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Diesel and I up until now have covered costs of operations, websites, OzSTOC cards, getting badges setup, extra postage costs, so on and so forth.
As this foum keeps gathering momentum, we have come to the point that to take our little world to the next level, we need to upgrade the website correctly, we have experimented with cheaper hosting, and trying to learn it ourselves, unfortunately Diesel and I are both busy with work and normal life like everyone else, so we have not been able to do this in a manner that services all our needs, our expansion, and our future growth.
Our current host will not address our issues (such as website crashes, email accounts not working, not providing support when we need it, creating excuses when we are being open and upfront), and will not offer a refund, so we are further out of pocket again.
We have been finding out our information, and talking to various web design companies, and we have come to the conclusion that using Australian Based hosting, and having Support based in Australia is the way to go.
To that end, I sat down with one of my Clients who has a web design company so I already have a working relationship with them, we have worked out the following package:
Tidy Up existing issues
4 page website
Home page + Contact Us
Forums (transfer existing)
Plus shopping cart with 4 products
Email setup
Backup disc for website
Australian based 24/7 support for hosting
Includes website front page design and scrolling gallery similar to www.advrider.com (http://www.advrider.com)
Website support is about 5 minutes drive from my shop
This will cost $658.90, plus Monthly Web Hosting Costs that are still being negotiated.
The forum WILL NOT change - all the threads, posts, links, pics etc will migrate over this time, and you will NOT have to re-register either.
We would like to throw the door open to those of you would like to help us with this, basically passing the hat around, putting it bluntly we have 80 odd members - roughly dividing it between us it is about $10 each to cover the cost of what we are looking at doing. If we can get a reasonably favourable result with member donations, then the reults will benefit every member. Already some members have dug deep to help out, and their efforts are greatly appreciated (you KNOW who you are) - thanks. You guys have shown nothing but support in where we are headed, and we like to keep everyone informed, as this forum is for all our benefit and enjoyment.
OzSTOC Bank Account Details (I have set this account up specifically for OzSTOC)
Acc Nickname: OzSTOC Riders
Acc Name: Mr David G Strang
BSB: 064 429
ACC: 1013 8445
PAYPAL
streak@ozstoc.com
With the Shop we have been doing things at cost, which means the extra postage costs here and there, that we have been covering out of our own pockets.
What we would like to do, is put a tiny margin on some items, and use the little bit we make to look at being able to group buy things like oil filters, so on and so forth to pass on to our members (you) at a discounted rate. This is also in conjunction with some manufacturers' and suppliers discounts to OzSTOC Members.
Cheers, the OzSTOC Team.
Streak (Graham)
Streak@OzSTOC.com
0428 729 106
Diesel (Dave)
0466 494 334
Diesel@OzSTOC.com
(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd499/ozstoc/OZSTOCLOGOSmaller.jpg)
(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd499/ozstoc/DeiselandStreak.jpg)
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Not a problem. :beer
PM account details, and $20.00 will be on the way
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Not a problem. :beer
PM account details, and $20.00 will be on the way
+1 me too
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I have added the Bank details into the original Post, thanks gents, we appreciate anything and everything you can do to help us, your all a brilliant bunch!
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Done n dusted
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Done n dusted
Like wise
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:thumbsup
Me too.
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God Dammit,
I can't stop staring at that slide show on the example website....Oh, and count me in. Via Paypal...sorry if that's a pain for you...but so much easier for me :nahnah
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done
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Thank you to everyone so far, any and all contributions are fantastic!
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Graham,
Is PayPal ok?
If so, do I just send it the same as for the mugs etc?
Dave R
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Graham,
Is PayPal ok?
If so, do I just send it the same as for the mugs etc?
Dave R
use the streak@ozstoc.com email, i have added the Paypal details to the above address :)
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Should be another $20 in there.
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And another $20. :p
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Happy to contribute $20. Thanks for your hard work Streak & Diesel.
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Just an update Everyone, we are up to $200 in donations towards the website! thank you to everyone who has put their hand in their pocket no matter how to big or small :thumb :thumb :thumb $458 to go :thumbsup
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OzSTOC web IMPROVE transfer done!
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Worth every cent :beer
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another $20 actioned today.
Thanks Guys for all the hard work.
TerryB
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An update on how we are going with donations for the website
....drum roll......
:thumbsup We are up to $317! :thumbsup
:thumb Thank you to everyone who has chipped in so far, no matter how small or large the contribution it all counts :thumb
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After a very generous contribution of $100 dollars, yes $100 dollars we are up to $417!
Absolutely brilliant effort everyone, just awesome!
:wht11 :wht13 :blk11 :blk13 :dred11 :13Candy
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Done also :beer
Ciao, the can :)
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20 added
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I just had a visitor for coffee who gave me $20 towards the website, Paul http://ozstoc.org/index.php?action=profile;u=64 (http://ozstoc.org/index.php?action=profile;u=64) who has a very nice :blu13
he drove down from Brisbane today to come and say hello! great to meet yet another awesome member of OzSTOC!
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Mine will show up on Monday :dred11
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$20 added
:slvr13
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:blu13 $20 winging it's way through hyperspace via PayPal at this moment.
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Hi Streak,
Just got back from an extended ST tour through NSW/Vic and SA (life's tought !!) and caught up with your request. Have just sent you $20 via Paypal. Hope it helps. Keep up the good work
Cheers Dick B
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Ladies and Gentlemen we are up to $500 cleared in the OzSTOC account, great work, and thank you to everyone so far for chipping in, only $158 to go!
I am meeting with the website designer today, all going well hopefully everything will be completed by the end of the week :thumbsup
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Update! We had made $580 from my last post, but add another $20 to that and we have $600 on the table now! Amazing everyone it has been very humbling to see how generous everyone has been, $58 to go to cover te website :)
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All done. Thanks for the great web site.
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Just sent my bit via direct debit... You guys ar doing an awsome job with the website...
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Just reading the previous posts...is more dosh required for running costs etc? if so should we keep chucking it in? I'm happy to if you need it
:beer
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Hi guys, just read the post headed Important, Please read....
Never was great at paying attention!
Anyway thanks for the hard work and donation sent.
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My $20 is on its way.
Happy New Year to all
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:blk11
My $20 will be on its way today
Cheers, BusinessBiker Roger
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to S and D
the aus. cx site has a small icon near members name, their icon says "donating member"
can we have something like that, in line with the small icons on the left of members
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$20 from Mitch & Marg on the way. :grin
:blk13
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I've chipped in my $10 (money's a bit tight at the moment).
How about having a Supporting Member option like other forums? e.g. charge $10 or $15 / year for people to be a Supporting Member, and show a little Supporting Member tag on their profile.
There could also be a Supporting Members Only section on the forum, where only supporting members have access.
Maybe send them a sticker too? (might need a different design though...)
I don't know what other benefits there could be, I'm sure others might have some ideas?
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see S n D
Des is with me on this
an icon is all that's needed
no special treatment
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:wht11 py
I do not agree with the idea of a "icon" for those who have made a donation as this was and still is Voluntary not compulsory.
To me having this sort if thing available for every one to see adds pressure on others to do the same. then the word "voluntary" becomes null and void.
We are not like other clubs we have no numbers-captains-secretaries etc unless of course down the road we as a club would like all that plus a "Club House" in each state with large tracts of land so that we may hold "meets" and such like.
We never now what the future may hold and nothing is really impossible ("if we build it") so to speak.
Dreaming is allowed . :think1 :grin
Tipsy
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I've chipped in my $10 (money's a bit tight at the moment).
How about having a Supporting Member option like other forums? e.g. charge $10 or $15 / year for people to be a Supporting Member, and show a little Supporting Member tag on their profile.
There could also be a Supporting Members Only section on the forum, where only supporting members have access.
Maybe send them a sticker too? (might need a different design though...)
I don't know what other benefits there could be, I'm sure others might have some ideas?
This is just my own personal opinion. The website is a enough benefit in itself for everyone that uses it. I'm also pretty sure we all get our $20 worth of value from it over a year. :thumbs
My understanding is that the website had a higher operating cost this year to cover the initial setup and hosting fees, and therefore next years hosting fees should be less than this year. To place an icon against every financial supporters profile might seem a simple thing to do. But the bottom line is it's unnecessary and provides no benefit whatsoever to the users, and it just creates another job for those who maintain the site, as someone will have to administer who the financial supporters are and either add or remove their "supporters icon" each year.
How about instead of having a supporters icon, we just have a "Tight arse" icon, that shows up on the profile of anyone who has joined up and don't financially support the website after say 10 posts? :rofl
Cheers
Barry :)
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:wht11 py
If even those of US who have made a donation and those who have not just made use of the "Ostoc" shop there is a chance that will also help towards the cost if the site. :p :p :hatwave
Tipsy
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Agreed. Leave as is. No reason to divide the community to haves and have nots
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I'm just going by what I see on other forums. Of course just because others do it doesn't mean we have to. But, having a Supporting Member system does seem to work for other forums.
It is of course voluntary, just as this is. If anything, I find this call to arms more 'pressured' than any supporting member option.
Personally I like the Supporting Member system. There are forums which I like and I am happy to contribute my $10 per year to help keep it running. Of course many others choose not to contribute financially and that is fine too. It is nice when a forum gives a little to supporting members, hence the suggestion of a Supporting Members Only section which is an idea taken from another forum I use.
ST-Owners has a range of contribution amounts which might work well too, starting at $5/year and going up to $100 for those who wish to contribute more $, so there is something for everyone.
I'm sure there would be enough of us willing to contribute through such a system, which would then relieve Streak and Diesel of the need to pass around the collecting hat.
From other forums I use, I have not seen any noticable divide between those that contribute and those that do not, but then they are bigger forums with a lot more members.
If the contributions start at a low level, i.e. $5/year like ST-Owners, then there is almost no-one that couldn't contribute if they wanted to.
We have a great forum here, with some great people on it. Personally, if a small annual contribution helps to keep it running, to me it's well worth it.
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I'm with Des on this.
Never thought I'd see a Sandgroper agreeing with a Bananabender but there you go. :spank
Dave R
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:wht11 py
Dont get me wrong I agree with donations or even an annual membership fee its just having that little icon denoting the 'did' and"did nots" that I do not like the idea of, and the same for a separate area for the haves .
But if the majority of our members decide that that is the way we should go then so be it.
I will concede. :)
We are meant to be one group of bike riders, who love doing one thing riding our machines and chatting on this wonderful forum :thumbsup :thumbs :hatwave
If you look around the world and see how society view the have and have nots.
To my way of thinking, Is that if we do not know then we cannot in any way shape or form discriminate against any one.
Unfortunately It (as you will know) Discrimination happens every where even in the smallest way as I have seen it all to often.
And we can avoid it, If we want to. :beer
This only my 2 cents worth :popcorn :beer
Tipsy
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Hello everyone before this gets to heated.
Diesel, Brock and I are quite happy with the way things are working at the moment.
we have people who have given from their own pockets $5 to $150, some people are happy for us to publish a thank you, and we do. but we also have people who like to keep it private for their own reasons.
For that reason, we are happy for people just to give in their own way, whether it be by giving, time, money, even advice.
On that note I am locking this conversation.
If you need any further clarification don't hesitate to send one of us a PM or an email, or even give us a call.
Cheers
Streak, Diesel, & Brock
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you will find the OzSTOC Bank details in the first post of this thread, but here they are below:
OzSTOC Bank Account Details (I have set this account up specifically for OzSTOC)
Acc Nickname: OzSTOC Riders
Acc Name: Mr David G Strang
BSB: 064 429
ACC: 1013 8445
PAYPAL
streak@ozstoc.com