Canisters aren't just little icons. They're 5% pay increases,

Actually, they're something like 14-25% increases ...

Sorry, I'm not understanding, you said you will be within 500 by February, and iStock has said that if you email them before Jan. 11th about going exclusive, they will likely be able to negotiate a later date to lock in your Diamond pay increase if you are unable to get free of the other sites before the February date.

So, did you ask them to work with you on exclusivity to lock in your diamond?  Was that what you received a canned response for? 

I guess being a little irritated I didn't explain everything properly.

1. I cannot go exclusive, and do not desire too. My operation is simply too big and it would take months to deactivate files, let alone close deals. SOOOO because Istock has made so much on me, plus the continued amount they generate on my referrals, I thought it a small thing for them to bump me up a small amount to that goal I'm on the verge of making. Stupid me.

2. I'm not as angry about money as I am about treatment. I don't like big corporations, and this is why. My biggest earner, believe it or not, is a small person owned site. Istock is becoming a low earner for me. 

3. Canisters are an incentive program. I wouldn't know so much about corporate brainwashing had I not experienced it for three years straight. Sure, canisters come with some benefits but my point was (that got missed) is that the system is going to continue to favor good selling artists. So a canister (which no longer reflects downloads but rather circumstances) will not continue to hold its power in the coming years. Downloads (money) will. The golf course runs the game, not employees or dedicated underlings.

4. Istock is getting HUGE. Good for company owners, bad for artists both exclusive or nonexclusive who are sharing the pie with thousands of new people a year, millions of new images a year).

Having said all that, whether people disagree or agree, I continue to inflate life rafts while people board the titanic.

Yes, a man who makes a company what could be over a hundred thousand dollars gets a little angry when they can't help him on such a small and marginal problem. Thats what my e-mail was about, and thats what got a "canned" response. That is why I got angry. But as even I've said on this subject, nobody owes us a living, so to carry on I'd be a hypocrite.

I'm a little surprised you say you'll be only 500 downloads away from Diamond at the end of February - you seem to have less than a 1000 to go now, I'd have thought you have a pretty good chance of crossing the line before the cut off date anyway, don't you?

But then you say you don't intend to go Exclusive in any case - so I guess no big deal.  The bling would be nice though wouldn't it?

^^ +1

*double post*