Donations - Where the money is going.

[Sicilian]

First I'd like to thank all members who have donated to the forum.

The members that have donated are most likely wondering why the donation bar has changed, we've changed the target because we reached out initial target and also our hosting/server requirements have changed now the forum has grown.

Since we set our initial target things have changed. The forum has grown faster than I ever expected due to the ViX Team image. With this in mind we are now in the process of setting up another server to backup our current server. With the membership level where it is and the amount of data we have I feel that this is now needed. Basically our current server will be backed up 3 times per week to another server, so if ever we loose data it will be minimal.

Our costs each month are now set at £85.00, this is to pay for two VPS servers, our main and the backup. Any funds raised over this value each month will go towards future payments or maybe development hardware for the team. Out of the funds raised we have already purchased Andyblac a piece of hardware for development purposes.

Again I'd like to thank everyone that has donated so far.

On behalf of all the Staff here.
Sic.

[steve1978]

In order to cut costs would it not be a good idea to use a NAS box in someones house to run the backups? they could be automated to back up every evening or something, that would save money on a monthly basis. Just a thought. one other point. I pay £80 every 3 months for my 1 and 1 server. this is a VPS server but it is fast and reliable.

[Sicilian]

In order to cut costs would it not be a good idea to use a NAS box in someones house to run the backups? they could be automated to back up every evening or something, that would save money on a monthly basis. Just a thought. one other point. I pay £80 every 3 months for my 1 and 1 server. this is a VPS server but it is fast and reliable.

I tried many servers before our current, the only server we've found stable and fast was this. I did look into 1&1 hosting, but their terms unmetered bandwidth has a fair usage policy. Here we're on true unmetered bandwidth, we can use terabytes on bandwidth. I'm trying to setup the second server so that it mirrors the first. So if one oges down, we can switch to the backup until the main server is working again. Another reason for this is in the event the main server goes down, it would take me far too long to ftp all the files backup, currently over 12GB.

[satsatsat]

i think it would be a good idea if everytime the VIX new image was avialable and ready for release you announce its ready and then a small extra donation fund was set up.....we all donate and as soon as its reached (which i think would be quite quickly) the image is then posted.....we gota show our appreciation and its a small price to pay each i think

[Sicilian]

i think it would be a good idea if everytime the VIX new image was avialable and ready for release you announce its ready and then a small extra donation fund was set up.....we all donate and as soon as its reached (which i think would be quite quickly) the image is then posted.....we gota show our appreciation and its a small price to pay each i think

Nice Idea, but I'd rather member's donated because they wanted to.

[Larry-G]

i think it would be a good idea if everytime the VIX new image was avialable and ready for release you announce its ready and then a small extra donation fund was set up.....we all donate and as soon as its reached (which i think would be quite quickly) the image is then posted.....we gota show our appreciation and its a small price to pay each i think

i have nothing against donations and will be donating as soon as this shooting season is over ( ammo is damned expensive ) however your idea can easily be construed as the team asking for money before they release the new firmware which i think is a bad idea and would set the wrong impression of both the vix firmware and this forum.

people will donate they always do but people will not be forced into donating and the second they think they are things will go down hill very fast. i have seen it happen on way to many forums over the past 10 years.

[satsatsat]

i didnt mean it in that way....but i take ur point it is open to misunderstanding which would be negative.....fair comment

[Larry-G]

i didnt mean it in that way....but i take ur point it is open to misunderstanding which would be negative.....fair comment

yes mate i know which way you meant it and i do appreciate your idea. but as you said some people will only see the negative in such a idea and once rumours start of a team asking for money before a release it's pretty much all over true or otherwise.

[pooface]

As phoenix said, can't really force users to donate to download the image... Only thing that would be slightly possible, would be something like some other forums where you get the image quicker because you are a donated member, and because you are a donated member, you get little extras compared to others. But then that wouldn't work, because people wouldn't want to wait for the image, it would end up getting leaked, and there's not really much you can release as custom versions :p

So, donation because people want to / can donate is the best way ;)

[silverfox0786]

Personnaly i'd leave it as it is the fact that VIX is such a helpful community and keeping every one upto date.

And most importantly not stuckup like some teams every one is willing to donate and enyone who doesn't donate then no hard feelings its still a free forum with help fun and kindness to all its members

[Prioryman]

Guy's in a "nut Shell" if you want this forum to work Donate.

We all like something for nothing (thats life), however we would be moaning if this site went "tits up" so it up to you.

Now I have said my bit I'll get off my high horse........

Regards all

[Ojustaboo]

yes mate i know which way you meant it and i do appreciate your idea. but as you said some people will only see the negative in such a idea and once rumours start of a team asking for money before a release it's pretty much all over true or otherwise.

Agree 100%. On top of that, it will be seen by some (possibly even from a legal stand point) as being a product that is sold rather than free, that can lead to all sorts of complications with regards to bugs, people demanding their money back, people demanding support now or even the makers of VU demanding some sort of royalties from making money from their box etc etc

[Ojustaboo]

Guy's in a "nut Shell" if you want this forum to work Donate.

We all like something for nothing (thats life), however we would be moaning if this site went "tits up" so it up to you.

Now I have said my bit I'll get off my high horse........

Regards all

While I don't disagree with you, I do find the way the donation bar has altered to be very confusing (nothing knew there, I'm easily confused lol)
For example, your saying that we need to donate, but according to the main page, they have "received a total of £130 in donations towards our goal of £85.00" which looks to the average person that they have a surplus of £45

[silverfox0786]

While I don't disagree with you, I do find the way the donation bar has altered to be very confusing (nothing knew there, I'm easily confused lol)
For example, your saying that we need to donate, but according to the main page, they have "received a total of £130 in donations towards our goal of £85.00" which looks to the average person that they have a surplus of £45

yes your right OJ and the 45 surplus will be added to next month or used to get more development equiptment as stated by Sic in the first post

[Ojustaboo]

Yep I understand that, however many people looking at the front page, wont, and will think there's no need to donate.

[silverfox0786]

Yep I understand that, however many people looking at the front page, wont, and will think there's no need to donate.

Most ppl know how the donation system works plus this thread was started for this exact reason. For the minority that do wonder

[Sicilian]

Now the new month has started the Donation bar has set itself back to zero.

The surplas was spent on a Hauppauge WinTV NOVA-T Stick for team testing.

Just so everyone knows my initial outlay when I first started the forum has never been included, I had costs from various failed hosting companies and the genuine vbulletin licence.

[rob76]

well in lads. Loads of hard work goes into running forums like this. I help out in running another forum and I know it's not easy.

[andyblac]

Now the new month has started the Donation bar has set itself back to zero.

The surplas was spent on a Hauppauge WinTV NOVA-T Stick for team testing.

Just so everyone knows my initial outlay when I first started the forum has never been included, I had costs from various failed hosting companies and the genuine vbulletin licence.

not to mention all the hours you put in setting the server up ;), and we all need to remember that if sic does not meet the £85 target for each month he pays for it out of his own pocket!!!. so as it has been said before, if we/you feel that the forums are helpful and useful to you, then a small donation is welcome, all donations of any size are put to good use.

[marty]

forums are helpful and useful to you, then a small donation is welcome, all donations of any size are put to good use.

The fantasic images you make are well worthy of a donation alone!!!!! not to mention the great support and info you can get here :)

[steve1978]

A good idea is to have a VIP forum, in this forum members get access to releases, patches and fixes sooner, say about 2 weeks or something, set up a £1 a month donation direct debit from paypal, most people wouldnt think twice about 1 quid a month but feel to rude to donate just 1 quid as it feels to smaller number.

However 300 regular members each donating 1 quid.... yes please.

[silverfox0786]

A good idea is to have a VIP forum, in this forum members get access to releases, patches and fixes sooner, say about 2 weeks or something, set up a £1 a month donation direct debit from paypal, most people wouldnt think twice about 1 quid a month but feel to rude to donate just 1 quid as it feels to smaller number.

However 300 regular members each donating 1 quid.... yes please.

The image is free and its already been proven that giving release early cant be trusted as a user already posted vix 1.2 early once when given to test

[Prioryman]

I know the image is free, however what about a link page before downloading asking for a donation no matter how small.

I'm a great believer that if you don't ask you don't get........

Anyone reading this - play the game if the site is working and the software is being worked on (updated) why not help, after all you bought the VU+ so money cannot be a problem.... only kidding, but seriously if Sic shuts the site down we are all buggered.............

Enough said

[silverfox0786]

I know the image is free, however what about a link page before downloading asking for a donation no matter how small.

I'm a great believer that if you don't ask you don't get........

Anyone reading this - play the game if the site is working and the software is being worked on (updated) why not help, after all you bought the VU+ so money cannot be a problem.... only kidding, but seriously if Sic shuts the site down we are all buggered.............

Enough said

Sic wont shut the forum down there are many dedicated regular donaters [not mentioning names but basset is loaded lol] in respect to the image its a free image period. it started as a hobby for andy and was opened to the community to have too and andy and sic are happy as it is plus being an opensourse language any body in the enigma1/2 image building game will know that charging for it no matter how small can result in criminal reprocation

But still as said its andy's hobby for him and he deicided to share it with you so the fact that andy is happy with it pays for itself us having it and apreciating its worth it all extra bonus for andy

[Larry-G]

from my point of view the donation system works well and i see no need to change it.

[WOIIFTM]

I've been reading through this post and I just wanted to say I donated because I like the VIX image, it was possible to donate and because I wanted to. I also donate for freeware because I feel that it is a token of my appreciation for what's been offered. And this doesn't prevent me from donating multiple times if the product improves over time.

[Larry-G]

I've been reading through this post and I just wanted to say I donated because I like the VIX image, it was possible to donate and because I wanted to. I also donate for freeware because I feel that it is a token of my appreciation for what's been offered. And this doesn't prevent me from donating multiple times if the product improves over time.

exactly my point in my earlier reply page 1. i my self like you regularly donate to sites / software i find useful as a thank you and i will be donating here as soon as this years winter shooting season is over.

[steve1978]

Its an age old question and i dont think it has ever been answered, forums have been around for years and costs are high. how to get people to donate is an issue. I have not donated purly bacause if i did i would want to put about 10 quid in the pot at least. the missis is dropping in 3 weeks with our first and i cant afford to by anything! (i could pop a pound in though...

I have seen one thing that i like. It was a Buy me a beer tab. basically when an image is released you have a buy me a beer button, if people click it it takes them to paypal and the amount is predetermined by you, say 2 quid. All the mods have it in there signature, Buy me a beer.... if you help someone out they buy you a beer, it really goes to forum costs but hey ho.

[Prioryman]

Its an age old question and i dont think it has ever been answered, forums have been around for years and costs are high. how to get people to donate is an issue. I have not donated purly bacause if i did i would want to put about 10 quid in the pot at least. the missis is dropping in 3 weeks with our first and i cant afford to by anything! (i could pop a pound in though...

I have seen one thing that i like. It was a Buy me a beer tab. basically when an image is released you have a buy me a beer button, if people click it it takes them to paypal and the amount is predetermined by you, say 2 quid. All the mods have it in there signature, Buy me a beer.... if you help someone out they buy you a beer, it really goes to forum costs but hey ho.

Now thats a good idea, wonder what the others think.

[silverfox0786]

Now thats a good idea, wonder what the others think.

tbh with u i dont like it i personally give my help for free and dont require any retun yes buy me a bear tab is something that the other does out of kndness but having the button there is almost like advertising u expect a bear for you help so no i am against it personally

if a thank you is to be given then it should be given without expectations and because the other purely wanted too

the danation bar is on the home page and any one that donates there is good enough. every time a see an new donation i think to my self that i made a difference and thats a thanks enough

[Diablo13]

I must admit I quite like the beer tab idea.
While I realize that a lot of people just like to be helpful and don't want any reward for it, there is another way of looking at things.

If you help someone, or add something useful to the site or an image and the people you have helped say thanks, then that is your reward.
However if they also volunteer to buy you a beer and that goes into the sites coffers for offsetting its running costs, I think you would feel extra proud to have worked towards the upkeep of the site and the benefit of all its members?
The more helpful you are, the more you could potentially help the site?
Perhaps a small league table could be made of the sites most helpful people?
At the end of next year a small portion of the funds could even be put aside for a prize for the most helpful member?
This is a very young site and I see no harm in encouraging people to help and participate in it?
You will always get members who join up, get what they need and then disappear again, if not at the moment then later as the site steadily grows?
Encouraging people to stay, beyond just getting the latest and best image, is something which all sites need to do?
As has already been said, in a way people can feel like they look a bit mean if they can only afford to make a donation of a quid or so, then they don't donate at all because as much as they would like to, times are hard for many people these days!
I am sure all donations are appreciated by the site.
However a universal way of showing your appreciation is by "tipping" people for their good service.
It may be that the site is well enough supported with the current donation system, so this is not needed?
In the words of the Tesco ad though "every little helps"!

Now I am sure both Sic and nao and anyone else that knows me will be thinking;
"here he goes again with the long posts"! :sofahide:

[silverfox0786]

In the words of the Tesco ad though "every little helps"!

:roflmao: :zoom: