The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - The hold you up by the ankles and shake edition

[McFlash]

It's a two-fold problem to some extent:

1) Advertising revenue has dropped off a cliff and as we keep seeing, Google keep trying to push the really annoying (full screen, pop-up, etc) ads. If we allowed them, it could well pay for itself but it really ruins the site.
2) We need a server that can handle the insane traffic for about 2 weeks of the year. We have to pay for it for the whole year though. It'd be a fraction of the cost to support the server for a normal boring week in November or March. We've looked at options for "on demand" type pricing before and these just never worked (or they got really ridiculous really fast). So we're paying a premium to make sure we don't go down at the end of January/August.

At the minute I'm reasonably happy. We do have to pass the begging bowl around a few times a year but that generally works well and means we can avoid going down the Football London route with all their adverts.

The time, effort, expense and pure thought that you guys put into this place is massively appreciated.
You run a fan forum, with the fans in mind.
The fact that you reject the chance to cash in on all the annoying ads, to keep this place clean and easy to use, is something that doesn't get enough credit.

I tried to up my monthly donation not that long ago but couldn't manage to get PayPal to work properly.
I guess the best work-around is to just set up a second one?

Apart from popping into TFC for a laugh when some banned members go postal over there, this is the only Spurs forum I ever have, and ever will use.

(There have been some pure comedy moments on TFC from people who have been kicked from here!).

 

[carmeldevil]

Maybe set up a membership option - perk is we get the optimistic rating.

 

[Cel]

Done that before, it raised 50p or so. We just don't have enough diverse traffic to really generate anything from that. Even Amazon (where I assume most people shop) makes us maybe £5 a month at best.

Hmmm. How about something small and cosmetic - say a green background for anyone that donates any amount monthly? Guessing that kind of thing is already possible?

 

[Rob]

Hmmm. How about something small and cosmetic - say a green background for anyone that donates any amount monthly? Guessing that kind of thing is already possible?

Yeah, it used to be automatic but now we use paypal directly it'd be a bit manual but it's doable. Not too keen on making "second class members" from those who can't/won't donate though, even just cosmetically. Very much don't want to go down the "cull" route or anything like that which COYS did, based on "pay to post" or whatever.

 

[McFlash]

Not too keen on making "second class members" from those who can't/won't donate though, even just cosmetically

See, that's the sort of thing I was talking about, every effort to keep this place welcoming to all.

 

[Cel]

Yeah, it used to be automatic but now we use paypal directly it'd be a bit manual but it's doable. Not too keen on making "second class members" from those who can't/won't donate though, even just cosmetically. Very much don't want to go down the "cull" route or anything like that which COYS did, based on "pay to post" or whatever.

Oh, certainly didn't mean that. Was thinking more something small, very much a nice to have, not a need to have.
Understand the reasoning about putting anyone out though, a different background might be overkill as it's already a differentiator on posters on here with the mods and ITKs.
In my head it'd be more of a 'you can buy this stupid bit of extra functionality if you want to support us - if not, cool, still have the same access to anything on the site you always would'. Something dozy, client side, like a 3rd kit skin to the site that no-one else would even see you had. Anyway, just realised ITK thread, I'll leave it there!

 

[ukdy]

Thanks to everyone who donated yesterday. We had a decent response and it's covered the bills for a couple more months. Ideally, by the end of the window we'd like to be covered up until Christmas but it's an excellent start. Thanks!

If you setup SC with charitable status.. you can get tax relief too.. "supporting those affected in N17" ?

 

[sharky127]

Is there not a way that people can link the SC account details to something like their Quidco/topcashback account?

 

[Zeb]

Personally, I would be up for some SC merch.
Cup, T-shirt, Caps for the chavs and rednecks...

Pretty sure if you setup a T-shirt with the SC logo and "Blue and Yellow" written on it, its going to be your biggest seller....

 

[fletch82]

Yeah, it used to be automatic but now we use paypal directly it'd be a bit manual but it's doable. Not too keen on making "second class members" from those who can't/won't donate though, even just cosmetically. Very much don't want to go down the "cull" route or anything like that which COYS did, based on "pay to post" or whatever.

Just let them eat cake rob
Bloody peasantry

 

[Neon_Knight_]

How much is costing these days? Last post I can see was you saying £400. But that was 2013.

We need the "Doh!" rating back.

 

[Kegsy]

Long time Lurkmeister, just put 30 quid in the pot. Never been in a position to donate but had a touch so off I went. Worth every penny. Thanks everyone for a great site.

 

[Rob]

Personally, I would be up for some SC merch.
Cup, T-shirt, Caps for the chavs and rednecks...

Pretty sure if you setup a T-shirt with the SC logo and "Blue and Yellow" written on it, its going to be your biggest seller....

Not against that at all but it's not a money maker in any way :-( We've tried before and the amount of profit it'd make isn't worth the time in doing. We've had SC t-shirts before but broke even doing them.

 

[dovahkiin]

herculres on solomon

Likely to happen from what I hear. But that is one of many

 

[Rob]

Back to ITK!

 

[felmani26]

herculres on solomon

Along with the arranged Shakhtar friendly this one looks like it has real traction.

 

[coy-spurs1882]

Soloman's loan officially ends today, so we may likely to hear more this weekend/next week should this transfer is going to happen

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Personally, I would be up for some SC merch.
Cup, T-shirt, Caps for the chavs and rednecks...

Pretty sure if you setup a T-shirt with the SC logo and "Blue and Yellow" written on it, its going to be your biggest seller....

How about a range of designs with ironic references to past transfer windows. Leandro Damiao, Elvis / The Beatles, The Magnificent Seven, cabbages (this perfectly sums up how most of us felt at the end of that window).

Or that theme could be used as a perk for regular donators: an SC-designed avatar that references that person's first transfer window as an SC member.

Probably all too much effort though...

EDIT: @Rob sorry I saw "Back to ITK!" after posting this.

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

herculres on solomon

Did you ask him to spell his name for you?

 

[ukdy]

Soloman's loan officially ends today, so we may likely to hear more this weekend/next week should this transfer is going to happen

I expect there's going to be a lot more ITK this week as players return to clubs, footballing contracts come to an end, or enter the last year etc etc.