We need your help!

[bigfish1965]

We need a few things from you guys for a few reasons.

First, we are well past the half-way point on our disc allotment. well over 1 Gb of stuff on our server. I have noticed that some guys like to attach the same image over and over again. Please try and not do that. Use our gallery or photobucket.

Please try and use smaller file sizes on your images. I regularly prune out older bigger attached images. Please don't attach here and then use the URL to post on other forums. Use photobucket for that.

We are approaching the need to switch to a dedicated server. At this point the finances are not there for that for since that would more than double our monthly hosting. We currently pay over $1000 a year for hosting and software and switching toa dedicated server would double that. Our transfer (bandwidth) has been under control by using a few tweaks to keep usage down (hence why we no longer see 50,000 page view days)

The last quarter (Jan to Mar) was our busiest ever and we got kicked off a few machines for our reource usage...which is fine..they need to balance the load.

No we can't go to a cheaper server cause they always choke out on us.

One of the best ways you can help us is to allow ads here to appear on your browser. I, like many of you, use Ad Block Plus. It's a great tool, but please disable it for us. Some of the ads we get paid for by impressions and each of the guys buying a top banner deserves to be seen by you since they are footing the bill. I don't think its alot to ask.

We offer what i think is the best bang for the buck for advertising rates...$75.00 per year...most sites with our exposure charge more than triple that! We just want to break even. We are one of the few big fishing sites left still leaving everything free (read:classifieds)...most others charge for those ads now. I can't see us ever doing that.

I have a major software upgrade to do next week and hopefully i don't mangle it, so if there is some down time, you'll know why.

[ccmtcanada]

Rick....thanks for the update....

 

I hope people take heed of your requests! It's free for us to enjoy, but we rarely think of those who take the time to make it all work.

 

Kudos to all of you....thanks....

[irishfield]

All my pics are hosted on our own servers.. much to my sons dismay !

 

Oh.. and the bandwidth use should drop substantially in 10 days !

[camillj]

Same here (I am pretty suree all my pics are hosted on my server) ... good luck on the upgrade bud ... keep up the great work !

[jjcanoe]

RIck is there a certain length of time you need to stay at a google ad for it to be counted, or do you just need to click, let it load and then hit back?

 

jjcanoe

Edited May 2, 2008 by jjcanoe

[bigfish1965]

I am not in any way asking you to click the google ads (that would be a violation of the terms of service) but I believe clicking is all they count.

[smokinall4s]

I would just like to say thank you Rick for this great fishing community site. I have learned alot about fishing just by reading to other peoples posts and I truely enjoy all of the fishing pics. I use photobucket for my pics, as was suggested by some OFNers. Everyone here is always willing to give out opinons and advice unlike some fishermen who never tell things. And it's just a great enviroment here. Keep up the great work and good luck with the upgrading. I appreciate it. Thank you.

[Gerritt]

If the need arises I would be willing to donate some $$ towards the dedicated server... this is my second home... and just like I pay to play @ home I have no problem in paying to play here...

 

only need 10 people @ $100.00 to make up the shortfall.

 

I am good for 100.00

 

G

Edited May 2, 2008 by Gerritt

[Roy]

I don't think it'll ever come to that Gerritt. But you have my addy if you still have a loose C-note.

[SlowPoke]

I'll come by and pick it up... save you the postage.

[muskymike]

If the need arises I would be willing to donate some $$ towards the dedicated server... this is my second home... and just like I pay to play @ home I have no problem in paying to play here...

 

only need 10 people @ $100.00 to make up the shortfall.

 

I am good for 100.00

 

G

 

I think this is a good idea but i know everyone will have varying opinions.

 

Just think, if all members donated $1 only, you would cover it really quick and no one would notice.

 

This is by far the best fishing site going, proven by members from across North America and abroad. And its free, why not give back a little to something that has given us all so much already.

 

Thanks Rick, you guys are doing a fantastic job on here.

[Reef Runner]

I to agree that this is the best site around and, if need be, am willing to add some $$ to help her afloat.

 

or

 

OFC bake sale? lol

 

A Big thank you to the mods for giving us all a home.

 

reefrunner

[shane]

I will help save space by only posting pictures of small fish.

[jace]

I will help save space by only posting pictures of small fish.

 

 

So i guess i'll never be able to post pics.

 

 

A lot of places i go to have a link for members to give voluntary paypal donations. I think it's a nice idea.

[jonnybass]

Like I said in the other thread, if your first quarter stats are accurate, you should be able to cover your dedicated server costs if properly managed.

[jonnybass]

I suggest dropping the google ads and inserting affiliate ads instead. They'll make 10 times what the google ads pull in. Problem solved right there.

[KyleM]

Why not a 5 dollar a year fee?

 

I dont think anyone has troubles with that.

[jonnybass]

Why not a 5 dollar a year fee?

 

I dont think anyone has troubles with that.

 

I don't think they want to go that route. One of the mods said that they won't be accepting donations.

 

Anyway, if they started charging a fee to use OFC, they wouldn't have the bandwidth problems they have now. LOL

[HTHM]

Perhaps we could have a fund raising tourney with half the proceeds going to a worthwhile charity (my boat upgrade fund??????? ) or even charge an entrance fee for the on-line tourney.

Rick I appreciate the work that you do, i have no idea what it all entails, however this board has become an important resource for me in more way than can be spelled out!

Thanks again!

[Casey123]

Rick

 

Thanks for the update. We appreciate very much the work you guys do to give us a place to share our experiences.

[Roy]

This community is very tightly administered which explains why we are successful. The finances are in excellent shape. What Rick is saying is that we still should be careful about bandwidth. We love pics but host them offsite (ie. Photobucket, Myfishingpictures..etc.) if you can. It just saves space. And, while we appreciate everyone's willingness to help out, there will never be user fees. Not in my lifetime.

 

Thanks.

[Marty]

. . . despite the fact that my last paycheck bounced.

[Radnine]

I am wondering if it takes up more space when people “quote” pictures. That is to say someone will post a report with 10 pictures, and then someone else hits the “quote” button to reply and adds the line “Nice Fish”. This re-posts the ten pictures.

Are people generally aware that they can edit the return quote to eliminate the pictures or unwanted text?

Or am I way off, and this practice does not effect band width usage?

[jonnybass]

It "can" affect bandwidth, but not disk space.

Edited May 3, 2008 by jonnybass

[jjcanoe]

I am not in any way asking you to click the google ads (that would be a violation of the terms of service) but I believe clicking is all they count.

 

10-4 I try and click at least one each visit especially if they are fishing related. I actually have one bookmarked that was a google ad. Thanks for the hard work on the site, everyone appreciates it.

 

jjcanoe