"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

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

You’re getting kinda pathetic.

[RCFlyer]

I signed up for dollar-a-day.

Couldn’t live without FreeRepubic.

Appreciate what Jim Robinson does.

Appreciate all the defenders of true Christianity, who challenge the false claims of M-ism... and who must put up with Mormon advocates who pick fights, play the victim, then talk down FreeRepublic. God bless the defenders.

I appreciate the defenders of conservatism.

I pray God leads this site.

[Sidebar Moderator]

It sucks on some many levels...

[Quix]

Quite understandable.

Cheers.

[paulycy]

I signed up for dollar-a-day.

Thank you very, very much. It is very important to many, many people.

[MalPearce]

DJ,

Jim himself mentioned something about sending people off to Hannity’s forum so I cracked a joke about it. Maybe the self-deprecating Yorkshire humor I’ve grown up with, loses something in the translation from English to, er, English.

So thanks for the feedback.

All joking aside, if I knew what kind of internet traffic Jim needs to support and a rough idea of what it’s costing him to keep FR going there’s a possibility I might be able to help given that I do the security work for a few internet hosting companies local to Yorkshire.

[Quix]

wimpy snarkiness is just NOT doin it right!

LOL.

[Netizen]

You quoted Notary Sojac not me. I think you meant to direct your post to them.

[eastforker]

Sure I do, your motive is to convert all mormons away from the mormon church and to your brand of salvation.As if your brand has a monopoly on that sort of thing.

[Jim Robinson]

If we run ads we’re commercial. If we are commercial we run into more problems claiming fair use. We’d have to scrub our archives and really clamp down hard on our posters. I’d rather do with less income and retain more freedom.

[Quix]

Well, you may be right about that. We typically ban abortionist/homosexual activists on their first post. We give long-term posters more leeway when they first come out of the RINO closet, but not much. We find that newbie abortionist/homosexualist/gun-grabbing/big spending/big taxing/open-borders RINO type activists rarely work out, so best just to exclude them right out of the gate and save both sides a lot of grief.

---

ABSOLUTELY INDEED.

THX for that.

[Just_de_facts]

Greetings from Iraq and yes you are completely right about the aborto-homos. As Barney Fife would say “Nip it in the bud”.

[DJ MacWoW]

Sorry. Didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories! ;-)

[metmom]

But I’ve NEVER seen a real FReeper get the zot who was not first counselled and warned. Maybe even ignored. But after much persistence on their part - they finally get their wish and are zotted.

Agree 100%.

Suicide by mod. For some, it's a badge of honor to be zotted off FR. Then they can go and lick their wounds and whine about what's become of FR over the years.

But in every case where an old timer is involved, they are warned,....often repeatedly.

At that point, the decision has become theirs.

[Quix]

INDEED. Wise.

[onyx]

Jim just wrote,


Woo hoo!!

And this just in:

$25.00 from Texas
$25.00 from North Carolina
$10.00 from Pennsylvania
$10.00 monthly from Washington
$20.00 from Never Never Land
$15.00 monthly from Michigan
$50.00 from Never Never Land
$5.00 monthly from Washington
$35.00 from Never Never Land
$20.00 monthly from Never Never Land
$50.00 from Florida
$50.00 from Ohio
$20.00 monthly from Michigan
$20.00 monthly from Tennessee
$100.00 from California
$10.00 from Never Never Land
$20.00 from Ohio
$15.00 from Texas
$50.00 from Texas
$50.00 from Never Never Land
$10.00 from Illinois
$10.00 from California
$50.00 from California

Thank you all very much!!

Woo hoo!! The first TWENTY FIVE percent is in!! Thank you all very much!!

[Quix]

Yup. With good cornbread.

[paulycy]

I’d rather do with less income and retain more freedom.

That message is coming through loud and clear, at least to some of us.

What about specific goals for donations though? What about a specific goal to replace the 8th server, for instance? What about a price and a timeline to get that up and running? That would give us a concrete goal to donate for, and something that we could see as an accomplishment once it is up and running.

I, for one, have no illusion about forcing anything down anyone's throat here, especially yours Jim. We are powerless as we should be.

But I think there are a lot of people who can kick in more money and more in-kind services without destroying your vision of FR. Is it possible for us to do so?

[Sidebar Moderator]

lol

[little jeremiah]

I usually donate $10 to $15, more if I can afford it, every freepathon lately, and I live on a bit more than $1000 a month. For two people. So if I can afford that, anyone can.