Leechmaster, JohnnyB, and others,
Thank you for replying. I'm glad I didn't just sound off before; I'd have felt like a schmuck now. I think I get it now: if there's a charge-bearing archive, there will be less free stuff elsewhere. And if a person already has the bulk of what's in the archives, it doesn't make sense to pay for just the few more clips here and there that might come up.
I chose to join the archives, not so much for the clips and photos (I've been collecting for a few years, and have tons of material already too), but just to support those who put their time and energy into the place. Not just on the web, but in all things I think you get better service when you pay for it. I want TMF to have the resources to continue functioning; I would hate for it to ever close down just because the folks behind it feel underpaid and/or underappreciated. That is why I react when I read things about wanting the TMF to be completely free. But it is a personal choice, and I want to thank both of you for replying to my post.
glen