I am a little peeved at some of the complaints I have seen over recent months and, I believe justifiably so. I have not said anything up until now.
There are some that complain that they cannot download because of file download size and other limitations. All I can say is "Too freakin' bad!" There are ways to get access without any limits, some do not involve opening your wallet.
You can be recognized by the staff for your contributions to the community. You can contribute images and videos, or put your programming skills to work building a useful application, script, or add-on that works with the frontend to add fucntionality. Or you can just give frequent and consistant help to others.
Of course, you can purchase an annual or lifetime membership. Trust me when I say that you are not making anyone rich by doing so. Tom's costs for hosting the forums and file storage are well in excess of what he takes in from memberships.
Also, there is a perception that if one does purchase a membership, they are entitled to be treated differently or can act differently than someone that hasn't paid. You only get access to additional areas and program functionality that is not available to Basic members. That is it. If you behave like a tool, you will be dealt with accordingly regardless of membership status. If you are respectful to the staff and other members, you will receive the same in kind.
OK, soapbox mode off. Carry on, treat one another with awesomeness, and have a great day!