It hasn't been an entire year since our last fundraiser, but we figured that we would start this round a bit early so that we can run two fundraisers this year. This way we don't have to raise enough to cover a year's worth of expenses all at once. So this time, our goal is $2,000.
If you'd rather send a check or a money order (in US Dollars -- sorry, but we can't accept International Money Orders at this time), make it out to Jason Levine and send it to:
Jason Levine PO Box 392 Slingerlands, NY 12159
Be sure to include your e-mail address in a note along with the check/money order so we can thank you. (PCQandA screen names would be nice also in case the e-mail doesn't go through for some reason.)
You can also support PCQandA by buying from one of our Commissioned Links, but that won't count towards the fund raiser.
Curious just how close we are to our goal? Check out http://www.pcqanda.com/fundraiser.php for the most up-to-date figure. (Payments are added to the total manually, so don't expect the figure to update the minute you make a payment.)
#6. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Wakko (Reply # 1)
A check is always best since there aren't any fees associated with that. Paypal takes a small cut of any donations done via their site, but it's worth it for the ease of being able to accept credit card donations.
#3. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to DavyWavy (Reply # 2) Wed Jan-24-07 05:25 PM by emes
Done. Thanks everyone.
The payment options seem much improved - I didn't even have to 'login' to PayPal, just input my Visa data & the job was done and a little while later I received a numbered receipt sent to my email
#11. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Vijay (Reply # 10) Wed Jan-24-07 05:30 PM by emes
Vijay
One possible way I can think of (See mesg #3)... pay someone local who has a credit card, to make the transaction for you......I often do that for clients who otherwise have no way of making 'on-line' payments.
#13. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to emes (Reply # 11) Wed Jan-24-07 05:52 PM by Vijay
Have a heart I live in India.Sure I can remit money thru friends but they have to be travelling to the US at that time.Can't you Comp geniuses figure out a way to get an International money remittance.Pls let me know.
#20. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Vijay (Reply # 13)
Paypal should be able to accept payments from India. If not, then I'm sorry but we haven't found a good way of accepting non-Paypal International Payments just yet. Our bank dings us big time if we try to deposit a check/money order that isn't in US dollars. That would be manageable, but the "ding" isn't very predicable either. (Sometimes they won't accept it but will also charge us to refuse it.)
#15. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Shelly (Reply # 14) Wed Jan-24-07 07:54 PM by jazz4free
Last August, I mailed Jason my contribution from Canada in a money order drawn on my bank made payable in US dollars. Is there a problem using this method now?
Edit: No need to reply. I should have read Jason's intro more carefully: "If you'd rather send a check or a money order (in US Dollars..."
#21. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Stevehiker (Reply # 19) Thu Jan-25-07 08:11 PM by emes
Vijay
...... are you saying that to make a credit card 'on-line' transaction on a computer terminal in India, would incur large fees?
If that is the case and without meaning any disrespect I believe coconuts constitute a legal form of packaging (the contents are even sterile), all you have to do is put a stamp and address on one! (I am not joking) So...the going price for a coconut in the US is probably at least $2, 10 x coconuts at Indian prices plus postage to the US, say about 500 rupees max, would give Jason enough coconuts to sell outside on a side walk stall to procure a donation for PCQandA, or he could germinate the nuts, plant them out and start a copra plantation .... which would probably be a local monopoly for him! and after a while may completely finance PCQandA, thus taking the $ problem away from this forum for ever, not to mention giving Jason and family a good outdoor productive life for the future....
ps, the coconuts wouldn't need customs stickers - even a Customs Officer can recognize a nut when he sees one!
#24. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to emes (Reply # 21) Thu Jan-25-07 10:50 AM by Chari
Please do not pass such comments without understanding the other person's position.Indian currency is not a fully convertible currency and the credit cards in India can not be used for foreign exchange transaction unless you are a non resident and holding an International credit card.As regards charges for USD draft,even in Japan the charges are very high- minimum is USD 50.
#32. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Vijay (Reply # 25)
Coconuts float, no expensive shipping is required. Just give them a shove in the right direction, we have enough members on the west coast to intercept them and forward them to Jason.
#36. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Shelly (Reply # 32) Sat Jan-27-07 08:04 PM by jadinolf
>Coconuts float, no expensive shipping is required. Just give >them a shove in the right direction, we have enough members on >the west coast to intercept them and forward them to Jason. > I'll volunteer. I'm only a few miles from the Pacific.
edit: Oh yes, the check is in the mail. You should have it Tuesday or Wednesday.
#29. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to jasonlevine (Reply # 26) Thu Jan-25-07 07:04 PM by emes
Vijay
Its good you are seeing the humor of the situation ..... Having traveled extensively, I have often come up against this problem concerning remittance of funds. One way round it I found, was to purchase from a local post office a number of 'International Postage Reply Coupons'. These could then be sent to a recipient in another country with each one redeemable against the cost of 'standard rate postage' (in stamps), back to the country of origin.....as far as I recall there was no profit margin or 'markup' at all. Although I have not used this system for many years, It probably still works. So front up to your local PO and see! you could be surprised at the Rupee logistics. To know what Jason will get, you will need to know the 'standard rate postage' from USA to India.
Another work around was for sending telegrams. Send the text as a contiguous unit, with a one word charge. Although I do remember getting shot by an e-pistle from one post office b-rating me for sending 'an abusive reunion of words'!
Jason, I prefer to send a dollar money order as I usually do but it's not easy for me to get to the American Express office so I hope that it's OK if I send my full usual annual amount in your summer fundraiser.
#39. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to npmcl (Reply # 38)
That is a good question, so let me explain this new system for everyone.
The second fundraiser is tentatively planned for mid October. We hoped to lighten the load on everyone by trying two short fundraisers a year about six months apart, instead of one big one in the summer. This was suggested by a number of the members last year. We divided our expected annual cost of operation in half to set the goal for this drive. If we take in more, the goal for the second drive will be smaller, if we fall short now the second goal will be larger. Our annual expenses are still projected at about $4000 a year.
Of course, everyone is free to donate to either, both, or not at all. We realize that different times of the year might be best for some members. We also know that some members are not in a financial position to donate at all, and we would never expect any member to endure hardship for supporting the site. There are plenty of us who can and do help out. As long as we can reach our monetary goals and pay our bills we will be able to continue.
Pomelo69...can't help but respond to your contribution, although I'm not an "official" part of PCQ&A...I just noticed that you only had 2 posts, and yet you were still contributing. Man, that's nice! Thank you so much for your gift, and if you ever need to ask a technical question, please feel free to ask away. I can't answer it, probably, but we'll find someone that can. Thanks again!
Hi DavyWavy, I joined the forum in 2002 because I was having trouble with my pc,(the site was recomended by a mate) however when I was browsing the pc forum I found the solution to my problem, so I didn't need to ask, but I have browsed the computer room and the off topic lounge at least once a week since and I have learned a hell of a lot. thanks for you'r interest, toby.
Sent by paypal. This forum is the most helpful computer site I've found. I don't post much, but I read here at least once a day to learn from the other participants. My thanks go out to all of you.
#49. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to DJC (Reply # 48)
Sent my contribution via PayPal ... even though my "found new printer" problem has not been fixed (smile and wink). I'll repost this annoying little problem.
#51. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to DJC (Reply # 48)
I am going to attempt to get to the PO Box tomorrow. I'm sure there will be several things already waiting there for me. Thank you for the donation and the heads up.
I'm curious. As of this morning, donations of $653 have been posted. Same time, 27 persons (not counting Jason, Angel and Shelly), have posted comments; = $24 average.
I realize some contributions are not yet posted, and some contributors have not posted a comment, so the true average might be close to $24.
What I am curious about is how many people visit this site each week, and what the contributions total be if, say 20% of them contributed between $5 and $10 each.
Good job by those who have donated! Beanie with two propellers to Jason, Angel, Shelly and those who make this site work! Permanent wreath of garlic to those who come here regularly, and do not give!
#54. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to OldRay (Reply # 53)
From January 1st through January 31st, we had 293 posters. Of course, some people posted only one question, so counting people who posted 3 or more times (and thus more likely to be sticking around), we had 217 users. This also doesn't count the many lurkers that we likely have.
Counting just the Paypal donations (since we haven't made it to the PO Box yet), we've had 29 donations so far totaling $711.15.
#55. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to OldRay (Reply # 53)
I have a feeling there are a lot of people who would be able to donate a few dollars to the cause,but they might feel embarrassed making a small donation. They should not be embarrassed, not everyone has a lot of spare cash around these days, and a few dollars might represent a truly heartfelt contribution. Certainly every little bit helps, and no one here would ever look down at such a donation. In fact, only Jason and his lovely wife even know how much anyone has given.
#57. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Shelly (Reply # 55)
Good point Shelly. And the amounts are never posted, which is better.
The amount one can afford to donate is all relative, so whatever anyone can give is up to them. Those smaller donations may be more of a sacrifice for individuals than some of the larger amounts, so they are received with equal respect and appreciation.
#65. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to peterb (Reply # 64)
If everyone who saved money because of the help they received here contributed just 10% of what they saved, in 10 years we would be able to buy a small country.
#66. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Shelly (Reply # 65)
>If everyone who saved money because of the help they received >here contributed just 10% of what they saved, in 10 years we >would be able to buy a small country.
And, Shel, just think of the untold numbers of lurkers who've benefited from this great forum that you'll never know about. That's not a criticism, just an observation (the term 'lurker' is kinda condescending -sounding and I'm not using it in a negative way---is there a more PC term?).
. Onward & Upward ! Sid
WINDOWS 10 ASUS P8Z77-V Pro MB Intel i5 3750K CPU 8g Corsair Vengeance DDR3 RAM Corsair Neutron 250g SSD
We're now at $1,478.80, a mere $520 and change from our goal. Thanks to all who have donated so far. If you haven't donated, don't be shy. Even the smallest amounts are appreciated. Let's get that green bar all the way across.
Sent my first annual donation by PayPal yesterday.
Had a lot of trouble getting it to accept my German telephpone number. Did not seem to matter that the card company already had the correct number. Ended up posting the last number I had in the States. The funds are USD.
Thank you very much for your contribution, John...and I see that you have only posted here 5 times before...I am constantly amazed at the generosity of people here on the Forum! So many of us are older, maybe on fixed income, so when we make a contribution it's possibly coming out of our food budget for the month...so it's so nice to see people like yourself helping out. Thank you very much, again, John.
The five posts were all related to one basic technical challenge. It was instantly easy for me to see the value here, and I want to do what I can to be sure it continues.
After spending weeks extracting answers from both Microsoft and ASUS, the response here was instant and accurate. Unlike the oozing, one line, as unhelpful as possible, replies from the major corporations, the answers here were fact filled, eye opening paragraphs, with complete answers and new ideas.
If I paid by the hour for my time that I feel has been saved, there would be more zeros in my first donation.
A small contribution from me just sent via PayPal. Without this forum and the generous technical contributions from so many tech veterans here, I would be next to nowhere in my work and play with computers.
The atmosphere and camaraderie in the Computer Forum is second-to-none - a good model for any socializing. (Lately I've mostly stayed away from the OT Lounge, though... )
PC specs viewable here... Folding@Home with Team PleasureDome!
Well, once again it appears that everyone who helps yearly has given and those who don't are sitting out there waiting for the goal to be met. We've been though the debate of who can and can't donate and once again, no one expects those who are not completely capable of doing so, to participate. But for the amount of people who visit here daily, this number should be a no-brainer accomplished in a week or so, not a chore that takes weeks on end to achieve.
To those who haven't done anything to help meet the objective (and ARE capable of doing so), please note that this forum may not be here someday because of your apathy. Think about it the next time that you save a bundle by not having to pay a tech support call or by not having to buy a book to fix a problem(s).
Or better yet, when you learn something here that prevents you from getting a virus or spyware issues.
#80. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to paulr (Reply # 79) Fri Feb-23-07 09:07 AM by JohnnyReb
Where do we stand now in the fundraising? How much are we short?
And is there some sort of notification from Jason that he has received the money? I have a receipt from PayPal, but would feel better knowing that the money made it past them...
The lack of updates is usually due to no new PayPal donations. The donations that come in to the PO Box are generally a small percentage of the total, and getting to the Post Office, especially during the upper New York State snowy winter, is an infrequent chore.
#85. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Shelly (Reply # 84)
One tactic that I used on the air to solicit funds for different causes was a "Countdown". It was very successful. We set a deadline for the end of the drive, and give periodic updates on where we are. The key is the deadline. People get very animated about it, and will start pushing to "win". For example, we could say the deadline is March 31st. We have 31 days to work with. One day 1 out total is : whatever Day 2 : whatever and so on. It's fun...it's a game...and people love it! I can almost guarantee a good finish each time we do it. The way things are right now, there is nothing to call attention to our drive...the top message on the board has nothing to call attention to it.
#83. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Chari (Reply # 81)
The last 25% of the drive is always the hardest to get. This seems to hold true regardless of the size or time of the fund drive.
There is a group of members who always jump in and do their share, some more than their share, the moment the drive is announced. There is another group that would never lift a finger to support this site. There is a group that is simply financially unable to chip in, and that is understandable and accepted.
The reason that last 25% is so slow coming in is that many people visit infrequently and don't learn of the drive until they do drop by.
The idea of having two smaller drives a year, or changing the time of year left me unconvinced, but we decided to give it a try.
The staff position is clear and has never changed from day one. The site will be here as long as the members support it. The day we run out of sufficient funds to pay the bills the site will close for good. None of the staff will go into personal debt to keep it going.
Most of our bills are paid quarterly, because we get some discounts that way. No one here is paid a cent for the many hours it takes to keep it running smoothly, and we all chip in for the costs. We get a few hundred dollars a year from advertising, the rest is up to us.
Noticing increase in spam mails(specific Id) after effecting payment though paypal for this forum!Should not have used my regular email ID for the paypal account.
#87. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to Chari (Reply # 86)
I doubt if it was from using PayPal. I have used it frequently for many years with my main mail account, and I never get spam on that account. Take a look at what account the spam is being sent to. If you have ever received any spam on that account your address has been spread far and wide. PayPal would be committing suicide to abuse their members privacy.
I feel so bad!!! I love this site. Just donated what I could to you guys. Had bad fence damage this weekend from a wind storm or I would've donated more. I took care of it and am dubious my neighbor can help. I want you guys to stay around. I love this place!
Ok, after reading about the snow in upstate NY from a resident of Jacksonville, FL, and the difficulty of getting to the post office, I retrieved my envelope with the check. Just sent via Pay Pal $50.
$30 sent by paypal. Sorry for the late payment. It isn't that I am one of the "don't care" brigade, I just had to wait for some overdue accounts to be settled to have the available funds.
#96. "RE: Semi-Annual PCQandA Fundraiser" In response to billyV (Reply # 93)
We appreciate the contribution, and you shouldn't be so hard on yourself.
In my life I have been called a damned yankee, a southern redneck, a miserable athiest, holier than thou, an ugly American, a do gooder, a bleading heart liberal, a reactionary conservative, a Democrat, a Republican. I could go on and on. Why should I care what people who don't realy know me, and have no knowlege of how I have lived my life, call me?
I had intended to wait until later in the year to send my donation and make it an annual contribution but since there is a problem reaching the target I have sent what I can afford at this time via Paypal.
Hope it helps. I don't want the forum to disappear.
Jane
Sid
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I want you guys to stay around. I love this place!