Suggestion on the change from free content to basic content

[WolfChild]

Hello I've been using your site for a while to help with learning Japanese. Currently I'm taking a Japanese 101 class at my local college. I noticed that everything on the site that was once free is now Basic content. This change is fine with me, but since you now need to have a basic membership to even listen the Newbie lessons I think that maybe there should be a link or section for the stuff that you can access without the Basic subscription.

I personally have already listen to a lot of the Newbie lessons and am going to get a Basic subscription but if I was new to Japanese and new to this site I would be very upset that I couldn't access even one Newbie lesson without paying for it but I could still listen to the more advanced stuff and basically jump into the middle of it.

I just think that at least part of the Newbie lessons, maybe just the first season or something should be free so that people can get a better idea of how the Japanese lessons start without having to spend money.

Thanks and keep up the great work.

Angela (WolfChild)

[sailor_sisters]

I agree with WolfChild in that I am a bit disappointed and annoyed that free members can no longer access most of the lessons we could previously access before the site changed. If I could upgrade to a Basic Membership I would most definitely, but I'm not in a position to do so at the moment and I don't see myself being able to upgrade any time soon. I liked how free members were able to get at least the lesson audio free and it was very much appreciated because of my financial situation. I LOVE JapanesePod101.com, but it is unfair to tease and lead one on and then take away like that. Sumimasen and gomenasai gozaimasu.

[Jessi]

Just to clarify, the first poster is referring to a change that took place in 2008. Nothing has changed as far as Free/Basic content restrictions with the site renewal that took place a couple of days ago (not sure if that's what you were referring to).

[sailor_sisters]

Arigatoo for your reply, Jessi. I forgot to check to date it was posted Sumimasen. I do like the new site renewal. It is easier to get to find the lessons. and it's refreshing to be here. I did notice that (as a free member) there are many lessons that I cannot listen to that I could before the site changed, such as Newbie Lesson Season #4-30. I have Lessons 4-10 checked off because I listened to them before the site renewal but I cannot listen to them now as a free member. Do I now need at least a Basic to be able to access them?

[radulfr]

I have noticed this too. I used to be able to listen to older lessons if I didn't access them through their respective pages but instead opened them through the Learning Center. Now that you have combined the lesson pages and the Learning Center, I can only listen to the first three lessons of every season and the newest three lessons of the current seasons. I suppose that was the original intent anyway, but it wasn't properly inforced before this change. And yes, I am talking about the new change in 2010.

Anyway, I am now seriously thinking if I could spend some money to get a basic subscription, because sometimes I really need some information from the older lessons.

[sailor_sisters]

Yes, JapanesePod101.com definitely is the place to go for really good lessons. I had been searching for a long time to find a good japanese learning site and here is where I found it. I LOVED listening to the lessons and enjoyed them very much. Until I'm able to get a Basic subscription, I guess you could say I have to put my learning on hold for now. Hopefully it won't be long!