Let me try again to explain my position: As far as I'm concerned, I AM 
looking at this as a business, and the fact that it's a coop is a 
minor detail...yes, it's much more friendly than a real business, but 
the same rules of scale should apply somewhat...I have no problem 
paying my share to get the EXACT same level of service as when I first 
joined, which was more than adequate for my needs, but when my costs 
go up because we are adding more members, that's where I have an 
issue...in case some missed it, I did offer to pay some more to make 
up most, if not all, of the difference from what my costs were when I 
joined, as they were around $3-$4 per month then, and lately have been 
around $2...

I'll use this analogy: Suppose I used a airport shuttle service that 
operated a van...it got me and my luggage to/from the airport...then 
the service became more popular and needed more capacity...so they 
bought a stretch bus...and then raised the price to double what it 
was...the bus doesn't get me there any better than the van, which was 
adequate for my needs...so because they got more users, instead of it 
costing me the same or less due to more users to carry the increased 
expenses, it costs me more...in that case, I'd have to find another 
service that still uses a van and charges that cheaper rate...

Ok, so it's not completely identical, but it's a way to say what I'm 
thinking. 

I also agree that while I'm a heavier user than a number of other 
users, but compared to some, I'm a trivial user, IMHO, as Nathan 
nicely pointed out...the primary reason I needed HCoop services was 
that other "normal" providers did not allow user written CGI scripts 
for the price point that I desired...that's why I joined!


-- Franklin Gordon Bynum <frank@hcoop.net> wrote:
We have reached the limit of our current architecture and need to  
expand to grow further.  We can't accept new members to support this  
without new equipment.  Your stance leaves a chicken and egg problem:  
how do we grow without current members fronting costs?

If this were a business from which you were purchasing hosting  
services, then the business itself would invest in new equipment and  
seek to recoup that investment through future user fees.

But this is not a business from which you are purchasing services.  
You  
are a member/owner of a cooperative.  YOU own a share of this  
organization.  YOU are partially responsible for this organization.   
You have a vote on how it is run.  If there is capital investment to 
be  
done to ensure the stability of the co-op, you are responsible for 
your  
fair share.  Period.