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.
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"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.] Dont have the financial wherewithal."
"To those who wish to leave because of it, see ya."
"If FR dies, thats that."
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[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.
Its 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, theres no going back. As it is, we get a couple thousand donations per quarter averaging about $30 bucks each and theres no guarantees we can cover this quarters expenses much less next quarter. Were 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 wont solve it. [This latest glitch] was a technical issue and we just had to keep troubleshooting until we found it. And no, were 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 hes pushing 40 now. He built these systems and hes an expert in them.
And no, we are not going to throw out our software and rewrite it and no were 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 thats for sure. And we dont 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!! Ill 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.
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- Jim Robinson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2653583/posts?page=168#168
I agree
I do know what I am talking about, we host with dedicated servers and we use SQL Server, we don’t have to pay the high prices of SQL Server, but get it’s amazing performance.
http://www.serverintellect.com/
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.
Here’s my 2 cents. I’ve been here for a long time. I rarely post articles, I occasionally comment on articles. I probably have donated a very few dollars to FR, but not recently. I have decided what few political dollars I have to spend will go to political candidates who are conservative, and have a good chance to win. No matter how good of a candidate you are, if your opponent is running 10 TV ads to your one, you’ll probably lose. Our guys need money to compete, so all of my political budget has been going there.
As for FR, I like this site, I come here for news, but rarely donate. I think that’s something that could be financed through a few ads, or such, plus like I said, I think our candidates need the money more. Furthermore, I don’t want to donate money, and then be banned because I spoke out of turn about Sarah Palin or DADT. If we want win in the arena of ideas, we have to spend some time debating the other team, and hone our arguments. Who knows, you might even convert a few of them. If you run off everyone with a moderately different viewpoint, the site becomes stale and boring.
Thank you.
Thank you very, very much.
You are mistaking problems with slow response with the look and feel of Free Republic. IMO the look and feel is just dandy. Apparently you don't like it, too old fashioned. You've made your point.
agreed. sounds odd.
Why would Jim or anyone else say no to a donation from a wealthy person from the right side of the isle?
We know neither of us speak for other people much less Jim Robinson, but I doubt if some financial giants with the means to donate bigger sums came along that he would be offended.
I have always wondered why there are seemingly no financial whales donating to this site which has obviously been the foundation for MANY wonderful conservative efforts. In some ways that never made sense to me.
If FR dies, it goes away forever unless something changes. Is this acceptable to us?
FR is currently seriously underfunded. This is something we FReepers can do something about.
Comments? Suggestions?
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I really appreciate you getting this out there. This is the site I turn to first for news and in fact, I rarely read any other news sites as I used to.
That said I was participating heavily 2 & 3 FReepathons ago with sponships etc. and then I found a disturbing trend during the last FReepathon that caused me to back off.
It’s not you or your fault, I’m simply replying to your post because it’s easier and I want to get the information out there for others to see.
I had been adding posts into some popular threads simply saying that ‘FReeper so & so’(name withheld as it isn’t important) was sponsoring X number of folks - contact this person and you’d know money had been donated for you, which for folks that can’t donate right now is pretty cool.
I got some of the worst, rudest and harshest FReepmail I have ever received over this! One of the tamer ones came from a very, very prolific poster here and said something along the lines of “I’m too busy for your s***, take it off my threads”.
Now this wasn’t hurting anyone and is similar to the items other FReepers have posted on this thread. I think it’s helpful because if I couldn’t donate, I’d like to see a notice saying some other FReeper would happily do so for me.
So sadly the attitude expressed in those FReepmails turned me off to anything other than just doing my monthly $1 a day plus gig. It’s sad when attitudes like that from frequent posters cause problems, but there you have it. If I’ve experienced it maybe others have also.
So does the Republicans idea of a Big Tent. How are those Rinos working out for ya?
That is beautiful. Take it to Barnes & Noble and Starbucks and organic food stores. lol.
Some new t- shirts would be nice. My old FR shirts are worn out.
$.25 per post might make some think if what they are about to say is worth saying. Just saying...
But ads won't be? *sigh*
Esplains your complaint. I am not a single issue visitor. I like a full cross section of info. Mainly, Breaking and current events.
Fly paper. The Religion Forum was created to pull such topics out of News/Activism.
I do know what I am talking about, we host with dedicated servers and we use SQL Server, we don’t have to pay the high prices of SQL Server, but get it’s amazing performance.
http://www.serverintellect.com/
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 can't read Jim's mind, and he is a man of few words.
No, that was CS’s relative, Celtic Crosshairs, a second cousin once removed (but he came back anyway).
Let anyone read the truth. Let subsribers post.
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