Avsim Subscription

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

There are 2 regular posters who between them have posted over 13,000 times. Neither has made a contribution. Pretty shocking when you consider how little is required to get the badge.

 

It wouldn't be appropriate to name them but next time you spot a post from a familiar name have a look to see if they have donated.

 

The other thing is the visibility of the donation option. I had to scan round for a while until I spotted it. Maybe consideration could be given to making it more visible. Red flashing background would be a start.

[shivers9 1,174]

First, let me put any speculation regarding Elaine's location to rest. She is connecting from Ireland, and judging from her PayPal account, she's the real deal. Now, let's move on from that.

 

Elaine,

 

I appreciate the suggestion and the sentiment behind it. However, as Bill has pointed out, from day 1 of AVSIM's existence I have said that we will not charge, period, by any definition for access. We have said that about tiered membership, etc. As Bill has pointed out, if the membership allows us to fade away, then we will fade away. As for donations, we are 14 days away from the end of the year. Here are the donations to date:

2014-12-17_19-08-49.png

 

The Support Goal is what it actually costs, approximately, a year, to keep AVSIM running and healthy. By healthy, I mean bandwidth, putting away money for new hardware to replace our now 5 year old servers, consultants, software upgrades, maintenance contracts, etc. The Engineering Services Goal was an attempt to pay off the actual amount that we spent earlier this year when we had a RAID system failure.

 

As is obvious, none of the goals has been met despite the very generous donations of many many good folk this year, including you. Advertising revenue has been far less than the Support Donations and in the scheme of things has hardly counted toward achieving our overall goal of $36,000 for this year.

 

I am not bewailing the amount donated, nor am I holding my hand out begging. I won't do either. My philosophy for the last 18 years has been very simple; when the time comes that we can't keep the doors open, it will be because we have a community that has moved on and found their needs fulfilled elsewhere. That's okay.

 

Now, before everyone runs off with their hair on fire and screaming around the net that AVSIM is about to disappear, that could not be farther from the truth. Over the years, we have squirreled away "rainy day" money that we have been able to add to our savings to keep the doors open. That holds true unless a major system failure occurs; i.e., one of our servers dies. If that happens, all bets are off. However, as of today, we are able to assure everyone that we'll be around for a long time to come. And, just to repeat myself and shut down the anti-AVSIM goonies out there, no one on AVSIM staff, draws a salary, including me.

 

Bottom line; if the donations dry up, and we run out of reserves, then the message will be loud and clear. AVSIM is no longer a viable entity and we will go the way of the dodo.

Tom:

 

I must say that I am shocked to read this thread. More to the point, I feel so bad that I am one of the thousands who have not donated. I understand and respect your position on funding for the site. When it comes to fund raising, my only comment is that with all due respect you are to easy on us. Maybe I am a bit slow and stupid, but until this thread came up today, it never occured to me that donations were this important. I suspect that I may not be the only one. I guess I have just always assumed that advertising was paying the freight for the site. Your take on not begging for money etc. are noble and rare but the other side of the coin is that we as members have an obligation to help support this effort. Yes, I know that you have the support button their but as I said before, "slow and stupid" here never looks at it when I am trying to find help with a problem.

 

I would like to suggest two things as a start. 1. Have a running total of goals and received that appear with the donate button.  2. Have someone there at AVSIM do fund raising. It can be done low key. Maybe even raffles run for nice flight sim gear. There are many things that could be done that would make a few bucks and be fun for the members.

 

So Tom and all the other members of AVSIM....I am off to the Donate button and will remember it in the future years. I am sorry for not doing my part in the past. Thanks to Elaine for starting the discussion and I hope others have learned from this experience also.

[JB3DG 225]

There are 2 regular posters who between them have posted over 13,000 times. Neither has made a contribution. Pretty shocking when you consider how little is required to get the badge.

 

It wouldn't be appropriate to name them but next time you spot a post from a familiar name have a look to see if they have donated.

 

The other thing is the visibility of the donation option. I had to scan round for a while until I spotted it. Maybe consideration could be given to making it more visible. Red flashing background would be a start.

 

Don't be entirely sure that they haven't donated. There is the option of donating anonymously which I selected to see what would happen.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,924]

 

 

Don't be entirely sure that they haven't donated. There is the option of donating anonymously which I selected to see what would happen.

 

I have to admit being baffled why anyone would not want people to know they have made a contribution. It's not as if the amount is visible.

[n4gix 4,947]

I've made a donation, yet nothing shows despite not choosing to be anonymous...

 

...so it's not really a valid assumption to conclude that the absence of 'Donor Wings' indicates that one hasn't donated.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

I've made a donation, yet nothing shows despite not choosing to be anonymous...

 

...so it's not really a valid assumption to conclude that the absence of 'Donor Wings' indicates that one hasn't donated.

Yes, that's because you are a moderator. If your donation was allowed to show, you would become a regular member without your "powers".

 

Since we have introduced the new donation system at the beginning of the year, if you donate, there will be some form of donation acknowledgement in your profile to the left. That does not hold true for moderators and staff. These images will stay in your profile in accordance with the donation amount and detail on that can be found on the donation system. Click on the READ MORE at the end of the top message on the Donation Page to see that detail.

[JB3DG 225]

I have to admit being baffled why anyone would not want people to know they have made a contribution. It's not as if the amount is visible.

 

Aside from safe curiosity, whats life without a little whim?

[n4gix 4,947]

Thank you, Tom. That actually was my assumption all along, since the "Donor Wings" essentially occupy the same space as the normal "Member" label, or in my case the "Moderator" label.

 

I assume the same would hold true for the "Commercial Member" label as well.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

 

 

I assume the same would hold true for the "Commercial Member" label as well.

 

That's correct.

[HUSSAR 258]

How do I get platinum wings Tom?

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

How do I get platinum wings Tom?

Read the READ MORE link on the donations page. :smile:

[Poppet 703]

 

 

but with the drop box starting at $5, surely most (but not all) could afford something like that.
249 from the whole AVSIM community seems rather pitiful.

Well yes that's what I would of thought. Give a little get a lot   

 

 

So Tom and all the other members of AVSIM....I am off to the Donate button and will remember it in the future years.

Fair play, Good on you. 

 

 

Yes, that's because you are a moderator. If your donation was allowed to show, you would become a regular member without your "powers".

 

Wow I would love powers, I would make a fantastic Moderator,  No actually I wouldn't,  id be drunk with power,  way to Trigger happy. Ill stick with my wings.

So I have entitled  this "Poppet's Call" 

 

To my Avsim Brothers and Sisters, Tall, small, fat, skinny, round, egg shaped, Bald, hairy, handsome, weird features, strange and the wonderful 

Basically the Good The bad and The Ugly. 

 

Give a little Get a lot. 

 

Kind Regards 

 

Poppet your new Moderator.  Oops we had this conversation. 

[n4gix 4,947]

Elaine, with Great Powers comes Great Responsibility. I can actually count the number of people I've had to Ban over the years on one finger...

[Poppet 703]

I can actually count the number of people I've had to Ban over the years on one finger...

 

Your fingers must be gigantic:)

 

Elaine, with Great Powers comes Great Responsibility

 

On a serious note, your rite a cool level head is needed. I've got a touch of insanity running through me I'll stick to my posting.