Pics and Bandwidth

[Greg]

FYI-

I'm trying a few diffrent things with Attachments, due to excessive amounts of Bandwidth being used recently. I had to upgrade the Hosting Pkg. for RME a couple months ago, and just today got a Bill from my Web Host..... over 4 times the normal cost!! And thats with the newer Hosting Package!

As you probably noticed, you'll need to download attachments. They won't automatically display, unless I can bring the Bandwidth back to normal levels. But for now, we'll have to see how it goes.

Also, Images that are attached more than once will show up as a Link to the original attachment.

In the future, there may be the chance that RME will become a pay-per subscription Forum. It's just a idea, but if we continue to grow as we have been, that may be the answer. I'd prefer that it didn't get to that point, but it's possible. The cost would be minimal, say.... $5-10 for a year? Like I said though, we'll see.

Ideas, Comments, Questions? Fire away.......

 

[Hickey]

Way to go Shawn!!! One guy ruins it for everyone!! (I'm just jokin, don't be mad)

So, how much WAS the bill?

 

[BlackSheep]

A couple of thoughts...

1. It seems like attaching the images to an RME post is what takes up the space. Most ISPs give some server space to each account. In the future, I will finish creating my website and post it. Therefore, I will be able to host my own photos, and perhaps some for other people. If others can do this as well (I know some have in the past), it should help out a lot.

2. This is more of a question, and I don't know the answer, so I'll play ignorant and ask it.....
How much space do all of these smilies take up (the ones that have been running rampant lately)?

3. Annual subscriptions wouldn't be bad. I certainly would prefer that over any type of advertising supported site. Part of what makes this site great is the lack of pop-up ads.
Depending on how you look at it, paying for subscriptions would have a (positive or negative) impact on the number of users.

 

[muleskinner]

I'd pay. I think it's a good site.

 

[Hickey]

I like the red star deal on Pirate, that way everyone still has access, but you got's to pay to post pics which keeps the number of pics down, and funds up.

 

[Greg]

Great feedback guys...... Keep it coming!

I'll never have Popups, so don't sweat that. I am actually looking into small, simple banners on the Forum, but it will be awhile before that may happen. Plus, I need shops intrested in Advertisment!

I don't want people to be worried about posting Pics, they are what makes this fun! If RME became a subscription-type site, plus the profit from non-invasive advertising, I think we could get along as we have been just fine. Hosting pics elsewhere is a very kind thought though. Thanks!

 

[Greg]

Originally posted by Jeremy
So, how much WAS the bill?

Almost $40 for Feb!

 

[EZRhino]

Greg,
This new deal blows big time. How can you follow a thread if you have to download pics every other second? And what makes it worse are all these damn animated monkeys pissing on other smileys and such, what a waste. You should just start deleting threads that are more than a year old, and clean up the worthless for sale section. Where do I send my ten bucks?

EZ

Smile free in 2003

 

[Greg]

I have thought about deleting old, outdated, irellevent threads and I probably will soon.

Hold onto your $ for now though. I don't think the Smilies use alot of Bandwidth, mostly pics. If people want more Smilies, the I can add more to the selection, no biggie.

 

[Hickey]

I would like more smiles please, they please me...

 

[Greg]

Originally posted by Jeremy
I would like more smiles please, they please me...

There will be a better selection w/ the new software.

 

[Jeromy]

I would not mind paying either. Another board I have seen you can pay 20 dollars a year and become an elite member or some thing like that. And you get a few megs of your own picture space as a bonus.

Jeromy

 

[spencurai]

I think the solution is everyone getting off their asses and using that free web space that comes with almost every internet service provider subscription. you know that 10 megs that you get to host your own web space. get a frickin FTP program and upload your pics to your web space and host them from there. it is easy, uses the resources of your ISP instead of RME and you can post 50 pics in a thread without using a bit more of RME resources. Blacksheep has it straight up!!

I think we should eliminate the attach file option and force people to learn that is the only way.

 

[Greg]

Thats a good idea, but is that a option everyone can figure out?

I think EZ's concern was more the Smiles that have been atteched, rather than the actual post count.

 

[spencurai]

Originally posted by Greg
Thats a good idea, but is that a option everyone can figure out?

I think EZ's concern was more the Smiles that have been atteched, rather than the actual post count.

non paying members of the PBB have been doing it for years. after they pay their yearly 20$ they can post as much as they want and have an avatar.

 

[Jeromy]

Just type out a write up on how to host the pics on imagestation or something like that and make it a sticky in one of the forums.

thats were i host my pics for the most part.

Jeromy

 

[spencurai]

go ahead and start a thread about hosting remotely. I will talk about ISP hosting and you can start off with imagestation. I don't use image station so your input would be invaluable!!

 

[Shawn]

I wish someone would have just said posting smilies was a big deal,,, I was just having fun..

 

[tv_larsen]

Greg, I'm a moderator at RamchargerCentral.com. With almost 6000 members, RCC's admin (Sam) has also experienced many of the same growing pains.

So far, Sam's method has worked very well.

Voluntary donations are encouraged at RCC. Sam keeps a running total at the top of every page displaying the current total in the RCC fund reserves as well as the the cost of the previous month's server fees. For example, the server cost was $54.94 last month and the site currently has $1092.17 in funds.

To help encourage donations, he gives everyone that donates to that site in some way a permanent "Site Contributor" status. On RCC, only admins, mods, and site contributors can attach images. He also setup a seperate Site Contributor board similar to the Mod board that only the contributors, mods and admins can access. There, particulars of the site are discussed, their input is welcomed, and special offers from sponsers are only offered there.

 

[Greg]

Originally posted by Shawn
I wish someone would have just said posting smilies was a big deal,,, I was just having fun..

It's not a big deal at all..... No worries. They are too small to make much diffrence.

Keep them coming!