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Excess Bandwidth for September

Tom Coates

20:06 / 11.09.01

This is just a warning to people that while the board has probably never been as useful as it has been over the last 24 hours, it's also costing a fair amount in terms of bandwidth.

What I'm suggesting at the moment is that we turn off the board for the last couple of days of September just to cut down on the excess bills that turn up at that point. You can keep track of the bandwidth excesses (and other interesting statistics) at this page BUT BEAR IN MIND THAT THIS FILE IS QUITE LARGE AND ADDS TO THE BANDWIDTH USAGE. ONLY GO AND LOOK IF YOU REALLY CARE!

Current bandwidth allowance that I have is 400Mb per day. The average according to yesterdays figures (not including today) was approaching 420 and I have a feeling this will escalate.

I hope people are comfortable with the idea of a rolling power blackout (so to speak). Two days off *could* save $50 of excess fees...

Spatula Clarke

20:15 / 11.09.01

Gets my vote. If it cuts down on your costs and helps the board carry on, I'm all for it.

grant

22:26 / 11.09.01

Will paypal donations help?

Disco is My Class War

04:22 / 12.09.01

I'm fine with a blackout. We can go hang at Delphi if we need to. And I'd send you some funds, Tom, but I don't have a credit cardddd...

Tom Coates

06:34 / 12.09.01

donations will clearly help, but I want to make it clear that I'm not asking you to make them - everyone here has been more than generous over the last few months. An occasional rolling blackout might be a more democratic way of handling this at this time. Yesterday's bandwidth for barbelith was 568.795 Mbytes, a full 168 Mb over my bandwidth allowance. So far the monthly average has been 494.016 - a full 100Mb above my normal limit. This is already likely to amount to a full $40-$60 excess fees (over and above the $30 standard monthly fee). This is likely to rise as the month goes on. This is JUST TO KEEP YOU INFORMED.

The Return Of Rothkoid

07:57 / 12.09.01

I think as long as a schedule of blackouts is established, it'll be fine. Who knows - maybe I'll start reasoning my posts a little more...

Rosa: there's been an Oz member who's sent a banker's draft to Tom; I guess that sans-credit card, that's the only option. Western Union have offices here, and may be cheaper for cash transfer, though.

[ 12-09-2001: Message edited by: Rothkoid ]

Lothar Tuppan

13:16 / 12.09.01

It's cool. Do what you need to Tom.

Ellis

14:22 / 12.09.01

The weekends are usually a bit cold here, probably because people aren't at work. Perhaps you could shut this place down then?

Tom Coates

14:44 / 12.09.01

Ellis - if only it were that easy. If I shut the place down only when it's not popular then I'm not going to save much bandwidth am i?

Ellis

14:51 / 12.09.01

Good point

deletia

22:05 / 12.09.01

Agreed. How much would shutting the board down for, say, one week in five, or one weekday per week, save? Worth considering.

Also worth considering - a $1/£1/whatever standing order from *everyone* using the board, or even everyone who expects to post more than a certain number of times a month, might not only pay for running costs but also show some sort of appreciation for what Tom is doing.

Cherry Bomb

22:12 / 12.09.01

quote:Originally posted by The Haus of Willow:

Also worth considering - a $1/£1/whatever standing order from *everyone* using the board, or even everyone who expects to post more than a certain number of times a month, might not only pay for running costs but also show some sort of appreciation for what Tom is doing.

I love this idea, and the blackout idea as well.

Tom Coates

07:46 / 13.09.01

I could probably set up a paypal thing for everyone with credit cards - a voluntary payment that came through a kind of $1 a month billing thing. I'll see what I can find out...

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:25 / 13.09.01

I'd certainly be willing to donate if it can be done by cheque, P/O or other means... fortunately for the global economy, no bank has been stupid enough to let me have a credit card.

deletia

12:50 / 13.09.01

Why not direct bank transfer? I have a standing order going direct to my landlords' personal accounts...

mondo a-go-go

18:11 / 13.09.01

yes, tom's going to love giving out his bank details to a bunch of people he's never met before.

Ellis

18:41 / 13.09.01

£1 a month?

Hell even I can handle that !

deletia

18:59 / 13.09.01

quote:Originally posted by kooky has go-go power:
yes, tom's going to love giving out his bank details to a bunch of people he's never met before.

As opposed to HIS HOME ADDRESS for checques and cash. You're right. Silly of me.

Um...a Barbelith Account, perhaps?

Mordant Carnival

19:02 / 13.09.01

quote:Originally posted by The Haus of Willow:

As opposed to HIS HOME ADDRESS for checques and cash. You're right. Silly of me.

Um...a Barbelith Account, perhaps?

Post office box? They're not hard to sort out.

mondo a-go-go

19:38 / 13.09.01

don't think tom ever gave out his home address to non-friends, only a work address. (though of course he can confirm this better than me)

mondo a-go-go

19:40 / 13.09.01

'sides, giving out your addy is one thing, but giving out your bank details to a bunch of people who now know that you're receiving funds in said account....

not that i'm saying barbeloids would defraud tom, but this is a public board and anyone else can read it....

The Knowledge +1

I'd contribute

I'd contribute

ditto here. wherever I wander, I seem to end up back here =)

Jack The Bodiless

03:22 / 16.09.01

I can set up a standing order for about a tenner a month... if it comes out just after I get paid, I won't miss it too much. Either that, or I can send a cheque as and when. I want to contribute in some way...

Tom Coates

03:22 / 16.09.01

I'm beginning to think we need some kind of 'treasurer' figure and a really open form of accounting. I'm not entirely comfortable with taking money from people and have them not know where it's going.

Naked Flame

03:22 / 16.09.01

Well, we all suspected you were putting it all into timeshares somewhere hideously hot and sunnny.

some kind of barbelithometer showing us how much the hosting costs and how much has been raised for month x? would help people to see how much was needed.

Spatula Clarke

18:46 / 16.09.01

Like Blue Peter! The Funds For Barbelith Appeal.

Except with real money, rather than old clothes.

Magic Mutley

19:15 / 16.09.01

I'll buy in - you going IPO?

rizla mission

09:33 / 17.09.01

I'm fully prepared to pay my share ... as long as it's not, like, £100 or something (approaching 600 posts!).

Planet B

09:33 / 17.09.01

Hey, I'm new around here but I'll throw in $25 to keep the greatest message board I've ever seen running. You guys have saved me since disinfo's been down all week... not to mention, a bunch of Invisibles lunatics like me.

Tom Coates

09:33 / 17.09.01

Where *IS* Disinfo, anyway?

Mister Snee

12:49 / 17.09.01

Back up, it would seem.

Unfortunately I never took the initiative to do a traceroute during its absence in order to determine just what lazy router admin we should all point our respective fingers at...

Anyone?

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