I have found that no matter which direction I look, someone isn't going to like it. Classification of the board closure as "hard tactic" I don't feel is accurate. Think of Tele-thons, Radio-Thons... they stop normal broadcasting to take time out, sometimes for a whole week to raise donations. It is not something that is ideal, but it is really the only thing that works.
My experience is that taking a few days out of the year to raise donations does not impact anything, the few users it "might" turn away is made up for in donations which make this site available to the community at large.
Far MORE people have donated than have complained, so considering that, I think this year was a good success.
