I was wondering if this site is costing someone to have it and they r absorbing all the cost. Its easy to see someone puts a lot of time in keeping this site running,
i would like to thank ever who it is and if there is cost we should all pitch in and help.

just my thoughts thanks

Rick (ATTROLL) is the webmaster. We took a collection at an event and bought the software. There are no recurring costs that I know of, but I feel sure Rick would us know if there were! LOL!

(Thanks, Rick!) :D :D

Thanks Attroll for all you do!

Time is money - Rick contributes a lot of his to keep us running and content. Thanks again to you and your family for sharing your time!

He does a great job. I believe there is a annual fee, whethere it's monthly or yearly, we had talked about this at one point and there is a answer somewhere.

As long as you keep the color's of site ok... we like it. :D

Yes there are annual fees that are dues every year for three software packages. They include:
The forum software = $30
Links software = $10
Photo software = $????


The photo software I am not sure about. I am using one registered to one of my other sites that does not exist anymore and the renewal period expired a few years ago. I have probably been pressing my lick using it. So I might have to repurchase it if they ever catch on. If we get caught it is $129 and $39 a year to renew it.

As I have told others and mention before. This site is on another server I am using for one of my other web sites. When I did this a while back when I created the site it was not a problem because my other site had the room. But since then my other site has grown more then I had expected. This is good in a sense because it is succeeding where I wanted it to. But in doing so the site is going to have to move from the server it is on someday. Hopefully not right away. If we have to get our own server we are looking at it costing $300 a month. I know your all thinking $300 a month, WOW. Well your right it is a lot of money. But the other site is 100 times what our site here is. We get an average of 200 to 300 post a day sometimes. We also have over 100 to 200 users online at one time.

Now you wondering when I am going to drop the ball here and say something like I can not longer host this site with my other site. Well I am not going to do that. I have been contemplating ways around this and I promise I will not do that. I will find a way to keep this site up and running as long as I am alive. Adding the google adds to the bottom of the site has help some. It bring in a little and I think we should be all set for the time being. I have also been thinking of some other ideas but I don't know how well they would go over with everyone here. Here are some of the ideas. Offering some extended access to some things here on the site and things of that sort for a yearly donation. The donation would be very minimal. I was thinking something like $3 to $5 a year. I can go into some further detail if there is any interest in my ideas?

I can go into some further detail if there is any interest in my ideas?

Well of course we're interested Rick!! :)

We'd also like to thank you for all you do here Rick. :) So...from Smitty & Co. to you, a BIG thank you!! :D :) :D

I have been contemplating ways around this and I promise I will not do that. I will find a way to keep this site up and running as long as I am alive. Adding the google adds to the bottom of the site has help some. It bring in a little and I think we should be all set for the time being. I have also been thinking of some other ideas but I don't know how well they would go over with everyone here. Here are some of the ideas. Offering some extended access to some things here on the site and things of that sort for a yearly donation. The donation would be very minimal. I was thinking something like $3 to $5 a year. I can go into some further detail if there is any interest in my ideas?

Some time ago I suggested creating some sort of formal organization - and even paying DUES - but was generally dumped on.

I bring it up again because I think it's a good idea - one sure way to keep the web site up - and besides, I'm used to getting dumped on.

So...

Lets discuss the idea of a Maine Geocaching Association again! As Rick says, paid membership would bring added benefits, but nobody would be excluded (similar to free and "premium" membership in geocaching.com).

:D :D :D

Lets discuss the idea of a Maine Geocaching Association again! As Rick says, paid membership would bring added benefits, but nobody would be excluded (similar to free and "premium" membership in geocaching.com).

:D :D :D

Here's a yea vote!! I like the idea. :D

I will agree with the idea of a dues paying formal association. The first problem I see is that there will have to be some administration. Someone to collect the dues, and record who has paid and who hasen't. And I agree that if it's a pay site then access will have to be limited for those who choose not to pay. Otherwise there would be no incentive to pay up. I think $5 a year would be more than reasonable for the benefits we get out of the website alone. If only 100 people paid that would be $500 a year. More that enough for site fees and enough left over to have a "members only" lunch paid for by the association. Or something of that nature. Or we could simpley roll it into the next years budget. It would be easy enough to have a vote on things through the website. Make the vote a members only option. I would be interested in being part of an administration team if I was asked. In whatever capacity was needed.

This may be opening up a whole new can of worms. I'm even sure we had some limited discussion during the geocoin process that may have dealt with some of the issue that my idea will presents. OK so here it goes. Maybe on a 2006 geocoin we could put a 10% surcharge on the selling price to help fund the website. My reasoning behind this is: A limited content website to unsubscribers may not encourage newcomers. They would not know what they were missing and with GC.com and the other numerous sites available they may not care to find out.
Please understand that I would pay dues gladly and have offered to do so. A newcomer though may see that dues to GC.om and Mainegeocaching.org as being excessive. Plus most beginners will be purchasing GSAK or similar software as well as cachemate or similar.

I agree that we need to generate money for Rick to keep doing the wonderful job he is doing. I just don't want to alienate new folks to the sport.

IMHO

Steve

The idea of a formal organization is very appealing, however...I think if you see fit to donate some extra money, then you should do so without a requirement. Nobody has to report it, there's no gold stars for those who do, and limited access for those who don't. Clever web surfers should be able to acquire the correct mailing address to mail their donation. Feel free to pm me to clarify, or contact Rick directly.

Let's pull something together soon so Rick can purchase the photo software. :cool:

I have some idea on this and I will wrote more about them when I get home tonight from work. But as for tracking who paid there dues and who has not. It can be done here on the web site. I could make it work. As for making the site for members only. No that would not be the case. What I am suggesting is to just give some extra access and leave it the way it is now. So that people who pay the donation/dues would just get some extra things. There is not really anything extra that would make people want to pay and want to jump right out and pay the $5 a year to join. It is just some encouragement. Some of the extra people may not even use.

Here is some of the option that will be added for members that donate/subscribe to the site.

• Can edit your own post. (can change is so only members can edit post)
• Upgrade your amount of Recipients you can send PM's to, to 10
• Upgrade your PM storage to 50 PM's
• Can see Show edited by note on edited messages
• Can View User Notes About Self
• Can Post User Notes About Self
• Your name will be highlighted in BLUE. (we can change the color)
• Can upload your own personal avatar (can change it so only members can use custom avatars)
• Have a separate forum that only donating/subscribing members can see and post in.
• removes the adsense adds from the footer of each page
• A portion of there donation will go to the will be divided up between the web site and a club. This can be discussed more once we decide on it.

We liked the idea of an ammo can at an event. :) I believe we raised over $100.00 at the one event. Most of us who attend the Maine events are also the most common users of the site. We can just collect at the events and that should sustain Rick for sometime to come. On the other hand, who wouldn't want some of those upgardes Rick mentioned earlier. :D

I have some idea on this and I will wrote more about them when I get home tonight from work. But as for tracking who paid there dues and who has not. It can be done here on the web site. I could make it work. As for making the site for members only. No that would not be the case. What I am suggesting is to just give some extra access and leave it the way it is now. So that people who pay the donation/dues would just get some extra things. There is not really anything extra that would make people want to pay and want to jump right out and pay the $5 a year to join. It is just some encouragement. Some of the extra people may not even use.

Here is some of the option that will be added for members that donate/subscribe to the site.

• Can edit your own post. (can change is so only members can edit post)
• Upgrade your amount of Recipients you can send PM's to, to 10
• Upgrade your PM storage to 50 PM's
• Can see Show edited by note on edited messages
• Can View User Notes About Self
• Can Post User Notes About Self
• Your name will be highlighted in BLUE. (we can change the color)
• Can upload your own personal avatar (can change it so only members can use custom avatars)
• Have a separate forum that only donating/subscribing members can see and post in.
• removes the adsense adds from the footer of each page
• A portion of there donation will go to the will be divided up between the web site and a club. This can be discussed more once we decide on it.


Rick,

You obviously have given this some thought. Any or all of those things you mentioned sound reasonable. Where do I send my money????:)

Rick,

You obviously have given this some thought. Any or all of those things you mentioned sound reasonable. Where do I send my money????:)

DITTO!!!

Thanks Rick, I have been on bed rest since last friday and this web site has been the only contact with the outside world I have had who would have thought that you could get tired of laying on the couch watching daytime tv, so sign me up.

A limited content website to unsubscribers may not encourage newcomers. They would not know what they were missing and with GC.com and the other numerous sites available they may not care to find out.


Go to the membership list for this site and see how many people have visited once and never returned.

These are the people we could consider "free members". And "passing the can" at an event would raise money - certainly - but the same people attend all the events. I'd like to spread the cost among ALL active participants in on the website. In other words, "pay to play".

I think Rick's ideas for 'subscriber access" are great!

:) :)

Once the second round of coins has been ordered and mailed out, I'll have a total of extra funds left from the coin sales. I think we had discussed using any extra towards next years die fees, but I think we will have $ left over too. That money could certainly go towards software to benefit us all. I'll know the exact amount when the coins are mailed, somewhere around end of Jan/start of Feb.

Go to the membership list for this site and see how many people have visited once and never returned.

\:) :)

Yes, that is exactly my point. I was concerned that an increased number of new geocachers would be put off if they had to pay to be part of the geocachingmaine.org community.
What Rick has proposed is not limiting content but making subscribed member stand out. I take pride in being a member here and being allowed to contribute therefore I would gladly subscribe to have my Avatar.
This way everyone benefits, new geocachers have access to everything geocachingmaine.org has to offer accept a few frills, paid subscribers get to proudly show off their avatars and bolded names.
And the website gets the monies it needs to operate.:D

I agree with the Rick's membership idea and think it is a great idea. I find this site alot more fun than the Geocaching.com site and spend a whole lot more time on it than I do other sites that I pay for. Let me know how much for membership and where to send the money or I can send via paypal and i am in.

Yes, that is exactly my point. I was concerned that an increased number of new geocachers would be put off if they had to pay to be part of the geocachingmaine.org community.
What Rick has proposed is not limiting content but making subscribed member stand out. I take pride in being a member here and being allowed to contribute therefore I would gladly subscribe to have my Avatar.
This way everyone benefits, new geocachers have access to everything geocachingmaine.org has to offer accept a few frills, paid subscribers get to proudly show off their avatars and bolded names.
And the website gets the monies it needs to operate.:D

I think you need to read more closely.

Nobody - especially not me - has suggested that anyone "had to pay to be part of the geocachingmaine.org community".

My point was that MANY people who have visited this web site have logged on and not returned - even with free access to the entire website. And I also think that a "paid member" deserves more than a "few frills".

Again, I think that Rick has some great ideas for additional benefits for paid membership - benefits that don't limit the geocachingmaine experience for the rest.

;) ;)

Rick where do we send the money? The Team is in!! We want to paly with the frills too.

I think you need to read more closely.

Nobody - especially not me - has suggested that anyone "had to pay to be part of the geocachingmaine.org community".

My point was that MANY people who have visited this web site have logged on and not returned - even with free access to the entire website. And I also think that a "paid member" deserves more than a "few frills".

Again, I think that Rick has some great ideas for additional benefits for paid membership - benefits that don't limit the geocachingmaine experience for the rest.

;) ;)

Reading is one of my specialties. ;) Maybe you misunderstood what I wrote. What I wrote simply stated that I didn't want to alienate new geocachers. I too, thought and stated that Ricks' ideas were great. Your point was understood, that MANY people have visited the site and not returned. What you failed to say though was that some have stayed and become a welcome part of the community. I simple expressed a concern that a subscription based service may have discouraged those few from staying. Let me ask you; what part of the website should be off limits to new geocachers? I'll reiterate, Ricks' ideas were great:

• Can edit your own post. (can change is so only members can edit post)
• Upgrade your amount of Recipients you can send PM's to, to 10
• Upgrade your PM storage to 50 PM's
• Can see Show edited by note on edited messages
• Can View User Notes About Self
• Can Post User Notes About Self
• Your name will be highlighted in BLUE. (we can change the color)
• Can upload your own personal avatar (can change it so only members can use custom avatars)
• Have a separate forum that only donating/subscribing members can see and post in.
• removes the adsense adds from the footer of each page
• A portion of there donation will go to the will be divided up between the web site and a club. This can be discussed more once we decide on it.

These items mentioned would be a nice additions. I'm sorry you didn't like the term "Frills", so I'll let you supply the word that would best describe the list that Rick offered. If you think I was accusing anyone of suggesting people should pay to become a member of the Maine geocaching community you "read" more into than needed. Not only do I believe no current member would say such things, I believe most members would argue against it. My intent was simple pointing out that a new geocacher may interpret a subscription that way. Obviously not an image either of us wishes to portray of geocachingmaine.org.

There is a lot of merit for most all of the ideas so far. And, I'd support any of the above if it is the consensus of the group. But, I don't think we need make funding any more complicated than need be.

The simplest approach is for Rick to just ask for a certain amount each time before committing to a new project. I think there are enough resources in the "core group" that we would be almost fighting to be the "FTP" (first to pay). When Rick needed to by the last software, I was too slow and he couldn't take my money. I won't be slow again! :) If we don’t give enough, perhaps we don’t really want the new service.

By direct giving, we don't need officers and rules and we can buck the trend for more government.

Of course, this won't tap the "tourists" and perhaps we should. I like the geocoin fund raiser idea as long as it a very small amount.

I take pride in being a member here and being allowed to contribute therefore I would gladly subscribe to have my Avatar.


Ya....where else can you play the song title game, have it last for days on end and get nearly 400 posts?? :D :p :D

All fun aside, I love it here and usually check in daily and sometimes multiple times a day. I find it a great source of entertainment as well as very informative site. Folks go to great lengths to keep each other informed with the happenings both locally and abroad. The tech talk here really cool and understand it or not, we're all a part of it. I don't know most of you on a really personal basis but somehow you all feel like friends. I too would gladly pay to have my avatar. :)

Opps did i open up big can of worms.
:mad:

Opps did i open up big can of worms.
:mad:


Ah, but for the greater good for humankind.:D :p :D

So heres a thought. On the front page it says that there are 487 members. Had it cost 5 per membership that would have equaled 2435 dollars a year. I think that would be enough to curb the cost.

So heres a thought. On the front page it says that there are 487 members. Had it cost 5 per membership that would have equaled 2435 dollars a year. I think that would be enough to curb the cost.

So lets tuck away the surplus, buy a trac of property, build a facility and have a true association. :eek: :D :eek:

Just another idea to toss around folks. :D

So lets tuck away the surplus, buy a trac of property, build a facility and have a true association. :eek: :D :eek:

Just another idea to toss around folks. :D

Then we could have fund raising event caches.:D ;) :p :D

wbdent Yes DiverDave1998 you did open a can of worms. Well I don’t think you did because I have been tossing this idea around for quite some time now. I had already set it up on the web site for testing a little while back and one member stumbled across it. I have removed it since then though as not to start a mass panic.

wbdent First off let me say I did not bring this up to try and put money in my pocket. I am being straight forward here. I take the web site stuff very seriously. I am going to try and go into this a little bit with out trying to write a book here. It is going to be hard to go into this without someone finding something to criticize it. But I will try.

wbdent I already listed the annual software renewal prices and I will post them here once more.
The forum software = $30
Links software = $10
Photo software = $129 to purchase if we have to and $39 each year after.
Domain name = $15 (guessing I can not remember without looking it up)

wbdent If any person were to get space on a server for creating a web site that did not have pop up adds on it the cheapest rate right now is about $15 a month. That would average out to $180 a year. Granted I am hosting it for free and I have no problem with that. But this leads to an issue that I am waiting to arise on the web site I am piggybacking our site on. The web site I am referring to for those that do not know it WhieBlaze.net. I have added out Maine geocaching web site onto this server space. It was not a problem and may not be a problem. But let me explain some things that may get noticed later on by some of my administrators on the WhiteBlaze site. As mentioned before the WhiteBlaze site has grown beyond our expectations. We are going to have to move to our own server one day in the future. You wondering now how is that going to affect us here on the Maine geocaching site. Well I put our site on the WhiteBlaze server as mentioned above. Since the WhiteBlaze server is going to have to move to another server that is going to cost $300 a month or more then that means we are going to have to move with it.

wbdent You’re now wondering if I am asking you to help with the cost for my other site. No not really but I have to explain something for everyone to understand why I even mentioned this in the first place. As I said I have no problem keeping the Maine geocaching site on my other for no charge and donations at all. But the problem may be when my other administrators find out someday that I have another web site on the server using up some of the space. Especially after trying to get money out of my users on the WhiteBlaze web site to get prepared to move to our own server. They would blame some of the reason for needing to move on our Maine geocaching site. We do use some space and I have to admit that, but it is not a tremendous amount and it does not compare to the WhiteBlaze site. I could just tell them something like “it’s my site and I will do what I want” because I do own the site and they are just helping me with it. But I don’t operate that way. I could probably just keep doing this and nothing may ever get said. But in the chance this ever does get noticed. I would like to prove that some financial support has come in from the Maine geocaching site. I think if I did this then if it ever got noticed then nothing would get said. Phew. I hope all that made some cense. I am doing something similar to these same options on the WhiteBlaze site but some things that are different to help raise money for the new server that we are going to need. I am going to implement that on the other site either the middle of January or towards the end of it.

wbdent Now the problem I am having is how much should I try and get for in donations and put it towards the WhiteBlaze site to make it legitimate and keep everyone happy. This is a hard question for me to come up with a price. I feel bad enough even bringing any of this up in the first place. We are looking at $90 a year to renew all the licenses for the software we are using and the domain name. As I mention in the first paragraph it would cost $180 a year for the cheapest server for what we need. Now that does not mean that it would be a good server either. I am not going to get into the details of server and the specs on them. Changes are for $180 a month you would get space of a server shared with hundreds of other people running web site too. So your response time from the forum software would be a lot slower. The server we have now is only being shared with maybe 5 other web sites, so we will never experience that. So it is hard to say lets just move off the WhiteBlaze server and get a server for $15 a month. We can and could but there would be problems we would run into down the road. So this leads to what I and everyone else thinks should be a reasonable about to donate towards the WhiteBlaze site for letting us piggyback on it. I was thinking of $100. So that would be $100 = $90 with a total of $190. But god I feel bad asking this. I really do. If I am overstepping my bounds here please someone tell me and I will just leave everything the way it is and just ask for $90 a year. God I am so worried that I am going to get some bad feelings from people and gain some enemies just for bringing this up.

wbdent If we were to do this and the donations bring in more than $190. I can put that aside for later use and we can all decide on what we want to do with the extra money. Like I said I am not trying to profit from this.

I'll admit it . . . I'm cheap and pretty tight with my money. Honestly, while I enjoy posting here I probably would not do so if it cost me money . . . that's just me though.

That said, I recognize that hosting this BBS costs Rick money (and incidentally Rick I don't think anyone here thinks you are out to profit on this BBS . . . other than the fact that you get the pride in creating a great BBS for Maine's geo-caching community). While I would not pay I think offering paid memberships with extra benefits (there I didn't use the word "frills") isn't such a bad idea . . . I know I wouldn't particularly care if I lost some of the priviledges I have now (i.e. my avatar, ability to edit, name in color, etc.)

Final thought . . . while I am cheap (as mentioned earlier) I would not be adverse to sending in a "donation" if Rick sent out a request via this site for a specific need (annual updated website, new software, etc.)

Rick, I'll send you 20 dollars. Only 9 other members need to send you that amount and we're covered for now. I know in our "core" group that this will not be a problem. OK people post your pledged amounts here and send that money to Rick. Rick PM me your mailing address please.

Rick, I'll send you 20 dollars. Only 9 other members need to send you that amount and we're covered for now. I know in our "core" group that this will not be a problem. OK people post your pledged amounts here and send that money to Rick. Rick PM me your mailing address please.

Consider it done - just e-mail me your info and the "check is in the mail" :D

Consider it done - just e-mail me your info and the "check is in the mail" :D

Count us in, send us your mailing info Rick and we'll send ya a donation. :)

Count me in also. look at that your half way there.

Hey Rick,

Just think of it this way....

To take your other out to eat and a movie your looking at probably 70 bucks and maybe a benifit when you get home.

Here you can have fun all the time for only say 20 bucks a year and I dont have to take you to dinner, although we have gone before and it was great. Remember the day in Brunswick with that bitchie thunderstorm, god that was fun.

Rick,

You don't have to feel guilty about asking for money to maintain the site, I would guess that alot of us feel guilty enough not for not contributing.

However you choose, donations or subscription, I'll gladly give as much as I can or pay my dues.

Thanks for this great site and all your efforts!!!

OBTW

Rick please dont ever feel bad about asking for funds for the web page. You know most of us fairly well and know that we would never get upset about helping with the cost. Like Brad said, the core group of us that spend the most time here will do what ever to keep this web page open. Well, I dont think that I would dance in the sequin thong that constance got me at an event but I will help where I can.

But also, we are all tech junkies and realize that upgrades and new software are esstential in the operating of this and then again who would maintain the web page for free either. So I would say that we are getting a steal.

And remember any place else that these folks wanted to play and do the things that we do here would just cost them somewhere else. And come on I think that we are talking a minor fee and considering the fun and not to mention dependablity of the web site, I would see we have it pretty good.

I also get most of my questions answered right here, and come to find out that same question helped someone else.

So Rick again if there are upgrades and such that are needed just ask we'll be there.:)

I already offered $25 months ago and the offer still stands! We have to have the site... so that we know where the next event and all the fantastic food is going to be served next!

Opps did i open up big can of worms.
:mad:

I know the feeling! LOL!

But you also started a good discusion, which is the important part. :D :D

I'm in too! This is a no-brainer :) Just tell me where to send it!

let me know where to send my check, rick. i really appreciate all the work you do on this site.

I checked out the white blaze web site and i see there is pay pal on that for donations. I don't know if this cost you money or not but maybe you could put one on this site and see what you get for donations.
Just a thought.

I don't think 5 bucks a year will break anyone

but what ever you need count me in I have played with web sites before
so i know that it is taking up some famliey time here.

Hi there,

I check this site out every once in a while I was referred to it by my sister-in-law (Wudeater & Wife) and saw this thread and thought I could give you some ideas.

Just a thought for you guys, if you check out Yahoo!'s options for websites they have some pretty viable options with lots of room on them. I currently run a website for a club we belong to and we pay ~10.00 per month and we have more than ample space. Another thing you might want to look into is using a free bulletin board service such as invisionfree.com, it is a very userfriendly system. The monthly fee covers your server.

Yahoo does not require any special programs and even has a easy to use desktop editor.

Just figured I would share my thoughts, happy caching!

We originally started out on Yahoo but we got fed up with all the banner ads so we decided to do it this way,thanks to Rick.

I use Yahoo and I don't have any banner ads on my website, the banner ads are only used on the free websites.

Rick,

You should not feel bad at all about asking, we should feel bad about not supporting without being asked.

As I said before though, please send me your mailing info and I will get you a check in the mail next payday or can send it via paypal if you have a way to take it.

Robt

WAIT A MINUTE!!! I thought the event collection we had paid for the license for the website software??

If there's a cost problem, it's with the WEB HOSTING. After buying that license, we certainly don't want to go to a site like YAhoo where we use their web software.

We probably need to look around and see what is available for web hosting. Rick mentioned $300 a month, which I think is high, although I don't have any recent experience in server costs.

Anyone have any facts - not opinions? :D :D :D

My website is hosted with midphase. I have unlimited bandwidth and 5 gigs of storage space. It supports SQL, php, perl, the works! All for 8 bucks a month. 99.9 % uptime, free domain name registration for life. I've have no problems with 'em. Less than 100 buck a year. And no ads. As for forum software, there are a few like vBulletin but free, same goes with the photo gallery, I use Gallery which is a php photo gallery and it works awesome...and it's free. Just some ideas...........

Rick mentioned $300 a month

Rick was referring to the cost for the upgraded White Blaze server, not the one to host this site. He said the costs for this site are about $190 per year.


Did anyone ever see It's a wonderful life? The whole story is about a guy that drove himself crazy rather than ask or accept monetary help. And all the time, people were just dying to help.

Mrs Nushiekitty
wbdent I think Haffy6 is confused when you say Yahoo. The banners he was referring to was the free yahoo forums area that we started out on. I knew what you meant but. I have checked out the Yahoo hosting options and for what we need it would cost us about $15 a month. Right now that $15 would be right where we are right now. So in another month we would have to go to the next level. You also have to keep in mind that this is shared hosting. This means that you are sharing a server with hundreds of other people renting space from Yahoo. So if one of those sites messes up it could affect all the other sites. Likewise if one of the other sites starts hogging memory then your site will slow down.

Blevesque
wbdent First let me tell you this. You are not getting unlimited bandwidth for $8 a month. They may lead you to think that. But I can guarantee you are not. I am not going to elaborate on this. But your not. If that was the case everyone in the world would be on there site hosting sites.

WhereRWe?
wbdent The cost I was referring to was the site that I have this site piggybacking on. That site is going to be moving to a site that is $300 a month. We are not going to have to pay that. I am just proposing that we send a small donation to that site yearly to keep my other administrators happy that is al I am asking.

wbdent This is the problem with forums on every site. People do not read the whole post. If the post is a long post that goes into detail they read part of it until they think they know enough and think they know the whole story without reading the rest of the post. I tried my best to explain what I was getting at last night and I even had the wife read it over to make sure she even knew what I meant because she knows nothing about servers and all that internet stuff. She even understood it. That is probably because she read the whole post.

wbdent I am not picking on any individual. I am open to suggestions. But you are not going to find a better forum or photo gallery software out there and if you do I am all ears to hear about it. So as for the renewal fees those are a must. I also appreciate the ideas from all of you. As for the hosting software. Like I said before you are not going to find a cheaper package for less then $15 a month for what we are need now. That would come out to $180 a year at $15 a month. I was just suggesting a donation of $100 a year to the WhiteBlaze site to keep my Administrators happy in case they ever found out that I put the Maine geocaching site on the WhiteBlaze site using there space and bandwidth. There is no immediate hurry to do it right this second. I am bringing it up because it is something that will need to be brought up in the future eventually.

I checked out the white blaze web site and i see there is pay pal on that for donations. I don't know if this cost you money or not but maybe you could put one on this site and see what you get for donations.
Just a thought.

I don't think 5 bucks a year will break anyone

but what ever you need count me in I have played with web sites before
so i know that it is taking up some famliey time here.

I am going to work on a donation button once I get a chance and post it.

Rick had set up a dummy site so I could play with and use the software behind this webpage--as an administrator--and all I can say is Wow! This is powerful forum software and a bargin for the price. I don't think we will find a better sftware out there for the money.

Blevesque
First let me tell you this. You are not getting unlimited bandwidth for $8 a month. They may lead you to think that. But I can guarantee you are not. I am not going to elaborate on this. But your not. If that was the case everyone in the world would be on there site hosting sites.


Sorry to burst your bubble Rick, yes I do have unlimited bandwidth. How will you guarantee that I'm not, elaborate please. But I guess you wouldn't qualify as highlighted below, but you'd get at least 60 gigs bandwidth. As stated in their TOS:

14.3 midPhase Unmetered Bandwidth Policy
midPhase provides Unmetered bandwidth for Mega-PHASE, Xtra-PHASE and Pro-PHASE customers. Because of the potential for abuse, midPhase has put into place the following policy which governs the use of our Unmetered Bandwidth Policy.

There are two classifications for midPhase-hosted websites. These are:
a. Unmetered Eligible, and
b. Unmetered Ineligible

To be classified as "Eligible" your website must follow the following rules:

* 90% or more of your images, download files, etc. must be linked from an HTML or equivalent web page that is accessible to the public.
* Your website is comprised mostly of web pages, and images used on those pages.
* Your website is NOT primarily designed to provide files for download.
* Your website is NOT adult in nature.

If your website is any of the following, it will be Ineligible for Unmetered Bandwidth and will be provide a bandwidth limit of 60 GB per month for Mega-PHASE, 65 GB per month for Xtra-PHASE or 75 GB per month for Pro-PHASE.

* If your website is a download website (designed primarily to provide files for download by visitors,) or is an adult website, a website comprised of an image gallery only, a website which contains a message board as its primary 'attraction' or any websites that contain shopping carts with over one hundred items are not eligible (ineligible) for Unmetered Bandwidth and will be assigned limits as stipulated above.

* Unmetered Bandwidth Increases. All midPhase accounts will start with their normal packages bandwidth limit. Once you have used 80% of your bandwidth, simply contact tech support for an increase. At this time, we will verify the type of account you are on and insure that you are eligible for unmetered bandwidth and then increase it by an equal-to-original increment.


I am open to suggestions. But you are not going to find a better forum or photo gallery software out there and if you do I am all ears to hear about it.

phpbb with Coppermine integrated is one free suggestion.

website which contains a message board as its primary 'attraction' ...(is) not eligible (ineligible) for Unmetered Bandwidth and will be assigned limits as stipulated above.

Is our forum considered a "message board"?

Blevesque

wbdent Well there you go. They say you have unlimited bandwidth and then they set stipulations. No wonder they can say unlimited bandwidth. Sites like that do not use any bandwidth. No one visits them. When I mean no one i mean no volume of people. Our site right now has been using 5 gigs of bandwidth a month. I have seen better deals than that site. I have another server for one of my other sites that is not on the WhiteBlaze site that I pay $5 a month for and I can do what ever I want with it. But like I said it is a shared server that is shared with hundreds of people a month and when one of the other sites starts using memory then it also slows down your site. Tat is also right we are considered a message board so we would not qualify for it.

wbdent The $100 was just a suggestion. Like I said I just want to keep my administrators happy if they were ever catch on. I could try $50 instead. I could also just let is go and maybe no one will ever catch on. But if I do that and they find out at a later date then I will have mud in my face and have to try and pull myself out of the mud hole if you know what I mean.

Uuhhmmmmm, Lets keep this in perspective all. Ricks it's your web site and youve done an awesome job with it. I like your idea alot. Keep the admin happy. If their not happy then no one is happy.

I think that if we are going to continue to piggy back that other site then we should contribute to the cost of keeping it going, I have never had a slow conection to this site even before dsl and I only remember the one time that it was down and that was the most tramatic day of my life.(kidding)

I think that it is best if we all follow Ricks lead here. He knows whats best for the web site and I feel whats in our best interest. He is one man with a full time job and a family to maintain. And this site is always a number one. I dont know how he does it. Look at some of the times of his post. When does Rick have time for just Rick.

Lets put this to rest and let Rick get started on the changes and be supportive of his choices and lets find that donation button and wear it out.

I think a donation button would be a great idea, this site is well worth a few $$ from those of us that are on here on a daily basis. Keep up the good work!!! Lem

And since there are two of us on the Team. We're both in!! Troy won't mind spending some of his christmas money. He enjoys the site too. :)
Double our donation Rick.

I am working on a donation button as we speak right now. I will have only two option in the button. You can either donate $5 or $10.

I have set it up as a subscription that last 365 days. You will get the extra privileges that I mentions in an earlier post.

This is an experiment. We'll see how it works. Whether you donate $5 or $10 you will get the same privileges.

The block will be on the front page soon.

I am working on a donation button as we speak right now. I will have only two option in the button. You can either donate $5 or $10.

I have set it up as a subscription that last 365 days. You will get the extra privileges that I mentions in an earlier post.

This is an experiment. We'll see how it works. Whether you donate $5 or $10 you will get the same privileges.

The block will be on the front page soon.

Hey Rick,

Thanks!
when is the priveldges going to become effective

The button is already on the home page and the benefits are immediate :p

Hey Rick,

Thanks!
when is the priveldges going to become effective
Just like bhansenme said. Once you have done the payment through paypal they are mmediate.

I sent something in. Glad to do so!

Is the donation automatically renewed or will we have to donate again once the 365 day subscription expires?

Is the donation automatically renewed or will we have to donate again once the 365 day subscription expires?

Once you donate then you are good for 365 days. If you notice the donation block disappears on the front page and will not reappear until your 365 days has passed that way you know you have expired. To answer your question. Yes you will have to re due it. I could have set it up so it automatically deducted from you paypal when it expires but I did not think anyone would have wanted to do that. I also did not think it was right because anyone that did and and then lost interest in the site or geocaching (heaven forbid) would have to go through the hassle of canceling it.

Thanks for clarifying.