It's a shame about the R/T board, altho I don't use it much...I find myself posting far more frequently--altho sometimes I wonder if what I have to say is worth the time it takes people to read. And I'm reading a whole lot of posts that say the same thing as other posters or as previous posts...I suspect lots of people are like me...worried they won't qualify under the new rules, not inclined to "keep count," and usually not in need of the R/T board but wanting to stay qualified "just in case."
If you think of the qualification rules as "twice per week," it doesn't seem like much. But it sure seems to me as a more frequent reader than poster, that the information exchange is "lesser," too--lots of redundant information (including by me--cuz I feel compelled to keep up my post count)...I wish we had more trip reports, and "fun comments" about times at WDW--but then, if I wish that maybe I should start a few threads myself!
There are other places to go to look for points to rent, and at least one other I know of where you can post points that you want to rent out...but earlier, when someone asked about alternatives, the DIS folks (whether a mod or via automation, I don't know) took the referral cites out of the post--both on the board and in a PM. I guess that means it's against the rules to refer people to other sites? Not sure...as I've seen other sites cited in other contexts (e.g., there are frequent referrals to multiple resellers)...don't know what those rules are. But I'm quite sure we can't post cites to other sites for points rental, except for the business that advertises on the DIS boards...I do want to comply with the rules, tho, whatever they are. And I will do so.
I found a bunch of the alternative points rental sites by googling...have never rented (in or out) from any place except the DIS (and here only three times total--and the first time, through my own ignorance, I got scammed--that story is in one of the stickies)...
It's "sad-ish." I agree that DIS Boards owners are entitled to make whatever rules they see fit to make, and it's our responsibility to live with those rules. But the R/T Board was a nice service. It is sort of sad to see it wither away.
Oh, well...life's like that, I guess...