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Keeping TARDISBuilders.com running...

Volpone

Volpone

Administrator
Hello all.  I'm opening a discussion and asking for input and/or ideas.  It costs money to keep this board running.  Not a huge amount of money, but it doesn't run for free.  To date, a couple people have just quietly paid the bills but last May it came to my attention that there would be difficulty so I chipped in with the intent that we'd explore options going forward.  Well time sure flies and May is coming around again.  I suspect we'll just figure something out for this year, but I wanted to hear from our members on what to do. 

I know Wikipedia passes the hat periodically for funds.  Places like Facebook run ads.  I've seen places that run ads and then charge a premium for an ad-free experience.  Or maybe we have a member that would love to take a more active role (financially or otherwise) in the running of this place. 

We've had busier times, with more active and a higher number of tech-savvy people running things.  Awhile back the board software got corrupted and we switched to this software when it was restored from backups.  I don't think anyone will say it is their favorite software, but it works and is affordable.  Heck, the only reason I'm a Moderator is because years ago Scarfwearer asked if I'd take it on in a rotating capacity because the place was short-staffed and in the end temporary became permanent. 

I hope this doesn't come across as an existential bombshell.  TARDISBuilders.com isn't going anywhere or in any danger in the foreseeable future, but we have some pretty smart and pretty resourceful members so I thought I'd open up a discussion on what people want going forward and how we could get it. 

(And I should mention that the extent of my authority and capacity to start this discussion is that several years ago I was asked to help keep threads on topic and last year I chipped in a few bucks to keep the lights on.) 
 
Yeah, I'd probably be happy with a subscription fee depending. After all it works for Gallifrey Base.
 
It's an important resource and the culmination of countless hours of study and research.  I'd happily contribute to its preservation.
 
Yep.  Years ago I was in a Stargate: SG-1 cosplay group and it was nice but not at the level of scholarship this place is.  The research on TARDISes, the research on police boxes, the resources for builds...the Golden Age when we had all the angle calculation tools and things may have passed, but there's still so much here that it really can't be allowed to just disappear.  As I said, I think we're good for this year, but this discussion will be very helpful to get something set up we can all be comfortable with by next year. 
 
It's always tricky having to ask for money, but I would be gutted to see TB fold.
A small contribution from members at the beginning of each year would certainly help.
But I do know plenty of people who are so stretched that even a small amount could be the straw that broke the camels back...
Maybe make it a voluntary contribution, like they do over on ProjectDalek?

I do agree that TB doesn't seem to be as popular or well supported as when I first joined, & we seem to have lost some great contributors, such as Tony Farrell & Dino, but I guess that's a different conversation....

Russ
 
And another thing, while I'm on my high horse..to do with the popularity & coverage of this site...

I'm on TARDISowners facebook page, & almost every week there's someone saying, "Where can I find the plans/directions to build a TARDIS?"

What's the matter with these people?! Haven't they heard of Google?

I always recommend TB, but how can they not know about us?!?

AAAARGGGHHH!!!
 
russellsuthern said:
It's always tricky having to ask for money, but I would be gutted to see TB fold.
A small contribution from members at the beginning of each year would certainly help.
But I do know plenty of people who are so stretched that even a small amount could be the straw that broke the camels back...
Maybe make it a voluntary contribution, like they do over on ProjectDalek?
Russ
Click to expand...

Yes, as far as I understand, we would definitely be talking about voluntary contributions, just the members who can afford it and want to support TB.
 
TG said:
Yes, as far as I understand, we would definitely be talking about voluntary contributions, just the members who can afford it and want to support TB.
Click to expand...

Absolutely, voluntary only!
 
I don't frequent this place much anymore but it's an excellent forum and it will be a sad day when TB ceases to exist. I can't afford to give away that much money but I'd be glad to pay a small contribution towards TB every year.
 
IDEAS: Sell 3D prints made from tardis builders, with there permission on course, & have these sales as a donation to keeping the sight ruining. That also can apply to making, how to build manuals, types of build designs, Tardis's props, costumes, stage scenes like the console room.

I don't have any money,(Haven't got a job yet, }I pout.) So, I giving the next best thing, information & IDEAS. :)
 
elkad said:
IDEAS: Sell 3D prints made from tardis builders, with there permission on course, & have these sales as a donation to keeping the sight ruining. That also can apply to making, how to build manuals, types of build designs, Tardis's props, costumes, stage scenes like the console room.

I don't have any money,(Haven't got a job yet, }I pout.) So, I giving the next best thing, information & IDEAS. :)
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I think selling TARDIS stuff would be the quickest way to get the BBC to close us down.

But do keep the ideas coming :)
 
Its a great shame that everything costs money, and money that most of us do not have. As others here on this thread have already commented, it would be a great shame to loose this resource. Aside from all the fun bits, the new builds and model making, the archive of all the old pictures is certainly something worth saving. So much work and time has been spent on that.
  Like many of us, I am a skint one too, but would try to donate something if I could. Ive just joined the Dalek Project and as already noted above, they ask for voluntary contributions. Fair enough methinks, after all, as Volpone says, it costs to keep the lights on! I certainly hope this little island of Police Boxes and Tardis' will keep going on for many years to come....

Andrew
 
I seem to be the spokesperson right now and I'm hearing a couple things here:  First, that the people who have expressed a choice weren't opposed to a membership fee, but then it was pointed out that not everyone could afford a membership fee.  From what's being discussed elsewhere it would definitely be a tiered or optional membership so no one would get locked out. 

To me, this sounds a bit more like the Wikipedia model, where people can optionally donate to help with costs and this got me thinking about a few other examples.  At times when I was flush with money I donated to a Star Trek fan film project, so at the end of "Starship Exeter: The Tressaurian Intersection" I have a producer credit (along with a whole bunch of other people).  Back in Oregon a theater that showed 2nd run and classic films needed to get digital projector(s) in order to show films released after around 2015, so I chipped in for that and now if you show up early and sit and watch the ads and stuff they project before the previews, there is a page of sponsors that my name is on.  There's also professional association I'm a member of that has premium sponsorships that get you certain perks.  So something like this might be an option; recognizing sponsor members. 

Anyway, this is all brainstorming at this point and when we do figure out what we want to do, we'll have to figure out if it can actually be done. 
 
I personally don't need any recognition or accolades; my reward is the site.  And you will find out just how the site is valued once you put it behind a paywall of any kind.  People who "love" things, and "like and subscribe" often won't shell out even $1 for the same content. 

You can publish the site's monthly expenses goal; this has been done before.  Human nature being what it is, a handful of people end up carrying the entire load, but it can work with just the right people. You can also internally run your numbers and see if the number of your most consistent, most participatory members could sustain the overhead at a "can't say no" buy-in. Just be sure to estimate no more than half of whom you're "sure" would pay, will pay.
 
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