Just So You Guys Know

[Troy Spiral (13)]

UPDATE: Don't be fooled by the fairly high current amount in the DGN Funds... .that is that way due to primarily one-time donations. We still very much could use addtional DGN monthly Supporters/Benefactors.

The "goal" and "current funds" numbers pinned under the donations page up top are much more significant now than they were before.

In years/months past , when we almost every month hit zero dollars , it would just switch over to my personal bank account and pay for whatever we needed. (im sure well over a thousand dollars over the years)

Even though currently we do have a few monthly supporters , its not enough to pay for DGN yet. (many/most of the names you see on the DGN supporter list were one time donations)

I CANT ... not that i dont want to , i basicly just CANT suck down the 20-30 bucks every month (the minimum generally needed to keep DGN on life support without any frills) anymore. When i was making 45k a year ... 20 to 60 bucks or so a month added to my usual bills was a laugh. Now its fairly serious.

DGN is not a huge operation but we do get a ton of traffic, much more than you might think based on just a viewing of the posts.

The payments , even though i've tried my best to get them all synched so they dont hit all at once, will eventually not line up with the donations and DGN will shut down starting with the less nessisary features.

It wont shut down permanently becasue the montly donations will "build up" and then the services (starting with the most basic and working its way up to the most "Frilly") will come back online.

I HATE asking for money, i generally hate even just asking for HELP , but especially for money. I just am not in a situation were i have a decent income. My income nowadays is a joke. DGN is not setup to switch over to my personal bank account anymore.

DGN will probably have its first "blackout" in about 20-30 days. First DGNs sister site will go... then DGN Radio, then the Forums. We have enough monthly donations that the domain names will basicly stay forever unless we have a mass-quit of monthly supporters so thats a good thing. Then however long it takes for the monthly donations to build up it will come back online in reverse order.

We do have enough donators that the "blackout" wont last long, but it will be annoying. This problem would fix itself if we had a robust street team (promotions) but i just dont have the energy to get that going yet. My health just isn't cutting it.

God damn that was long winded... basicly becasue im uncomfortable with the whole conversation and feel bad even bringing it up. Its not the end of the world but it is , or will be an issue. Soon.

To be sure that the "basics" that is... the domain name and the forums stay up we need at least 2 more Benefactors or 4 more Supporters (monthly) I wont bore you with the way the crossover of the payments to the various services work.

Help if you can. If not i totally understand, please dont view this as me being rude or demanding. If you want to help and you would feel good about helping please do. If you'd feel resentful about it please, PLEASE dont. Only if you can afford it, and think its a worthwhile cause.

DGN Supporter Page (more specific info)

http://www.detroitgothic.net/index.php?showtopic=258

[Onyx]

Thanks for letting us know. Don't feel bad about letting us know. We can't help if we don't know about the problem.

[kellygrrrrrl]

I'll see what I can work out Troy.

I have been in the hole, otherwise I would donate.

I am in the same position as you where my income is rather a joke these days.

But, I too thrive on this site, and I will try to do my part in the up and coming.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Thanks for letting us know. Don't feel bad about letting us know. We can't help if we don't know about the problem.

Thanks onyx, makes me feel like less of an ass. I really do feel very uneasy about asking for things. I'm willing to bust my ass running DGN but i'm hard pressed to ask others for help.

Every time i get a "DGN sucks" or "is not cool" message it makes it that much harder.

[Rayne]

Thanks for letting us know. Don't feel bad about letting us know. We can't help if we don't know about the problem.

Onyx is right.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I'll see what I can work out Troy.

I have been in the hole, otherwise I would donate.

I am in the same position as you where my income is rather a joke these days.

But, I too thrive on this site, and I will try to do my part in the up and coming.

Thanks kelly. Honestly if i was in my oldschool "troy the promotions bitch" mode that built this place was still available and I had the mental and physical energy for it DGN would pay for itself with almost no real "push" for $$. It would just happen. More peeps makes for a healthy community.

That is, right now we have a fairly active site, but its primarily "static" with a large body of regulars and very little new blood. So , the people that can donate generally already have and thats it.

In the ancient times, with the troy handing out cards and bugging everyone in their brother at the clubs to come check out DGN we always had a rotation of new blood comming in and out and therefore new people willing to help out in various ways including $$ and promotion.

Which isnt the case atm (nor in the forseeable future) but promotion , long term really is the "holy grail" of keeping a online community healthy and the most important kind of help in the longview. But its a slow, labor intensive process.

Hot chicks saying "Hi are you on DGN?" does work quite well i've been told.

Onyx is right.

Thanks Rayne. =)

[phee]

Hot chicks saying "Hi are you on DGN?" does work quite well i've been told.

Thanks Troy :blush

[Onyx]

Every time i get a "DGN sucks" or "is not cool" message it makes it that much harder.

Ahh, they can all go suck an egg.

Obviously this can be a fun place because we keep getting new members, many that stick around and there are lots of interesting cool people here. There aren't many boards like this at all.

[Msterbeau]

I'll hook ya up after I start my new job. :-)

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I'll hook ya up after I start my new job. :-)

Thanks sir. Can use as much help as we can get.

[Steven]

I was thinking about this this morning Troy.

and here's an idea of sorts....might be good, might be not so good....

as a lead in example......I tithe.

I give to my church, and to other forms of charity or need, with regularity. I can never truly "afford it", and yet to be honest, I also cannot afford to NOT tithe, because sometimes you have to place your needs as secondary to that which you recognize. I trust God to help me withthe rest.

A tithe, can be done in secrecy.

I never give at church when they pass the offering.

Instead, laura andn I give online every month, in private. We are msot comfortable with that provision and it suits our budget better.

I dont know the cost to keep DGN going.

But I do know that I'd like at least understand in detail how to solve this problem.

Perhaps if you get enough offers - then you can set up a schedule.

ANd if its not too drastic, then those of us who would liek to help can take turns, so that its budgeted monthly by those who give. Every month, soembody else sends a check.

nobody has to know who is giving or how much. Arrangements can be made via PM with those who would like to support the cause. A schedule can be made, and confirmations can be done privately. Nobody has to feel bad, nobody has to feel good, whoever can help can help, whoever cannot does not have to worry about it. It can just get done, which sometimes is best. I personally do not want to be listed as a DGN supporter, if I choose to get involved. I'd rather just be a part of this community. But thats just me.

Just a thought.

??? Steven

Edited November 10, 2006 by Steven

[Brenda Starrr]

Every time i get a "DGN sucks" or "is not cool" message it makes it that much harder.

Ahh, they can all go suck an egg.

Obviously this can be a fun place because we keep getting new members, many that stick around and there are lots of interesting cool people here. There aren't many boards like this at all.

Those who say that DGN sucks or the blackouts are not cool can kiss my gothy white ass. If it pisses you off THAT much, donate. Seriously, even in my tightest of binds, I've donated. This place has brought me to a place in my life that I'm REALLY happy about. It is also the INTERNET. There ARE other things to do outside of DGN! Can you believe that? Check it out!

And Onyx is right. There AREN'T many boards like this at all. Come ON. How the Hell does a Baltimore girl who has never left the state of MD fal in love with a state that she had never even been to? So much so, that I would love to live there?

The people, people!

This board is what brought you into MY life and filled some void that I never knew existed. If you all REALLY like it here and care about DGN, please donate! If you want to keep it running, please help! (Which reminds me-I have to check to see if I set up my donations with my replacement card...)

I know how tight things can be. I've been there. But, if DGN brings any solace to the rough spots in your life, donate if you can.

Okay, I guess I'm done with my semi-rant. Please donate!

[Steven]

Those who say **********can kiss my gothy white ass.

Okay, I guess I'm done with my semi-rant.

One should not so freely offer up their candy to the hungry masses, Love.....

[torn asunder]

15 members at $5 a month would cover it, from what i understand... doesn't sound like too much of a stretch. $5 is *one* meal at mcdonalds or subway, for example - a month! i'll be setting this up on my account soon, i think...

Edited November 10, 2006 by torn asunder

[Brenda Starrr]

One should not so freely offer up their candy to the hungry masses, Love.....

ROFL@the "candy."

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I was thinking about this this morning Troy.

and here's an idea of sorts....might be good, might be not so good....

as a lead in example......I tithe.

I give to my church, and to other forms of charity or need, with regularity. I can never truly "afford it", and yet to be honest, I also cannot afford to NOT tithe, because sometimes you have to place your needs as secondary to that which you recognize. I trust God to help me withthe rest.

A tithe, can be done in secrecy.

I never give at church when they pass the offering.

Instead, laura andn I give online every month, in private. We are msot comfortable with that provision and it suits our budget better.

I dont know the cost to keep DGN going.

But I do know that I'd like at least understand in detail how to solve this problem.

Perhaps if you get enough offers - then you can set up a schedule.

ANd if its not too drastic, then those of us who would liek to help can take turns, so that its budgeted monthly by those who give. Every month, soembody else sends a check.

nobody has to know who is giving or how much. Arrangements can be made via PM with those who would like to support the cause. A schedule can be made, and confirmations can be done privately. Nobody has to feel bad, nobody has to feel good, whoever can help can help, whoever cannot does not have to worry about it. It can just get done, which sometimes is best. I personally do not want to be listed as a DGN supporter, if I choose to get involved. I'd rather just be a part of this community. But thats just me.

Just a thought.

??? Steven

Thats , in essense how its setup to work just not exactly in the details and less complex. Long term the main donations come from monthly donations as it adds up over time. Thats a certian amount that is automaticly donated every month. Its not exactly the same as your example but its the same general concept. If you dont want to be listed as a DGN Supporter thats fine. There is a long history of doations to various places that for whatever reason the doners dont want to be known.

[The Void]

When we all break it down, it's $60 per year to keep a community alive that's been around for a damn long time. Long enough for most of us to have gone through several board incarnations when it died in the past or was rebuilt, etc.

right now I only have a shit part-time job, but I'll throw in the $5 a month just to keep DGN from becoming a big blackout hassle for the keepers of the gates. I can only imagine that some things get lost when features wash up and to keep having to bring it back from archives adn all that would suck after awhile for those giving of their time to do this.

Consider the $60 a year a gift to the people who give of their time to keep DGN running and a place to some to. Honestly, I don't have a lot of friends in Michigan yet, but DGN was the reason I came and live here, so I feel I can at least chat with familair faces here still.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

15 members at $5 a month would cover it, from what i understand... doesn't sound like too much of a stretch. $5 is *one* meal at mcdonalds or subway, for example - a month! i'll be setting this up on my account soon, i think...

In many cases its not even one meal. =D Its a bit more than 15 if they are all $5 donations as the Credit card / Paypal fees eat into it a bit but still, same concept.

The cost of DGN is really almost a joke spread over how many users we have. For most people the act of filling out the donation page is probably more effort than accumulating he pocket change that the two suggested donation levels we have are is.

Honestly if it wasn't for this bullshit with the car accident i wouldn't even bring this up. I'd just pay for it myself. Probably spent more time agonizing over asking for donations than it would take to just make the money at work. (when i was employable)

[Troy Spiral (13)]

When we all break it down, it's $60 per year to keep a community alive that's been around for a damn long time. Long enough for most of us to have gone through several board incarnations when it died in the past or was rebuilt, etc.

right now I only have a shit part-time job, but I'll throw in the $5 a month just to keep DGN from becoming a big blackout hassle for the keepers of the gates. I can only imagine that some things get lost when features wash up and to keep having to bring it back from archives adn all that would suck after awhile for those giving of their time to do this.

Consider the $60 a year a gift to the people who give of their time to keep DGN running and a place to some to. Honestly, I don't have a lot of friends in Michigan yet, but DGN was the reason I came and live here, so I feel I can at least chat with familair faces here still.

Wow , damn i wish i wasnt in the health situation im in right now. If you want to meet people (and i wasnt laid up like i am) i could easily introduce you to 40 people in one weekend. Many of them very nice. Damnit. I gotta get better grrr.

[torn asunder]

Damnit. I gotta get better grrr.

don't force it, man - talk to the docs about varying meds, then just go with the flow!!

[Brenda Starrr]

don't force it, man - talk to the docs about varying meds, then just go with the flow!!

What he said.

[BillyDeath]

I wanna know if there is anything I can do too, bud. Just gimmie a holler on my personel message. Shit, I live about 2000 miles from you guy's and this DGN has been my only means of communication with you guy's.

[Homicidalheathen]

Well I just gave another 25. I know it isn't much but It will help for now. I am not doing the monthly thing...prob just give you 25 here and there when I can afford too.....as I am already on sg. But might I say, there are a few of us on all the time who get allot out of it and can afford to donate. It still isn't fair though......we need a regular fundraising effort.

[Brenda Starrr]

Thank you, Windy. That's really cool and helpful!

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I sent you an email also , thanks windy. =)

Basicly if we can just get the number of monthly subscritpion supporters/benefactor donators up a bit we wont have this problem anymore. For how many users we have DGN really is very cheap to pay for. When the donations are consistant (rather than say one month there are single donations adding up to 100 bucks... then nothing for 3 months) it'll be fine.

I think part of the issue really is that some people just dont realize that DGN could, just dissapear one day. (that and some people just dont care hehe)

But enough care about DGN i think that with a bit more pestering it wont be that much of an issue. Frankly im suprized we dont have a surplus of $$. I had assumed that there would be a surplus at some point large enough to be able to spend money on investing in advertizing the board and/or DGN merchandise (which then would help generate more for the board)