Connie,
>>1. if "hide" the
JOIN page, and i get a whole bunch of free users to my site, will i lose those that did join for free when i put the
JOIN page up one day?
You will not lose anybody. User registers>>he is saved in the database and will remain there until user himself or you as site admin delete him.
>>2. how can i give FREE subscriptions to friends and family if i want to after i start taking money to subscribe?
Paid membership plugin is based on standard "User Roles" feature that comes with Oxwall.
As site admin you an always give needed user role to needed users.
>>3. how can i allow the "free" people to continue to have all access as before when i begin to take money for subscriptions?
Users who have been assigned certain user role will have this particular user role until you change this as admin.
>>4. how do we set it up where everything is free, except one page that i change or add weekly?
This again can be done via user roles and permissions.
You can assign which pages will be accessible for certain user role in admin panel>>privacy&permissions>>roles.