"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

[writer33]

How are those Rinos working out for ya?

Now stop being mean to McCain supporters, DJ. We need them. We really do. /s :-)

[CottonBall]

2. Politics = passion, like it or not. How many purges have occurred since I started reading here in 2000? I wasn't a fan of George W Bush then. Had an anointed aura about him and thought Ambassador Keyes was a better choice.

3. Many people don't feel welcome him based upon the actions of several cliques of FReepers. Self-appointed guardians of what is and isn't conservative, incorrectly.

Ok, you're right. Very right.

[Chickensoup]

Of course if we become a paid site that brings financial headaches. Also the donor database would probably have to be part of campaign finance disclosure.

[Notary Sojac]

the actions of several cliques of FReepers. Self-appointed guardians of what is and isn't conservative

That is a good point and I'm reconsidering what I said upthread.

The problem is not with Jim or the mods, but with the cliques that define "conservative values" as the litmus test that applies to them and their three friends, and then try to goad other posters into saying something that will get the latter zotted.

it wasn't polite to ask somebody how much they got paid. Asking for a breakdown of costs lacks class

On the contrary, I contribute to several charities, and I don't feel at all rude in limiting that list to those who provide access to their financial statements.

[GeronL]

$.25 per post might make some think if what they are about to say is worth saying. Just saying...

every post would be LONG!

[DJ MacWoW]

I am already a monthly donor but i would like to up my amount. How do I do it?

You can freepmail Jim or onyx and then simply send more monthly.

[Osage Orange]

as well as continued efforts to paint Mormons as less than Conservative.

Give some examples....because I certainly don't recall anyone saying on a continual basis..that mormons as a whole are anything less than Conservative.

Now if you are talking about FReeper's not buying into Romney....that's a horse of a different color.

So...once again...give us some examples of this continual effort to paint mormons as less than Conservative.

I will await your reply.......

[GeronL]

does it get a half a billion page views a year?

[paulycy]

every post would be LONG!

Wow, that's fer sure!

[DJ MacWoW]

Yes, it’s the Religion Forum.

Don't post and read. I don't. Too nasty.

[CottonBall]

$.25 per post might make some think if what they are about to say is worth saying. Just saying...

LOL!

On the other hand, some will post some extremely long monologues - to get their money's worth! And some of the great humor on the site might go away, if people don't want to post one-liners.

[beezdotcom]

I am not from that company, we just use them, trust me, you don’t need 90K per quarter to host forums, even high volume ones.

I respectfully disagree. In addition to hardware maintenance, software maintenance, utility bills, etc... you need round-the-clock moderators, tech support, and probably the occasional legal retainer bills, etc.

If I were putting together a business plan to stand up a brand new conservative forum web site to replace FR, 90K/qtr would seem like a 'lowball' number to me.

[Lazamataz]

And to think I've been wasting all this money for all these years on buying transit when I could have just gotten myself 'Facebook like data traffic' from some 'unlimited bandwidth' dedicated server! Have you hugged your employer today? You should. :)

Dude's getting six figures, too, he says.

Well, to be fair, he didn't specify if that included the decimal figures. $ NNNN.NN.

LOL

[Osage Orange]

Your whole post is Bovine scat.

[Antoninus]

I’ll donate more when we start having banner ads. I live in a capitalist society. I have no problem with ads.

If there was an automated system of banner ads (or a system similar to Google ads or Facebook ads [spit!]), I would use it.

[DJ MacWoW]

but kinda miss the days of having to close tags and subsequent give/take of grief & laughs for not doing so !

Those were the days! LOL Everybody looking for the culprit....lol

[listenhillary]

Maybe charge non subscribers $.25 a post? It might really cut down on the babble.

I’m on the fence though. It might exclude some really insightful comments. Also create accounting headaches. I triple posted, can I get my $.50 back or a credit?

[GeronL]

every post would be like a wikipedia entry and a little more biased, probably.

[metmom]

As far as donations, a lot of people are to paranoid to donate. I would suggest a way of donating without revealing your identity, untraceable. The way I do it is with unsigned money orders. Call me paranoid.

Anyone can walk into a post office and buy a postal money order with cash.

There's no paper trail although the postal money order will trace back to the PO at which it was purchased.

So go to a big one, buy it there, and mail it out from there with FR as the return address, just like a self-addressed stamped return envelope.

[Osage Orange]

BTW...have you ever gave to FR?

You've apparently been "here" for 10 years...