My thoughts...

1) I like getting the tokens - I haven't used many of them yet, but i have downloaded a couple of photos for my own use.

2) I don't need photos often but when i do it is nice not to have to spend my own money. The other day i was building this new Microstock Photography Wiki (which is a whole other subject) and found a nice image of a lens and bought it. I understand the issue that if you don't buy photos then the tokens don't mean much to you... but as has been said, very few other sites give you anything for uploading (yes Fotolia paid cash for a little bit but who else gives you anything? iStock sure doesn't). I'm happy to get anything for my uploads - and as far as i know, nobody else is offering anything at this point. I'll take it.

3) Bryan has said there are things to come with the tokens so I'll be patient.

4) The tokens are worth more than the .30 if you buy photos... yes, that is the commission on the smallest image purchase, but if you went to buy tokens with cash, they'd cost you about a buck (they start at a dollar and go down depending on how many you buy)

5) Many other sites use this "token" concept but call it something different (iStock calls it a credit for example). I don't know why some are complaining about this concept.

6) LuckyOliver is only 3 months old... i'm patienly waiting to see more.

7) I personally think it is clear - you may use the tokens just as if you'd bought them with cash to buy other people's photos. No, you can't buy your own and it isn't ethical to set up a "i'll buy yours if you'll buy mine" network. But if you need photos, you can buy them from the inventory... and I have done that. And I haven't gotten a note from management asking me not to do it.

8 ) LO has done other things that I've not seen other micros do - for example, at the end of the last contest, they added 15% commission to all of the entries in the contest so now you get a bigger commission on those. They may not do it again, but i am pleased that they did it at all.

9) I do not have blinders and I'm not a paid stooge of LO. I'm just stating my own opinions

Mitch

I have a (now) 2 generation old Digital Rebel - so i want one NOW!

let me start by saying... i'm a fan of LO and i hope they blow thru the roof and yes i'm a 'carney'

a couple of comments on this thread... and just take it as another way of looking at things...

my opinion is that it is nice to have feelings about a site, but if you want to help the site take off, then maybe you should consider biting your fingers instead of posting (what i perceive to be) negative comments. There are a lot of people reading here and if some of them are considering uploading to places like LO and they read comments like some of what i've read here today, then they may certainly think that they shouldn't join up.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't have these feelings, but why not just write to Bryan directly? He responds to all the emails i've sent him and he's seemingly open to support as well as criticism. Venting here only keeps people away from the site.

again, that's my opinion and not meant to hurt anyone's feelings - just maybe a different way of thinking about public posting about new sites like luckyoliver.

let's not forget that iStock was the leader in smarty pants comments on their site as well as in emails - so it isn't just LO. And IS kept it up for years and years (tho they have scaled that back a bunch in the last 1/2 year).

lastly, it seems to me that designers are a spunky bunch and many of them are younger and i think aiming a site with a bit of a style will indeed draw many people in - it may scare some away too but you never know - the stodgy boring sites may scare away some designers as well. Time will tell if the 'big top' theme will work.