"If FR dies, that’s that." - Jim Robinson [Jim's reply at post # 588]

freerepublic.com ^ | 1/11/11 | paulycy

[paulycy]

FYI -

Here are statements from Jim about the future of FreeRepublic.com for those who missed them. They are quite serious.

===

"Well, I can say that there are definitely two things that will never happen. 1) Banner ads. 2) Oracle [a completely new database system.] And a third is a total replacement [of the current damaged system.] Don’t have the financial wherewithal."

"To those who wish to leave because of it, see ya."

"If FR dies, that’s that."

===

[To: paulycy]

Hey, you want us to get an all new system with all new software and add a few more pricey techs, system programmers and database administrators to keep it all working 100% of the time 24/7/365? Well, start coughing up the big bucks.

It’s going to take tens of thousands of donations and many with at least three zeros each after the comma to accomplish the task. And that would be EVERY month like clock work to make the payroll. Once you take on a big load of expensive overhead, there’s no going back. As it is, we get a couple thousand donations per quarter averaging about $30 bucks each and there’s no guarantees we can cover this quarter’s expenses much less next quarter. We’re on a pay as we go system and we have zero employees.We just ask for enough to pay the bills.

Throwing more money at the problem won’t solve it. [This latest glitch] was a technical issue and we just had to keep troubleshooting until we found it. And no, we’re not going to invite a bunch of strangers in to get their hands on our secure systems. John has been programming since he was 14 and he’s pushing 40 now. He built these systems and he’s an expert in them.

And no, we are not going to throw out our software and rewrite it and no we’re not going to move on to some other database system. There are no guarantees that any other system can do a better job and not without hiring a staff to build and maintain it and that’s for sure. And we don’t have the financial wherewithal to do any of that anyway. Maybe if we had a couple million bucks at our disposal and a couple years to do it in we could build an iron-clad system. And maybe not.

All I can say is, if someone else can do it better and cheaper, then please step right on up and get ‘er done!! I’ll bow out and retire. Thankyouverymuch.

Hit it boys:

https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/

And no, we have no plans of taking FR commercial. I like it the way it is. Not sure I could handle getting rich.

===

- Jim Robinson

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2653583/posts?page=168#168

[driftdiver]

“In all honestly that’s a shit-load of money, we host for far, far cheaper, a fraction of the cost actually. It’s costing the FR almost a half mill to host per year? You can do the same for pennies on the dollar. “

You know not what you are talking about.

You can get an econo website for $20 a month. Those are seriously limited on bandwidth and capacity.

To support a high number of users and bandwidth you need dedicated servers and mega bandwidth. That is very expensive.

I could care less if Jim is getting rich off this. I don’t think he is but he deserves it for all the work he and others have put into FR.

[Frantzie]

I think product pimps for Apple and other products should pay much more. I would pay extra if I did not have to wade through multiple daily Apple press releases and I dislike Microsoft even more.

[Marty62]

I have been here 13 years, and with the exceptions of a 2 year absence, I have not seen DAILY attacks on MORMONISM.

I don’t spend a lot of time on the Religion section so maybe that is where it is occuring. Just don’t frequent that section if it bothers you THAT much.

[paulycy]

5. When I grew up, it wasn't polite to ask somebody how much they got paid. Asking for a breakdown of costs lacks class and nobody's business.

Jim has repeatedly stated on this forum that he gets no pay from FR. So I'm not sure which costs would be nobody's business. All we are asking for is the estimated cost of the fixes required for the system to be mended or improved. Is there a problem with that?

[US_MilitaryRules]

I am already a monthly donor but i would like to up my amount. How do I do it? Also put the answer in the FAQ’s on the donate link. Thanks

[GeronL]

Beck is hardly thin skinned or vindictive. But I do not think he would financially support a site where his faith is openly mocked on a daily basis

Okay, Jim should ban Mormon posts, period. pro and con. Then there wouldn't be a problem right?

/sarc

[Ripliancum]

Yes, it’s the Religion Forum. Some days it’s a half dozen anti threads. Some trickle into the Beck threads, and Jim moved one to the Breaking News last week, but outside of that, they are mostly in the RF. Most have their settings to view everything, so they get everything, not just news.

[GeronL]

1. The problem with pay to post is quite clear. A sugar daddy/mammy makes a significant contribution, posts a hateful lib screed, gets banned and revokes donation.

No Refunds

[max americana]

>FR should require a paid subscription to post any article.<

I agree. I’m a paying member of Rightnation as well and no one can post articles until they are a paid member and it has worked to keep the site alive since 2003. God forbid we see another vanity article (sarc)

[driftdiver]

10% sounds about right, still a bunch of penny pinchin folks.

[colorcountry]

All this hate speech leads to violence! We need to stop it here and now. Who cares about the first amendment anywho!!!

</ sarcasm>

[tomkat]

Absolute agreement w/yall and others re the clean, unobtrusive look of this site v. most of the headache-inducing sludge on the web.

I cheered when John 86'd the marquee function, but kinda miss the days of having to close tags and subsequent give/take of grief & laughs for not doing so !

[GeronL]

You, sir, are going to hell! /s :-)

lol. Possibly, but I have doubts.

[new cruelty]

5. When I grew up, it wasn't polite to ask somebody how much they got paid. Asking for a breakdown of costs lacks class and nobody's business.

J, for anyone who is interested, Jim hasn't been shy about listing the budget and recurring expenses.

[the rifleman]

The check is in the mail. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do if this place went under. I've been visiting this site since 98 and remember reading posters like Dogone and Fishog. Using info here I've planted the seeds of conservatism in the minds of the youth that I worked with. It's been the perfect tool to arm them against the liberals who would just plow them under.

I also know that some big names in the media surf this site. When Hannity and Rush cite their “sources” who do you think they are talking about? I know who their talking about. FreeRepublic is a conservative think tank and investigative body like no other. If their reading I hope to hell they pony up. If an old retired burn out like me can collect some aluminum cans to send in funds so can they. Jim Thomson keeps everything confidential.

[JoeProBono]

[metmom]

I like the way FR looks now, as well. it’s easy to read and easy to navigate. It’s very user friendly for non technical people like myself.

No emoticons, please.

And NO avatars, PLEASE. (I can’t stand them)

I’d rather not have FR cluttered up with all kind of extraneous visual distractions. Plus, inappropriate ones would just be one more thing for the mods to monitor, like they need any more work.

And no editing.

All that opens the door for is someone posting something really nasty and when people complain, editing it out and denying it. Then it becomes a your word against mine and causing a lot of bickering.

I know the mods are busy enough, but I’d rather have it edit free for the potential problems editing could cause.

[CottonBall]

DV: “I’d be willing to pay $30 per year or $58 for two year subscription.”

MM: Might be good to require subscription in order to post. But it should be available for everyone to read,as I expect troll types need to read the discussions. They could learn something important. Trolls (from D.U., etc.) would be less likely to post and stir up trouble if they had to pay money.

I like your ideas. Free to read is good because we need to get the conservative point of view out there and not be exclusive. I'd pay for a subscription to post, though I seldom post. And keeping out the riffraff is a side benefit.

Although, I wonder if the money taken in could actually decrease by charging to post - compared to the donations. TPTB would need to do an analysis on the number of regular posters and figure the cost based on that number. Some will bail, no doubt.

[certrtwngnut]

I have been here only 3+ years & just made my first contribution. I would hate for FR to go away. Even though I don’t post I do read here everyday & reply. This is a great forum. Let’s keep it going.

[metmom]

There are more than ten times that number of registered screen names, are there not?