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IIS is the one Astronomy forum in Australia where you can get help with models and equipment common to the country, along with amazing members who can and do do anything to help.others. Joshua Bunn with his design/machining services at incredibly reasonable prices, Stefan Buda with his amazing abilities and a wealth of information from people in the know. It's all relevant to Australian conditions, sky features and a LOT of experienced high end members who don't mind helping out with information.
It would be the biggest travesty were it to disappear and while I like CN and SG lounge everything is Northern hemisphere models, availability and pricing. Still a wealth of knowledge but local knowledge is the best.
Then you add in the world class astrophotographers and not only their wealth of knowledge, their insanely incredible images, we need all of that. Members offering 3D printing services, members making amazing projects with a Pi/Arduino to automate many tasks, so many members and such a lousy memory to mame them all but they know who they are.
The classified section which has allowed me as a broke disability pensioner to acquire some very nice deals and even receive some goodies for the cost of the postage, items I wouldn't normally be able to afford otherwise on a disability pension and incredibly kind, caring, generous members who have gone right out of their way to help not just me but many members here. I've been given older dedicated cameras I could never afford to buy, free and the only way I can give back is to try and search for answers for people with problems, I have a lot of time on my hands and a reasonable amount of knowledge on many subjects despite declaring myself an idiot frequently.
IIS has to survive and I think the influx of offers and donations has proven many people feel exactly the same way.
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