I checked my Rapidshare account & did some calculations & it seems, like others, I've got credit for a few years ahead, whereas previously I only had a one year subscription. So it seems with RS if you only upload the occasional one-off file & you get not many downloads, your account will soon expire unless you buy more Rapids with cash/credit. Those who upload regularly with lots of downloads will benefit well into the future, as I seem to have done.
But what's the catch, what benefit will RS get from this? It might seem the ordinary Joe or Josephine who only uploads a video of the family holiday once a year will have to pay more to keep the file on the site. But most people know there are stacks of free file-sharing sites available & will just go to those sites instaed.
So the only benefit RS would seem to be getting is freeing up lots of server space by shedding off most of the small, under-used accounts. So maybe when they've done that they'll re-introduce the annual subscription again.
Anyone else got any ideas about what RS's game is?