The real issue I have is that it is us the contributors who take all the risk here.  There is no bottom payment (well 3cents but come on).  To earn good money we have to rely on customer apathy and flaky internet conection so they don't use their full amount.

I think istock would have been better off saying 'you'll earn a dime minimum like in the old days, but it might be more.  You get new canisters for photos.com. Help us to become as successful at subscriptions as we are as PAYG. Woo Yay'  But they didn't.