SOS Donations !

[neilm]

Hi. I think it would be a good idea if you, the admins displayed a running graph or pie chart to show how much has been donated.
I, for one just haven’t got a clue how much it costs just to be here. Let alone your time and enthusiasm.
It may prick people’s conscience and entice the non donators to give at least a little for this brilliant forum.
Getting off my soapbox now.
Good luck.

 

[Corsair]

That's a great idea, but I can see it becoming a problem too. Then, some people will think there is a stronger "request" for money. Then they will want to see how much it costs to run the forums. Then people will start in with how we can save money by doing this or that. I think we should just let the admins do their thing and keep it running. If you want to contribute, do it. If you don't feel you get the enjoyment or value out of it, then don't.
I look at it like a club and I know it costs money to run, so what I choose to contribute is well worth the entertainment I receive from the forums !

 

[Short John Bronze]

Cough up Brits. SOS gets a lot of bucks for our quids at the moment!

 

[Kimosubby]

I think a correction needs making to the personnel email recently sent out regarding donations. I've no objections to making them, but it would be most helpful if the correct link was posted in the email. Part of the link supplied is .../paypalme/D... which is missing a fullstop (period to you over the sea) so that it does not work, and actually forced me to change passwords and stuff in order to prove I was me. The correct part of the link on the website is .../paypal.me/D... as shown on the header to these posts. I got it done eventually, but I thought you'd better know the error see others will give up trying.

AND I agree, a graph of the dosh contributed would certainly indicate whether you are getting enough to cover costs, and thank you all for being here to bounce questions off and accept my meagre contributions where I can.

 

[Donnie]

My apologies for the link in the Direct Message not working. I thought I tested it first.

In regards to cost, I had mentioned in the link that is in the top banner the line items we have to maintain cost wise.

Each year, as we know, these services do inflate each year. As a matter of fact, we did have have a mirror test service, but I felt at the moment to cut that out of the budget. The purpose of the mirror test site was to test new developments, codes, services before going live with new enhancements.

The cost is roughly $3000 to $3500 per year to stay on safe side. To get back to a mirror test site for test development would be an additional $1000. No site is going to have a concrete fixed budget due to several variables that come up during a running year.

Again, may I say that donating is completely on your own. The site cost nothing for anyone to participate.

I personally have been doing this since 2009 and so far, I have been able to pay the bills.

As a matter of fact at the beginning, for several years, I paid out of my own personal money to start the site. No pat on the back and the only reason is that I had to start relying on donations to keep it going.

So with that said, I am more than grateful for any donations.

Please just enjoy the forum and keep it alive and growing.

Truly
Donald Driskell
Founder

 

[Marquinius]

I will happily support running the forum: I know what it takes in time and money. And I appreciate the effort that is put into it.

Having said that, I think that the request for some graph showing the cash flow, in whatever subtle form, is actually a positive thing. Providing insight does not equal having the right to then suggest savings. It is a donation (read: one way), not a fee (read: you get something and I expect something in return). But I am curious. Are we in budget?

And excuse the somewhat blunt position: we Dutch folks are pretty direct, but mean well.

Now back to model building. And I will donate.