Forum Support Time?

[leehljp]

Sam has been so gracious to provide this forum community for us and we appreciate it very much. He has never asked for funds, but it does take funds to keep it going.

About this time last year and the year before, we asked Sam what was needed in funds to keep it going in its current system or how much would be needed for an upgrade to handle the traffic.

1. Sam, I ask you what goal we need to shoot for in order maintain this board?

2. For who ever can, if you have the resources, I ask if you can provide some funds to keep this forum going.

In the past, in January/February, different ones have pledged and contributed $5.00, $10.00, $20.00, $25.00 - $50.00, $100.00 etc.

No one asked me to post this and I ask this out of appreciation for Sam and Adele, and for the communty here to continue this forum.

Sam, Adele?

Others?

[LinuxRandal]

Last year, I wasn't in the posistion to donate, this year I am. Wasn't there a donate button on the toolbar last year?

[ChrisD]

Just sent via PayPal. Thanks for the reminder, Hank!

LinuxRandal, on the upper left section of your homepage, there should be a "Site Navigation" box. In it you'll find "Fund Drive" under "User Control Panel".

[MikeR]

Where do I send a check?

Cheers,

MikeR

[DUD]

Thanks for the reminder Hank, I was in the shop Yesterday. I found almost a case of 12" drawer slides that I will take pictures of and donate them to the forum. Bill

[MikeR]

Sorry, just found it. Check is in the mail.

Cheers,

MikeR

[Adele]

As usual you all are amazing. It's hard to believe another year has come and gone. Sam is the one who can tell you what the funding needed for another year will be. I just wanted to say thanks for another great year.

Adele

[Sam Conder]

My long overdue response

(Pardon my verbosity, I tried to be as brief as possible )

Lee & the rest of the BT3Central community,



To the "forum veterans" among us, I apologize for my absence for the past several months and to the "forum newbies", let me introduce myself... I'm Sam and I am the founder of BT3Central.

For some inexplicable reason, I have agonized over this issue and this very post for several weeks. I have struggled to answer the question partly due to a lack of direction in my life and partly due to a guilty feeling that I have "abandoned" a very close group of friends.

For the past several months I have kicked around the idea of "retiring" from BT3Central. In my personal life, woodworking has taken a back seat to many of the other "hats" I wear like father, church lay leader, Cub Scout Cubmaster, cyclist, and backpacker. I debated whether to pass the torch to someone else, whether to determine a value and attempt to "sell" the site, or whether to just simply say goodbye and pull the plug like so many other web communities do.

The last option turned my stomach every time I thought about killing this wonderful community we have all worked so hard to build, but I must say that part of me still considers BT3Central "my baby" and could never let it go. Additionally, the demise of the Ryobi BT3 series table saw had me wondering if the site had much life left anyway.

Selling the site seemed equally repulsive since it has always been my position that all of BT3Central is a free resource that is "user funded" much like public television or radio. You can tune in and get 100% of the content for free, but if you like what you're getting it would be helpful to support it financially to insure the quality. I don't feel as though BT3Central is mine to sell.

I wrestled with the decision, fretted over it, thought about it nearly every time I sat down at my computer, and prayed about it. Adele and I discussed it from time to time (whenever she would hound me to reply to this post!) and I finally decided that there was no possible way I could give up on BT3Central. Even though I have not turned on my BT3100 or read any posts here in several months, I am still DEEPLY attached to this community and to this web site.

So... after scaring the bejeebies out of you all, I am happy to say that BT3Central is here to stay, and so am I. My procrastination has put me way behind in starting the 2007 Fund Drive so that is my first order of business. During my lunch hour today I will post the annual "Donation Thermometer" and officially kick off the fund drive. This year, our need is for $3500 to cover the hosting fees, backup provisions, software licenses, domain renewal fees, and banking fees.

Thank you for being patient with me and for being a great community! Despite my regret for being absent for the past several months, I am also proud that my dream of a self-governing forum built on the mutual respect of the members has come true. As mentioned in many posts here, BT3Central is unlike many (if not most) online woodworking communities in it's civility and support for ALL members.

[gad5264]

Sam,
It's great of you to decide to keep the BEST DANG FORUM on the net. I am sure others as well as myself appreciate it very much.

My donation is on the way.

[crokett]

Sam,

It is great to see you back and I am very pleased you are keeping this forum going. Even though I've only met one other forum member I consider several of the folks here my friends.

[mikel]

where did you find the address to send a check to? I don't do paypal...


love the site.

...mikel

[ChrisD]

Sam, in this day and age of ridiculous mergers and acquisitions, your decision to keep this entity running AND UNDER THE EXCELLENT MANAGEMENT THAT IT DESERVES is truly refreshing!

Many, many thanks to you and Adele!

[Sam Conder]

mikel,

All donation methods are detailed in the "Paid Subscriptions" link in your User Control Panel. Here is a "quick link"...

http://www.bt3central.com/payments.php

[Stytooner]

How do I find out when my subscription expires? I think it's close to time now, but just not sure. Does the subscription through Paypal auto renew?

Glad to see the choice you made Sam. I think I speak for many when I say that I would absolutely freak out without BT3Central. Thanks a bunch for all you do.

[Sam Conder]

How do I find out when my subscription expires? I think it's close to time now, but just not sure. Does the subscription through Paypal auto renew?

Glad to see the choice you made Sam. I think I speak for many when I say that I would absolutely freak out without BT3Central. Thanks a bunch for all you do.

You raise an interesting question Lee...

It appears as though your subscription has expired, but I don't know when. According to the forum documentation, the forum is supposed to automatically e-mail you when your subscription is about to expire. Anybody get one?

Also, it appears as though it does not remove you from the appropriate access group either. Something to look into...