Donation Drive

ScottW

ScottW

Founder
Staff member
I just wanted to thank each of you who donated again. What an awesome group of people we have here. I know that some people may question the method to my madness of closing the site down for a few days or having this odd scheduling, but honestly, we raised more yesterday than the previous 30 days put together.

It is the success that make it worth while. On this round, even those who donated where affected by the donation drive. So, those who are don't wish to particiate in that area or can't for whatever reason aren't left out.

Here's to a good hear. Take care.
 
I wonder if a simple nag screen would be enough without pissing people off causing them to leave.

You are right, I for one do not understand the method to your madness, and frankly refuse to support it. I'm amazed others do (did).
 
I don't agree with Sogni, but I can see where he's coming from. The sad fact is running a web site takes money. I just don't like the heavy handed approach but I do understand it. Maybe Scott you could start by making the rounds on some other Mac sites. Maybe you should try pointing out the web site and forums on YourMacLifeor Inside Mac Radio.
 
I'll give updates at the close of this day. This is the last day of the donation drive.
 
While I agree that donations are a good thing for users to do for a website they frequently visit and find useful, think of the new users that won't make a trip back here because their first experience was a "forced donation" page and wouldn't allow them access to the site.

I think a nag screen, banner, or nag entry page would be a better idea while allowing the site to still function, but I'm sure we've all got our own ideas on how best to implement a donation drive.

Running a website takes money -- that's a given; however, when the site is shut down because of a donation drive, that seems to me more like assessing a membership fee rather than a donation drive.

I hope you make your goal, and I'd donate if I could, but all I can offer at this point in time is knowledge and help. Good luck, and thanks for all the years of great macosx.com'ing!
 
Truth be told, my initial reaction to the temporary site closure was one of utter annoyance. I actually looked into the possibility of visiting other sites with forums, like Spymac etc. Just do a Google search for Mac forums and you'll see loads of other forums.

However, most of the other forums don't have as many members as Macosx.com does. Plus I'm not familiar with the posters and there just isn't doesn't seem to be the kind of helpfulness that you find on these boards. It also helps that I'm more familiar with the users on these boards and enjoy reading the posts by people like ElDiabloConCaca, bobw, Zammy-Sam, Randman, Cheryl and many other frequent posters. I've learnt loads from these guys and girls.

Keeping all that in mind, it would be a shame to see macosx go to waste. Thus, I donated. So please Scott, easy on the hard handed tactics. They do more to hurt the community than help it survive. Other options like a nag page would be preferable.
 
I'd have donated again this year, but you only allowed payments by PayPal, and I'm not able to use PayPal in Dubai...

Sorry... :(
 
I donated. In all honesty I would not have donated if not for the inconvenience though, at least not yet. I have not been coming here long enough to decide whether I am here to stay or not. Left to my own devices I probably would have donated in 3-4 months if I were still around. So I guess in that sense the annoying tactic worked, or at least sped up the process.
 
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. :)
 
i donated. mostly out of shame cuz i didnt donate last time.
what's the site policy about ads? i have seen a few, but maybe there could be more (they dont annoy me if they are within context).
 
I guess I can see your point. But it's still quite a hard tactic to play. So long as it doesn't kill the community that's been built up around macosx.com, I'm all for donations.
 
Being in the UK, and with the exchange rate so favorable at the moment, I felt i had to donate - i suspect the money i gave will go a lot further for scott than me. Given how often i visit the site and how much help i've got here, paying a few quid every year is pretty painless.

Also, on the advert front, macosx.com, thanks to Pith Helmet, has mostly been advert free for me. :)

Once again, thanks scott,

ora
 
Unless we get a $26 donation, we won't meet our "Today Goal" of $850. But, no matter the out come, business as usual tomorrow. Thank you all for your patience, understanding and contributions.
 
Grr. I have been spending my dad's money left and right so far this semester (text books alone cost me over $500, and my circuits teacher just informed me i have to purchase a circuits kit for $42 and a lab notebook for $20). I don't know what i'm going to tell my dad, i have $8 in my account right now.

Over the summer when i'm working (i can't now because school and hockey is enough as it is) i will definitely donate to this site. I have found this forum extremely useful, and would love to help you guys out, but i simply can't at the moment.
 
Whoa.... $500 for textbooks for a semester? That is a *lot* of money. What kind of course are you doing?
 
The forced donation was pretty silly when a lot of us donate when given just the slightest nudging…

Maybe you should consider having a paypal link in the sidebar so people can donate throughout the year instead of "when it's time"? I think you might find you won't have to shut the site down.

My best example is National Public Radio. They delay some content with the pledge drives, but they don't go to dead air either.

Conclusion: Don't go to dead air again like you did because it is annoying. But I'm still happy to support this site. :cool:
 
Viro said:
Whoa.... $500 for textbooks for a semester? That is a *lot* of money. What kind of course are you doing?
Click to expand...

I'm a mechanical engineering major, and because a lot of us don't opt to sell back our books at the end of each semester (we like to keep them as reference tools for the future) it is next to impossible to get cheaper, used text books like many other majors can get.
 
I also encountered the "site shutdown" and i think it was in very poor taste.

I would have donated in response to a more friendly, less "in-your-face" promotion or request.
 
I would have donated in response to a more friendly, less "in-your-face" promotion or request.
Click to expand...

There's been a button on the pages for awhile;

Make a Donation Support us for 2005

That seems pretty friendly :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top