Anyone remember?

by RR 25 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  RR

  Just a quick question. Anyone have a reference in the Kingdom Ministry where the Society suggested a donation [i think it was $60.00] for the CD Roms?

  I'd appreciate it!
• 

  blondie

  *** km 5/94 7 Announcements ***

  
  The Watchtower Library1993 Edition will soon be shipped to congregations. Commercial CD-ROMs costing from $25 to $50 or more contain a single encyclopedia or a few reference works. Watchtower Library will access The Watchtower back to 1950 and many other of the Societys publications back to 1970.
• 

  Matty

  Kingdom Ministry November 1996 Page three (Share With Others According to Their Needs)

  "The cost of literature that we place in the field may be offset in part by donations to the Society's worldwide work offered by us at the Kingdom Hall and by interested ones who accept it. However, when it comes to literature items we request for our personal use, including songbooks, Yearbooks, deluxe Bibles, and so forth, we cannot expect outsiders to care for our needs. Jehovah's dedicated servants are the primary source of this financial support. With that in mind, many publishers estimate what these items might cost if commercially produced, and then they contribute accordingly. For example, a deluxe, gold-edged Bible can easily cost $20 or more, a reference book may be $40 and up, a full-color wall calendar may sell for at least $5, an encyclopedia on CD-ROM costs from $50 to $100 or higher, music compact discs commonly cost close to $20, and some videos are often sold for much more. A failure to contribute enough to cover costs will ultimately restrict what the organization may otherwise be able to accomplish in furthering the worldwide work."

  I remember in the service meeting being told how expensive the CD-ROM would be if we bought it at a shop, we were told in UK money though! I think he said over 50, but maybe the brother just plucked that figure from a hat. We were also told that it was not for indiscriminate distribution, and was only to be given to approved publishers, not the general public.
• 

  DakotaRed

  I remember hearing the talk suggesting the proper "donation" would be $100 or more
• 

  Jourles

  If "covering costs" is so important, why not actually cover the REAL costs associated with creating the CDROMS? If everyone was to contribute the suggested amount which appears in the KM, the society would reap a huge profit. Whereas, if you were to only cover the costs of the raw material such as the CD, case, printing, etc., that would be just fine. Do they pay their researchers? No. The last I heard, ALL bethelites take a vow of poverty and receive a stipend of a measly $100 a month. I can see that they might outsource the production of the CDROM, but even then, the cost for each CD cannot cost the society upwards of $100 each. I would guess more like 3-5$ each. Anything above that which the society receives is pure profit.

  The big difference between a set of encyclopedia's on CDROM compared to the WT's CDROM is the amount of paid and educated researchers on staff, not to mention the 99% truth factor which you will find in an encyclopedia. So much for giving life's water free.
• 

  Dan B

  I remember when green Bibles were $1. Books were 25. Magazines were 5 each. Back then there probably was some truth to the statement that "we are only covering the cost of paper". But I remember that article in the KM too, and I found it disgusting. At their suggested donation rates, where does the "non" in non-profit come in?

  Maybe there should be a re-adjustment from "non-profit" to "non-prophet"! No, that wouldn't work either. Then they would have to pay back Caesar's things to Caesar, and we can't have that now, can we?

  Just my 2's worth...

  Dan
• 

  terafera

  Jourles, very good points made.I've wondered the same thing for years. Dan B, I agree. I was a kid back in the 70's and remember the magazines being 15 cents..also was told it just covered the printing costs.

  Now they ask for a donation to help the 'worldwide preaching effort'. I always squirmed when having to do this (back when I went in service)... I hate asking for handouts. Most of the time, the householder would give a few dollars. I remember thinking, if the average person gave a few dollars, when they only used to give 15 cents, the WTS has made a big profit in the last few years!!
• 

  Naeblis

  What a joke. I remember the looks I got as I openly laughed at the donation suggestion for the cd's. Nothing short of pure robbery.
• 

  proplog2

  GREED. & CONTROL

  That's the Watchtower's 21st Century approach to information.

  What's all this talk about cost of producing a damn CD. Why can't brothers just make their own copies? Last I checked I can get an internal CD burner for $80. Whatever happened with receive freely give freely? Apparently Watchtower.org should be Watchtower.biz. There is no reason those control freaks couldn't publish on the internet every single thing the Watchtower ever published. They apparently are footstep followers of Bill "Christ" Gates

  I'll shed no tears when the Watchtower blows up along with the rest of New York City in the coming Great Tribulation. They are obviously "evil" slaves interested in selling information. They will get paid in full like all the greedy capitalists.

  As you can see this is a subject that really pulls my chain big time.
• 

  Jourles

  Yes!! What is so damn wrong about copying one of their CD's and handing them out to the bros?!? Is it not cheaper to do so? That way, the cost of reproduction is now on the shoulders of the bros, not the society. Is the society looking for royalties? If not, why not let them pirate copy the CDROMs? What's the difference in making a copy of the watchtower study and giving it out to someone at the hall who does not have their own, or a KM for that matter?

  If the society is truly not interested in making a profit for themselves from the sales donations of their literature, then I see no reason why they would be against duplicating their CDROM at the expense of the bros. No reason.