The Donation Meter hath been activated

[Larry_OHF]

Its been a long time since we've seen it in use, but there it is. By December 18, (which coincidently is my 7th year anniversary being married), the charges to keep the site online will be due.


For any new members that may be wondering about it, the quickest way for donating is through the Paypal banner at the top, and you can also send checks or money orders straight to our webmaster whose address is visible by clicking on the Paypal banner.

[SpiritWarrior]

The meter says $200. What does that involve? Is it all bandwidth costs? Seems pretty high or is that standard with most forums? Really I have no idea and am innocently asking.

I remember a thread a year or so ago where everyone started arguing about donations and their justification. Before anyone reading this miscontrues my question as some kind of attack on the whole donating thing (which I don't really have a judgement about one way or the other) I want to make it clear I am simply asking and genuinely want to know what costs what is all.

[Larry_OHF]

I can quote to you what Ziroc told another member sometime last year who had the same question.

By Ziroc: The cost of the server is a lot more than $200. Remember, I added more bandwidth some months ago, and said I would eat the cost of it? Well, even before that, I was eating the rest of the $200, and when I upgraded the bandwidth, I didn't pass along the extra price I pay, so I think its VERY fair that members help out, for something they love and use. To run this server is close to $500 a month...

Ziroc deserves some help. IW + Undermountain is a big cost for one man to carry, and he's not asked for any help since April of this year I think. And don't forget that we're about a month away from a forum change with new features that you will greatly adore.

Besides this, I have seen other websites ask for donations frequently, and its always the same scenario. The owner of the site is not Bill Gates-rich and therefore cannot keep the site running forever on his own dime, so donations are asked to help keep the site online.

I remember the Goblins online comic guy asking for help back some months ago for the first time, and gave a date needed by (end of the month). He made more than he needed on the first day, and his total donations were at least triple what he'd asked for. Since then, he's never had trouble making the donation goal. This month's goal for his site is $641.00, and he's about $100 from that goal to date. I think he's had about three or four of these $600 donation banners this year.

Maybe if we told some funny jokes around here, people would be willing to give???

T-D-C: Flex your muscles. That'll be worth a laugh or two, right?

Hopefully $180 worth.

[SpiritWarrior]

So what actually costs the $200? The bandwidth alone? How much bandwidth do you need? I think it's outrageous, it may be the norm but I thought it would be much cheaper since bandwith is relatively cheap these days...of course now i'm second guessing this assumption.

[T-D-C]

Well I could post a picture of me flexing my cannons but then we would have to pay for more bandwidth from all the ladies hitting the site LOL

[robertthebard]

Originally posted by T-D-C: Well I could post a picture of me flexing my cannons but then we would have to pay for more bandwidth from all the ladies hitting the site LOL

Yep, everybody needs something to laugh at every now and then... [img]graemlins/hidesbehindsofa.gif[/img]

[machinehead]

Originally posted by T-D-C: Well I could post a picture of me flexing my cannons but then we would have to pay for more bandwidth from all the ladies hitting the site LOL

I'll pay to NOT see that. [img]graemlins/uhoh1.gif[/img]

[Larry_OHF]

Originally posted by SpiritWarrior: So what actually costs the $200? The bandwidth alone? How much bandwidth do you need? I think it's outrageous, it may be the norm but I thought it would be much cheaper since bandwith is relatively cheap these days...of course now i'm second guessing this assumption.

A general cry of the public in the US is that the internet costs US citizens more than it does anyone else in the world. You probably have better pricing in Ireland than here.

[SpiritWarrior]

Originally posted by Larry_OHF: quote: Originally posted by SpiritWarrior: So what actually costs the $200? The bandwidth alone? How much bandwidth do you need? I think it's outrageous, it may be the norm but I thought it would be much cheaper since bandwith is relatively cheap these days...of course now i'm second guessing this assumption.

A general cry of the public in the US is that the internet costs US citizens more than it does anyone else in the world. You probably have better pricing in Ireland than here. [/QUOTE]Actually it's around the same for me. In the USA my friend has his DSL for $15 a month with his phone company and his speeds are close to cable speeds since it's the premium DSL package.

[Dundee Slaytern]

Personal usage and server usage are two entirely different things. Ziroc is not the one using this bandwidth. It is the thousands of users accessing the server that are making use of it.