wont be paying anohter 70 bucks at the end of the year.
So for every paying cutomer you have now you need 3 and a half customers at
then new level. I am not sure thee are that many tourist and new forlks
who would sign up to mee the requirment in the first month. A price
change now could result in a long dry period in revenue and AW cant survive
that. The need a source of income untill the revenue stream becoems
reestablished. Unfortunately to do it they would have to advertise and
there is no money for that either. They could seek new work (special
projects) but with 6 people now they cant handle additional work. They have
painted themselves into a financial corner.
---------------------------------------------
I agree completly with you about allowing tourists to travel, but there are
so many drawbacks as well. They cannot be tracked and they change their
names. They hack into things and delete builds - I have seen it!! Many
have no respect for world owners and stomp across places they have no
buisness being in. Some people LIKE having quiet, peaceful GZ's. Is better
than having to deal with foul mouthed punks that hack in and cannot be
ejected. The worlds shouldnt havre to pay extra to have tourists visit.
But the worlds that DONT want tourists should still have that option too.
--------------------------------------------
I agree... but unfortunately am not in a position to do anything abut it.
--------------------------------------------
And You Are Right. I Have Been Thinking Of This For Awhile Before. I Am
Willing To Make A Great Startup Donation. How Much Money Does "name
withheld" Need To Upgrade To 50 Tourist/Citizens? I Have Not Much, So I'll
Give You A 30. Under One Condition. I Have PS Rights For A Year. If She
Needs More Than That, Just Ask. I'm Sure We Can Work Something Out. Ask Her.
<|:-) Oh, And Thanks For Bringing This To Me. I Was Just Getting Mad At The
Limit, But I Wasn't Sure What To Do. Now I Do.
---------------------------------------------
Hi,

We left AW universe because we needed tourists for our worlds "3 world names
withheld", etc. We moved to DLP already by January 2002, after tourists have
been banned out of AW universe. Then AW locked up all their
client-universe... but i am sure you now that full story ...
Now, whatever AW Inc is going to do next, is not bothering me anymore.
Talking with JP or Rick did not find any solution, at least not for me. That
is why we started to develop our own 3D envirnment. I have talked about it
and even offered my hands as a programmer to them to help them out of their
disaster with Rick several times. These talks were friendly but their
results were nothing. I took my consequences out of it all.
----------------------------------------------
done ^_^ i sent an email
----------------------------------------------
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May 1, 2003, 10:26pm

I wish I knew who you were... you just appeared out of nowhere and your citnumber is
pretty low.

--Bowen--

May 2, 2003, 7:46am

When AW changed their tourists policy and banned tourists I have tried to
fight it, took my web site down, signed all petitions and so on, they do not
understand that only people who can see how much fun AW is will create a
large community.
Especially commercial customers will not invest money into a community with
maybe 250 active citizens.
The traffic argument does not count at for private worlds. This traffic is
payed by the people who host the worlds, not by AW.
-----------------------------------
I don't know who you are but can you please stop spamming me with that? i'm
not interested and really don't care what aw does anymore. I used to but not
anymore. They are just gonna do what they want anyways.
-----------------------------------
Yes well that really only shows that ppl have seen that the owners of this
program have no care for the community - its all about the cash with them so
why should the cits involve themselves in further useless attempts at
regaining community?
-----------------------------------
well, maybe if i get to talk to ENZO himself about it.................which
is unlikely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-----------------------------------
36 votes!! No that is not hardly representative of the members here. I
never heard a thing about it - when or where to vote.. there needs to be
more publicity about such things. EVERY world owner should be required to
vote. And the results should be what the owners of AW actually do. They do
need to work more closely with their PAYING customers about many issues that
they ignore. Thank you for letting me know about this poll. If I can help
in anyway just let me know.
-----------------------------------
seems one need to register and to logon to giving a vote ?
if so, a hint: if you allow open access to the voting page, you probably
will get more votes.
-----------------------------------
Done. I'm all in favor of tourist being allowed anywhere. Just like they
used to be. Thanks.
-----------------------------------
I have been around here for a long time.. a year before I became a cit..
makes it about 6 years.. was PK 3 yrs with Razzle etc.. you notice that
without the Tourists.. doesn't seem to be much need for PKs..
-----------------------------------
already have voted, thank-you :)
-----------------------------------
well ..... like I said its interesting *smiles* as far as the tourist thing
I think it would be great to have them back... Owning 3 worlds and payin for
them to enter two of my worlds its been a little let down ... there is not
that many tourist visiting either of my worlds that allow them ..... Also
being part of Tours world I've not seen many visit there either.. As a
Watchkeeper and AWSTeacher I see the same tourist go to AWNewbie or AWSchool
....... But I"ve also seen too like *tourist name withheld* go to AWNewbie as
a tourist and many more members do the same... So as far as tourist traffic
or tourist visiting AW I am not sure of the real number of them.....
---------------------------------------------
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May 2, 2003, 10:34am

Hey!...I haven't seen my gram reply! :)

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May 2, 2003, 11:14am

Ya know, on that note, I agree. Having gone to other universes I was less
likely to sign up when the Users online were like ours is now. I have never
seen it at only 175. This really is sad. To get more blood, let the
tourists back in AW to build.


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May 2, 2003, 1:51pm

AW is the world that encouraged me to register. It let me see the REAL
AW, not a happy smiley face put up by the gate. AW had the power to show
to me the variety of stuff you could do. AWGate just doesn't. AWGate
makes Active Worlds seem more like a thing with set rules and boundaries,
where you have to do things a certain way.

It's not like that though. AWGate doesn't capture the whole essence of
AW. The historical buildings around AW's GZ show that AW doesn't have to
be perfect! ^_^ AWGate is too... AWGate.

"elyk" <kfoerst at sbcglobal.net> wrote this
(news:3eb0a843$1 at server1.Activeworlds.com) in community on 01 May 2003:

> I agree, I think that they should let tourists back into AW. It's
> where I built my first house as a tourist and is the whole reason I
> got to like ActiveWorlds. It was a world for open chat that wasn't too
> hasty on rules and wouldn't eject you if you slipped up and
> accidentally said "damn" or something. AW is what got all of the
> customers....not the gate, not the school, not any of those other
> worlds. AW is what got the citizens.....but hey, I've been fighting at
> this for a while now too......AWI would make much more money if they
> opened AW to tourists....but once again,......bad decision making. :o(

May 2, 2003, 3:49pm

I think that from the lack of new people signing up, tourists being in the
tourist only worlds (how they know what to enter and not without someone
telling them is beond me) I can only assum they have voted with there
virtual feet and gone elsewere. Not every universe charges the same rate as
the main AW one. Ok no other universe is as big in land size but you can't
have it all and still save loads of $$$ as a user. I for one am in more than
one place at once hint hint.

echomencer at spiralmatrix.com

[View Quote]

May 2, 2003, 3:57pm

Thank you, you are correct in that we have the same deep love and affection
for this community and the
overall want for it to survive as you do. We read your posts, emails and
telegrams and often times as community members we agree with the views the
community has.

The difference is that everyone here at AWI also has a responsibility to do
a job and keep the infrastructure for the community running.

Everything costs money these days. No company, internet or otherwise, is
free from these costs. No multiuser space, especially a 3D space, is
inexpensive to develop, manage or run. Businesses need to make money. This
harsh reality is what caused many of our previous competitiors to falter and
collapse. While you may not agree with our policies or our prices we are
still the longest running 3D internet platform around. Activeworlds has
survived two collapses of internet funding, the first back in 1995 and the
more recent one, these collapses killed many of the other VR communities.
While we are aware that our policies and pricing might not be popular with
everyone, we are happy to still be here. We are happy you are still here.
We want you to be successful in using AW for fun and for business. We want
you to be happy and do listen to you. But while you might have ideas as to
how AWI can do better you may be ignoring the facts that we have already
tried ideas like these in the past. They might have already failed, or at
best, not proved as successful as the present policies. While we might
listen, some issues may not be up for vote.

That being said, I hope you all continue to come up with new and original
ideas or even rehash old ones to see if a flaw truly exists. These
discussions are what community is all about.


E





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