The future of JTRForums

[Chris Phillips]

I think the best way of preserving the historical discussions would be as an online archive of static web pages, which I'd hope could be hosted a lot more cheaply than at present. I am working on that, and I think it will be worth doing regardless of whether and in what way the forums continue actively.

In principle such an archive could also be copied to DVD, though I think the images currently on Photobucket would be too large to include.

[Gary Barnett]

Well, I'm not sure, Gary. The main thing is that we preserve the data that's stored here. The second is that it is available to researchers in the future. If we can't keep raising the funds each year, then we need to look at the ways in which the data can be moved elsewhere; I don't know what that would be or if it is even possible,

Thanks Paul.

I’ve taken screen shots of some stuff that I didn’t have elsewhere, but it’s obviously not practical to do that for everything of value. Remembering what there is and where it is is part of the problem.

[Paul]

What did you have in mind by ‘distributing’, Paul?

Well, I'm not sure, Gary. The main thing is that we preserve the data that's stored here. The second is that it is available to researchers in the future. If we can't keep raising the funds each year, then we need to look at the ways in which the data can be moved elsewhere; I don't know what that would be or if it is even possible,

[Chris Phillips]

Have big medical bills.My small donation would be Aus$30 late October.
Will require an email address to send it via PayPay.

Thanks. That's very helpful. I hope soon we'll have a clearer idea of where we stand and will be able to make some definite arrangements.

[Gary Barnett]

So, to state the obvious, 9 people contributing $100 each. Surely there are 9 people here willing to do that, or 18 people willing to sacrifice $50. If nothing else, it might give us time to investigate ways of preserving (and distributing?) the research here.

What did you have in mind by ‘distributing’, Paul?

[D.J.Adams]

Have big medical bills.My small donation would be Aus$30 late October.
Will require an email address to send it via PayPay.

[Chris Phillips]

So, to state the obvious, 9 people contributing $100 each. Surely there are 9 people here willing to do that, or 18 people willing to sacrifice $50. If nothing else, it might give us time to investigate ways of preserving (and distributing?) the research here.

I hope we'll be able to get there between us. Of course nobody should feel there is a minimum acceptable contribution. Whatever people are able to give will be welcome.

One person has contacted me privately mentioning the amount they are willing to give. I think it would be helpful if others are able to put a figure to it, and then we'll be able to see where we stand and make more definite plans.

[Paul]

So, to state the obvious, 9 people contributing $100 each. Surely there are 9 people here willing to do that, or 18 people willing to sacrifice $50. If nothing else, it might give us time to investigate ways of preserving (and distributing?) the research here.

[Chris Phillips]

Okay. So how much money is needed? What would an individual donation be?

If I understand correctly, the total annual cost for the site - as it is now - is about 900 dollars, including the web hosting and the separate hosting of image files.

[D.J.Adams]

How many regulars are there?

[Paul]

Okay. So how much money is needed? What would an individual donation be?

[Dusty Miller]

Definitely happy to contribute money. I'm a technological sheep, if I can be herded to do something that is simple, I'm happy to do that to.

[Phillip Walton]

Me too.

[D.J.Adams]

Happy to assist with a small donation.

[Chris Phillips]

Thanks to Howard for offering to help out with technical things, which I think would be very helpful.

Of course, to continue with the hosting as it is now will still require us collectively to raise something like $900 a year.

Someone emailed me privately offering to contribute, which is very helpful.

But I think we'll still need some more contributions if we're going to follow that route, so if other people would be willing to help it would be great if they could give an indication, so we'll have a better idea where we stand.

If the forums are to continue - in whatever form - the other thing that would be needed would be a small (or maybe not so small) committee to make whatever decisions need to be made. So volunteers would also be welcome for that role.