| Author |
Message |
    
Terryk
 Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - 02:03 pm EST : |   |
Mara, I'm sure she'll understand you were using it as an example.
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
|
Zack
Supporting Member
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - 08:05 pm EST : | |
Mara in America we say" if ya got it, flaunt it!"
Zack NOLA Zone 9a
|
Mimi
Supporting Member
My Weather
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 09:03 am EST : | |
 This # is so inflated, I am sure most people think...."let some one else carry the load not me, things here are fine $" The number keeps growing. When in truth this is more like it for active people, but 4-5 times this amount of posters daily .  If people read that $ is sent in October and it is not cashed and a supporting member star is not posted, makes one think that their $ have been lost. Maybe some one on the staff in could notify people that their $ have been received ? Ej must be overwhelmed with running the site and cashing checks and daily living too. You can't be tied to a desk. Maybe some others on the staff could take over some responsibility for him, make things easier?
Mimi
- Wisconsin,
Zone "4b"
|
Bulliedeux
Supporting Member
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 09:07 am EST : | |
Hey!! I said I'd stay out of this thread however comma Mara!! Your pic is beautiful. Period. End of story. In fact, if I was to magically receive the fullsize version via pm, with your permission of course, I'd like to hang an 8x10 in my guest room which has other favorite pics of flowers and my garden and a very select few from others.
:)
Bulliedeux
- IL,
Zone "5b"
|
Gardenfiend
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 09:39 am EST : | |
Before or after the Photoshop beauty treatment?
Thank you sincerely for the compliment, Blaine. But I wasn't kidding when I wrote "if you only knew..." The picture is hugely improved by being shrunk to profile-picture size. 
And, just to set the record straight: those are camellias, not roses!
Gardenfiend
- Germany,
Zone "7a"
|
Bulliedeux
Supporting Member
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 10:01 am EST : | |
heh, heh... doesn't matter what the flowers are or that it's been tweaked. A lovely shot of lovely subjects. dats my story and I'm sticking to it!
Bulliedeux
- IL,
Zone "5b"
|
Lovinlife
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 12:58 pm EST : | |
That never even occurred to me, Mimi.
Lovinlife
- Utah,
Zone "5"
|
Terryk
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 04:16 pm EST : | |
Am I missing something, there really is no other staff from what I know. A few volunteers, but no staff other than Ej.
It's not a bad idea to have someone else recieve and deposit checks, but I guess it then becomes an issue that the person with this responsability be very trustworthy. Let's face it how many small time accounts rob a place blind before the owner knows of it?
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
|
Malgorzata
Supporting Member
My Garden
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 07:19 pm EST : | |
EJ, is someone helping you out at the moment? I do hope Dan can share his expertise with you. Dan, THANK YOU! I've heard only all good about you! 
It will take time and a lot of work so "when" it is all done is not an issue but EJ please be frank if you are there again by yourself only. We do need to get out of the red and then hopefully make enough money for an updated software that does not require so much time to manage. To get out of present finical situation some kind of ads are a must evil but what Dan says seems acceptable. After getting out of the red we can figure out what works better and again we can have changes. Noting is permanent if we stay alive. ;)
Mara, love your banner ad! Judith should be proud of it! 
Malgorzata
- Fukuoka-Kyushu,
Zone "8/9"
|
Malgorzata
Supporting Member
My Garden
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 07:28 pm EST : | |
Anne, Diane, Denise, THANK YOU! 
Malgorzata
- Fukuoka-Kyushu,
Zone "8/9"
|
Dannypa
My Weather
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 09:53 pm EST : | |
Thank you for the very kind words! I think I can help. I have contacted Ej directly about it. If we work something out, I'd love a banner from Mara!
Dannypa
- PA,
Zone "6b"
|
Ej
Supporting Member
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 11:26 pm EST : | |
Most people donate by paypal. Checks take longer and eventually get posted. None have been lost despite comments. The software that runs the board has nothing to do with server setup and its operations. The forum software is very flexible and to date has done everything its been asked to. If someone would like to volunteer their expertise on stopping relay spam at the server level I would like to talk to them. Other than that the only other item that is needed is more memory. More memory requires more money each month. Over 5000 people hit this site daily using the resources of the site. Growing pains are expected. The response to donations have been great and we nearly have enough funds to see us through the first quarter of 2008. Thanks!
PS. I send Mrs Ej to the bank. You can trust her:)
Ej So.Cal. Zone 10a
|
Terryk
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Thursday, December 13, 2007 - 11:40 pm EST : | |
It's good to hear that the donations are up, but Ej, do you have any idea how much more funds are needed to acquire more memory? Is there a higher level of support from the company that services us that would give you relief from the relay spam? If so, do we know how much more money that requires.
It's great that we've covered expenses for the first quarter of 2008. Are there any plans to get us through the next three quarters. It sounds like Greg's idea of period drives might be necessary.
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
|
Loretta
Supporting Member
| | Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 12:26 am EST : | |
EJ, maybe you could let us know after you have consulted with Dan, if there is a direction you prefer and what you think you need from us?
Loretta
- NJ,
Zone "6"
|
Gardenfiend
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 04:09 am EST : | |
As it seems no voluntary help is forthcoming - probably because there's no one among us who has the expertise - I think Terry's suggestion makes sense. It always boils down to money, doesn't it? As I understand it, beating off the spam is a more pressing problem than increasing memory. So this may be a one-time expense we will have to face and finance. I'm sure we can find a way - there are still quite a few untried options.
But we can't raise the same levels of money every three months. This isn't Public Broadcasting with an audience of millions. The "donation base" is finite and pretty small. How often can you expect people to give? $25 a year is one thing. $100 is another. We don't want to risk driving people away.
Gardenfiend
- Germany,
Zone "7a"
|
Greg
Supporting Member
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 08:47 am EST : | |
Yes, Mara, you are right. We should not be asking the same people to donate every three months. My main reason for suggesting a periodic reminder was to make it clear to new people who have joined or members who have 'forgotten' to donate last time around that the site runs by donations. If people don't know donations are needed they will not give.
Considering the recent flurry of discussion I am encouraged that it has resulted in 25% of the 2008 support. But that still leaves 75% to cover. I think it is clear we need to incorporate some kind of advertisements. That is the number one way in which sites like this are supported. As a matter of fact with the number of page hits that GB gets those automatic sideline ads by amazon, etc. actually could generate a great deal of income. I think that is the type of ads that really make income flow. I love the idea of supported forums and your wonderfully creative example of how that would look. But I don't think even that would generate enough income. We just need to make sure they are not too obtrusive and distracting.
Greg
- ND,
Zone "4"
|
Dannypa
My Weather
| | Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 09:06 am EST : | |
Ej,
What is the version number of your sendmail? Relay through sendmail was stopped in later versions. Will your host update or are you on a self-managed server?
Dannypa
- PA,
Zone "6b"
|
Terryk
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 10:08 am EST : | |
You are so correct Mara, but there are so many current long time gardenbuddies that have not donated. I am assuming they are missing the crisis because each forum does not bring this to this crisis to their attention.
Can we come up with something to post in each forum, which lays out the problem. Maybe something that would not allow ongoing discussions in each forum but link them back to this one should they want to add suggestions?
What about this-
Gardenbuddies needs your support. For years we have been meeting here, enjoying gardening with special friends and learning more as a result of this website. Perhpas your not thinking of how this site goes on each day. The truth be told, it takes money and a tremendous amount of time on Ej's part. He has done this for years without support, but has spent his personall funds and more time than one person should.
It is at the point that as we grow, our problems do too. In order for gardenbuddies to continue, we ask your support.
Please scroll down to the bottom of the page and hit that donate button. Your support is needed.
If you would like to join the disucssion that has been ongoing please join us in the "ongoing problem" thread in the Report Problems and Fixes Forum.
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
|
Gardenfiend
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 11:02 am EST : | |
In principle I agree with what you wrote, Terry, but since we've been reprieved until spring, I would like to suggest a moratorium on money drives. Let's see what Ej can come up with, now that all options are on the table. Then we will have a better idea of the size of the shortfall we'll be facing next year.
Gardenfiend
- Germany,
Zone "7a"
|
Terryk
Supporting Member
My Weather
My Garden
My Time
| | Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007 - 11:29 am EST : | |
But then Mara, we'll all be buying our plants for the garden, and it could be harder to come up with donations.
There is nothing wrong with having the funds there in advance to cover the costs for the next quarter/months. I would assume that is the way most business/garden clubs/societies operate.
Terryk
- NY,
Zone "6"
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