Can you help?

Carol Taylor · #1 03-09-2002, 01:40 PM

This is an invitation to all members to become financial sponsors of Eratosphere. Your much needed and much appreciated contribution will help us pay the bills and continue to grow. As you may know, the financial burden of building and maintaining Able Muse and Eratosphere has been entirely on our administrator and editor, Alex Pepple, since he founded the site over two years ago.

The impact of the 9/11 crisis has presented some new financial challenges to Alex, and he can't continue to support this growing site alone. To find out more about how you can invest in our site's continuing success, click here. All donations are welcome and will be greatly appreciated.

Besides paying the continuing costs of maintaining our current service, your contributions can make these upgrades possible:

- getting a dedicated server for Able Muse (close to $100 per month) ... right now, with the surcharges for exceding our allocated space, Alex is actually paying more than that monthly, but most outfits ask for about $400 setup fee for a dedicated server. With a dedicated server, we gain not only disk space but better response time.

- Funding for Eratosphere's Tipsy Muse and other contests.

- Miscellaneous upgrades including more online and literary services to Able Muse and Eratosphereans.

Thanks to all of you for your participation and for your continuing support in making Eratosphere the fine forum it is.

Carol

Margaret Moore · #2 03-10-2002, 01:45 AM

Carol,
As someone only able to make a microscopic contribution (hope it's gone through) I may not be the best person to offer this suggestion. But mightn't it be an idea for you to post a copy of your appeal on the heavily used General Talk board - and indeed others - directing attention to Alex's post here? (Apologies if you have done so and I've missed it!) I'm sure other newer Erastopherians would chip in if current problems and the planned solution were brought more prominently to their attention.

RCL · #3 03-10-2002, 06:48 AM

Carol, thanks for the reminder. My chip is in.

------------------
Ralph

Nigel Holt · #4 03-11-2002, 01:47 PM

Well, I am trying, despite the best efforts of Pay-Pal to the contrary. Unfortunately I have to wait months before I get my number on my credit card statement etc., and wouldn't even let me register from a UAE address - I had to pretend to be in the UK - blithering idiots!

Alex - can you take a direct payment by credit card? It would certainly make life easier.

Nigel

Michael Cantor · #5 03-11-2002, 02:46 PM

I am more than willing to contribute - Erato deserves it - but I'll second Nigel's unhappiness with Pay-Pal and request for direct credit card payment provisions. Pay-Pain might be more accurate. They ask for much more info than the typical credit card, and ultimately it crashed on me. I grabbed the address from the first page, and will snail mail a check.

I also endorse Margaret's suggestion that you post the message more aggressively. We get a complex, rewarding, and totally free facility from Eratosphere, and I am sure many members would be happy to contribute something - if it was called to their attention.

[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited March 11, 2002).]

Tim Murphy · #6 03-12-2002, 04:51 AM

I've not tried paypal. But any bank asked to issue merchant Visa privileges to a free poetry site would "Say What?" We're too small, so snail mail checks are probably the best option. I have been aware of this problem for a long time, and Alan and I have made what is for us a rather large contribution. Hope 1995 of the other Sphereans will join us.

Michael Cantor · #7 03-12-2002, 06:46 AM

Dumb question of the day. To whom do I make the check payable? Hope somebody can advise.

Michael

[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited March 12, 2002).]

Nigel Holt · #8 03-12-2002, 07:02 AM

Yes, that's the answer - a cheque.

Can someone please post up the address and details and I will oblige.

I can only agree that Eratosphere is marvellous - it would be a bargain if it were a paid site. Perhaps for an extra fee we can name the boards? - I still think 'Deep End' should be 'Castle Dactylla' - but Alan and Tim would probably outbid me...

Now - how much was that moderatorship of 'Yet Another Free Verse' again?

Nigel

Carol Taylor · #9 03-12-2002, 07:16 AM

I would just make it out to Alex Pepple and let him put it in the right place. Nigel, regarding foreign checks, a check on an international bank or else an international money orders should be fine, but if the foreign bank doesn't have reciprocal relations with a USA bank the check may have to be sent back to the bank for collection, in which case the fee can eat into the contribution.

Thanks, Michael, Nigel, Margaret, Ralph, Tim, Alan, Jim, and all the others who are pitching in. Your contribution is much needed and much appreciated, although your continued participation in the forums is what really makes this board such an outstanding workshop, and I appreciate that too. Thanks.

Here's the link: You can use the secure PayPal with a credit card number or contribute by snail mail at the address at the bottom of the page.

Carol

Robt_Ward · #10 03-12-2002, 10:15 AM

At the risk of saying something inappropriate, and forgive me if it is, here's my challenge:

I live on a disability pension of $723.00 a month, and I just used paypal to send $25.00 to Alex. Every month that I can afford it, I will do the same, I hope to do it at least six times a year.

I love this place, it's worth it to me. We can ALL afford the $25.00 a month, I daresay, and then everything should be fine!

Let's do it, people!

(Robt.)