[V8] Fwd: ADMIN: move FAQs

[Dan Simoes]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Dan Simoes <dans at audifans.com>
> Date: September 6, 2007 12:11:02 PM PDT
> To: quattro at audifans.com, a4 at audifans.com, 200q20V mailing list  
> <200q20v at audifans.com>, s-car-list at audifans.com, urq at audifans.com
> Subject: ADMIN: move FAQs
>
> Guys,
>
> Thanks for the contributions.  I wanted to quickly address some of
> the common questions I've been getting bombarded with :)
> I am carefully reading over all suggestions/offers and will reply
> individually, but here's a quick reply so everyone is in the loop.
>
> Q: Where do you live now?  What do you do?
> A: I live in Walnut Creek CA and work in downtown SF.  I run tech
> operations for a startup company and have been working in the IT
> field since 1989.
> I'm a unix/linux administrator at heart, but I also have an MBA in
> Marketing.  I've been married for 14 years and have 3 kids (2 girls 7
> & 5, and a 15 month old son).
>
> Q: Why do you insist on owning the hardware?  Wouldn't a shared
> server/grid solution work better/be cheaper?
> A: I'm not opposed to shared/managed hosting, but it comes down to
> economics.  Once the box is built, costs will run $50/mo.  A
> dedicated managed server will run around $150/mo, so after month 6,
> the colocated box solution is less expensive.
>
> Q: I'll let you run the list on my server for free.  What do you need?
> Q: Run it here on my cable/DSL/FIOS connection.
> A: While I appreciate these offers, I prefer to keep the lists close
> to me.  Businesses go under, people move, and the last thing I want
> is instability.
> This is the main reason I don't want to run it at my own home.
> With that said, I am examining all offers.
>
> Q: I donated in the past and no one acknowledged me!
> A: I'm sorry.  I do try to reply to all paypal contributions with a
> thank you note, but may have missed yours.  People who sent checks to
> my old PO box may have gotten mail returned, as I did not keep up the
> box after I moved.  I will also put up a new page thanking people for
> their 2007 contributions (if you do NOT wish to be listed, let me  
> know).
> Also, my personal paypal account turned into a business account (I
> started and ran tdiparts.com for several years) so with the volume of
> daily transactions I was seeing, some of the contributions probably
> got buried.  I sold that business, so there should be no problem in
> being able to audit and recognize contributions going forward.
>
> Q: Are my contributions tax deductible?
> A: No.  I'm not a charity though I sometimes act like one :)
>
> Q: I want to send money and don't have/trust/like paypal.  Can I send
> a check?
> A: I will let you know if/when we need funds.  I don't want to post
> my work or home addresses, and I don't have a PO box anymore.
>
> Q: What type of server do you need?
> A: Anything, really,  as long as it is 1U, can hold and control a
> pair of 500Gb SATA drives (which I have already purchased).  Intel,
> AMD, no preference.
> I haven't used Sun hardware in over 3 years and prefer to keep it
> that way :)
> The site doesn't get a huge amount of traffic, but we have around
> 100Gb worth of archives as well as logs.  I want to build something
> that will last for the next 5 years, so we don't have to repeat this
> exercise in a year.
>
> Q: Shouldn't some businesses be contributing as well?
> A: Yes, and some already have.  If expenses become unmanageable, I
> will start soliciting for sponsors, but I don't think we will need to.
>
> Q: Do you want to give up control of the lists/site?
> A: Not until I can find the right caretaker, if/when someone comes
> along.
>
> Q: Why mailing lists?  Why not a forum like audiworld, vwvortex,
> motorgeek?
> A: The lists predate the whole concept of forums.  While I use and
> participate in various forums, members here have expressed a strong
> interest in remaining email-only.
> If/when overall list sentiment is to move to forums, I'm not opposed
> to the concept, but then we have to figure out what to do with the
> archives.
> Email is push - you get it whether you like it or not.  Forums are
> pull - it requires effort on your part to go read something.
> It really boils down to personal preference.
>
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