Sennadar Forums

I've finally buckled under the pressure and have set up a paypal account.

I just want to put a few things on the table about this, here and now.

1: I don't expect to see too much in the way of donations, though donations will be accepted. Grudgingly.

2: The main reason I'm doing this is because the sennadar.com registration is coming due soon, and I'm flat broke. I don't want to have another episode like last year, when I didn't have the money to renew and almost lost the domain. If not for a quick loan from a friend, I'd have lost the domain name.

3: Those of you who have been here a while know how militantly opposed I was to this option. However, if I want to keep the site up, I've come to the grim realization that I'm going to need at least a little help.

4: Money donated via Paypal will be primarily used to maintain sennadar.com, to help defray the costs that I incur on the registration, and Spec might incur hosting the site. I don't expect to see much more than what it would take to do that. If there is more than that, well, I'm not really sure what I'd do with it. I'd probably be afraid to touch it.

I've sent the hotbutton html on to Spec, who will be the one to add it to this board. I'm not very good with all the jargon over on Paypal, but I *think* that I've opened the right kind of account and created the right button for it.

Hell, with my luck, people donating here will be sending their money to NAMBLA.

Let me say again, I'm not very comfortable with this idea. I'm wary of Paypal in general, and I'm also not too keen on the idea of taking money for something I've always done for fun. It almost feels as if I'm demeaning it somehow.

Just because there might be a paypal button up, I have never and will never expect, or necessarily even want, donations. I will never ask for them, I will never expect them. I've always wanted to entertain, not hold my hand out.

So, those of you who have cried for a paypal button, your wish has been granted.

We'll see where this goes.

Edit: Spec, I forgot to sticky this, and I'll be darned if I can't figure out how to turn it into an announcement. So, could you stickify this, then send me a bonehead PM explaining how I can do that myself because I'm a noob?

Well I don't know about Spec but I'll sticky it for you. - CanisD

<b>Edited by Spec8472:</b>
Donation Instructions:

1. Click the donation button, here:

2. In the item description, put something like "Donation"
3. In the item price, put whatever amount you'd like to donate to Fel. Note: This is US Dollars, you can enter fractions of a dollar (eg: cents) using a decimal point - eg "2.50".


4. Enter your details, and follow the rest of Paypal's instructions.

5. Notice warm feeling.

6. Smack dog for peeing on your foot.

I'll check out how to do the code thingy now... but as for sticky/announcement, I've created this little how-to guide



(Hey, the hilighting sucks 'cause I'm using a touchpad. )

FEL.....

If we donate it is because we APPRITIATE the time and energy you spend creating these great stories. I have been reading for over 2 years and a member of this forum for almost 2 years. I am going to donate to the paypal account you have set up because I absolutly love the stories you have written, I would feel great to be able to contribute in some way, and because you are a student and I remember what it was like when I was in college. Between a full load of classes, playing baseball, and working at night I was run ragged. So, when I donate my money you do whatever you want with it. Use it for domain payments, send a little to Spec for his hard work ( another person who deserves MAJOR kuddos from everybody for his hard work. Thanks Spec!!), or use it to go out, grab a bite to eat to re-energize yourself to be able to write or study again then so be it. Please don't be afraid to use what I send you although I do understand why you feel this and that alone makes me feel good about sending it to you.

Added donation instructions up the top...

(Edited)
fear1222: I think you're overstating it a little how much work I put into the site... I've been really lazy over the last... well... 6-8 months.

LMAO!! Come on. You may have slacked a little bit but you are instrumental in everything that happens on this site. Don't sell what you do short man. Even if you think it is only a little bit I know that I appriciate it.

Slacked off....you make me laugh you damn Aussie!!

just put my 2 pence up m8
and it is like fear1222 just said
kudos to the best!! both of you!
thanks

ham

PS
just curious,, how much to pay for the server/domain??

gesit wrote:how much to pay for the server/domain??

The hosting is "free" (and I'm not accepting anything towards it, Fel ), domain rego for sennadar.com is about $15/year, depending upon registrar - but cheaper if it can be done for multiple years at once.

Just donated. See it as an incentive to keep doing the fun part.

thanks for the info Spec8472,
good to know that
and say what are those 2 books about pilots gone wild??
would like to know/see more about them and if i like them
i will order them, but only in e-books, don't like death tree's
thanks

ham

gesit wrote:thanks for the info Spec8472,
good to know that
and say what are those 2 books about pilots gone wild??
would like to know/see more about them and if i like them
i will order them, but only in e-books, don't like death tree's
thanks

ham

Spec changed his sig to read that after Chapter 19 of Subjugation was posted. It's kind of an inside joke, you'd have to read the story to understand it.

OK storyreader2005,

thanks for answering my stupid question, but hey i'm just a newbie here...lol
so i learn something new every day...hehehe
getting old that is!
c u

ham

gesit wrote:what are those 2 books about pilots gone wild??

What storyreader2005 said is correct - but they wern't books, they were video - as in "When Tornadoes Strike" and other silly TV programs.

Definitely read Subjugation though, if you haven't already.

. I have every intention to fund something I enjoy doing... reading. Especially Fel's writing.

Besides Paypal, which i have no idea how it works. I have explicit distrust of paying for things over the net.. being scammed once.

I got to think of something one way or another.

Mizriath wrote:I have explicit distrust of paying for things over the net.. being scammed once.

Paying for things over the 'net - if using a credit card with a fraud guarantee thing isn't so bad as long as you take the usual precautions (HTTPS, Trusted sites, don't install stupid stuff on your PC, etc)

Paypal, however, I don't like.
They take a certain 'cut' of all money sent through the service (it's like a mafia protection payment), they also take a 'cut' if you withdraw money from the service (a cheque processing fee, for example). They also tend to have crappier currency-conversion rates than others. (eg: When I sent through some money the other day - they were offering USD$0.81 for AUD$1.00 -- which was about 2-3c lower than the local bank. Not a significant difference for $10-15, but when you're talking a few hundred...

The problem is - they're a necessary evil, there simply isn't any other widely available service that's both relatively trustworthy, takes a lower 'cut', and widely available (meaning: most western countries).

Mizriath wrote: . I have every intention to fund something I enjoy doing... reading. Especially Fel's writing.

Besides Paypal, which i have no idea how it works. I have explicit distrust of paying for things over the net.. being scammed once.

I got to think of something one way or another.

I'm not a huge fan of Paypal either for the same reasons as Spec, but they have a general stranglehold on the online payment right now.

For example, they take an average of 6% of all gross donation amounts as their fee for the service. The percentage is higher for small amounts, lower for large amounts, but it about evens out to 6% or so. I knew about that long ago, which was the main reason I've resisted putting up a Paypal donation button.

But, as Spec inferred, they're the only TRUSTWORTHY game in town. Paypal's system is effective, even if they charge too much of a percentage IMHO.

By the way, to everyone who donated, all I can say is thank you. I really can't think of anything else, because I never expected anyone to donate in the first place.