On another thread, Doug said "We have a bad combination of intense server requirements and virtually no budget. Going with a "name" webserver company with our requirements would cost easily over $1000 per year. "

One month from today will be May 21. I would suggest that each one of us donate another $5.00 to the site on that day. That's enough time for anyone to save $5.00. Let's all contribute on that day, and Doug can let us know how much we actually raised. Are there any takers out there? I'm willing to remind you of the upcoming date. :) I think that would be a pretty small "thank you" for making the site available for us.

Psssst -- hey Doug. We'll talk about my cut in private! :D

Ed

I'm in!

Maybe make it the week of the 21st....sort of like a public TV or radio fund raising drive.

I just pitched in $10 about 3 days ago but I think it's worth it to me for the amount of info I get out of this site as compared to buying a Photoshop book or CD or even paying $99 for a day seminar. You can't beat the site as a resource for learning. So count me in. Maybe we could do what Greg mentioned and do a drive that week.

Just thought I would add, I still think we are doing pretty good with this server for the few set backs we have had to tolerate so using the money for a new one isn't a priority with me but I think Doug could still use the money so I am still with this drive.
DJ

Hmmm, buy one less carton of ice cream sandwiches equaling 3 pounds added to my ample body OR help keep a resource open to me that brightens my day and my horizons -- tough choice, but I'll be happy to go along with the donation on May 21st.

DJ, you're absolutely correct in saying "you can't beat the site as a resource for learning".

How about it -- EVERYONE who has learned at least ONE useful technique, method, or approach, contribute $5.00 -- even if you've never posted, I'll bet you've learned something worth MORE than $5.00!

I'm in, it's a samll price to pay for such a great site.

Great idea Ed! Everything I get out of this site is soooooo valuable. I definitely agree with Sanda. count me in too!!! (but it might take awhile for my donation to get wherever it has to go to in the mail)

- David :)

P.S. where would I send it to?

David,
That's an interesting point. Where do those who would like to donate through regular mail send it? Doug will have to answer that one.
As for electronic donations just click on Support in the menu listing. It will take you to Amazon's page for donations to Retouch Pro. You will need to have a credit card for that one.
DJ

Doug added PayPal a while back per Sharon Brunson's suggestion. The email address is paypal@retouchpro.com

Thanks DJ and Greg, but unfortunately I don't have a credit card so that won't work for me, and I'll have to rely on snailmail

- David

I think the week long fund raiser is a good idea. I'm sure everybody has gotten more than $5.00 worth of good advice from this site. Let's just say we'll start on Sunday, May 19 - 25. If anyone has a better suggestion, let's hear it! You will be reminded!! :) Thanks for the support.

Ed

I'm in! (That is as long as we don't have to interrupt the regularly scheduled programming every ten minutes with a pledge break! Can you tell I'm in the middle of our local NPR station pledge drive? ;) )

Jeanie

Our regularly scheduled programming will not be interupted! :D However, if everyone would like to post after they pledge their $5.00, that might encourage more donations. Feel free to post it on this thread.

Ed

Good idea!!! I still have not been able to devote all the time that I want to this site, but I'm viewing it every day and keeping track of all the good tips.

I had planned on getting in a considerable amount of time this past week, but I sell air conditioners and it was in the 90's in NYC. My days were 7am-10pm as I also do the pricing and ordering. No complaints, but I will probably past a little of this early season wealth onto Doug.

As I'm writting this, they are talking snow flurries by morning. Oh well, easy come, easy go. However, early heat also shakes them out and sets the tone for a good season if there is any reasonable heat. My wife says the best part about when I retire is that I won't be listening to the weather every day in the summer.

Just give a reminder for the donation week.

Alan

This outpouring of support is very gratifying.

If anyone needs a snailmail address, email me or PM me.

I'd make some clever quip here, but I'm pretty much speechless.

bttt

:)

Is there anyway we can have a graphic of a measuring stick that can be added to when anyone makes a donation towards the goal? Sorta like is done for community fund raising events.... .Think the idea of a pledge week is a good idea.....and (for what it's worth) the pub at our local airport charges $5 for a bottle of Guiness beer.
Paulette

Hi Paulette,

Good to have you back. Just in time to spend your money! :D

Ed

There is an optional graphic like you mention, but their demo was calibrated in thousands of dollars, and I just got discouraged and turned it off :)

We could always pretend there's a decimal point before the last 2 zeros. :)
DJ

I'm Definately in. I have had a great time since I found this site and have learned a ton from all of you generous people.

I would like the snail mail address.. I'll check in closer to the date.

Thanks
Jerry :D

Count me in.

Gene

I just returned from Amazon.com where I started the ball rolling. Whose next? Let's keep this thread going.

Ed

I am happy to donate to the cause, I do however have a small problem, I dont have a bank account! - can someone suggest another way around this problem (I live in the UK if that helps)

Sure thing. Click on the "support" link on the menu.

Ed

I clicked my donation -- didn't even get "Ed" finger... :)

I've learned so much from RetouchPRO! I doubled my donation to $10.

If you can, please do the same, or better.

Gene

Just sent mine in. I use this resource more than all my Photoshop reference material combined, so it was worth doubling it $10. Plus I'm on the site about everyday. :D
DJ

My $10.00 is on its way.

What a bargain for so much entertainment and information.

There ought to be a funds drive like this two or three times a year similar to those on PBS, although I doubt if Doug could afford the three tenors.:)

Just donated $10...now where can I donate to "fix Ed's finger fund?" :D

I'll send you an address Greg. The medical bills are going to be extremely high!:D

I think it's great that people are supporting the drive like this. But I don't want anyone to get the idea that the ante has been raised, and they have to abide by that. If you feel comfortable donating $10.00 or $100.00, I'm sure it will go toward the site as it did before. On the other hand, if you're not comfortable with the lesser $5.00 donation, please donate something, even if it's only $2.00 or $3.00. The main thing is for everyone to get involved.

Ed

I'll be sending my $10 donation ASAP but its gonna have to go by snailmail so who knows how long its actually going to take to get to you Doug, sorry.

- David

I hope no one took my challenge to double your donation if you could to mean the ante had been raised. I meant it just to encourage a larger donation if you could afford it.

As Ed said, if you can't donate $10, then donate whatever you're comfortable with. Even $1 helps.

Gene

I'm in... Donated via Paypal.com 5/18. Worth every buck and then a lot more.

-------

Doug:

Would it be tacky to post a gentle announcement on the main screen with a links to this thread, the amazon.com support page and/or Paypal.com?

Seems like alerting folks "on the way in" would catch many who don't normally engage in this forum.

...or perhaps have some of the Sr. Moderators start threads (that don't move down) in each forum with appropriate links?

I'm kind of uncomfortable doing anything besides putting up the link on the menubar. I'd hate for anyone to think I was in this for the wrong reason (of course, I'm actually in it for the women and beer, like everyone else).

Just donated $10.00 through Amazon. Thanks Doug for this great site.

Sharon

Originally posted by Doug Nelson
(of course, I'm actually in it for the women and beer, like everyone else).


:lol:

I'm in for $10.00. The Amazon payment option works very nicely!

My check is in the mail.. Bet you heard that one before..

This one is for real!!!

Thanks for a great site.

Jerry :D

$10 plus a little because I hadn't been in earlier donations...

hope the volume was higher than the postings to date..... but then again.... looks like a nice dinner and a show
RonDon:nod:

Jerry,

I noticed that you are located in Easton, Pa. I went to Lehigh and was in Bethlehem for about six years between 1953-1958. I enjoy the area. How long have you been living there?

Alan

I'm in. $10.

I'm in too! $10 plus a little.
Jeanie :D

I'm in too. :)

Sorry Doug, for some reason Amazon mixed up the expiry dates on my Ccard and rejected my payment. It's gone through again, so if you get double, have 2 beers on me :D

I think very highly of this site, and made my donation in March. I figured this site was just as good if not better than a magazine subscription, so I donated accordingly.

-T

:D

Viva Retouch Pro! Donating to this cause was a pleasure. I have probably gotten more out of this graphics site than any other on the web.:cool:
Paulette

Count me in. I've learned more here than any place on the net or any magazine. The check is in the (snail) mail. Keep up the good work Doug.

I have to say (again) how much this support, both moral and fiscal, means. At last count we had 15 donations so far this month, most from the past few days. So far they total a little over $120. Even though that $120 will really help us in our search for a better webserver, the most important thing to me is that you guys rolled up your sleeves and pitched in. That is just so cool.

all right all ready !.... post a challenge ... :)

Hang on a minute. It ain't over yet!! We go through the 25th.

Ed

well... just a thought.... but if the submission policy doesn't already allow it... couldn't the restorations be chosen from actual difficult restoration clients ?
I'm sure the clients would like to watch the results come in...
and as it turns out ... the chosen restorer contibutes... I'd have no problem with that...
I don't see an ethics problem... and announcing the chosen submission by the client would for sure make some members day...
and .. make students scrutinize the procedure used more closely...
as I say... a thought

let me add this.. maybe a forth challenge... fast track ... just for the purpose I mentioned... I've seen some awful nice work come out of the challenges doug.... and can't imagine any one minding....

I thought I'd give everyone an update.

First of all, thanks so much to all the generous souls that gave whatever they could to support our little corner of the web.

Your donations generated enough revenue for us to upgrade to a much more reliable server. In fact, I've done considerable research on this matter, and we'll soon be moving to the most reliable server company I could find, bar none.

As part of the deal we'll be getting a slight increase in space, to boot. Having reliability and more space would have been ideal, but when forced to choose one I feel reliability is much more important.

We'll make our move in late July or early August (when our contract with our current server expires).

Of course, now this is an annual obligation (though our price is locked in and will not increase). So don't get complacent and think it's over because we met our goal. Plus there's all sorts of additional cool stuff I have in mind :)

And thanks again, to everyone. I'd go all gushy and tell you what this outpouring of support means to me personally, but I'd just embarrass everyone, especially myself.

This is great news Doug! :D I think you made the right decision to prioritize reliability over space at this point. Thanks for the update!
Jeanie

Doug,
Do you know how the forum transfer to this new server? Same as last time as one long list for each thread that we have to seperate manually? Or will it be able to stay as it is formatted now?
DJ

Ah, those were the days :)

No, everything will be the same as now. You'll sign off one day on the old server and sign on the next on the new server. No one should even notice a difference (exept for the lack of errors and downtime).

Wait, I tell a lie. I might use the opportunity to install some new features, so those will be noticed :)

Cool. I was just thinking of the massive amount of work it would be to do that again with the forum the size it is. The last time made me look like a real "thread hog" with all the posts I generated helping to clean up things. :) I still top the list in thread posts.
DJ

I kept telling you that we had a great bunch here. :) That's good news. Thanks for the update.

Ed