Donate to PL! For the heck of it! (Or, because it's a good thing to do.)

[platinum]

I just had a random thought to look around and see if the concept of donation has been discussed around here lately. Maybe I missed something, but I couldn't really find any conversation on the topic. I know that there is a shortage of donation buttons, but one can simply PayPal their donations to admin@photonlexicon.com, in lieu less convenient options.


That being said, I would like to encourage you, the hobbyist, the industry pro, the new laser co.- to donate a few bucks, to keep this board running in such a way that it is not too much of a burden on our fearless janitor. I know he'd be the last to ask, so I've decided to take the initiative. *ducks*


Just a thought! It's easy to take PL for granted since, short of attacks by the Free Syrian Electronic Army and vBulletin update madness, it's pretty much running all the time, connecting us all together so we can talk about cool laser things and such.


- Jonathan

[Bradfo69]

This is the last time it was brought up:
.
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...-in-blue-below
.
In the Benefactor's Lounge, Spec did talk about the cost of operation and about having been approached at times about selling the board, or filling it with advertising, or other things to help "keep the lights on" which none of us probably want. There are enough people who frequent this board that, if they all did the right thing once in a while and threw a few bucks at this resource it would never need to come to that. I'm fine with the occasional nudge here since, there are new people arriving each day that ought to know about making random or regular donations is how this place stays alive.
.
There is no "PL" company. It's a regular geek hobbyist guy like the rest of us, doing this out of the basement on very little coin and has been maintaining it 24/7 for many, many years now. That's a tremendous amount of dedication.

[Eidetic]

Thanks for the prompt!

[swamidog]

i have paypal set to do repeating payments of 10$/month.

automated because i'm a scatter brain.

[dkumpula]

i have paypal set to do repeating payments of 10$/month.

automated because i'm a scatter brain.

Ditto! (+15 char . . .)

[dsli_jon]

Sixthed!

..And for those who might have 'trouble finding el buttoncito'... There 'tis, up top-side..
..So, as Nike admonished us all.. 'Just Do It'...

Why? Sure, it's a 'good thing to do', but.. Notice the Text (Warning: Reading Required! here: https://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/payments.php ..I picked up on the part that said, 'No Corporate Benefactors..' and - for the Number of 'Pro' Co's / entities that - clearly - have Gained quite a bit over the years, *coff* Chijector Co's *coff-choo!* off of PL, well.. I think to read that is a Genuine Shame...

..IF it were up to me, I'd say - Anyone that want's to have the - privilege - of having / putting a 'commercial link' / URL / promo-text in their 'Sig line'?.. Should be *required* to be - at Least - a 'regular benefactor' if-not a Corporate one.. I mean, come-on - I'm Not going to 'call anyone Co out (like I've done in the past / nearly caused WWIII... ..but, Clearly, there are Some Co's that should have *no* trouble with such an amount (ie: they 'report', elsewhere (ie; ILDA-rosters, etc) 'Annual Revenues' in excess of $1M (..off Laser Shows / PJs, imagine That??!) and, while, sure - it's Not likely that's 'all from PL', perhaps nary a fraction, but.. Point-being..

..it just seems like many, many, Many more members, in here, are / have clearly 'benefited' / prospered / grown, etc, *directly attributable* to PL / relationships gleaned, from-within, than-are 'Blued' members.. Really a Shame to see our Admin struggling - at ALL - to keep this / himself going, for lack, thereof... Frankly, seeing a Member that I know to-be / having-had made *bank* off-of / because-of PL, and Not, at least a 'regular subscriber', makes me feel quite ..But that's just crazy ol' me, I guess..

Meantime, I'd Love to see something of a 'non-amount-specific' (but, truly Indicative of 'account Balance', etc..) some-kind of 'Supportometer', ie:
..so, we, as a Community, can *see* when things are 'running OK'.. and when things are 'getting dangerously low', for our Founding Father..

.Just an idea.. Thoughts?
ciao

j

[flecom]

'benefited' / prospered / grown, etc, *directly attributable* to PL

heh

anyway not trying to be a dick but I sent Spec like $300 many years back when things were "not good" or whatever the disaster was at the time and never heard anything so ya

[lasersbee]

heh

anyway not trying to be a dick but I sent Spec like $300 many years back when things were "not good" or whatever the disaster was at the time and never heard anything so ya

Yeah I remember the same hard times the admin had. I never heard anything back either
nor a confirmation of reception. I just let it slide. Thought he just forgot.

Jerry

[dsli_jon]

...anyway not trying to be a dick but ...never heard anything so ya

Well, I can certainly understand the :/ of not 'getting a Thanks', but.. Couple thoughts: a) I'm sure you did that as a generous person, and not "for the Thank You card", amirite? Likewise, I sent him about 2x that a few months back, for his 'move', and didn't get a gold-leaf Hallmark in my mailbox, either (he Did verbally 'Thank very much', but.. I also Called to 'follow up' / check, make-sure he Got it, etc..) Point being, those that help do because we Want to, regardless of 'reciprocity' (or not..) ya?

..And b) He's told me that he does not 'line-by-line' check in on things, daily (and sometimes, for several weeks..) so.. he might not even See a particular contributor, unless / until he 'reviews' the payments that have come-in.. Heck, for all I know, maybe he rarely / never 'checks on the Paypal transactions', themselves, just a quickie Balance-check (IS there enough to pay (whatever..) or not..) I dunno, I'm not him. But, I'd venture to say, I am sure he's Grateful, to all, for whatever help people do give, even if 'Thank You cards' are lacking..

..Maybe that's a suggestion we can make to him? Perhaps there's a script-type action that can 'auto-acknowledge' / Thank-message-back within Paypal he can set up? I dunno, never looked into it.. If so, at least then, people can 'know he Got it', etc, if that's the rub, here.

Also, as to the 'remember the hard times Admin had', well.. They never really 'stopped'.. He's gone thru some really, really not-nice sht in his life, and since he's not the type to constantly publicize just How bad things are / were for him, we might all think things are hunky-dory, when in reality, he was Really hurting. Yes - each and every one of us has their own 'ball of shyte' we deal with every-day, etc - This is Not to 'elevate his problems above all ours', etc, but.. Just saying, he's never really been able to get Out of 'Shyte Creek', despite the paddling, so..

..All I'm saying is just don't think the guy is off living in Aruba, sipping mojitos out of naked mermaid's navels, all on our hard-earned dimes, meantime 'crying poor' / help-me, help-me. It's rather been Quite the opposite for the chap. :/

Anyhoo, it's kinda me out that I'm having to answer Any kind of 'counter-point' to my post, so.. Whatever..

j

[absolom7691]

..All I'm saying is just don't think the guy is off living in Aruba, sipping mojitos out of naked mermaid's navels, all on our hard-earned dimes...

Hell, even if he was, I love this place and have gotten a lot of help/advice/contacts from here so, I feel I should be a part of what "keeps the lights on". I also do the recurring PayPal bit.

Hmmm... What would a clothed mermaid wear? A skirt, I guess?