Where we go from here is up to you...

[Ant]

I’ve come to a decision over the last few days prompted by the fact that our hosting package is now up for renewal. I’ve spent in excess of $1000 of my own money this last year keeping this site up and running and I’ve come to the conclusion that I can no longer justify (nor afford) this continued expenditure. So I am handing the future of this site over to you the users, I have a cheaper deal for hosting than last year but I now face the fact that I have $600 to pay (in advance as that provides us with a considerable discount). I am asking you the users to come up with ways of financing this, in the past people have offered donations, if that is an option then the only way I can see of collecting this is via a paypal account or similar. Alternatively one of you may work for or know a company that could sponsor us in exchange for a little advertising. The MURC is about the community built up around it, if that community can do something to keep it alive all well and good but if there is the general apathy I have seen in similar situations on other sites then sadly I will close the site down. If the majority of the funds can be raised in the next month the site lives on if not RIP MURC.

If the site is kept alive I am no longer able to play much of an active role with the site, I work rather long hours and no longer feel able to work on the site into the wee small hours surviving on 4 hours sleep a night so once again it is up to you the users to do something about this. The forums are pretty much self sufficient at present and Sasq is very kindly doing a lot of the behind the scenes work fixing any technical problems. Want I do want is to revive the main MURC news page so would like one or two volunteers to breathe life back into it with regular news items and reviews.

Whatever happens with the site I will not hand over the domain to anyone even if the site is closing down, I’m afraid I’ve put too much blood, sweat and tears into it over the last seven years to do that.

Where we go from here is up to you…

[CHHAS]

I certainly wouldn't mind chipping in to keep this place running.

How about Matrox ? Any chance they might host us or help finance, seeing as this is pretty much all about their products ?

[mdhome]

Ant
Give me a postal address and I will send you a cheque for £50. it aint much but it will help cover some of the time I have spent here over last 3 years.

Regards MD

[PAugustin]

Hi Ant, unfortunately I can't provide you with any physical help on the site. MURC HAS TO LIVE ON !!! I wouldn't mind to see a couple of ads on the site if it is needed. As for donation, I'm ready to help a little (not much as I'm still unemployed ).

I really hope this site will continue to live, I've seen the slow death of the only French fansite dedicated to Matrox (planetematrox.com). I was really disapointed, if MURC dies, there won't be anymore Matrox dedicated site left ! :'(

THE SHOW MUST GO ON...

[Wombat]

Aye. Set up a P.O. box or something. I'd love to contribute, but I have issues with Paypal and with Amazon's we-take-15% tipjar.

[Fat Tone]

Count me in for a donation. A cheque or Paypal or simillar.
I'd be prepared to buy some merchandise, but your %age on that is relatively low.

Good Luck

Tony.

PS Please don't make us Murcers homeless!

[az]

Sad to see you have so little time - hope your life will become easier soon

To get back on topic, I'd be willing to donate up to 20,- EUR (I can't really afford more), but someone will have to help me, since I don't have a credit card.

I'm sure someone will.

And I'm sure that if everybody who visits this board regularly donated ~10,- EUR/$, this could well fund the MURC.

Maybe we should start a poll asking "Will you donate 10 EUR/USD to allow the MURC to survive?", then count how many people will, and so there is an approximation of how much money will come in...

AZ

P.S.: I know you have put A LOT into this site, and I just wanted to thank you. This is my number one favourite site (mainly for the forums, of course, but for the news as well). I'll be missing your regular presence here - the forums need the voice of reason sometimes (And I hope you're not leaving completely)

[Drizzt]

I think that this is a simple problem to solve.
First of all, it seems to me that the site itself is not a problem; you can host the site pages gratis on hundreds of providers.

The real matter is the fori, but still it is not a reaò problem: we are hundreds of really active members on this forum, doing everything but speaking about Matrox :-)
So, if people are really interested in having the fori up, they will contribute. If not, you can really close the fori and mantain the simple website.

About me, if you can set up a P.O. box I can provide a bit without problems (no more than 10€ a month, however).

[az]

Maybe there could be a little extra for those who donated - a new title or a little golden $ sign next to their name or something? (I don't need this, but it would be nice to be able to distinguish from non-paying "non-members of the club" )

AZ

[Dogbert]

I think everyone should give as much as he can. Whether it's cash, time (helping maintaining the web site), finding hosts or sponsors. No need for a poll or checking people's pockets.

There are quite many of us here so if everyone does what he can, Ant might have enough for a little hardware upgrade as well.

[ratboy]

I keep coming back to Murc to read up on what Matroxs next greatest will be.

Unfortunately the last 2 times this has happened most people have felt let down by what they have produced and this apathy is showing.

The market share Matrox has isn't reflected in the amount of users at Murc anymore.

Good luck in keeping the tired old dog running...

[RichL]

Sorry, but I think having some symbol displayed in public to denote that you're a paying member is a bad idea. I already get miffed when I spot someone of Murcer or SuperMurcer status contemptously referring to Minimurcers on no other grounds than their number of posts.

I'm sure many of the regular Murc members would be happy to contribute without the reward of being given a badge. I would.

[Lizzard[MPE]]

i agree with wombat... set the p.o. box up

[VJ]

I personally wouldn't mind paying a membership fee, or simply donating based on free choice (just say how). And I agree with RichL: I'm also not in favor of a symbol displayed in public to distinguish the paying from the non-paying members (perhaps an indication in the users profile, but even that is not required for me).

Ratboy: most of my questions/answers are no longer located in the Matrox forum (perhaps that will change once I'll get my Parhelia), but the other forums are a great support. No matter what computerproblem, there likely is someone here that can (and will !) help you. And that is reason enough for me to want to keep MURC alive.

Jörg

[Wulfman]

I go with Az - I would donate some €, but have no credit card...

mfg
wulfman