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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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PostPosted: Wed 13 Aug, 2014 9:25 pm    Post subject: Annual fund drive.         Reply with quote

Oh, I was thinking it was that time of year, but it seems that it has already started without my noticing it first. Surprised

Anyway, I'll be contributing something later some time early next week when I'm into a fresh credit-card billing month after the 18th of this month.

As with each year it's good to remind ourselves that Nathan shouldn't have to pay for the hosting considering how much " Unpaid " work he puts into the site, and that we derive a lot of personal benefits because of it's existence, from new knowledge, to access to new makers and for makers who get a benefit in getting known by people most likely to be interested in purchasing their work or having custom work commissioned.

We also get a lot of input by scholars and writers of books who just happen to also be members of this site, and often get the privilege of seeing the work and work/design process of makers with in progress pics of some pieces.

Anyway, I'll pop in occasionally to remind people about donating, and others shouldn't be shy to also give their reasons why they like this site and want to help support it financially if they have the means to afford to do so: Even a $10 donation is helpful as well as upgrading one's membership.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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J. Nicolaysen




Location: Wyoming
Joined: 03 Feb 2014
Likes: 32 pages

Posts: 795

PostPosted: Fri 15 Aug, 2014 11:14 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Good post Jean. I read the features and reviews here years ago, but only joined the forums this year. I was happy to make a small membership upgrade then, and I was proud to help out a week ago with this drive. Considering the contacts, manufacturers, knowledge and of course one or two knives or swords found through the classifieds, the amount I gave is relatively token. Everyone should feel obligated, but more importantly, happy and proud to help keep this place going. I don't have any useful knowledge to give compared to what I read here on a daily basis, but I'm happy I can help in this way.
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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PostPosted: Mon 18 Aug, 2014 4:00 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

As promised last week I just sent in my donation to round out the donation total to date of posting this at $1000: I like round numbers . Wink Big Grin

So, only another $200 to reach the halfway mark of $1200 to the donation goal of $2400 to cover the hosting cost for the coming year Wink

Keeping this invaluable resource of information and of friendly discussion is a good idea for everybody who visits, and even more for those who visit often. It's also valuable to the many custom makers and small production companies out there in a very specialized niche market.

I do notice in the current list of donors a few makers who have been kind enough to make a donation, and thanks.

( Disclaimer, note: I'm just a frequent poster and longtime member, but I'm not part of the " official team " of moderators, or Nathan, so I'm only giving a personal opinion that makers have a personal interest in helping keeping this site active and on-line ).

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Dan Howard




Location: Maitland, NSW, Australia
Joined: 08 Dec 2004

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PostPosted: Mon 18 Aug, 2014 5:46 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'd like to thank Jean for his annual reminders. I wouldn't donate at all if it were not for his prompting. This is a valuable forum and needs to be supported.
Author: Bronze Age Military Equipment, Pen and Sword Books
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin


myArmoury Admin

PostPosted: Wed 20 Aug, 2014 5:32 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks, Jean, for posting this. My original plan was to pay for it out of pocket this year on my own, but then my entire job situation changed and, well, I'm scrambling to figure out what to do next. Any and all help is appreciated.
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Wed 20 Aug, 2014 10:17 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Nathan Robinson wrote:
Thanks, Jean, for posting this. My original plan was to pay for it out of pocket this year on my own, but then my entire job situation changed and, well, I'm scrambling to figure out what to do next. Any and all help is appreciated.


Well, I hope it helps, but it's good to let us know that you really can't do it all by yourself and maybe that finances are tight at the moment ..... hopefully with some chances of getting better, but in the short term having to pay the whole hosting charges went from possible to a possible hardship or even close to impossible.

I do watch the Topic thread and bump it once in a while, while trying to avoid becoming a nag about it !

Now, a few of us give some donations in the 3 figures, but if everyone who gets a lot from this site contributed just $10 the whole hosting bill would be paid in a nanosecond .... Wink

So if one is really in dire financial heath giving $10 might be money they have to keep for rent or to put food on the table, but for those who are not in any real difficulty, $10 is like skipping one fast food meal or a couple of cappuccinos, or not going to a movie ! Actually going to a movie with a date and buying the over priced popcorn is multiple times greater than a $10 donation.

So, if you come here weekly or daily, get a lot of pleasure out of the site, and want it to be around for a good long time it's in your interest to make that small contribution of ten bucks.

Hope I'm not guilt tripping anyone, but " A Fund Drive is a Fund drive " and a lot of organized charities are a lot more obnoxious and aggressive in trying to get donations than this site: I know for a fact that Nathan really dislikes even asking anyone to donate, so I'm doing a little of it for him, and for all of us, but in a very extremely polite Canadian way ....... Razz

A Canadians are so polite joke here ..... Wink Razz Laughing Out Loud By the way what does a Canadian say when you step on their foot ? " He or she says " EXCUSE ME ".
( Actually true, I've done it myself as almost a reflex WTF?! ).

On the other hand when rilled up Canadians historically can be scary soldiers, just ask the Germans in WWI and WWII ...... LOL.

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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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PostPosted: Fri 22 Aug, 2014 8:06 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Well, another bumps as donations have slowed down and the Topic is off the " recent " post on the home page.

Just a little math again: There are close to 29,000 registered members, now I assume this is the total of all the people who have registered over the years and many may not be active or frequent readers or posters, but lets say that 1% of these are still really interested in the site and frequent it at least a few time a week or at least once a month ..... at the very least they still consider the site a source of information and entertainment.

That is 290 people or to round it out about 300 people who would really miss the site should it disappear.

HMMMMM: 300 people each giving $10 that is $3000 and more than the donation goal !

To be realistic each year the number of people donating has been between 75 to 100 I think ? So, on average people donating have been donating more than $10 dollars and if we factor in a dozen people who donated between $50 and $100 or more it means that a few have been carrying a lot of the weight of paying for the hosting fees .....

Well, this is probably normal human nature as usually only a few people in any group or organization really are active in giving time or money.

So basically if we can get a lot more people to contribute $10 or even $5 we should be able to reach the donation objective without it being financially painful for anyone. ( Note: I don't know if there is a minimal amount under which a paypal donation becomes inefficient but I know that $10 is O.K. , not sure about $5 but It might be the lowest donation that is practical ??? Maybe Nathan can clarify this point if I'm in error ? ).

A lot of people are also " Guest " who haven't registered for a " FREE Membership, but they can also send a donation even if they don't want to officially join and register for some reason ? I view and like many other sites but I can understand the reluctance to join avery interesting site one comes across.

By the way people who have registered for a free membership can also help the site by upgrading to a paying ,membership if they wish.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Jeroen Averhals




Location: Flanders, Belgium
Joined: 16 Feb 2007
Reading list: 2 books

Posts: 66

PostPosted: Sat 23 Aug, 2014 3:32 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I have been a member since 2007 but have read more than I have posted.
I didn't have paypal before, but I do now.
That 10 USD won't hurt me.

Vigor et Veritas
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Aaron Hoard




Location: Seattle, WA
Joined: 01 Sep 2009
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Posts: 176

PostPosted: Sat 23 Aug, 2014 7:17 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I think I'm signed-up for an automatic "subscription" - when does that get charged?

I kicked in another $10 just because it's fund drive season.
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Mark T




PostPosted: Sun 24 Aug, 2014 9:51 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Finally made my donation ... it's fun to see the whole list of those who have donated so far ... I alllllmost feel like playing a version of the current 'ice bucket challenge' and calling out a couple of people who aren't on that list ... but should be! Cool

But I won't! Laughing Out Loud

Perhaps, instead, we could start a list of our own reasons to donate, such as:

- I've learnt something here that I haven't seen anywhere else.
- I've made friends here whom I value.
- This site supports and encourages an interest that I gain a lot from.

Feel free to add your own reasons!

Chief Librarian/Curator, Isaac Leibowitz Librarmoury

Schallern sind sehr sexy!
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Craig Peters




PostPosted: Mon 25 Aug, 2014 1:48 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

How about: donate to have a chance to win a free Tod's Stuff dagger?

Check out the details, here: http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=30738
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J. Nicolaysen




Location: Wyoming
Joined: 03 Feb 2014
Likes: 32 pages

Posts: 795

PostPosted: Mon 25 Aug, 2014 9:47 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Wow Craig, that's really generous and a wonderful piece by Tod.Glad I am in the contest!
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Mikko Kuusirati




Location: Finland
Joined: 16 Nov 2004
Reading list: 13 books

Posts: 1,080

PostPosted: Mon 25 Aug, 2014 11:08 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Oh, cool! I was in before but had to throw in another five bucks for that.

No matter, this place is far more than worth it even without prizes. Happy

"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Tue 26 Aug, 2014 9:29 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Craig Peters wrote:
How about: donate to have a chance to win a free Tod's Stuff dagger?

Check out the details, here: http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=30738


Craig, very generous and also good taste in selecting a really appealing prize since Leo makes really nice things.

Well, as everyone has probably already noticed the fund drive is past the mid-way point and seems to be acquiring some momentum. ( Yes I'm being " Captain Obvious here Wink Razz Laughing Out Loud )

The prize certainly helps in getting attention to the fund drive and making it fun, I also think that when people contribute to this Topic and the other related Topic about the prize by telling why they like and appreciate this site it also creates a certain buzz and contributes to donating.

Any fund drive to be successful needs the " ACTIVE SUPPORT " of the membership and not only in making a financial contribution.

Anyway, thanks to all those who have contributed so far.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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PostPosted: Thu 28 Aug, 2014 9:23 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Well, as I write this we are at $1700 and past the midway point and I added another $40 to my donation total to get the donation total to a nice round number.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Scott Hrouda




Location: Minnesota, USA
Joined: 17 Nov 2006
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Posts: 643

PostPosted: Mon 01 Sep, 2014 8:34 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Mark T wrote:
Finally made my donation ... it's fun to see the whole list of those who have donated so far ... I alllllmost feel like playing a version of the current 'ice bucket challenge' and calling out a couple of people who aren't on that list ... but should be! Cool

But I won't! Laughing Out Loud

Perhaps, instead, we could start a list of our own reasons to donate, such as:

- I've learnt something here that I haven't seen anywhere else.
- I've made friends here whom I value.
- This site supports and encourages an interest that I gain a lot from.

Feel free to add your own reasons!


Taking after Mark’s suggestion:

- The breadth and depth of the content on myArmoury continues to astound me after all these years.
- Where else can you learn from Curators, Doctorates, Authors, and others with a keen interest in arms & armour history?
- I've made new friends and reconnected with old friends via myArmoury.
- Who wouldn’t want a chance at a dagger by Tod?
- Then there’s this crazy Canadian who is very persuasive in a not-so-subtle way… Wink

...and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped. - Sir Bedevere
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Roger Hooper




Location: Northern California
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PostPosted: Mon 01 Sep, 2014 10:37 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Now over the $2,400.00 goal! Huzzah!
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Mikko Kuusirati




Location: Finland
Joined: 16 Nov 2004
Reading list: 13 books

Posts: 1,080

PostPosted: Tue 02 Sep, 2014 11:42 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hurrah! Big Grin
"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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PostPosted: Tue 02 Sep, 2014 8:53 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Yes very good that we exceeded the donation goal again this year, and as with all previous years, I mention that any extra still goes to the upkeep of the site or technical upgrades or prizes that Nathan makes available when there is extra cash.

Not a bad thing to have a little cushion against unexpected extra expenses that might occur during the year.

I think the record amount donated in previous years was close to $4,000 Question


There is also still a really nice dagger to be won as a prize for each donation of $25, so those who gave $10 or $20 might be tempted to at least get their total donation up to $25, maybe. Wink Big Grin Cool


In any case at least the donation goal has been met and it must be a lot less worrying or stressful for Nathan to have the hosting costs fully covered and not have to pay it out of pocket.

Many thanks to all those who have made this fund drive a success and those who might still wish to contribute.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin


myArmoury Admin

PostPosted: Tue 02 Sep, 2014 9:32 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I think the fact that we hit the goal calls for...

Another contest!

I better think of something. Happy

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