I agree, most who contribute (for any cause) do not do so for the
recognition or a pat on the back and certainly not to be ridiculed for not
giving enough. To do so tarnishes the good deed. I can't see any harm in a
little competition between the lists as a group though.
Gerard
At 8:00 PM -0400 10/17/99, William Schickling wrote:
>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.
>>
If you can stay calm, while all around you is chaos... then you
probably haven't completely understood the seriousness of the situation.
G G Gerard Chateauvieux
E A
R R pixelsmith@gerardsgarage.com
A A
R G Pixelsmith on Duty
D E
S http://www.gerardsgarage.com
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