However, with recent demise of so many dot.com players, pendulum is attempting to swing in other direction.

This week another major player has announced that their once free service will no longer be free as of August 6th. If you have a list hosted on ListBot, http://www.listbot.com/, you will either need to make new arrangements to get it hosted by someone else or get ready to hand over around $150 per year.

What was once free yesterday may no longer be free tomorrow.

Considering need to become profitable online, trend is understandable. However, these dot.coms that are charging fees must keep in mind free nature of Internet and not ignore fundamental nature of that concept.

Yahoo, http://www.yahoo.com/, is an excellent example of a dot.com that began to charge fees but not for it's core service of search engine directory use.

Yes, if you want preferential treatment in getting listed on Yahoo you need to hand them almost two hundred dollars for privilege.

And, yes, they are "selling" you something on every web page that comes up with results of your online search.

It pays bills and still allows them to keep their original service free.

A compromise must be reached otherwise those faltering dot.com's and any Johnny come lately will find that in order to keep good will of their customers and potential customers, they must be given an incentive merely to visit web site.

Otherwise they will look elsewhere to still find it free.

I've found just how very much alike Las Vegas and Internet are. If you let it, Internet can become Fantasy Island. You can begin to buy into Hype, false promises, and idea of something for nothing. You can lose your money, your dignity, your self respect and yes even your family. If you get really carried away you could even lose your freedom.

There are No Free Lunches here. Your success is gauged on how much time, effort, determination and education you've applied.

Did I say education? I'm not talking about a college degree here. What I am saying is that there's a tremendous amount to be learned if we are going to successfully market on Web. We need to wade through hype. Listen and apply what we learn from those that have already paid their dues to become successful Internet Marketers.

Read everything you can. Then step by step apply what you learn. Visit some Business Discussion Forums and pick brains of those that have done what we are trying to do. Here's a Good list. http://www.entrepreneur-web.com/index_1.shtml#generalbusiness Don't go to these expecting to blast your offers all over. It's liable to get you banned from board or even reported to your ISP as a spammer. Board spamming is a No No!

I never really had a clue about Marketing on Web until I began reading posts on these forums. What a wealth of information. There are people that frequent these boards that will bend over backwards to help. If you ask.

The way I see it is we are all in this thing together. People! Not faceless, anonymous robots behind our keyboards and monitors. We need to watch out for one another. Help when we can and place needs of others before our own. When we do, We get what we need.

As long as there are people willing to believe in Fast buck, something for nothing deal there will be those waiting with anticipation to relieve them of their hard earned cash.

What say we go out there and make some money! Help as many as we can to do same. Our lives will become richer for it.