Everyone,
Sorry I didn't mean individual contributions. I meant by list. You know
spridgets 1 million, Model Ts 1 million and 1.
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: <type79@ix.netcom.com>
Cc: Mark J Bradakis <mjb@cs.utah.edu>; spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 1999 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: A new world? [Long, but important.]
> Mark and Fellow Listers,
> I would be reluctant to donate ANY moneys if it meant that the amount of
my
> donation would be published. You are offering a great service and I will
send
> you the amount that I am willing and able to donate to support that
service.
>
> I believe your overture was well written, honest and covered all points. I
don't
> think it should be reduced to a contest between those with deep pockets
and an
> expose of those without.
>
> Jay Fishbein, CT
> Owner Of More British Stuff Than I Need
>
> William Schickling wrote:
>
> > Mark,
> >
> > Maybe you should keep track of where the money comes from, then publish
it.
> > Use our natural tendencies to compete. Supposedly the Spridgets list is
> > occupied by the "We tight" crowd, but I would venture that, from my
> > experience with that group, they would be generous to a fault. If
nothing
> > else it would tell you who your real customers are.
> >
> > Bill Schickling
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Mark J Bradakis <mjb@cs.utah.edu>
> > To: <healeys@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Sunday, October 17, 1999 3:31 PM
> > Subject: A new world? [Long, but important.]
> >
> > >
> > > Last week, many of the folks here in the U.S. of A observed what we
call
> > > Columbus Day. It comemmerates the voyage of Christopher Columbus and
his
> > > "discovery" of the New World. Columbus took off for unknown territory
in
> > > search of new trade routes, thinking he'd find one thing, and found
> > another.
> > > And it is getting to the point where I may do a similar thing with
> > Team.Net,
> > > taking off in an unknown direction, without knowing how it will turn
out.
> > >
> > > The current situation is that the 80 or so Team.Net lists [1], their
> > roughly
> > > 14,000 subscribers, the www.team.net web pages, the ftp.team.net FTP
> > archives
> > > are all handled by an old computer tucked off in the corner of the
machine
> > room
> > > here in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Utah.
And
> > doing
> > > the care and feeding of that server is me, just one person.
> > >
> > > *** What I would like to do:
> > >
> > > - Replace the server with at least one new box. Perhaps split off
the
> > web
> > > and ftp from the mailer machine, so having one service blow up the
> > server
> > > doesn't topple the others.
> > >
> > > Why? The current hardware is sort of still working. You got this
> > message,
> > > didn't you? One of the disks that was donated during my last plea
is
> > making
> > > WAY too much noise, and will likely kiss the turf in the very near
> > future.
> > > This stuff doesn't last forever. I've actually shuffled stuff
around,
> > if the
> > > disk does fail soon, there should be minimal loss of service.
> > >
> > >
> > > - Divorce the Team.Net box from the University. Rather than keeping
it
> > > hanging off some U of U wire, get sufficient bandwidth at home or
the
> > shop
> > > or somewhere to support the traffic loads for the foreseeable
future.
> > >
> > > Why? Basically, to keep some sort of equipment replacement fund on
> > hand,
> > > I'd like to find some way of generating a modest bit of income from
all
> > this
> > > work. And while it would be nice if all of the 14,000 subscribers
> > mentioned
> > > above would send me, say, 7.95 every year to cover each of their
list
> > > subscriptions, that is unlikely to happen. So I'm thinking of
> > commercial
> > > sponsorships, perhaps some advertising, maybe a classified cars and
> > parts
> > > service for a modest fee, whatever. But doing anything like that
using
> > > University resources is not the way to go.
> > >
> > > *** What it will take:
> > >
> > > - Money. Basically enough funding to purchase the required hardware,
to
> > cover
> > > the installation fees of a network line of some sort set up
somewhere,
> > and
> > > enough to cover several months of the ongoing line charges and
such,
> > while
> > > I ponder various income schemes. Looking for those new trade
routes,
> > so to
> > > speak.
> > >
> > > - Time. I'll provide this.
> > >
> > >
> > > *** What I request of you:
> > >
> > > - Contribute money. You *knew* this was coming, didn't you? Send a
> > check,
> > > made payable to Fat Chance Garage, to this address:
> > >
> > > Fat Chance Garage
> > > PO Box 58333
> > > Salt Lake City, Utah 84158
> > >
> > > Simple, eh? Now, the few times over the last decade or so I've done
this,
> > > I've gotten many offers from folks willing to throw in some unused,
> > surplus
> > > hardware of various types. For example, the failing disk I mention
above.
> > > In truth, I'd rather go out and purchase new stuff, which comes with a
> > warranty
> > > and someone I can pepper with complaints if need be. I think that is
the
> > best
> > > route in the long run.
> > >
> > > Also, for those many list folks who are not in the US of A, don't
worry
> > about
> > > it. Usually, a check from out of the country costs me more in service
> > charges,
> > > currency conversion and hassle than it is worth. If a batch of folks
> > based in,
> > > say, England or Australia or Canada or Germany or wherever got
together
> > and sent
> > > in one large bank check payable in US Dollars, that would be
different!
> > >
> > > If you've recently contributed, or don't feel like you are getting
> > anything
> > > out of these lists[2], or are just plain old broke, don't worry about
it.
> > I'll
> > > continue to provide what I can; payment for services rendered is on a
> > strictly
> > > voluntary basis. Which in some cases is likely a shame, as I bet
there
> > are
> > > many on these lists who make use of them for personal financial gain
in
> > one
> > > form or another, and are quite willing to continue doing so with no
regard
> > for
> > > the efforts I provide enabling them to do so. The flip side of that,
> > though,
> > > is that there are folks with commercial interests directly related to
the
> > > areas of list interests who always come through with contributions
when I
> > ask.
> > > Cool.
> > >
> > > So, let's see what we can do to improve the services I provide. If I
> > gather
> > > in a few hundred dollars, you probably won't notice anything
different. A
> > few
> > > thousand, and there could be some screamin' new hardware behind it
all.
> > And
> > > if a hundred thousand or so (Less than $8 per subscription!) I'd quit
my
> > day
> > > job and actually be able to work full time as the Team.Net guy, and
you
> > might
> > > get a decent level of customer service out of me, instead of the
current
> > > situation of more than likely no reply at all. Hmmm, would that be my
> > dream,
> > > or a nightmare?
> > >
> > >
> > > So, if you can assist, great, there's a few thousand others around the
> > world
> > > besides me who would appreciate it. If not, I hope that I can still
> > provide
> > > you with something useful in your life through the Team.Net services.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > mjb.
> > >
> > >
> > > 1: To see what the lists are, send a plain text message to:
> > >
> > > majordomo@autox.team.net
> > >
> > > Put nothing in the body of the message but the command
> > >
> > > lists
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 2: To unsubscribe from a list, first make sure you know the name of
the
> > list.
> > > See 1 above. Then, send a plain text email to
> > >
> > > majordomo@autox.team.net
> > >
> > > Put nothing in the body of the message but the command
> > >
> > > unsubscribe <name_of_the_list_as_majordomo_knows_it>
> > >
> > >
> > > If the program can figure out who you are, you will be
unsubscribed.
> > IF
> > > not, the request will be forwarded to me, so that I can handle it,
> > hopefully
> > > in a less than infinite amount of time.
>
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