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I had to do a double take as well! Wow... wow!

Thanks to all of you who donated!

This year's annual hosting cost was shared by 30 donors. Here you all are:

Paul Watson, James Fang, Glen A Cleeton, Gary Venable, Jon Makar, Jesse Belsky, Adam Rose, Alan Schiff, Brian M., Kai Lawson, Roger Hooper, Don Stanko, Todd Hawkins, Ed W., Ryan McLaurin, Steve Maly, Stefan Gruenewald, Marcus Kwa, Aaron Hoard, Joshua Waters, Daniel Sullivan, Lee O'Hagan, Antal László, Craig Peters, Anonymous, Jean Thibodeau, Tim Lison, Radovan Geist, Wade McManus, Jim Lukow
You are most welcome Nathan. As an intermittent donor, it has always been what I can, when I can. While articles and reviews used to play a huge part (the existing still voluminous) the forum has evolved and flourished to be one of the nicer boards to visit.

Cheers

GC

PS

In just revisiting the member list, you are still registering newcomers at a fairly brisk pace averaging about three or four new faces a day this past month. It will always be a sorrow to see boards and sites board up for closure. I can only hope for and cheer Huzzah! to see many happy returns. What will 2020 bring? Indeed a 20th birthday in 2023.
Wow I completely missed the fund drive and it was over by the time I noticed! Great donations and community here.


I donated some anyways since I know it will help in the future and this is a great site and Nathan is a Cool Dude.
J. Nicolaysen wrote:
I donated some anyways since I know it will help in the future and this is a great site and Nathan is a Cool Dude.


Thanks, man. It all really helps, honestly. I'm not in the best financial situation at the moment so anything is good.

I should also add that I've got a couple prizes lined up for some future contests that I'll make available to those who have contributed. We've done this in the past as a "thank you" and it was pretty fun so we'll do it again.
Not going to lie, I can't say I've ever been doing well financially (leaving the military disabled didn't help). However, given recent conversations with Nathan through PM it's pushed me from mostly just lurking and watching the site (with the occasional comments) to being a bit more invested in it. I wouldn't want to see it shut down. I gave what I could and hope it's useful. I'm sorry I can't do more.

EDIT: I realized the wording the first time around didn't feel like it came across right, so I tried to fix it.
Well, the finger nail bitting time is over since the donation goal has been reached and surpassed, but just making the point that donations are a yearlong thing and some people do make donations to support the site during the whole year and not just during the yearly donation drive.

Also, it might be good for more people to give even a very small donation just to show their support for the website and Nathan, and have more than 30 people doing most of it.

In previous years we had at least 100 people making donations, this year one and/or a couple more persons gave 50% of the donation amount, and the rest gave a generous amount: The total averages out to approximately $90 per person.

Maybe it's just me, but I would find it very good seeing more people helping the site even with the smallest possible donation.


Also, one can give ongoing support to the site by upgrading one's membership to a paying membership.

Anyway, just giving the donation drive one last kick at the can ..... ;) :D
Ben Joy wrote:
Not going to lie, I can't say I've ever been doing well financially (leaving the military disabled didn't help). However, given recent conversations with Nathan through PM it's pushed me from mostly just lurking and watching the site (with the occasional comments) to being a bit more invested in it. I wouldn't want to see it shut down. I gave what I could and hope it's useful. I'm sorry I can't do more.

EDIT: I realized the wording the first time around didn't feel like it came across right, so I tried to fix it.


Great thanks, very appreciated considering your financial situation not being stellar: This really made my day and gave me a very good feeling. :) :cool:

Oh, and thanks for your service from a Canadian.
I opened my wallet this morning and George Washington was blinking at the bright sunlight. I guess I haven't opened it often enough.

I did today. Hope it helps keep Nathan going. Love to come here.

Lin
Come on people.

We can all donate at least $10 - there is no excuse, so please lets all dig down a little and help out.

This is important.

Tod
Hello,

Being a relatively new member doesn't give my words as much weight as many of the veteran users of this site (I have only been a member for 3 or 4 years (Edit: 5 years), have only been a paid member for two years, and have only donated for the server drive thrice, including for this last drive), but I will reiterate what some of our more esteemed content creators have said in the past.

To the users that are arms and armour craftsmen, manufacturers, or dealers, a gentle reminder that this site is one of the best ways for you to market your products, as it is arguably one of the greatest and most popular authorities on arms and armour on the internet. Do not forget that to post advertisements for your products is free on this incredible treasure trove of a site, and that a small donation is the least that you can do to help support its upkeep and content quality!

If a struggling, currently unpaid masters student (who's area of study is the hideously underfunded plant environmental physiology) can afford to pay for a membership and make multiple donations, then so can you!!! ;P

Thanks again to Nathan and the many scholarly folk who help make this site my go to site to lurk on after work every day,

Jon Makar


Last edited by Jon Makar on Wed 02 Aug, 2017 2:58 pm; edited 1 time in total
Giving the Topic a BUMP since it's close to the bottom of the home page cue.

As long as the annual donation drive isn't officially closed by Nathan I consider it still open.

The main goal of paying the hosting costs has been covered but I again remind people that Nathan is basically doing all the work keeping the site active and working smoothly basically " UNPAID " time and he doesn't draw a salary or personal income from the site.

Now, I think that if Nathan gets some extra support and he does use some of the money to " survive " and pay groceries it's just making him capable of continuing to run the site, otherwise mere survival might force him to close things down, or at least put in a lot less time working on the site, as he would have to prioritize his time on finding work that actually pays him something.

So to me any money raised that " feeds and shelters " Nathan is directly keeping the site alive ..... And is well deserved even if Nathan is very reluctant using any of the money raised for personal use. ( This site is not making him rich, it probably has made him poorer than if he had concentrated his efforts over the last decade on his career ).

Note: In addition, Nathan mentioned that he has to pay income tax on any money raised ...... :wtf:

How many of you would have created such a site, worked on it for basically nothing for 10 plus years just because of a passion for creating a place where collectors, historians, makers professional and hobbiest could meet, learn and exchange knowledge ..... and most of the people access the site for free with no membership and still for free for a basic membership.

I mostly want to encourage more donations from people who visit the site on a regular basis and would sorely miss the site should it ever close down.
Another " BUMP " to bring the Topic back onto the home page for people who may not have seen the posts, or noticed yet that there is a fund drive.

Read many of the above posts if you are looking for reasons to donate if you enjoy the site and want it to be around longterm.


I do think that the Makers and Manufacturers who get the benefit of exposure to their target audience to get to be known if they are currently not well known, also get to show their work and get knowledgeable feedback from collectors.

For a maker this can be very useful buzz and may lead directly to sales, but any maker who also has a passion and love for what he is making there is also some personal satisfaction in being able to show one's work: A bit like an artist having their work shown at a " vernissage " in an art gallery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernissage

So for makers getting some tangible benefits from exposure on this site, supporting the site annually with even a token amount would seem like something in their own longterm interest. ;)

If many of still active on this site Makers contributed $50 annually just 50 of them would cover the annual hosting fee or 100 Makers giving $25 yearly ! How much does this amount compare to makers' costs like buying some fresh sanding belts or steel stock ...... :?:

Not supporting the site is short sighted and maybe a little bit " cheap " not wanting to give a little back in maintaining the site. :wtf: :surprised:
Reasons Why You Need to Contribute a Donation

1) Have you ever asked someone to identify a sword or other weapon for you?

If so, you have gained value from this site. Be kind, and donate.

2) Have you ever ordered a product or a custom piece as a result of encountering a maker’s work on this site?

If so, this site has definitely provided you with a useful service. Send some money Nathan's way.

3) Have you ever taken advantage of photo intensive posts (Blaz Berlec’s two threads on extant 15th century Gothic and Milanese armour spring to mind, as do the wonderful contributions in Stanley Hauser’s thread on authentic mail armour) whether for personal interest, to help you as a maker, or for the purpose of commissioning a piece?

How much time and effort would you have had to have made to do this research yourself? How many books would you have needed to buy? You’ve definitely gained value in this case. Repay Nathan for his time and effort.

4) Have you ever purchased a book as a result of someone mentioning it in a thread on myArmoury, or from browsing the Books: http://myArmoury.com/books/ section?

You might not have known about this book-in fact, you may have never known-had you not seen it here. Think of all the resources that you have learned about simply by being a member of this site. Show your appreciation with a donation.

5) Have you ever received advice or guidance, whether in terms of taking care of an item, repairing it, or learning from the experience of other makers/craftsman for your DIY project?

Most of the time, you have to pay money for this kind of knowledge or guidance, and it’s not cheap! You received this information for free, so it’s definitely fair you contribute back!

6) Have you ever placed photographs of your work that is either for sale, or a recently done commission, on this website as a way of promoting your products?

You’re getting essentially free advertising. Free! And it’s giving you revenue as a result. Have the decency to contribute a bit back, financially.

7) Have you met new people, or developed a new friendship or contact as a result of myArmoury?

This is something of value that you’ve gained. There are many networking sites that charge you money for this service, like dating sites or sites like Meetup.com. Make a contribution as a way of saying thanks.

8) Have you ever read the myArmoury site reviews, or user-posted reviews in the forums, or asked for feedback as to which model of sword you should choose from before you purchased a particular sword?

You have gained valuable information about a product. If you were debating which sword to choose and the input helped you to make your decision, you definitely gained from this site. Either way, it’s fair to contribute.

9) Have you ever used this site to look through the links, whether for arms makers, armourers, HEMA group or other groups?

Being able to access that link was quite convenient for you, wasn’t it? Give something back.

10) Have you ever read one of the myArmoury articles? Or, more than likely, have you read several or many of them?

All that information, available to you for free. But it’s not free for Nathan. Say thank you with your donation.

11) Have you ever had a general history question that you decided to post here, and you received answers about it?

How cool—or even helpful— is that? For you to have had this opportunity, Nathan had to keep the site up and running. Donate!

12) Have you ever bought or sold an item through the Marketplace?

It would have been a lot harder for you to do that if the Marketplace wasn’t there, wouldn’t it? Acknowledge this with a monetary contribution.

13) Have you learned things about historic arms and armour from this website?

If you have any presence here, and you’re honest with yourself, you will probably realize that you have gained a staggering amount of knowledge and understanding from myArmoury. Whether it was from asking questions of your own, or simply browsing various threads, you’ve gained a lot. So, return the favour to Nathan.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************

I am sure that every person on this forum who spends any time here will be able to say “Yes” to multiple items on this list. There is no excuse to not contribute. You have spent plenty of money on yourself throughout the year; you can afford to give a little as a token of gratitude to Nathan and his efforts.

Do not say to yourself “I give back! I contribute my knowledge and understanding—that’s enough!” Where would all your knowledge and contributions be if this site had not existed in the first place? Where is your gratefulness and gratitude to the immense amount of behind-the-scenes work that Nathan has done to keep this site running? Where is your decency in acknowledging you have gained valuable contacts, whether new makers and manufacturers, or new clients, from this site? Why would you think that just because Nathan will not demand money from him that you should suck benefit from his efforts without even acknowledging it in a way that meaningfully recompenses him for his efforts?

Every member, whether a one-time poster who asks a quick question or wants to sell something, whether a person who lurks and reads, whether someone who is a maker, or whether someone is part of the general readers and membership, has gained from this website. Every one. Therefore, have the respect, the decency, and the gratitude, to acknowledge Nathan with your money.

Do it today.
Craig just above gave a very complete list of reasons one might want to support the website and worth reading again, so another " BUMP ".

One note, personally I do want to encourage, convince and get more people to make a donation but it shouldn't be taken as
" A Guilt Trip " to those who just visit this site among many many websites or youtube channels too many to count: It just if this site has a special meaning and worth to you, and you visit it often consider being one of the sites you are willing to support financially, even if only with a small token amount. ;) :cool:

I personally visit many youtube sites and websites ( Mostly youtube these days ) and if I contributed money to all of them I would go broke, but there are at least a few sites that I have sent money to, or am considering supporting in the near future.

Because of being a member on this site for a long time, and being invested in it, it's not too surprising that " myArmoury " is one of the few sites I support with my wallet, and my " Yearly Nagging " during the Fund Drive. ;) :p :lol:
Once I get finances sorted out again on my end I will see about sending some in.

M.
Hi Nathan,
Feeling guilty about neglecting to give my donation I just now tried to donate. Got to the last stage where the form asked for personal details - fine, but I do not have a mobile phone and that box refused my landline number and would not let me continue to complete payment without a mobile number. So how do I get round this block? Am I the only person in the world so stuck in the Dark Ages?
By the way I love the site and happily donate every year - I don't remember this problem before.
Neil
Thanks again for your work with this site, Nathan. If we ever stop saying that enough, you just let us know!

Even a slow week on this site is better than most of the internet. And when a real gem of history, technology detail, or pretty pictures pop up, that's the bonus!

Neil: The land line worked fine for me. Any odd spaces or something you mis-typed? A bad day for the PayPal form? I hope you try again. Computer forms are fallible.
Thanks again to the people who have continued making donations no matter how small, medium or large. ( A few have gone way above and beyond in generosity, but all donations are very appreciated ).

Bumping again as not all members may have viewed the Topic yet.

The amount raised so far is close to the average high for previous years, I think the record was close to but just under $4000.

We have cross over into the $3000 range. :D :cool:
I too missed this topic until now, but as soon as I saw it I jumped to donate.

I have been extremely busy lately so only get to visit here once a week or two, but even so, knowing that myArmoury will be there waiting for me when I get the chance, proffering a wealth of information and insights, lifetimes of accrued experience and knowledge, the opportunity to participate in an intelligent conversation (a rare thing these days I find}, all presented in a respectful and genteel manner, these things are valuable to me. Then you throw in all the personal efforts of Nathan in keeping this site running, fixing up the Photobucket debacle {a Herculean task} and all of the other unseen every day hurdles he overcomes, I am more than willing to offer what little assistance I may.

Thank you Nathan, I would hate to lose you, your efforts are greatly appreciated my friend.
Michael Harley wrote:
I too missed this topic until now, but as soon as I saw it I jumped to donate.

I have been extremely busy lately so only get to visit here once a week or two, but even so, knowing that myArmoury will be there waiting for me when I get the chance, proffering a wealth of information and insights, lifetimes of accrued experience and knowledge, the opportunity to participate in an intelligent conversation (a rare thing these days I find}, all presented in a respectful and genteel manner, these things are valuable to me. Then you throw in all the personal efforts of Nathan in keeping this site running, fixing up the Photobucket debacle {a Herculean task} and all of the other unseen every day hurdles he overcomes, I am more than willing to offer what little assistance I may.

Thank you Nathan, I would hate to lose you, your efforts are greatly appreciated my friend.


So the above is worth repeating by having it as a quote, and also another BUMP as donations have slowed down and the Topic is also off the home page.

Reading back some of the earlier posts gives most if not all of the reasons why people who frequent the site regularly should consider making a small donation.

I do note that not too many of the Industry Professionals have made a donation, and considering that any currently active Industry Professionals get benefits from exposure to their work on this site I think that they should be the first to make a donation as it is in their interest making sure that this site is around for a long time. ( How about the price of a sanding belt,or the price of a bar of steel's worth :?: ;)
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