www.microlighters.co.za has me by the curlies...

[DarkHelmet]

I don't know who of you recall this time last year - we were having connectivity problems from 3G networks and no-one could get on the site.

I looked at the webstats and thought we could fund the site by moving it to a South African host. I added the adverts and moved the site to a server I own in Cape Town. At the time of moving I negotiated a bandwidth rate of ZAR0.14 per MegaByte - turns out we surfed the site at megalopolous 50GB per month - 1 GigaByte = 1024 MegaBytes = 50 x 1024 x 0.14 = R7168 per month.

The site was hosted at my provider and I am indebted to them for this account to the amount of R64,000 after drawing funds from our central fund to settle it already. I tried to do the forum good but turned out doing the forum good and myself VERY VERY BAD.

Payment arrangements are in place for my error but this is a big amount and my creditors are threatening to shut some other sites down.

I have moved the site to a new host that only costs R80.00 per month to maintain, with unlimited diskspace, unlimited bandwidth etc. But I still find myself with the huge bill of my mistake to move the site local

The mistake was mine and I did not know the gravity of my commitment but the arse end of the story is still my bill.

I am trying to add value to the site - I have started playing with http://video.microlighters.co.za and the site is not yet there but I have this bill looming over my head.

Would you pay R20 per month on a debit order to be able to host as many pics as you want and as many videos as you want up to a certain limit? Pay per GIG if you want? Help me with ideas to repay the site please because I only did it for the good of us all and not to me end of existence.

I need to repay the bill and I also want to start a fund for Microlighters. My creditor is happy with my repayment plan but I fear I might not make it out of ordinary cashflow.

People commit to a monthly debit order for running the site - it is being run like a Section 21 anyway but outflows exceeded inflows initially.

Monthly financials can be made available, I propose we start a fund and we as members of the site allocate surplus funds - at present I am indebted to my creditors for the fund but it will be paid off and the fund will go into surplus.

Ideas:

Trikenut started to become an active member - sponsor him an intro flight
DarkHelmet's wing was chowed by a heyana - sponsor his repair (That is already covered)
Tailspin needs a loan of R5000 to finish his VP1 - he gets low interest rate loan
Demon had an oopsy and needs to cover his excess - low interest loan to cover his excess
Wart has no money after his divorce and wants to borrow a few bucks to stay in the air
Bennie Vorster needs AvGas from Bloem and someone is doing a trip over to him

Not going to name every incident or requirement but as a community we can help each other.

We are a community and by making the income/expense available we can run this as a society for members.

Comments, feedback and flames appreciated.

DH

[ZULU1]

DH, Sir; your commitment is admirable, we all know the value of the site !! Thats a no brainer, its brilliant.

We contribute monthly in any event, however I am prepared to contribute something each month as a prize. We regularly donate Tjokkies to flying events, schools, magazines and clubs for "whatever".

Maybe if you can investigate a kind of monthly microlighters short codes SMS system where we as manufacturers (and other suppliers) could donate "something" whatever we come up with, strobes, Vee antennas, Headsets, Helmets. I would imagine other types of service providers, Hotels, Game lodges, Cell phones, Tee shirts, Caps Tow Bars (Brett ZUCAC) and whatever you can describe within this community. Kind of a online SMS auction set up.

We need to establish a forum member who has time to sort this one out though...Big problem as most people have little spare time !!

Worth a think about.

Cheers Paul

[Stephan van Tonder]

Although right currently I am in a very hard place financially I don't think we should leave you hanging out to dry for hosting this site at huge cost. How about we all get together and do a once off donation to at least knock that debt. At payday I can commit only a R100 or so this month but in a couple of months I could maybe do more. If everybody that reads this site donate something at least we can help you there. If you would make account detail available or PM it to interested parties I think we all owe it to help you.
As for a future commitment of R20/pm for picture hosting. For sure - no problem.

[Morph]

I am also happy to to set up a debit order to do R100 per month

[Tracer]

I have a debit order, contributing R100-00 per month for quite a few months now. Will be happy to increase to R120-00.

[DarkHelmet]

We started a bank account a while back at ABSA for this very purpose. To ensure transparancy Demon, Tailspin, Morph and I get the updates and have access to the account.

Will be running the site as a company from here on.

Banking Details:
Account Name: Microlighters Forum
Bank: ABSA
Account No: 9203583195
Branch 632005

[Stephan van Tonder]

Thanks. Will set up a debit order.

[AndyG]

Will transfer R100 per month on the 25th every month

[Bayliner]

I know I am not very active relative to posts but I browse the forum every day. I too will contribute at the end of each month. I assume I can just do an EFT into the above mentioned ABSA account?

[Wallaby]

Have just contributed R200. Will give R50 each month very happily. Have learned a lot, laughed a lot, cried a lot and met a lot of new friends on and from this forum. Better entertainment than EsEiBeeSee-ons-wil-hê-jy-moet-ons-net-geld-gee.

[Grumpy]

It's a numbers game. With 2747 members it's peanuts if you get the 'buy in' from all. Unfortunately that won't happen. Let's get the R60k sorted first !!!
You will get my R100.
And I CHALLENGE all members to do the same. Even if it's just a once off donation !!!

[Dish]

No Brainer - debit order to be effected end of this month R 100.00 per month..

Great job DH, Im not sure if we express our appreciation enough (other than getting You hammered at the Dros) - THANK YOU for all that you do for the site in the background...

Cheers mate

[Ranger]

A hundred ZA rands at the end of every month from me and thanx. I know that I have a lot of freinds on this forum.

[skybound®]

Sorry DH - not flames - but someone has to ask the difficult questions.

I count 100 users with more than 100 posts so assume that is the active pool that could be relied on. If 50% of those donate, would require at least a R500 donation per annum. It begs the question if that is sustainable.

What is the bank balance looking like? Seriously, is the added speed really worth the cost of keeping in SA? You could host this site for about one tenth of that if offshore.

More concerning, with contributions towards the hosting from the member pot, at my best guess around R3k per month - is this current model sustainable. How many month's costs do you have in reserve? At best guess again - it probably wont die tomorrow - but may definitely have a slow puncture

DH I asked the questions in May and November last year and they were never really answered. Were you monitoring your income vs the expense. Surely your position could have been established long before it hit the R64k shortfall?

I see the DNS record still points to a SA based server - how does that work?

[Harlequin]

Irrespective...we need to ask the questions!
In the mean time you have my contribution.
Keep it safe out there.
Graham.