History of FreeRepublic

[Lazamataz]

I also owe you some interesting work I've worked on for this fundraiser. I never completed it in time. It's just too much to do in a few evenings. We'll be ready for the next fundraiser tho.

[JohnGalt]

The funny thing is that you are a statist relative to me so the moniker I hang on you, Statist, is 'ironic'.

I, however, am not a Bircher.

LOL, indeed, witless.

[dakine]

hahahaha....I have ONLY been around since early '98!!

[SamiGirl]

No, you are not wrong. Thank you for posting this. I'm sure there are others like me who had no idea of how Free Republic was started and what it takes to keep it going. May God Bless Jim, his family, and all the people who bring us Free Republic.

[Jim Robinson]

That's ok, I was just bringing the record up to date. I should've added an "all" to the to list.

And in between the two posts above, I also posted this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a39e34e5f619f.htm

Server downtime due to increasing load - should we have a fundraiser to upgrade?

Activism/Chapters Breaking News Announcement
Source: Free Republic
Author: Jim Robinson
Posted on 10/10/2000 10:14:07 PDT by Jim Robinson
Very sorry about the erratic behavior of our server lately. The daily traffic has been increasing slowly, but steadily for the last few weeks and I expect that it will continue to grow until after the elections. Looks like we're going to need some new hardware and also a redesign of our database. The current design is CPU and memory intensive under heavy load. This is going to require time and money. We wanted to hold off on any fundraisers until after the judge rules on the lawsuit, but I do not know if we can make it. The ruling continues to be delayed for first one reason and then another and I do not expect it to be good for us anyway. We expect that we will be enjoined from posting full text and also there will either be attorney fees or damages awarded. We will immediately ask for a stay of execution while we appeal, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

In the meantime we are struggling. I hate to ask, but we've done just about everything we can to keep the server running with the current configuration. I guess the choice will be up to you, the Free Republic participants. Should we raise the money at this time for upgrades, even though we know that the traffic may be reduced as a result of the imminent order and /or it that it will probably fall off significantly after the elections? Or do we continue to wait?

This upgrade will be fairly significant. We already have two servers, each with dual processors. The solution will be to add another dual processor server, beef up the existing servers with more memory and more disk, and upgrade the software. The additional server will be used to process database searches only, to take the load off the database posting and web traffic servers. There will also be fairly significant changes required in the software, the operating systems, and the network to implement the new configuration. John will have his work cut out for him to get all of this accomplished within a short period.

I really did not want to do this at this time and have been delaying the inevitable, but now looks to me like we either have to do it or get used to struggling every day with a server that is constantly subject to overload conditions. Being as how we skipped our September quarterly fundraiser, we are also desperate for operating funds, and we have some additional legal exenses coming.

My savings are now totally tapped out, so all funds used in the operation from this point forward will have to come from donations. So what do you say folks? Should we continue to scrape by or should we attempt the upgrade?

---

1 Posted on 10/10/2000 10:14:07 PDT by Jim Robinson
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[Billthedrill]

"Lazamataz - member since 13,462 B.C."

Newbie.

[sit-rep]

Scuse me puttin' my nose in here, and I'll add right off, I have not contributed financially because I cannot. Because of this, I do not use the place as much as I could, but I still lurk often.

Jim, the only thing wrong with these whiners is they feel hurt because they don't get their way. You know me, and know I know what I'm talking about...I hope you do anyway.

Bottom line, money is tight, and because there is a conservative in the big chair, folks are more or less content compared to the clinton years. Things get tough, do what everyone else in business does. Scale back if you can. But don't "Go away" because of some morons.

People are always going to bitch. It's in our nature unfortunately. Just step above it and carry on my man.

I wish no matter how high on the IQ spectrum one is, or thinks they are, another can't become too tactless in telling them to go p*ss off. Sometimes, it would be all it would take.

[Maelstrom]

Can you tell us the status of FR's current legal situation?

Also...how are we doing bandwidth/server-wise?

I know that as Free Republic gets mentioned more in the public eye, more people will sign up.

How are we doing?
How are you doing?

[Lazamataz]

Heh heh heh heh.... :o)

[Lazamataz]

How are we doing?
How are you doing?

How d'ya like me so far? (vigorously shaking your hand)

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Both Bush and Clinton have and did tend to attack countries that could not actually fight back while leaving the real criminals of the DC tax regime untouched....

Wow.

[dighton]

Refresh / Reload Liberty! Join www.PeopleForAFreeCountry.com

[Maelstrom]

You've been better. How long until you're able to afford your meds again?

:-P

(You have to *know* I'm joking.)

[sit-rep]

Can I reprint your tag line as a bumper sticker??

[Lazamataz]

You've been better. How long until you're able to afford your meds again?

(sobbing uncontrollably into my pillow)

[JohnGalt]

Did you once post under a different name at FR?

Why you and Statist wanted to mark up this thread I dunno, really, show some respect to the glory days of FR.

[Maelstrom]

1) Yes

2) It's not mine, it's only my paraphrasing of the Preamble to the Bill of Rights.

3) How much are you selling them for and how much goes to Free Republic?

[Lazamataz]

Gangup-pings to bombard a viewpoint you don't like isn't very attractive, bro. If you don't like Galt's message, you debate him.

Good, solid debate is stifled by gangup-pings, where a person is battered by six or seven posters at once. I once engaged in such tactics. I do not do that any more; I realize that drowning a man out with volume in no way adds to the quality of an argument, and in fact, dilutes it.

To the rest of you, please don't take the bait. Don't drown a man out with volume when CP's quality argument should take the day instead.

[sit-rep]

LOL... Not selling/merchandizing, just been going over in my head lately what I can put in the back window of my work van...what message can I place there? I seen your tag line and thought it would be a decent start...

If however I get asked for a copy, I promise I allocate 5% to FR...LOL, just kidding! All will go to FR...