Ice in Space at risk of shutdown

[MortonH]

For those who may not notice the announcements section at the bottom of the forums page...

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=1619377#post161937 7

[Leo.G]

Thanks Morton!


I run a small forum (past 6 years as administrator) and it's around $400US per 2 years for servers/hosting fees for VPS hosting with a company called A2 hosting.com. Unmanaged hosting for those with the time and abilities is cheap, managed hosting becomes a lot dearer. Web hosting is also cheap through them.

I can not afford any such payments myself for the forum and didn't start it but was asked to take over as administrator when the original owner had mental health problems. I was also administrator on the previous forum with 3,000,000 members world wide, again, fully funded by donations but I had absolutely nothing to do with the financial side of that place. I was asked to step up when the owner had a child and no longer had the time but I was happy for him to handle the financial side of the business. I believe that site cost $1500 per month.
The little forum I run, sadly members are dropping like flies (small community discussion forum for members of a much larger defunct forum to keep in touch, some members just got old and passed away sadly). Friendships were formed over the 17 years of the much larger forum being up and a lot of members became online friends. It's just a place for us to keep in touch basically and discuss common interests and maintain friendships formed over a lot of years of getting to know each other.
Every time it comes time to renew servers there's a couple of things I do as the administrator. I have my son search out the best deals/hosts (he programs, runs servers and understands a lot of the finer details that I don't) and I put out a request for donations. At last renewal there were only around 10 members in a position to donate but the funds came in without a hitch in the shortest possible time to maintain the place. There's no donation lists kept or published and everyone participating in the forum are thanked for their contributions, whether financial or content to keep the place interesting.



I have read on here in the past the owner/administrator doesn't want to make it a subscription forum and I wholeheartedly agree. I've also seen mention from a lot of members where they would be only too happy to make a donation to keep the forum running. There's absolutely nothing wrong with accepting donations to keep the forum alive. A lot of people would really miss the place were it to go down.
I myself would like to add to the list of members who would be only too happy to donate. The trick is no precise amount expected, whatever people can afford/are prepared to donate. The funds would roll in so fast and would keep the place running.
If the administrator reads my post a couple of tricks, old hosts tend to be like insurance companies and add loyalty taxes to keep pricing cheap for new clients so it's best to shop around when renewals are due and multi year sign ups save a considerable amount of money.

[iborg]

Thanks for posting this Morton


I suspect I am one of many who had not noticed.


I really hope it keeps going.


Philip

[graham.hobart]

Donated to keep it going via PayPal. I love IIS

[Paul Haese]

I donated too. If everyone of us donates the site will have enough for hosting this next year.

[dugnsuz]

Just put some money where my mouth is!
Donated to IIS bank account (PayPal link broken at present)

SAVE IIS

[OneCosmos]

What PayPal link?

[chrisp9au]

:thumbsup: Donated, too valuable to lose!

[dugnsuz]

This one…
(But not working at present)

[ccmanny]

Paypal option still broken following the Donate link in https://www.iceinspace.com.au/aboutus.html

https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=321755&stc=1&d=1729839672

[foc]

Thanks for confirming the Paypal link is still down, I thought it might have been my system just now. I prefer to use Paypal so I will wait to see if it is going to be repaired

[Leo.G]

This from the other thread in announcements, thanks Morton!

[blindman]

Maybe gov.au can help, sending millions donations abroad

[foc]

Sent direct from Paypal using the address. That worked!

[Dave221]

Just made a donation via PayPal, hope we can save IIS. A regular subscription fee sounds like a good start.

[CoolhandJo]

Donation made and would also pay subscription. Thanks for all that you do Mike

[jakob]

Hope for survival.
Donation made Bank Acct.
Thanks for Your fantastic creation.
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[MortonH]

I've set up an automatic payment of $2 per week to the IIS bank account. I'll never miss it but IIS gets $104 a year. It's a bargain considering the amount of time I spend on this site and the enjoyment I get from it.

[wasyoungonce]

Ok sent some via above paypal link...jeez i hope Mike can sort it. Really needs a big sponsor...Corporate benefactor????? I'll try send more later but i am concerned this site has been awesome for years.


Mike a true scholar and gent....and Spartan !





Hmmmm not the worst idea.........

[gregbradley]

I just sent some money via Paypal.

I would support a yearly subscription like Astromart does.

Greg.

[TrevorW]

I would pressure some of these retailers to put some money back into adverting on IIS - no reason for not supporting this site - in fact I would go as far as saying we should boycott those who don't, they've made a lot of money from members on this site over the years (PS: I don't trust PayPal)_ :)

[OneCosmos]

Just paid money to thd IIS paypal account and would be happy to pay a yearly subscription as with cloudy Nights.

[Max Vondel]

I just made a $20- donation. Also willing to donate some time if admin services are required. I buy & sell most of my astro stuff here and have made some good friends. I'd hate to lose it.

[Max Vondel]

Maybe some retailers are losing business as items can be found cheaper here on ICE. Hence pulling out support (Te*)?

I think maybe a $20- membership to sell for a year as others have suggested.

[NCRAW]

Didn't even realise. Glad it was posted here.

Apart from all the great info and people, I've saved and recouped money buying and selling here.

Donation made. I'll set a reminder for next year.

Keep up the amazing work.

[DJT]

Donated. I have and continue to learn a lot from the people here. Keep going.

[big-blue]

A great forum and resource, esp via the search facility. Someone, somewhere, some time, has usually faced my same issue and fixed it, saving me time & $$.
I have donated ... if you have not also done so, please consider supporting IIS. If you have had value from IIS, then give forward, and pay back.

[Pasko]

Donation made. I wondering if we also need a gofundme page to increase visibility?

[Matthieu]

Thanks for highlighting the post Morton. I had missed the announcement. Just donated $20.

[muletopia]

Just made a donation. Used paypal, went to paypal and sent donation by paying a friend the donation
Chris

[Dave882]

IIS is far too important to let die - I (and many others) can certainly credit this forum for where I am in the hobby today. Donation made - a very small sacrifice for the benefit gained. Long live IIS!!

[RB]

I would’ve donated but in the last 19 years IIS has cost me a fortune in Astro gear acquisition…

:lol:

[Saturnine]

Maybe you need to moderate your spending too.:D

Well, someone had to say it.:rolleyes:

[leon]

That is a very clever way of getting out of it Andrew.:scared3::whistle:

Leon:thumbsup:

[RB]

:lol: :lol:

[Matthieu]

Jokes aside, moderators donate their time which is the most valuable thing we all have. So, thank you Andrew :)

[RB]

Matthieu thank you so much.

I am honoured and privileged to moderate alongside my good friends Al Sheeny and David Hough.
We make a great team.
Over the 19 years I’ve moderated alongside many other good friends too, they know who they are.

And of course, helping out Mike and Terry has been my pleasure.
If it wasn’t for IIS, I wouldn’t have the Astro knowledge I have today.

RB
:)

[Tulloch]

Yup, this site just cost me another $2300, I accidentally bought another telescope yesterday :whistle: :lol:.

Donation made...

[Shawn]

Is anyone up to taking it over, and updating the platform. It is a bit antiquated , hell I would have to think about it, if I knew all the folk that contribute their time, some might know me. I used to run an astro forum over a decade ago, sadly had to give it up because of work commits. but now I,m retired. Does Mr Salway, still run it ?.. AKA Iceman... But yeah, keep it going...I,ll throw a few bucks in in the meantime...I just read the post that I think Morton posted, and I see Mike still does run the platform, I will contact him directly...

[Shawn]

Me too, but it should not be necessary, I moderate a car forum, and donations take care of all the costs and then some. without advertising...

[Allan_L]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for all the work you do hosting this great site, it is a real tribute to you and your team, and a real asset to the rest of us.
Its great to see so many dip their hands in their pockets to support its continuance.
I have no trouble in donating (already sent via PayPal) or subscribing if you go that way in the future.
Thankyou :thumbsup:
Allan