Thanks, but no thanks

[B5JMS Poster]

Subject: Thanks, but no thanks
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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s  1: Mar 12, 1997: XXXX at netvision.net.il
+  3: Mar 13, 1997: kay.shapero at salata.com (Kay Shapero)
*  4: Mar 14, 1997: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
*  5: Mar 15, 1997: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: XXXX at netvision.net.il
Lines: 25

I just sent the following letter to the B5 fan club, after discovering that
it wishes me to pay for the privilege of reading JMSs journals. Be glad to
hear your replies.

To whom this may concern,

Forget my subscription request. I take it back. And by the way, I think
it's pretty darn unscrupulous to take material that JMS published for the
enjoyment and education of B5's fans and charge money for it. I somehow
doubt that that was his intent, and your attempt at forcing me to pay to
see material which costs you virtually nothing to publicize is disgusting
and very untypical of the high-quality fan community that B5 posseses.

If I wanted color photos, I'd've bought color photos. If I wanted a button,
I'd've bought a button. But if I, as a fan, want to learn more about the
show I love, and you have the means to provide me with that online and
expect me to PAY for it... Sorry guys, that's the way porn publishers
operate, not science fiction fans.

XXX




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From: kay.shapero at salata.com (Kay Shapero)
Lines: 12

 i>I just sent the following letter to the B5 fan club, after 
 i>discovering that it wishes me to pay for the privilege of reading JMSs 
 i>journals. Be glad to hear your replies.

Er... are you sure you read their reply correctly?  I joined the club 
awhile back, and admission to the Gold Sector part of the web site where 
such things are posted came automatically with the membership - they mailed 
me the password info with the second newsletter.  (Which reminds me - did 
they ever publish anything after vol 5 issue 2?  If so, it's never gotten 
here....)  The only thing I paid for was the club membership itself.



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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 10

You're mistaken.  Gold Channel (my private journals and photos) is the
only area closed to non-Fan Club members.  It's *free* to FC members,
there is no other charge involved.


 jms





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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 43

"And by the way, I think it's pretty darn unscrupulous to take material
that JMS published for the enjoyment and education of B5's fans and charge
money for it. I somehow doubt that that was his intent, and your attempt
at forcing me to pay to
see material which costs you virtually nothing to publicize is disgusting
and very untypical of the high-quality fan community that B5 posseses."

Err...the material you mention is taken from my personal journal, and was
never published anywhere.  When we were coming up with the maximum we
could give to FC members to make it worth doing (and I tend to err in the
direction of doing more than less), I thought as a bonus, a niceness for
the FC members online, to put my journal up there.

Whatever you may think, you are not entitled to everything I write for
free.  And this section isn't charged for in ANY event; it wasn't even
mentioned in the original FC applications or brochures.  It's a baker's
dozen, lagniappe, a little extra we gave that only the fan club members
can have access to.

"If I wanted color photos, I'd've bought color photos. If I wanted a
button,
I'd've bought a button. But if I, as a fan, want to learn more about the
show I love, and you have the means to provide me with that online and
expect me to PAY for it."

No, the only thing involved here in FC membership and the Gold Channel. 
The informational areas on thestation.com are open to anyone; the chat
area is open to anyone; the message center is open to anyone; the station
tour is open to anyone; this one area alone is set aside for FC members.

Bottom line...it's *my* material, and I can do with it as I so choose.  If
I want to make of it a gift to FC members, I can do that.  I'm sorry you
don't like it.  And I assume that you will now let anyone use anything of
yours that they want, since to withhold or make them pay for something of
yours is the old porno trick.


 jms





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