# Sorry about the break in service yesterday



## Brendan Burgess (22 Sep 2009)

Sorry about the break in service yesterday. 

I was off-line all most of the day and when I checked it out at 3.46 pm, I was able to post, so I thought that it had fixed itself. 

We rely on volunteers to troubleshoot these problems and everyone was busy with their day job and could not devote time to it. 

We are not sure of the cause yet, but we are investigating it.

Brendan


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## LDFerguson (22 Sep 2009)

Hi Brendan, 

I can understand why  Askaboutmoney  relied on volunteers when it was a tiny site. But is this still the appropriate model?  Given the size of it and the fact that so many people rely on it and suffer withdrawal symptoms, would it be worth considering some form of model whereby you can pay professionals to provide technical support? It shouldn’t cost too much and could well be covered by an increased push for donations. 

Personally, I would favour establishing an annual budget, which is published on the donations page, alongside a bar-chart displaying "We have reached X% of our annual budget".  I find these can encourage support.  I wouldn't imagine that the annual budget would be huge as the technical support person would presumably be on a retainer rather than a full-time job.


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## Brendan Burgess (22 Sep 2009)

Hi Liam

Thanks for the suggestion.

From time to time, people suggest Google ads or other sponsorship, but we won't be going down that line. 

I might look into paying for professional support and development, but we would have a long way to go donations wise. 

I am not great at barcharts but here are the figures for 2009. 2008 would have been very similar. 

Hosting cost: €1,900 
vBulletin license: €100

Running costs: €2,000 per annum

Donations to date in 2009: €157 

I am sure that the hosting cost could be reduced, but we have had different hosts in the past and they broke my non-techncial heart. Hosting 365 sorted out the problem last night - we pay them some sort of Gold service agreement which includes some vBulletin support. 

Brendan


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## truthseeker (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan said:


> Donations to date in 2009: €157


 
You need to make your donations button/request more visible to encourage people to donate, where it is at the moment is too low down the page, the first time I ever saw it was when I logged in from a mobile phone and it shot me down to the end of the page for some reason - I had never noticed it in the browser window before.

There is another site I use where they ask for donations and they use a 'scrolling banner' with red coloured text in a small box at the top of the page (its not intrusive but its very visible)- so that each year begins with 'Please consider donating to running costs of site' or something like that. They dont leave the scrolling banner up very long, but they do leave the donation button up high and visible.


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## Scotsgirl (22 Sep 2009)

Brendan,
I only noticed the donation button too the other day.  It should definitely be more visable.  I am more than happy donating to keep the site going as I think it's brilliant.  I suffered major withdrawal yesterday.
A donation on way to you today!


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## AgathaC (22 Sep 2009)

Same here, I find the site so useful, withdrawal symptoms were ba-ad yesterday. Donation en route, keep up the good work!


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## steve1234 (22 Sep 2009)

Ill buy the site off you for 2k if your interested brendan - saves you making a loss.


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## runner (22 Sep 2009)

We all feel so bad after yesterday,maybe we should have a Bertie style whip around.
We wont even stay for the dinner!


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## Sue Ellen (22 Sep 2009)

steve1234 said:


> Ill buy the site off you for 2k if your interested brendan - saves you making a loss.



Sorry, did we hear you right that time, you're making a a donation of €2,000.  Gee thanks


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## so-crates (22 Sep 2009)

Knew I'd forgotten to do something this year 

Poor Liam, were you shivering at the keyboard there?


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## LDFerguson (22 Sep 2009)

so-crates said:


> Poor Liam, were you shivering at the keyboard there?


 
Don't have a keyboard any more, after the eighteenth time I hit it with my head yesterday.  I suppose I should also apologise to the postman for punching him in the face yesterday before he even said anything, then slamming the door.


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## so-crates (22 Sep 2009)

You'll be too busy typing next time to even notice he called


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## oldtimer (22 Sep 2009)

So sorry I overlooked donation this year - really embarrassed. Wonderful site - will rectify straight away.


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## DavyJones (22 Sep 2009)

Is there some where to send cheques too?


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## Brendan Burgess (22 Sep 2009)

Sure. Make the cheque payable to Brendan Burgess 
and send it to 7 FArney Park, Sandymount Dublin 4

I don't have a bank account with the name askaboutmoney.com  so I would not be able to lodge a cheque to it.

brendan


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## bond-007 (22 Sep 2009)

US hosting would cost a fraction of what you are paying. I host several sites in the US and never had any trouble.


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## pjmn (22 Sep 2009)

Ooops - donation just made.....

Regards....


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## DavyJones (22 Sep 2009)

Is it ok to send a business cheque, for the life of me, I can't find my personal one and If I don't write it now,I never will.


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## mathepac (22 Sep 2009)

Its in the post. Nothing like a break in service to focus the mind (what's left of it)....


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## Lex Foutish (23 Sep 2009)

Modest donation just made also. A small price to pay for the quality of advice, help, debate, banter, craic, entertainment, venting, good friendships made and the chance to extol the virtues of our most worthy Southern Republic!!! 

Well done all!!!!


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## mathepac (23 Sep 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> ... and the chance to extol the virtues of our most worthy Southern Republic!!! ...


Can the mods grant plenary indulgences for putting up with this auld guff?


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## Lex Foutish (23 Sep 2009)

Ah, Math!!!! In all fairness!!!! A trip down south, time spent in the company of modest people, a feed of tripe and drisheen and a few pints of Beamish and you wouldn't ever want to go home again...


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## Bronte (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan said:


> Sure. Make the cheque payable to Brendan Burgess
> and send it to 7 FArney Park, Sandymount Dublin 4
> 
> I don't have a bank account with the name askaboutmoney.com so I would not be able to lodge a cheque to it.
> ...


 
For those of us who have internet banking and now that you can make payments from personal accounts to other accounts why don't you give out the name, sort code and account no to which to transfer money to.  Cheaper than a cheque.


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## Brendan Burgess (23 Sep 2009)

Interesting idea Bronte.

I know that no one can use the information to extract money. But could they use the information to try to extract money and waste a lot of my time trying to cancel Direct Debits? 

Brendan


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## Sconhome (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan said:


> Interesting idea Bronte.
> 
> I know that no one can use the information to extract money. But could they use the information to try to extract money and waste a lot of my time trying to cancel Direct Debits?
> 
> Brendan



Suppose this is a question that should be posted in the correct thread? 

Have stopped shaking from the lack of access, refresh button is worn out. A small donation is on way also.


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## Bronte (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan said:


> Interesting idea Bronte.
> 
> I know that no one can use the information to extract money. But could they use the information to try to extract money and waste a lot of my time trying to cancel Direct Debits?
> 
> Brendan


 
Don't know what you mean by DD's but you can set up a current account just for this purpose, and immediately money comes in you take it out to another account if you have fear of people extracting money.  Where I am nobody uses cheques, even the plumber/gardener/electrician/hospital I pay by bank transfer.


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## Scotsgirl (23 Sep 2009)

Perhaps the break in service was a blessing in disguise Brendan, as you might get enough donations now to cover the €2k.


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## Brendan Burgess (23 Sep 2009)

HI Bronte

Some scammer could set up a direct debit with the information. 

I think that the banks just accept them automatically. 

When I notice the wrong debit, I would tell the bank and get it back. 

Maybe I am being paranoid.


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## bond-007 (23 Sep 2009)

Not at all Brendan. The bank would accept the DD without question leaving you to sort out the mess later.


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## my2leftfeet (23 Sep 2009)

Have just donated a tiny fraction of the savings I have made from advice on AAM.


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## MANTO (23 Sep 2009)

Brendan,

Maybe you could set up a seperate account, and where requested PM the details to frequest _'trusted posters' _and anybody else can use an alternative payment method?


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## so-crates (23 Sep 2009)

Not a bad idea MANTO, of course the assumption would have to be though that the frequent posters are trustworthy


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## Brendan Burgess (23 Sep 2009)

thanks

But I don't think that the Frequent Posters donate frequently enough to justify a separate bank account.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I will PM any frequent poster who wants them, my bank account details.

Brendan


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## Kine (25 Sep 2009)

Brendan,

Pretty sure Jeremy Clarkson did a piece in the English papers a while back and puvlished his account deails saying "no-one can steal my money, it's perfectly safe etc....". Some smart-ass set up a DD to a charity using his info. My advice, *don't* publish your account details!

K


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## smiley (27 Sep 2009)

Ive coughed up some money too! I think you should pull the plug more often Brendan. It works!


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## Guest125 (28 Sep 2009)

I never knew donations were needed,donation made to this brilliant site!!


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## millionare (29 Sep 2009)

Does a donation get any special treatment or rights for members ? Theres a widespread perception of heavy censorship and ''no warning'' bans on this site apart from a core clique who have been members forever. It seems there has been such a high ban rate that a substantial number of passionate and  quite possibly donating members have been alienated and driven away. Therefore before I would make a substantial donation I would like to know that my opinion  and the existence of my account would be respected if I gave my viewpoint on something which mods disagreed about. Until that time comes I will post here whenever I have a clear question however will never engage in any banter.


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## so-crates (29 Sep 2009)

So are you suggesting millionaire that in return for your substantial donation you would like to be able to ignore the posting guidelines since they trammel your passionate nature? Nothing quite like posting aspersions anonymously without giving any basis for those aspersions to make you seem like a genuine soul.  Insofar as I have seen, there are rules, those who step over those are warned and if they persist the ultimate response is to ban them. They may be "passionate" in some cases - though what value that is is debatable - but anecdotally, from my own time on this forum, they are generally in the wrong. As for special treatment for donors, I neither anticipate nor expect any.


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## Scotsgirl (29 Sep 2009)

so-crates said:


> As for special treatment for donors, I neither anticipate nor expect any.


 
I agree and to expect anything else is blackmail.


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## MugsGame (29 Sep 2009)

millionare, thank you for your large donation. so-crates now banned for 1 month as you requested.

Also we have written to the OED to request that they correct the spelling of your name.


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## so-crates (29 Sep 2009)

shucks! At least I can still post here though


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## Brendan Burgess (29 Sep 2009)

Socrates 

I have unbanned you as I couldn't have expressed it any better myself 



> So are you suggesting millionaire that in return for your substantial donation you would like to be able to ignore the posting guidelines since they trammel your passionate nature? Nothing quite like posting aspersions anonymously without giving any basis for those aspersions to make you seem like a genuine soul.  Insofar as I have seen, there are rules, those who step over those are warned and if they persist the ultimate response is to ban them. They may be "passionate" in some cases - though what value that is is debatable - but anecdotally, from my own time on this forum, they are generally in the wrong. As for special treatment for donors, I neither anticipate nor expect any.



Bizarrely, one guy whom we warned or banned a few years ago asked for his donation back!


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## so-crates (29 Sep 2009)

thanks Brendan  but does that count as special treatment


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