Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

"If FR dies, that’s that." - Jim Robinson [Jim's reply at post # 588]
freerepublic.com ^ | 1/11/11 | paulycy

Posted on 01/11/2011 5:28:06 AM PST by 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


TOPICS: Breaking News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: blogpimp; defragthedatabase; fr; freepathons; freerepublic; future; glitch; ilovefr; jimrob; metmom; netizen; raid10
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 541-560561-580581-600 ... 1,621-1,627 next last
To: RedMDer

Beautiful!


561 posted on 01/11/2011 9:26:11 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are at your door! How will you answer the knock?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 543 | View Replies]

To: Tijeras_Slim
Not even the hairy ones?

Well, I guess that's a personal preference you'll have to make your own decisions about...

562 posted on 01/11/2011 9:26:13 AM PST by paulycy (The Constitution is a Formal Contract. Live up to it or lose your job, Congress.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 550 | View Replies]

To: SZonian
some feel excluded because their feelings were hurt

I expect to occasionally get my feelings hurt when I'm on any discussion board that's worth a damn.

That's why I don't feel any need to conform my views to what others expect or want.

563 posted on 01/11/2011 9:26:23 AM PST by Notary Sojac ("Goldman Sachs" is to "US economy" as "lamprey" is to "lake trout")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 541 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

>> “There may come a time when the Perl system you have simply won’t cut it any more.” <<

.
Will you and I still be alive?
.


564 posted on 01/11/2011 9:27:19 AM PST by editor-surveyor (Obamacare is America's kristallnacht !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: Windflier

I would love to support a Freeper business.

It does create accounting headaches for FR unless the businesses specified their payments to FR were donations.


565 posted on 01/11/2011 9:27:22 AM PST by listenhillary (20 years in Reverend Wright's church is all I need to determine the "content of his character")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 545 | View Replies]

To: Windflier
This is a good capitalistic solution to a problem that has been plaguing FR for far too long. Given that FR is the number one gathering place for conservatives on the internet, the potential revenue that could be generated from banner ads is probably considerable.

That is an interesting statement. My initial gut reaction is agreement, but then I put on my Thinking Cap (tm).

I may be wrong and also may be projecting. We are the customers at Free Republic. It is about us being warriors and not passive consumers. Jim is up front about his model and if it doesn't work so be it. I think this is Jims test of where we are going and I concur. It is not about capitalism, business model or consumerism, it is about freedom and if we will pay the price, whether it is donations here at FR, learning thru other opinions, laying down our worldly goods and maybe even our lives like our founders did.

Ben Franklin and others, did not advertise but wanted to know if the ideas would sell themselves. It was a big test that we passed back then. Our test is bigger today. There are bigger things than capitalism.

566 posted on 01/11/2011 9:27:36 AM PST by PeterPrinciple ( Seeking the truth here folks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 501 | View Replies]

To: nutmeg

bookmark


567 posted on 01/11/2011 9:27:50 AM PST by nutmeg (The 111th Congress: Worst. Congress. Ever.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tijeras_Slim; MARTIAL MONK

Well if ya got no bassoons I’m not coming!


568 posted on 01/11/2011 9:28:01 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are at your door! How will you answer the knock?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 553 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

I’ve had to write mostly science stuff, simulators and things like that. I don’t use if I don’t have to; that may have something to do.


569 posted on 01/11/2011 9:28:26 AM PST by Moose Burger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 531 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator
From a usability perspective, I like the FR format, you can quickly see the thread titles, glance at which ones interest, or don’t interest you, see the posts and who posted it, without having to click the mouse. Sure it may look relatively spartan, but I prefer simplicity.

If I were to re-write FR I'd re-write it with virtually the same interface and possibly an even more simplified interface based on John's experience over the years dealing with the code. It needs no graphical bells and whistles. It just needs speed and stability IMO.

570 posted on 01/11/2011 9:28:47 AM PST by paulycy (The Constitution is a Formal Contract. Live up to it or lose your job, Congress.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 554 | View Replies]

To: paulycy

EXCELLENT POINTS, imho.

INFORMATION is crucial to folks paying the bills.

It relates directly to motivation and generosity.


571 posted on 01/11/2011 9:28:51 AM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN

That was so well stated it’s almost frightening.


572 posted on 01/11/2011 9:28:51 AM PST by LouAvul
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 556 | View Replies]

To: GailA
I make up business cards with the FR logo and it’s mission statement and URL and hand them out to interested parties.

I was at my local Tea Party meeting the other night and got into a conversation with some folks who had never heard of FR. Frankly, I was really surprised at that, but I repeated the name of the site to them several times so that they would remember it.

On the way home, I thought to myself how nice it would be if Jim Rob offered FR business cards for sale on the site. I would buy them, and hand them out. Now that so many of us are off the couch and active in our communities, it's an idea whose time has come.

573 posted on 01/11/2011 9:29:08 AM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 150 | View Replies]

To: Quix

Thank you, Quix. I’m trying to be helpful.


574 posted on 01/11/2011 9:29:35 AM PST by paulycy (The Constitution is a Formal Contract. Live up to it or lose your job, Congress.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 571 | View Replies]

To: GailA

Excellent idea.

I plan to do that. Thanks.


575 posted on 01/11/2011 9:30:24 AM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 150 | View Replies]

To: LouAvul
older women seducing young boys,

As long as she is hittable, no foul.

576 posted on 01/11/2011 9:30:24 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed, and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 534 | View Replies]

To: Quix

Now you’re just sucking up, Quix. :-)


577 posted on 01/11/2011 9:30:35 AM PST by writer33 (Mark Levin Is The Constitutional Engine Of Conservatism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 571 | View Replies]

To: beezdotcom

Soooooo, you’re picking a fight? Is that a perk of being a donor?


578 posted on 01/11/2011 9:31:02 AM PST by stuck_in_new_orleans
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 542 | View Replies]

To: Notary Sojac
If I ran a conservative forum, there would be an ongoing virtual book club in which we discussed the works of the great conservative authors.... Kirk, Hayek, Kendall, von Mises, Voegelin, Strauss. Participation would be mandatory.

Not quite sure about the mandatory part, but in general another good idea. On a site I visit we have a small ad for Hocks Online Drugstore, if you click the link and make a purchase 8% goes to the site.

579 posted on 01/11/2011 9:32:29 AM PST by EBH ( Whether you eat your bread or see it vanish into a looter's stomach, is an absolute.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 538 | View Replies]

To: central_va

I’m sure it’s very consoling to you to know that you’re one of the reasons many respectable folks feel disconnected to FR. Nice going.


580 posted on 01/11/2011 9:32:45 AM PST by LouAvul
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 576 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 541-560561-580581-600 ... 1,621-1,627 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson