I got a note that someone thought they shouldn't have to register on

the site and get a newsletter to read posts. I explained, or I thought

I did that there's a cost and that we do not send out SPAM since it's

not unsolicitied. Here's what I get back:

You've pretty much told me my opinion doesn't count.  That

being the case, I would say you are not sorry in the slightest that I

feel this way and your "empathy" is about as sincere as a used cars

salesman's.

Some people would jump off a bridge because "everybody else is doing so."

That's no excuse.  Check out some of your competition at, for

example, VBCity, which recently dropped their requirement to register

because they were losing subscribers.  Or how about P2P/Wrox?

Here's some simple advice that many other web sites have found equally

profuitable to SPAM:  how about just putting some simple ads on

your pages, to be viewed by those both reading and writing posts. 

Then you could drop the SPAM disguised as a "newsletter" bullshit and

be on the up-and-up for a change.  Few folks read newsletters

anyway.  When I want information, at least, I go looking for it as

I did today - I don't wait for a SPAMMER to send it to me.  I

don't have time to read every scrap of SPAM that gets sent to my inbox

anyway, and your advertisers are fools if they think I do.  In

fact, I boycott SPAMMERS for teh fact that they use SPAM to make money

as you have demonstrated below you are doing.

Just because you say it isn't SPAM does not make it so.  I've

heard that same stupid excuse from every SPAMMER out there I've

contacted.  If I didn't

ask for it it's SPAM.   If I don't want it, it's SPAM.  Like Bush, you can

lie to yourself, but you're not fooling me with your double

speak.  SPAM is SPAM is SPAM and no amount of denial on your part

will change that.  Making money sending unsolicited emails

containing advertisements makes you a SPAMMER, regardless of what

you're using that money for.

Whereas you, OTOH, are paying folks for the information you're guarding

so jealously?  Or do you, perhaps, think their information should

be FREE to YOU to make money off of?  Pot, kettle, black, pal!

Whether you make money from your site is not my concern, and the fact

that you even try to excuse this condition by mentioning your need to

make money just exposes you for the greedy sycophant you are.  I

support the sites that work for me but I can't even tell whether you

have the information I need without first subjecting myself to your

SPAM.  I support a community of developers who willingly share

their expertise not those who wish to profit from their hard work.