2008/12/3 Mickey Conn mickey.conn@gmail.com:
I've been involved in a company with around 1,000 members and it found no particular difficulties with managing them. None of them were very interested in an alternative "friends" affiliation; quite a few took no interest in the AGM, but nobody ever suggested that the vanishingly small responsibilities of being a guarantor member had put them off joining (in part because the meaning of this was clearly explained on the membership form, as I believe it is on ours).
Yes, the responsibilities are all explained on the form (which I haven't filled in and sent of yet... oops!). Incidentally, while the responsibilities are there, the rights aren't - if and when a new version is created, it should probably mention that all members are entitled to attend and vote at AGMs and EGMs.