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Roanoke Il

I woke up this morning first I check my email then I check out big pumpkins (a free site) then I went to A.G.G.C was going to check out a few seeds I tried to log on was denied I have been a member for 2 maybe 3 years I read there policy change it said as of feb 1 they where going to make changes they made a big change before feb 1 they didn't let me in.
I ve always held my breath when it came to aggc first but the time has come to let you all know what I really think great sight for seed info alot of work put into it.
I think it is a bunch of horse manure not to let new growers join.
Charging people money to read info on pumpkins they haven't grown not right.
It cost money to run a sight then ask for donations ask for seeds have a seeds auction.
I would like to see maybe if Ken or John could go one step farther and make the seed info page more like a message board where growers could fill in the info there themselves I think we would be onto something there, That way every one could see the info.....FOR FREE!!!!!!
BEST OF LUCK THIS YEAR MARK

1/8/2003 6:53:57 AM

i think all you have to do is rejoin and send 5 dollars in..the way i read it there is going to be an annual fee..i,m not a member, just guessing here..

1/8/2003 7:12:14 AM

Webster, NY

I don't know what it costs to run a site like that, but I would assume it costs a bit. If everyone is using the site, I don't think it's unfair to ask for a small amount to get access. Ken and John would know about the cost of running these sites better then I would. But I think they get money by offering bigpumpkins.com merchandise to help offset the cost. It's tough to offer up things like this for free unless you have a lot of spare $$$.

Dave

1/8/2003 7:57:53 AM

South Hill, Virginia

I think Ken and John make something like $1 on a t-shirt. Maybe if they sell four or five thousand t-shirts they can start approaching a break even point:)

Free sites used to live on advertising but those dollars have all but dried up. I know we were used to all those free services on the web but these sites won't run forever operating at a loss.

1/8/2003 8:06:48 AM

a persons time is the most valuable thing they have,if you spend time doing one thing it takes away from another..it must take hours putting these sites together..

1/8/2003 8:26:19 AM

Cooks Creek, Manitoba, Canada

I don't think 5 bucks is unreasonable. I've done some very minor asp programming for data access on the web and it can take a lot of time especially if you have to enter the data manually (I'm still waiting for Mike to create an online form to submit data). Also, I have to say is the AGGC site is doing some amazing things - makes me realize how little I know about programming.

I just checked it out and the site let me in and indicated that I had 38 days left. Used PayPal and took care of that in about 45 seconds.

1/8/2003 8:42:45 AM

Ontario

Mark,

Its only 5 bucks buddy. Without this site I don't think the weights would have increased the way they have in the last 3 years. I have been a member for 3 years and have no problem paying 5 bucks a year for access to this site.

drew

1/8/2003 10:00:33 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

What's $5.00? I would even pay $10.00 per year for this A.G.G.C. site. How many guys blow $5.00 on a six pack of beer or cigarettes a day, or a week. $5.00 is nothing for all the information you can find. The A.G.C.C. is well worth the price of what you get for your money

1/8/2003 12:04:38 PM

Roanoke Il

It's not the 5 dollars that pisses me off it is the exculusion of new growers.. Know its 5.00 dollars for info then it's five dollars for seeds. Who cares if someone charges 5 or 10 dollars for a seed but everytime someone says something about charging for seeds everyone jumps all over that person. In 2004 there will be no more seed protection will it be alright for a growers such a Drew, Rock or Joe or myself to charge 5 dollars for a seed. I think not. It is the spirit of our hobby or sport what is at steak here of which is important not the money. The exclusion of growers that are new to the sport is wrong.
What next a pay sight to ask a heavy hitter questions. A 1-900-ask drew p hot line. No offense buddy just using you as example.
I know Mike and Rock spend many hours on the AGGC and they do a great job for seed info there is no better sight.
Maybe I'm wrong maybe this sport is about the money.
For me it isn't If you take the time I have involve in growing pumpkins I would have to make 20,000-40,000 dollars at the weighoff just to break even.
Sorry if I have offended you Mike Rock just my thoughts. Maybe all to do about nothing..mark

1/8/2003 1:52:08 PM

Southern Illinois

hello mark,i understand what you are saying about new growers getting refused to join the aggc site,i was refused the other day,but this mourning i did get a e mail explaining what i need to do to join,i figure that the guys were just on vacation are of sort,i will join just as soon as i can,as far as selling seed i do not see any thing wrong with it,but im with you i will not,i do not think it is right for the grower has to give the seed to some one else to sell 10.00 dollars for 1 seed,i would rather give the 10.00 to the grower,he is the person that deserves the money not some one that has permission from dill to sell,what i do not like to see is companys selling seed as soon as they find out it is a hot seed they run the price up are take it off the site for sale that is wrong,it is like every thing else in life it is who you are as what you can get away with,did every body see those seed dill has what a deal 810 dill x 875 dill 7 seed for 6 bucks that is a great deal.

1/8/2003 2:30:30 PM

Webster, NY

Mark, I don't think it's totally about the money, I think it's expensive to run the site and they don't want to go broke providing a service for the community. Maybe with enough donations, Mike can get a bigger server and will be able to handle a bigger load (I'm just guessing here, I'm not a computer expert). Hopefully it will work out that everyone will be able to participate.

Dave

1/8/2003 3:09:35 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

paid my 5 bucks no problem great site.

Glenn

1/8/2003 3:36:56 PM

Cleveland, GA

To Mark Pistono - Mark, I did not mean to delete your userid and password and leave you stranded. I spent yesterday going through almost 300 user accounts trying to put together a new system for handling subscriptions. Yours was not the only one that got lost in the shuffle. The same thing happened to several other people. Unlike you however, they emailed me to inform me of the problem, I corrected it, and life resumed. Had you done the same thing instead of venting your frustrations in a public forum, you could have saved yourself some heartache. If you would like to try again, email me with the userid and password you were using and I will reinstate you for the remaining 38 days. It's up to you what you do after that point.

1/8/2003 4:12:54 PM

Roanoke Il

Sorry Mike The back has been acting up the past few days haven't been sleep well plan and simply said I'm and idiot. The wife agrees with me she asked me why the hell I made such a big deal about the five dollars maybe that wasn't the reason I was mad. Sorry Mike (Mark the big Idiot)

1/8/2003 5:56:11 PM

Webster, NY

You're doing a great job Mike. My $5 is in the mail also.

1/8/2003 6:07:58 PM

Flowery Branch, Georgia

Mark Pistono:

Mark, we all screw up, I have more than once.
It takes a real man to admit a mistake, most folks do not have the courage to publicly admit their mistake.

My hat is off to you:
Bob Attaway

1/8/2003 6:18:01 PM

Washington, The Evergreen State

I wish that you would grow up a little there Mark p, and stop using profanity as a way to discribe the subject matter of your posts here at BigPumpkins.com. I remember you once posting something about how you didn't care if you got banned from BigPumpkins.com is one of the chatrooms. Grow up Mark p. Grow up...

1/8/2003 6:35:21 PM

canal winchester ohio

JohnnyJohnny, Mark posted that it was a mistake, we ALL make mistakes. Get off the guys back, he is good people.......Paul

1/8/2003 6:45:36 PM

Key West, FL

I wasn't going to post on this but ....JohnnyJohnny........?????????

1/8/2003 6:47:08 PM

hey jj the way i see it everyone is trying to put thier best foot forward..

1/8/2003 6:49:39 PM

Long Island,New York

Cheap shot JohnnyJohnny....very cheap.........G

1/8/2003 6:54:56 PM

ontario

Mark P your my friend and I am proud of you.....it was the water :0)......JJ all I can say is you proved again your a Jac?-as?...since I really try not to swear.you read between the ?? marks...take a cue from Mark and appologize.................wayne

1/8/2003 7:24:58 PM

ontario

oh yes JJ before you respond read post......IT MUST BE THE WATER.......wayne

1/8/2003 7:27:22 PM

Ontario

JJ is back and true to form. Some people never change.

drew

1/8/2003 7:51:08 PM

North Ga

Mark is a good friend to a lot of folks. Hard for me to even believe that post from you JohnnyJohnny!! Talk about growing up! I refrained from saying anything when I saw this thread because I respect both Mark and Mike and I knew things would be resolved. They were, and all you want to do is add fuel to some burnt out coals. Disgusting!!!!! Mark, It took a lot of courage for you to admit you were wrong and I salute you!!!!
Brian

1/8/2003 7:54:39 PM

Washington, The Evergreen State

Huh! Well I found it OFFENSIVE! And that one word was "in" and not "is" in my earlier post. And if you folks want to ALL start using profanity in here then it's fine with me.

1/8/2003 8:01:22 PM

Washington, The Evergreen State

And 934 it seems that you still got a lot to learn.

1/8/2003 8:05:14 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Here we go again.....
And since apologies are in order please accept mine for my fiery little Southern temper and attitude at times. My intentions are always best.

1/8/2003 8:44:29 PM

Kuna, Id.

Well said Mark it takes a man to step up when he is wrong .To bad one other can't learn from you.
Ken

1/8/2003 10:57:22 PM

Washington, The Evergreen State

I for one think that we should make an effort to keep the profanity out of this website. There are plenty of sewers out there on the Internet. If some of you guys want to dump a load so to speak, why don't you go find some other website to do it.

1/9/2003 5:43:47 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Mark and Mike Thanks for showing how real men put to bed differences and mistakes!....jj way low!
Chuck

1/9/2003 6:45:17 AM

Farmington, Utah

Mark, hope the back gets feeling better, soon! Your friend, Kenny B

1/9/2003 9:41:46 AM

Pumpkintown, SC

Too busy on the AGGC site to respond to all the negativity here<:^{> Thanks Mike. Great site! WELL worth the enrollment. As much time as I spend on it, I'll go ahead and pay for Mark P's enrollment for him<:^}> BF

1/9/2003 12:30:34 PM

Lake Stevens, WA, USA

I honestly don't understand why someone would complain about having to pay to use the AGGC.

Mike Neperney has NEVER held a gun to my head and forced me to use HIS SITE, and I don't think he's held a gun to anyone else either.

You wanted a computer.........you had to pay for it. You wanted software to make your computer work.......you had to pay for it. You had to pay for your upgrades. You had to pay for your ISP (unless you use one of them freebie, pop-up-ad bombarding ISP's). You had to pay for your phone line.

Why shouldn't you have to pay to use HIS SITE?

I don't even use it that much, but I like it and want to use it, so................I pay for it.

Don't want to pay? Don't use it. But don't turn around and think you have a right to justifiably complain about it.

Complaining about it is like complaining about having to pay to go see a movie in the theater. It just doesn't make sense.

David

1/10/2003 2:41:17 AM