There might be quite a few other people leaving because of this, and the other unpopular rules that have been enforced over the past year or so.

It wouldnt be too difficult to make the freebie forum optional and leave freestuff postings in the poser forum optional as well.   If merchants dont like the freestuff postings in the poser forum ( because they don`t help them to sell anything so they are useless ) they can always just skip over the free items postings.