03-13-2006, 10:58 AM | #1 (permalink) |
Please touch this.
Owner/Admin
Location: Manhattan
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What's TFP worth?
So, it gets harder and harder to earn donations from people. The TFP has been around for more than 4 years and it has existed primarily because it's users support it with funds. Some users have donated over $400 over the course of these 4 years. There are a few people supporting the site financially with big chunks of money, while others throw in a few bucks here and there. Well, the problem with this model is donor burnout. I can only ask so much of the same people over and over. New donors have to step up. There are some people who have been browsing the TFP for all 4 years and have not given a cent. There are new users who really love the TFP, but who have not yet been through one of these donation rounds and dont even know how this site supports itself.
We're in a bind and the alternative to all of this is to charge a subscription fee. People have been suggesting it for years, but the donations have been sufficient. Sufficient, but with diminishing returns. Why should you donate? Isn't the internet supposed to be free? Well, you have to take responsibility for your pleasures. If the TFP is one of your pleasures and it's struggling to make ends meet, then wouldn't the right thing to do be to pitch in? We offer a site with great information and discussion, a soap box for you to voice your opinions, and thousands of members to interact with - all free of trolls, kids and advertising. None of it's very flashy, nor hi-tech, but it still costs a lot of money to maintain. We need help from EVERYONE, not just the same people over and over. Please donate!
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You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals] |
03-13-2006, 11:40 AM | #2 (permalink) |
The Death Card
Location: EH!?!?
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my problem has always been the lack of a credit card, and therefore, the lack of paypal
if donations were accepted through other means I would donate, but you've repeatedly said that paypal is the only method of donation. I don't know if this policy has changed, perhaps you could inform us.
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Feh. |
03-13-2006, 11:42 AM | #3 (permalink) | |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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03-13-2006, 01:42 PM | #4 (permalink) |
Psycho
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hey hey,
I am also very hesitant about using Paypal for things, until I remembered about checks ! I sent a personal check out to Halx (got the information from him) and it was all good. If Halx doesn't want a suddent flood of checks (although that probably isn't that bad of thing) or do not have a checking account, you can go with a money order as well. Most banks offer them for nominal fees, or some (like mine) give you a few/year as a part of doing business with them. Also, for those in the USA, you can get them at your local postal office [ http://www.usps.com/money/sendingmoney/welcome.htm ] , for only 95 cents. That's probably less than what paypal charges Halx, (forgive me if this OT) but how much of the bandwidth costs attributed to the TB ? Just wondering if you're considering freezing that, as it was in the past during financial pinches (IIRC). Catcha back on the flipside, keyshawn
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currently reading: currently playing : |
03-13-2006, 02:38 PM | #5 (permalink) |
Kick Ass Kunoichi
Location: Oregon
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I have no problem ponying up my fair share of the cash when I have it. The problem is that lately I haven't had it. But I am proud of my "donor" tag and I will continue to donate as long as I can spare $10-$20--that moment just isn't right now, but probably will be a month from now, maybe more.
And I really do urge those who can afford to donate to do so to help keep this site running not just for yourselves, but for the community at large.
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
03-13-2006, 05:41 PM | #12 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: Maineville, OH
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Mine's on its way...
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A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take from you everything you have. -Gerald R. Ford GoogleMap Me |
03-13-2006, 06:50 PM | #13 (permalink) | |
Please touch this.
Owner/Admin
Location: Manhattan
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You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals] |
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03-13-2006, 06:52 PM | #14 (permalink) | |
Please touch this.
Owner/Admin
Location: Manhattan
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Quote:
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You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals] |
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03-13-2006, 07:44 PM | #16 (permalink) |
Fade out
Location: in love
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without TFP where would i post nude pics?
my $25 sent. Come on ppl... give if you can... AND i'll give you a kiss for it Who wants kisses? If you donate... i'll give you a kiss sweetpea
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Having a Pet Will Change Your Life! Looking for a great pet?! Click Here! "I am the Type of Person Who Can Get Away With A lot, Simply Because I Don't Ask Permission for the Privilege of Being Myself" |
03-13-2006, 07:49 PM | #17 (permalink) |
peekaboo
Location: on the back, bitch
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Heh. Sent my $45 before I saw this here....you'd think with all the users, if everyone sent in $15, there'd be...uh...hm..well, enough to run this for a long time
Here's what I do and it would probably work for everyone: When you get your tax refund (and we know you will get one, you're all very savvy TFP'ers), give 2%. Ok, if you're only getting back $10, just send half that, but if it's a goodly amount, you won't miss that 2%-you'd probably just spend it on something really dumb. Right?
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Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em. |
03-13-2006, 09:31 PM | #20 (permalink) |
Please touch this.
Owner/Admin
Location: Manhattan
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Call me lame, but I don't think my users want to log in to ads all over the place. Even when we were in the 6,000's for a time, I have never considered it.
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You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals] |
03-13-2006, 10:12 PM | #21 (permalink) | |
Fade out
Location: in love
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Thanks for donating to this amazing site sweetpea
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Having a Pet Will Change Your Life! Looking for a great pet?! Click Here! "I am the Type of Person Who Can Get Away With A lot, Simply Because I Don't Ask Permission for the Privilege of Being Myself" |
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03-13-2006, 10:13 PM | #22 (permalink) | |
Fade out
Location: in love
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Quote:
sweetpea
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Having a Pet Will Change Your Life! Looking for a great pet?! Click Here! "I am the Type of Person Who Can Get Away With A lot, Simply Because I Don't Ask Permission for the Privilege of Being Myself" |
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03-13-2006, 11:01 PM | #23 (permalink) |
Quadrature Amplitude Modulator
Location: Denver
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It's been about a year since my last donation, and since that time I've gotten a nice job, so I sent $100.
Subscriptions would be an easy way to avoid needing to do fundraising like this every so often. Unfortunately, it might cut out some college students who don't already benefit from TFP as much as they can. Perhaps what we could do is have subscriptions, but allow people to have a free subscription for the first 3 months or so? Thing is, at $5 a subscription you'd only need 80 of them to cover the monthly bill.
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"There are finer fish in the sea than have ever been caught." -- Irish proverb |
03-13-2006, 11:16 PM | #24 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: Victoria
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I think a free subscription followed by a fee is a good idea. In 3 months (even less) one should be able to get a good feel for this place.
Cheque will be in the mail shortly after the tax refund goes into my bank account. -Tamerlain
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I never let school interfere with my education. |
03-13-2006, 11:23 PM | #25 (permalink) |
Boy am I horny today
Location: T O L E D O, Toledo!!
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I'm sorry about not donating anything in a year. I had a crappy job, and now no job... But, I'll be sending what I can Friday. I personally love this place, and wouldn't find the net as interesting without. Once I get my unemployment check, I'll send $50.00.
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03-13-2006, 11:23 PM | #26 (permalink) | |
Fade out
Location: in love
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We SHOULD be able to support it with all the members we have... if we'd only donate a little more often and without getting a kick in the ass about it. sweetpea
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Having a Pet Will Change Your Life! Looking for a great pet?! Click Here! "I am the Type of Person Who Can Get Away With A lot, Simply Because I Don't Ask Permission for the Privilege of Being Myself" |
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03-14-2006, 02:01 AM | #27 (permalink) | ||
Found my way back
Location: South Africa
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But anyways... I'd like to send the money via snail mail, but I'm not sure what the best way is to go about doing it. I've heard the postal cheque/money order idea, but I'm not sure if it'll work since it's foreign currency and being sent internationally. Any ideas would be appreciated. healer
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03-14-2006, 02:53 AM | #28 (permalink) |
What the HELL?
Location: Bowling Green, OH
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I understand the dilemma of many of our members. I AM the college student that some of you speak of. Money is ALWAYS tight, but if you will notice at right, I DO have a donar tag. I know, I know. You're all thinking that I am a hermit that never leaves his appartement and is really good with money right? HAHAHA. Donate what you feel you can afford. This IS a place worth keeping around and FREE!
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"Adolescence is short, maturity is forever" |
03-14-2006, 03:39 AM | #29 (permalink) |
C'mon, just blow it.
Location: Perth, Australia
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Heh, I donated a hunjie last time and still haven't received the donor tag. Had slipped my mind until now Want a copy of the receipt, Halx?
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"'There's a tendency among the press to attribute the creation of a game to a single person,' says Warren Spector, creator of Thief and Deus Ex." -- From an IGN game review. |
03-14-2006, 10:02 AM | #31 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: Right behind you...BOO!
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I've been here for a while, and I will freely admit I haven't donated before now, and what I did send I hope isn't worthless with the fees...but it's what I and asshopo could do! I hope it helps maybe just a little bit!
Thanks to everyone who has helped keep this place alive and to Halx for the reminder of how we are all working together to keep this place what it is...and not just in terms of money!
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Smile It makes people wonder what you're up too! |
03-14-2006, 11:17 AM | #32 (permalink) |
Crazy
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I'm really confused about why this site costs $400 a month to run... are there not really cheap hosting solutions out there?? Don't get me wrong, I sent my donation, and was happy to do it...
and don't yell at me for never donating before, because before two months ago I really only dropped by TFP a couple times a year, and i've only been a regular visitor/contributor to TFP for about the last two months despite my join date... anyway, i'm getting sidetracked... how much bandwidth does this place use? I mean... there are really great hosts out there with dedicated servers, 80GB hard drive, 1.5 terabytes of transfer per month for $200... surely that would be enough for TFP, right? Or is TFP really THAT huge? Okay, that's enough out of me.
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I'm swimming in the digital residue of a media-drenched world. It's too cold. |
03-14-2006, 12:05 PM | #33 (permalink) |
You had me at hello
Location: DC/Coastal VA
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It seems like every site I’ve been on has had the discussion about cheap servers, cheap hosting etc. All of those sites have gone to subscription (which absolutely KILLS a site), or have become unworkable with ads or spammers.
Yeah, you can do it a lot cheaper. Go look at peoplesforum.com. Still free, but un-moderated or administered, except for when the site owner gets around to weeding through the thousands of reported posts. And filled with asshats. If it takes $400 a month to run a moderated board like this, I take it as an article of faith. There’s nothing else like this forum. I asked and PM’ed for donor info without paypal, because of some shady meanness they committed recently. Now that I know how to send some ka-ching, I will. I promise.
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I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet |
03-14-2006, 12:08 PM | #34 (permalink) | |
Apocalypse Nerd
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03-14-2006, 03:26 PM | #35 (permalink) |
Location: Iceland
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Money comin' your way ASAP, Halx.
/toddles off to locate checks... should I just put my user name at the bottom? EDIT: PayPal is easier, gonna do that.
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And think not you can direct the course of Love; for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. --Khalil Gibran Last edited by abaya; 03-14-2006 at 06:33 PM.. |
03-14-2006, 08:53 PM | #36 (permalink) | |
peekaboo
Location: on the back, bitch
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Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em. |
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03-15-2006, 05:02 AM | #37 (permalink) |
Leaning against the -Sun-
Super Moderator
Location: on the other side
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I made a donation yesterday, hope you got it Hal. My Paypal doesn't use my little_tippler email so you might be wondering who that's from. I'll try and donate more regularly from now on. I can't believe that soon it'll be two years that I've been on TFP!
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Whether we write or speak or do but look We are ever unapparent. What we are Cannot be transfused into word or book. Our soul from us is infinitely far. However much we give our thoughts the will To be our soul and gesture it abroad, Our hearts are incommunicable still. In what we show ourselves we are ignored. The abyss from soul to soul cannot be bridged By any skill of thought or trick of seeming. Unto our very selves we are abridged When we would utter to our thought our being. We are our dreams of ourselves, souls by gleams, And each to each other dreams of others' dreams. Fernando Pessoa, 1918 |
03-15-2006, 08:34 AM | #38 (permalink) |
pigglet pigglet
Location: Locash
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Halx,
Can y'all set up something like a bi-annual reminder, or quarterly or something? Something like those little mandatory messages we get - or a reminder over in the corner on the front page? I don't know if it would bother people or not, or if you feel it would come to close to whoring the site out. Just thought it might help if there was a reminder every so often to make a donation for those of us who would donate anyways.
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You don't love me, you just love my piggy style |
03-15-2006, 12:04 PM | #39 (permalink) |
Please touch this.
Owner/Admin
Location: Manhattan
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To those wondering about the TFP's performance... it actually runs on 2 servers, whose hosting space makes up the bulk of the cost. The bandwidth it uses IS substantial, but people don't normally realize that we do use 2 servers.
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You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals] |
03-15-2006, 02:34 PM | #40 (permalink) |
paranoid
Location: The Netherlands
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Ok, I must confess... I've been a lurker here for quite a while now.
Haven't been on much the past 6 months, but I've missed it, so I'm back now. And with my return will come a donation! I'm currently broke, but next week some money will find it's way to you Hal. I also hope to make regular (bi-monthly or so) donations in the future if this PayPal thing works out. (I'm new to PayPal) I hope we can all chip in enough to cover the costs!
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"Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. " - Murphy MacManus (Boondock Saints) |
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