[Samson]

I would gladly accept Matt's professionals/hobyists checkboxes if it meant we also get accurate labels for the kind of pay-for-perks MUD he runs - and there was some means of enforcing this.

Otherwise I suppose I can throw in a listing for Alsherok and say it's run by professionals. You failed to specify what type of professionals, so I feel the fact that I'm an IT Professional qualifies me to choose that option instead of the hobbyist option. So I'd be a "Professionally run mud that accepts no payments or donations. IE: 100% free." See? It is possible for professionals to run free MUDs!

Of course, my feeling is Matt offered the pair of options up rhetorically because he doesn't like the payment classifications and doesn't want to be trapped by an accurate one for his game. My cynical opinion

Cratylus,

I think your scale could use another "payment optional" definition:

Payments and/or donations accepted but not solicited. No in-game rewards offered.

There are games who will gladly accept offers of cash but aren't actively seeking them out or giving players rewards for doing so. I mean, I'm not about to refuse it if someone logs on to Alsherok and decides I need $50 just because.