F.L. Whiteley wrote:

So you make an interesting point. It might be good to allow people
to
'verifiably' register for access to an expanded area (either
permanently or
for some term). This would allow the SSA appropriate leverage also.

Frank

Second, in a sport which is in great
need of increased visibility in the face of decreasing membership,
I'd
prefer to not lock out anyone that's making an attempt to find out
more
information about soaring as his/her potential hobby.

At some point, this becomes a business decision - a classic demand
elasticity exercise. If we charge for content, and that content has
value, will some people be willing to pay for it? Conversely, will some
people be so offended by the concept as to avoid joining the SSA? I
don't know the answer, though it is potentially knowable (with the
right type of marketing and survey). On the other hand, I wonder if
it's the MOST important issue right now. Seems like the SSA has made
a calculated decision, and maybe it would make sense to see if there is
any noticeable behavior change.

Just a thought...

Erik Mann