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| bduncan |
 Posted: Wed May 15, 2002 9:12 pm Post subject: Making donations to this site |
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Padawan
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 1554
Location: Silicon Valley
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Hey everyone-
I just added a new link on the site's main page (www.mqseries.net, or www.webmq.com) which allows you to make donations to the site via PayPal. Keeping with my theme of not commercializing the site (which is why donations are all the more helpful) I didn't want to plaster "Donate" links and little PayPal banner ads all over the site in an effort to get people to contribute. I believe that those who want to give will do so without any prodding on my part. Special thanks to Mathieu for being the first person to step up and support the site, before I even thought of asking! And of course, no amount is too small. The link to the page (www.webmq.com/donate.php) will explain in more detail what I will use the money for.
Thanks!
Brandon
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Brandon Duncan
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
MQSeries.net forum moderator
Last edited by bduncan on Fri Aug 06, 2004 10:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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| PeterPotkay |
| Posted: Thu May 16, 2002 4:45 am Post subject: |
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Poobah
Joined: 15 May 2001
Posts: 7722
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I think you will have to put up at least one little PayPal icon, since when this thread gets shoved 3 pages back due to new topics, no one will know about it.
In regards to advertising, I love that I dont have to deal with banner ads, spinning gifs, Flash ads, etc when I come to the site. Loads very fast.
However, unlike some people who freak out on the ListServe anytime a vendor touts his/her wares in trying to solve a problem, I personally want to know about MQ Products that companies offer. No I don't want the ads shoved down my throat on every post, but maybe a seperate page for vendors to place ads? Yeah, it wouldn't generate a ton of revenue, (what vendor would pay big bucks for ads that aren't in your face), but I consider it part of my job to be aware of as many solutions as possible.
I for one am suprised how quiet the Monitoring/Tools forum is. I would think vendors could afford to assign one person to check the forum once a day to see if they could offer any help. Or anytime a new version of a tool comes out, they could post an annoucment of the new features. Maybe they don't know about this site? I know a lot of them monitor the ListServe. I dare say the daily volume of this site must be geting close to the Listserve posts, no?
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Peter Potkay
Keep Calm and MQ On |
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| bduncan |
| Posted: Thu May 16, 2002 9:13 am Post subject: |
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Padawan
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 1554
Location: Silicon Valley
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Peter,
When you said "Maybe they don't know about this site?" that worried me, because I just posted to the ListServ earlier this week informing everyone about the changes on this site. Did you happen to see it? I've had the feeling that my posts to the ListServ haven't been going, because nobody ever responds to them. If this is the case, I think I know the problem, and it's actually an issue on my email server. But please let me know if you happened to see it (I definitely don't want to double post and anger people).
You make some good points. I actually was having conversations with contact admin about doing some sort of sponsorship, as well as giving them their own forum to provide online support for contact admin products. I was supposed to get a call from their head of marketing, but that never took place and I was a little lazy in getting back to them myself. Perhaps it's time to pick that thread up again. But like I said, I don't want to commercialize this site in the same way that many sites I personally use have become. I don't even like going to Yahoo! anymore, because there's no telling what flash ad is going to take up my entire screen, and my time. At least with TV you can change the channel! 
Giving vendors a forum to support their own products seems like a good way to do it, because if you aren't interested in learning about what they have to offer, you don't have to click on that forum.
You're probably right about the donation post. Once it moves off the top of the list, less people are likely to see it. But that's why I put a link to it on the main page. However, I get the feeling that most people have probably bookmarked the main forum page, rather than the front door to this site. If that's the case then maybe a little "Donate" link at the bottom of the page will be useful.
Thanks for the ideas though... I'll see what I can do
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Brandon Duncan
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
MQSeries.net forum moderator |
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| PeterPotkay |
| Posted: Thu May 16, 2002 9:17 am Post subject: |
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Poobah
Joined: 15 May 2001
Posts: 7722
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Your posts are not making it to the listserver. And yes, I have the main forum page bookmarked, not the actual home page.
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Peter Potkay
Keep Calm and MQ On |
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| bduncan |
| Posted: Mon May 20, 2002 10:10 am Post subject: |
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Padawan
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 1554
Location: Silicon Valley
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Okay. Thanks for the info Peter. I need to resubscribe to the ListServ using an email address that doesn't require a relay on my part. Apparently they filter out relayed email assuming it's spam. I was subscribed to the list with an old corporate email account (and the company no longer exists) so I had my personal email server sending stuff as that domain name, whereas the email server itself belonged to another domain.
As far as this topic dropping out of sight, apparently when I post things as an "announcement" they stay at the top of the list no matter what. So that's cool, although I'll make sure not to abuse that! 
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Brandon Duncan
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
MQSeries.net forum moderator |
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| dgolding |
| Posted: Thu May 23, 2002 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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Yatiri
Joined: 16 May 2001
Posts: 668
Location: Switzerland
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Hi Brandon,
Great idea of yours, noone expects you to dig into your own pocket to provide this free, uncommerical service for us. One small problem, when I went to make a donation, apart from the usual credit-card number and expiry date questions from PayPal, I started having to enter things like the validation number on my card, my address, my telephone number - and my nationality!
I know, I know,they say it's for my protection - but who's to say what the company is going to do with the information, and how secure they are going to guard it?
Besides, if my wallet had been lost or stolen, along with my credit card - it would have my address and stuff like that in it anyway - so how does this protect me?
Anyway, here's an idea - why don't you copy the major universities - and sell titles? $100 could get you master, $500 grand master  |
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| bduncan |
| Posted: Fri May 24, 2002 8:54 am Post subject: |
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Padawan
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 1554
Location: Silicon Valley
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I understand your concerns. However, a more optimal solution (like being able to accept credit cards directly, etc.) would be far more expensive because such services usually charge a per month fee (regardless of whether I collect any payments) and it requires me to provide https services (which requires a $300 per year certificate from Thawte, etc.) So you can see why PayPal is more convenient for a small fry like me. I'm also partial to them because my friend is one of the founders of PayPal
Of course if you want to send me fruit cakes, sausages, cheese, etc., I'm willing to accept all forms of donations. Papa John's pizzas work too!
It might be fun to reward those who donate with a fancy-looking certificate, saying they are a "MQSeries grand-master" granted by the "MQseries.net University"... 
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Brandon Duncan
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
MQSeries.net forum moderator |
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| bduncan |
| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2002 10:18 am Post subject: |
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Padawan
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 1554
Location: Silicon Valley
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Peter,
Looks like you were right. I decided it would be better to place a single donate link in the top-right hand corner of the forum pages since so many people have the forum page bookmarked rather than the site's main entrance...
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Brandon Duncan
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
MQSeries.net forum moderator |
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| cvshiva |
| Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2002 2:24 am Post subject: Donation to MQSeries.net (Is there Any other means than CC?) |
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Apprentice
Joined: 04 Mar 2002
Posts: 35
Location: Chennai
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Hi Brandon,
I am happy that this concern is raised atleast now and people come forward to donate for the running cost of this forum.
I also would like to contribute some amount to the very useful services of "MQSeries.net" , but certainly not through the Credit Card.
I attempted to pay through the PayPal and filled in my details , but at last I got the following error message:
"PayPal registration couldn't be completed, The transaction couldn't be completed , please try registering at PayPal.com" , there were no reasons specified. Hence I am afraid to make payments using my Credit Card.
Pls. let me know what other ways I can send the payment to you. Can I send you a Cheque or So...!!
I am staying in Singapore, you let me know what can be done, but am very particular in contributing for this great service.. !!
Regards
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Ramnath Shiva
IBM Certified SOA Specialist
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
Standard Scope International Pvt Ltd , Chennai |
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| bduncan |
| Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2002 9:57 am Post subject: |
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Padawan
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 1554
Location: Silicon Valley
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Several people have asked me about an alternative method to donate to this site. I am willing to accept personal/cashier's checks through the mail, but I don't want my address up on this site so all the web crawlers can get it. So if you would like to make a donation through mail, just send me a private message and I'll provide you with my contact information.
Thanks!
_________________
Brandon Duncan
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
MQSeries.net forum moderator |
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| arinduer |
| Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2002 8:34 am Post subject: |
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Acolyte
Joined: 13 Aug 2001
Posts: 50
Location: Phuket, Thailand
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Thanks Brandon. That's the route I'll take. Let us know how it goes.
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eric |
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| kriersd |
| Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2003 11:31 am Post subject: |
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Master
Joined: 22 Jul 2002
Posts: 209
Location: IA, USA
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Is there any reason you couldn't charge a $2 monthly fee for this service. I along with many others gladly pay for this great service.
Dave
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Dave Krier
IBM WebSphere MQ Workflow V3.4 Solution Designer |
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| bduncan |
| Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2003 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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Padawan
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 1554
Location: Silicon Valley
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I really don't want to have to resort to that. While I agree people are getting a valuable service here, and perhaps many would be willing to pay, I also think information should be free to everyone (especially when it is educational in nature). My overhead isn't that exorbant, and I'm nearly covering everything between donations and Reconda's generous sponsorship, but if I can get just one other sponsor (marketing guys at IBM take note ) I shouldn't have to worry about paying for this site out of my own pocket...
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Brandon Duncan
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
MQSeries.net forum moderator |
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| ping master |
| Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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Centurion
Joined: 20 Sep 2002
Posts: 116
Location: USA
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This Website is about my favorite on the web since I have found it I come here often, i would like to make a donation also, i will try through my paypal.
I would hate to see this site go to a monthly fee or anything like that, that may have a negative effect on this great thing we have going now. I would be happy to donate. |
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| bduncan |
| Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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Padawan
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 1554
Location: Silicon Valley
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Thank you, ping master. I would like to let everyone know that the site isn't going down or becoming a pay site, as I've been able to find a dedicated host for this site and it isn't going to cost me too much above and beyond what I'm making now between donations and Reconda's sponsorship. Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to move the site with minimal downtime. So for a couple hours this weekend while DNS changes you might see a "site down for maintenance" message. And as always, since you guys are giving me donations to keep this site running, let me know what I can do to make it an even more valuable experience.
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Brandon Duncan
IBM Certified MQSeries Specialist
MQSeries.net forum moderator |
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