We're getting a server- and you still want swag **UPDATES**
Jun 16, 2015 20:20:42 GMT -5
Post by NariaDreaming on Jun 16, 2015 20:20:42 GMT -5
UPDATE: We've got enough to purchase our dedicated server! Thank you all so much!
Because requests for custom titles and love tit language are still coming in, we wanted to provide an updated list of expenses we are anticipating in the next 2-3 months that we can apply these funds to. Transparency rocks!
1) Stock art. We will need stock images for all of the articles going on to the TCF website, as well as for the website itself. Costs are variable. If you're a photographer and you have images you'd like to donate usage rights to, feel free to contact theophania or NariaDreaming!
2) Legal costs- we've spent $600 so far on legal registration for the business as well as for drafting and editing the website Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, and Community Guidelines. We still need to have a moderator agreement, writer agreement, and editor agreement drafted. We expect this to cost between $300-$600
3) Accounting software- because we need to keep Uncle Sam happy. We're leaning toward QuickBooks, unless any accounting professionals have other recommendations. Anticipated cost: $250
4) Server Upgrades. DreamHost has stated that their entry-level dedicated server should meet our current needs, but there is the possibility that we will need to upgrade our RAM as the static content of the site grows. Anticipated cost: $600
tl;dr version- TCF needs money for a dedicated server in order to grow. You can receive cool digital forum swag in exchange for a gift of support ($5 or $10 levels). Skip to the last paragraph for the types of swag available.
If you look in the navigation bar (desktop) you'll now see "swag and support" as a custom link. You can go there to get updates on where things are at with the server as well as new BUTTONS TO CLICK to support!
So, after the events of yesterday with the forum showing cached pages, it became abundantly clear that our current hosting plan is not sustainable. TCF is growing, and as we continue to grow, we need more space.
One of the improvements that was implemented last week a piece of code that allows us to fully integrate these forums into our website (thencomesfamily.com) without having to move to another forum host. The reason we want the forums to be integrated with the site is that the more pages of quality content a website has, the higher it ranks in google search results.
If the forum and the website were separate, we would have a site, when it launches, with 200-250 pages of content, and very few pageviews. But with this code that was implemented, when the website launches, all of the posts, replies, and page views on the forum would “count” as page views for the website- which would push our URL up the search result listings- which means more new members for us.
Unfortunately the way this code works is to basically “route” every request for the boards through our domain, which is hosted on a shared server currently. Because of the INCREDIBLY high traffic of this website (over 300,000 page views a day on average), we were taking up too large of a percentage of that shared server’s resources. Because we were taking up too much of the server resources, the host basically shut our domain down and started serving the cached copes of the page- which is why it appeared you were “logged in” as someone else.
The second reason we need this dedicated server is that in order to build advertising relationships, we need the forum to NOT have a proboards address. Because there are over 4 million forums on proboards, and many of them are FAR more vulgar than what we post, anything with a .proboards address is frequently turned away from major ad networks.
To complicate matters further, we were accepted into a very popular ad network yesterday before the fiasco, and we need to have the ThenComesFamily domain back up ASAP to avoid being kicked out of that network permanently.
After the terrible experience with our current web host yesterday during the cached page fiasco and their complete unwillingness to do ANYTHING to protect our users during this period, it has become very clear that we need to switch hosts, and we need to do so now.
The cost of 6 months of hosting on a dedicated server will be in excess of $1200- we are currently leaning toward going with DreamHost, unless anyone who is tech savvy has another suggestion. If we can manage to raise the $2300 needed for a full year of hosting, they'll give us a decent discount over the month-to-month cost
That’s where you guys come in. I know when we first started talking about the future of the forums, several members suggested a crowdfunding campaign to help fund the startup costs. We looked into traditional crowdfunding, and instead have decided to go with a “support” button on the site, and some fun digital swag to go along with it.
For $5, you can choose the phrase that is posted as the daily love tit. Please keep it safe for work. Just include your proposed love tit phrase in the memo when you make the gift.
For $10, you can choose your own custom title that appears under your screen name. Up until this point, we gave out custom titles only as a “thank you” to members who went above and beyond or did something that made us all smile. If you choose this option, please include your TCF username in the paypal memo and your first and second choice options for custom title. They also must be safe for work.
For $15 you can force a title on another user who has at least 100 posts to their account. It must not be defamatory or vulgar
* and if you're the recipient of such a gift, you may request it be removed. No refunds to the giver though!
Go ahead and ask questions, please tag NariaDreaming with them, but be aware that I’m going to bed shortly.
You can also paypal us directly! Our paypal email is thencomesfamily@gmail.com
Same thing applies- tell us your screen name, and what swag options you want. I'm not a mind reader
ETA 2: If you do not have a paypal, please shoot me a PM with your email address and how much you would like to donate. I can generate an invoice and send it to you via email. There is an option to click "Don't have Paypal?" on the checkout screen, and simply enter a credit or debit card number. That info is processed by paypal- I will not see your card information!
Because requests for custom titles and love tit language are still coming in, we wanted to provide an updated list of expenses we are anticipating in the next 2-3 months that we can apply these funds to. Transparency rocks!
1) Stock art. We will need stock images for all of the articles going on to the TCF website, as well as for the website itself. Costs are variable. If you're a photographer and you have images you'd like to donate usage rights to, feel free to contact theophania or NariaDreaming!
2) Legal costs- we've spent $600 so far on legal registration for the business as well as for drafting and editing the website Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, and Community Guidelines. We still need to have a moderator agreement, writer agreement, and editor agreement drafted. We expect this to cost between $300-$600
3) Accounting software- because we need to keep Uncle Sam happy. We're leaning toward QuickBooks, unless any accounting professionals have other recommendations. Anticipated cost: $250
4) Server Upgrades. DreamHost has stated that their entry-level dedicated server should meet our current needs, but there is the possibility that we will need to upgrade our RAM as the static content of the site grows. Anticipated cost: $600
tl;dr version- TCF needs money for a dedicated server in order to grow. You can receive cool digital forum swag in exchange for a gift of support ($5 or $10 levels). Skip to the last paragraph for the types of swag available.
If you look in the navigation bar (desktop) you'll now see "swag and support" as a custom link. You can go there to get updates on where things are at with the server as well as new BUTTONS TO CLICK to support!
So, after the events of yesterday with the forum showing cached pages, it became abundantly clear that our current hosting plan is not sustainable. TCF is growing, and as we continue to grow, we need more space.
One of the improvements that was implemented last week a piece of code that allows us to fully integrate these forums into our website (thencomesfamily.com) without having to move to another forum host. The reason we want the forums to be integrated with the site is that the more pages of quality content a website has, the higher it ranks in google search results.
If the forum and the website were separate, we would have a site, when it launches, with 200-250 pages of content, and very few pageviews. But with this code that was implemented, when the website launches, all of the posts, replies, and page views on the forum would “count” as page views for the website- which would push our URL up the search result listings- which means more new members for us.
Unfortunately the way this code works is to basically “route” every request for the boards through our domain, which is hosted on a shared server currently. Because of the INCREDIBLY high traffic of this website (over 300,000 page views a day on average), we were taking up too large of a percentage of that shared server’s resources. Because we were taking up too much of the server resources, the host basically shut our domain down and started serving the cached copes of the page- which is why it appeared you were “logged in” as someone else.
The second reason we need this dedicated server is that in order to build advertising relationships, we need the forum to NOT have a proboards address. Because there are over 4 million forums on proboards, and many of them are FAR more vulgar than what we post, anything with a .proboards address is frequently turned away from major ad networks.
To complicate matters further, we were accepted into a very popular ad network yesterday before the fiasco, and we need to have the ThenComesFamily domain back up ASAP to avoid being kicked out of that network permanently.
After the terrible experience with our current web host yesterday during the cached page fiasco and their complete unwillingness to do ANYTHING to protect our users during this period, it has become very clear that we need to switch hosts, and we need to do so now.
The cost of 6 months of hosting on a dedicated server will be in excess of $1200- we are currently leaning toward going with DreamHost, unless anyone who is tech savvy has another suggestion. If we can manage to raise the $2300 needed for a full year of hosting, they'll give us a decent discount over the month-to-month cost
That’s where you guys come in. I know when we first started talking about the future of the forums, several members suggested a crowdfunding campaign to help fund the startup costs. We looked into traditional crowdfunding, and instead have decided to go with a “support” button on the site, and some fun digital swag to go along with it.
For $5, you can choose the phrase that is posted as the daily love tit. Please keep it safe for work. Just include your proposed love tit phrase in the memo when you make the gift.
For $10, you can choose your own custom title that appears under your screen name. Up until this point, we gave out custom titles only as a “thank you” to members who went above and beyond or did something that made us all smile. If you choose this option, please include your TCF username in the paypal memo and your first and second choice options for custom title. They also must be safe for work.
For $15 you can force a title on another user who has at least 100 posts to their account. It must not be defamatory or vulgar
* and if you're the recipient of such a gift, you may request it be removed. No refunds to the giver though!
Go ahead and ask questions, please tag NariaDreaming with them, but be aware that I’m going to bed shortly.
You can also paypal us directly! Our paypal email is thencomesfamily@gmail.com
Same thing applies- tell us your screen name, and what swag options you want. I'm not a mind reader
ETA 2: If you do not have a paypal, please shoot me a PM with your email address and how much you would like to donate. I can generate an invoice and send it to you via email. There is an option to click "Don't have Paypal?" on the checkout screen, and simply enter a credit or debit card number. That info is processed by paypal- I will not see your card information!