[deanhills]

I do not like this idea.

People all have real life. You cannot assume everyone has to have free time posting in this forum every month even when he/she does not currently own any VPS.

And your suggestion too much devalues whose supported this forum in the past. Bear in mind that they also gave real contributions and spent their valuable time in this forum. No reason they are not allowed to compete in Giveaway just because they may be busy last month.

I think you misunderstood my suggestion @tryp4vps.  Particularly if you thought I suggested people should make more posts.  The rules are clear about how many posts are needed and I don't have problems with that.  The suggestion was to subtract the value of the VPS "rental" every month from the total of the dollars in members' accounts so there is a clearer picture in the dollar value of the VPS that is being used.  Right now the total is an accumulation of dollars regardless of the value of VPS that has been enjoyed of that total. There isn't a clear picture of the service that has been enjoyed by members.

I don't like the point about "devalue".  VPSs are scarce and should be treated as a valuable asset.  For me personally it is a privilege to get a VPS, not a right regardless of how many posts one has made or how long one has been a member of the community.  Especially in the case of those who have been around for long in the community one would think they have enough of an understanding and appreciation to the owner and staff to want to do everything in their power to keep to the rules, so the owner can get the benefit from the post2host principle and the future of the business is assured.   I personally think the dollar balance without acknowledgment of the VPS service that has been enjoyed may give the person the idea that he is more equal because he has such a big balance and forget the value of the VPSs he has enjoyed to date because it has never been subtracted from the balance. 

I also think that if the VPS of a member has been suspended before the next giveaway and then gets to apply immediately and get a VPS at that Giveaway that there is a good chance of skipping posts for a month.  For example someone's VPS is suspended, he then applies again at the next Giveaway, but without having made the difference in posts.  Let's say he failed to post in February, then re-applies at the Giveaway early in March.  He then in effect has skipped 20 posts for February yet has enjoyed a VPS service.  For me that is wrong.  And it's easy to happen if there isn't at least a minimum current post balance asked for the month before the new application is made.  Unless there is a very compelling reason of course, in which case members can speak to the Giveaway Manager.  But the expectancy would still be that they will try their best to compensate by making those missing posts as soon as they are able to do so again, and that there will be a system that would check on that.

---

@deanhills I actually do this.But mostly if their use is genuine they just win the vps once they lose their vps. They lose 100 points next give away if they win.
So they have spared up x amount and if they have 0 points they can't apply. But I'll come up with a final decision if I read this once I have the time

Agreed thanks @perryoo11.  That obviously works as well too.  To leave it to the discretion of the Giveaway Manager and staff.  It will probably also make it simpler that way.  If there is an attentive Giveaway Manager like you, the community is not that large that it requires more rules than there already are.  So agreed.  That makes sense and could work as well.

Thank you for everyone's contribution. I get the feeling there isn't much support for my suggestion and it could have been too idealistic, so if you wish you can close the suggestion or continue the discussion - I will leave this to @perryoo11 to decide.