Messages

126

Site/Forum Features / Re: Shortcomings of DC and How to Improve

« on: February 27, 2011, 10:41 PM »

wraith808:

I was here much longer than you know. I volunteered/helped on this site way more than you know. You just don't know it, period.

127

Site/Forum Features / Re: Shortcomings of DC and How to Improve

« on: February 27, 2011, 10:30 PM »

I hope that the overwhelming majority of people who have donated to the site feel like they have gotten more than their money's worth (or that they will ask for a refund if they don't!)

I respectfully disagree. As I said I donated two times previously, and just donated yet again for the third time under this username. Even though I'm a lot dissatisfied with a innovation and the progress of the site I've never thought about getting my donations back.

A donation is a donation and is not meant be asked back, it's risky to assume that donors are happy just because they are not brazen enough to ask money back.

128

Site/Forum Features / Re: Shortcomings of DC and How to Improve

« on: February 27, 2011, 10:24 PM »

Hi mouser,

I can understand where you come from... and I know there're *plans*, but may I challenge you to defer the fundraiser until something big is released officially.

Sorry, I just don't understand why all these plans are deferred/delayed but not the fundraiser, which has a set time, set goal, and gets done without delay.

129

Site/Forum Features / Re: Shortcomings of DC and How to Improve

« on: February 27, 2011, 10:10 PM »

Look mouser, I didn't intend the have this as a single separate thread as what I'm doing is bring to front all these problems not to protest negatively. Now you forcefully moved my post I have to ensure it's active.


All these problems that have been here since the 1st fundraiser in 2007, now it's the 3rd:

1. Has not been any major changes/additions to the functionality/features of the site
2. Has not been any major changes/additions to the looks of the site
3. Has not seen any noticeable additions to the number of active members of the site
4. Is no addition of any major software application
5. Most of the entries in the Reviews are over 4-5 years old by now, despite plans to update them, which never effectuated

As someone who donated in the last two fundraising events ($20 and $15 under a different username) my point is:

If there's no major progress in the last 4 years, then what's the point of raising funds! Where did all the money go to?


I can see that when there's a change associated with getting donations, it gets done very promptly, like raising the default amount of donation to $38, and adding the whole "deluxe lifetime membership" promo text on:
https://www.donation...om/Donate/index.html

Now the fundraiser's coming up, new logos get prepared, thermometer will be up soon, etc. -- all the actions kick in. May I ask what's happening to the features like "Reviews" like members and donors here value?


Please free to criticize me and correct me if I'm wrong...

130

Site/Forum Features / Re: Shortcomings of DC and How to Improve

« on: February 27, 2011, 09:52 PM »

Why don't you address any of the problems I listed instead of silence them?

131

Site/Forum Features / Re: Shortcomings of DC and How to Improve

« on: February 27, 2011, 09:51 PM »

Lotus im going to move your post to a brand new thread about improving the site -- i don't think this thread is the right place for it.

-mouser (February 27, 2011, 09:49 PM)

Yeah right, then nobody cares. It's blast to oblivion by a single button. Go for it.

132

Site/Forum Features / Shortcomings of DC and How to Improve

« on: February 27, 2011, 09:36 PM »

One last thought -- I think it might be productive to have a thread on things we are doing poorly here on DC -- and ways we could improve.  There is always room for that.

-mouser (February 25, 2011, 02:00 AM)

Why don't we start by compiling such a list, let's say,by Day 2? Or a tangible action plan to improve the site (excluding software/site maintenance)? Or a list of new major apps (> 2000 downloads) that have been released since the last fundraiser, etc.?

Or maybe revamp the Reviews section?
https://www.donation...m/Reviews/index.html

Most of the entries in the reviews section are way outdated, except for the first entry which was posted in 2006, the rest were all posted in or before 2007! What happened in the last 4 years in this section?

I know there are big plans to rebuild the section, on and off, off and on since 2006:
https://www.donation...17.msg15812#msg15812

And then?

And please, please, post a big list of detailed improvements to the site/offerings for the last 4 years (since the first fundraiser), or this fundraiser is really looking like a bit tongue-in-cheek to me. I don't represent the donors but I don't think it's good idea to drive up the enthusiasm and expectations of donors every time during the fundraisers with not much come to pass afterwards.

133

Official Announcements / Re: March 2011 DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Celebration -- Pledges?

« on: February 25, 2011, 05:13 AM »

@ lotusrootstarch -
I'm wondering why you keep coming back - i.e. what (if anything) do you find positive here to make it worth your while coming back and posting.

-tomos (February 25, 2011, 05:06 AM)

Because you guys can potentially do better but with all the yes-sayers and fanboys around it's pretty hard to really move ahead you know.

134

Official Announcements / Re: March 2011 DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Celebration -- Pledges?

« on: February 25, 2011, 04:59 AM »

[removed]

135

Official Announcements / Re: March 2011 DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Celebration -- Pledges?

« on: February 25, 2011, 04:59 AM »

Mouser u know ur argument, while seemingly valid, is like saying Red Cross does not need to have accountability for the donations they receive -- because people are free to donate whatever amount they like, whatever they feel the org is worth to them.

I know that when the fund-raising event gets scheduled, it's done on time. And to hell with the roadmap, the planned stuff, the ideas, they all get sidetracked and mothballed until next time there's an event like the fundraiser and all these get brought up to the front all over again and then forgotten again.

If we were to bring back today someone who initially visited the site and participated on the forum back in 2009 when he donated during the fundraiser, will he be able to perceive any noticeable development to the site after two years of absence?

I'll bet he'll have a strong feeling of "isn't that the same old sh*?".

136

General Software Discussion / Re: Is DonationCoder too exposed of a brand?

« on: February 25, 2011, 04:37 AM »

That's cool. I'm just not sure what exactly it is that you're supporting. What does DonationCoder "mean" to you? What do you value about it? Are they the same thing(s) others value?

- Oshyan

-JavaJones (February 25, 2011, 01:19 AM)

Easy. I point out deficiencies that long deserve to be rectified. Isn't it a better, more tangible form of support than whatever you try to defend?

137

Official Announcements / Re: March 2011 DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Celebration -- Pledges?

« on: February 25, 2011, 01:39 AM »

I can host such a site (which is basically now a low-activity forum) for $50 a month on a VPS

Really ? so you're saying 50$ VPS can stand direct download links of some softwares on this site ? plus member blogs/sites, member software and respective bandwidth usage ?

-mahesh2k (February 25, 2011, 01:34 AM)

Obviously you are not familiar with the hosting industry, in that case I'll point you to a random google query result:
http://www.solarvps.com/linux-vps.php

138

Official Announcements / Re: March 2011 DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Celebration -- Pledges?

« on: February 25, 2011, 01:33 AM »

175 Guests, 24 Users (2 Hidden) Users active in past 30 minutes:

(that is just ONE active user activity every 10 seconds, do you even call that load?)

139

Official Announcements / Re: March 2011 DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Celebration -- Pledges?

« on: February 25, 2011, 01:28 AM »

Where did all the money go to?

-lotusrootstarch (February 25, 2011, 01:01 AM)

Do you realise what it costs to host a site of this magnitude?  It's hardly free.

-skwire (February 25, 2011, 01:25 AM)

Sure tell me why we need such a beefy ($300/month?) server for just:

175 Guests, 24 Users (2 Hidden) Users active in past 30 minutes:

I can host such a site (which is basically now a low-activity forum) for $50 a month on a VPS, that is $600 a year in server costs.

Really correct me if I'm wrong, kindly give me an example of a reputable $50 VPS that cannot handle the load or traffic.

140

General Software Discussion / Re: Is DonationCoder too exposed of a brand?

« on: February 25, 2011, 01:11 AM »

I'm a supporter (although it may not appear as such), but not a yes-saying fanboy.

Fanboys don't drive things forward.

141

General Software Discussion / Re: Is DonationCoder too exposed of a brand?

« on: February 25, 2011, 01:05 AM »

Since the last fundraiser 2 years ago, there:

1. Has not been any major changes/additions to the functionality of the site

2. Has not been any major changes/additions to the looks of the site

3. Has not seen any noticeable additions to the number of active members of the site

4. Is no addition of any major software application

5. Is a few event hosted here which earned virtually no public attention (this year's NANY, in particular, which is by now literally forgotten)


Now if you look at the fundraiser before the last, which was 4 years ago:

All these bullet points that I said above stilled applied if they were posted at that time!!


The point cannot be more evident, come on!! This is a stagnant site, no growth no innovation!

142

Official Announcements / Re: March 2011 DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Celebration -- Pledges?

« on: February 25, 2011, 01:01 AM »

Look guys since the last fundraiser 2 years ago, there:

1. Has not been any major changes/additions to the functionality of the site

2. Has not been any major changes/additions to the looks of the site

3. Has not seen any noticeable additions to the number of active members of the site

4. Is no addition of any major software application

5. Is a few event hosted here which earned virtually no public attention (this year's NANY, in particular, which is by now literally forgotten)


Now if you look at the fundraiser before the last:

All these bullet points that I said above stilled applied if they were posted at that time!!


As someone who donated in the last two fundraising events ($20 and $15 under a different username) my point is:

If there's no major progress in the last 4 years, then what's the point of raising funds! Where did all the money go to?

143

General Software Discussion / Re: Is DonationCoder too exposed of a brand?

« on: February 24, 2011, 08:50 PM »

30% of the users come here for the forum and the community

-Paul Keith (February 24, 2011, 10:23 AM)

Are you kidding me? I'd say probably only 50-60 users are here for the community. I see lots of lots people who used to frequent this forum simply disappeared. As you said, it's a ghost town and some people here just don't realize this fact.

144

Circle Dock / Re: Goodbye all, I'm out of here effective immediately

« on: August 12, 2010, 08:44 PM »

And it's not being released anymore... so why the continued harping on that?

-wraith808 (August 12, 2010, 08:19 PM)

Team Circle Dock will take the program forward, as a fully non-GPL semi-commercial product, and likely to be under Microsoft's BizNet umbrella.

-Markham (August 12, 2010, 06:16 AM)

Follow the thread first.

-Tuxman (August 12, 2010, 08:23 PM)

That's right. More than often you'll find OSS is just a zero-sum game. The only way we can move forward, in this case, is to dismiss the pettiness and political dramas, remove GPL code from the product, and release it under commercial license.

A dedicated team committed to supporting its users and coding successful software is obviously above and beyond what some have been advocating here in this thread. Let's call an end to this drama, cease the antagonism, leave these folks alone and you might be surprised what they'll come up with.

145

Circle Dock / Re: Goodbye all, I'm out of here effective immediately

« on: August 12, 2010, 09:48 AM »

App, I generally agree with your opinion on GPL and the potential right to the source code. But please keep in mind copyright law is not the holy grail of IP protection and GPL can be just as evil as it is virtuous. In the eyes of many, GPL is just a bible distributed from a Church.

What is your plan with the source code if secured? Distribute it?

May I ask what is the point of this insistence on forcing a generous coder, who has already given so much for free to so many people at large, to give up the source code of his IP, to potentially give up this project to the many out there who are ever-ready to abuse it, to kiss good-bye to a personal pride, to relinquish a retirement hobby, to leave out a source of income, so that FSF can be satisfied with the "compliance"?

I wonder how gratitude is defined towards a person who revived a dead project and has been revitalizing tirelessly it for the continual benefit of so so many.

As opposed to big corp GPL-related scandals, this is a case which, I'd argue, is for the utilitarian convenience of most and should be whole-heartedly supported as it is regardless of licensing technicalities.

Just don't go too technical because you have a reference book at hand:

• You don't file a suit against yourself for your past/current copyright violations because people around you commit these offenses every now and then, nobody cares. Technically, who knows any one of us probably should be serving terms already.
• Police don't charge everyone with offense by the book, there's always a human factor
• Lisay Lohan didn't stay 90 days in jail... she was supposed to.

Give them a break. Move on.

@40hz:
Thanks for the enlightenment.

146

Circle Dock / Re: Goodbye all, I'm out of here effective immediately

« on: August 12, 2010, 08:17 AM »

I am flabbergasted and truly grateful for your most generous offer. I will contact you by PM. Thank you so very much!

Mark

-Markham (August 12, 2010, 06:48 AM)

All done. Check your e-mail for details. 2,000,000,000KB monthly allowance. G luck!

147

Circle Dock / Re: Goodbye all, I'm out of here effective immediately

« on: August 12, 2010, 06:40 AM »

I apologize to Sarge I meant no harm and thanks for the clarification Mark. I'm more than happy to offer you dedicated server space, 100Mbps link, 2 Terabytes per month traffic free with no strings attached. I'm not after your source code keep it to yourself just upload the end-user files. This should give you guys time to figure out the licensing without hurting user adoption. PM me.

148

Circle Dock / Re: Goodbye all, I'm out of here effective immediately

« on: August 12, 2010, 04:39 AM »

I don't believe my posts would be as obnoxious and objectionable as the deletions of the files itself. IMHO it was a casual disregard of Mark's intellectual property that he chooses to share with his users, which gave Mark no earthly reason to come back and be part of this community. It was a slap in the face, period.

My bullet points in the deleted posts were concrete, actionable, no-nonsense advices I gave to the developer of the program. I was not talking to "dc users", "dc admins", "dc mods", "dc members", "dc community" -- but just to the developer himself. Those were the things that I believe Mark should consider if he's to further the program to benefit the most number of people out there -- by making it sustainable in the long-term.

sgtevmckay, what exactly give you the impression that you are the fully authorized mouth to speak on behalf of Mark and the project? There's nothing I could see from this thread that you made any attempt to speak for the benefits of Mark, to share his feelings, or to defend his actions from his perspective. Would you realize that, without Mark willing to devote himself to the program out of his own motivation, none of your reconciliation, apologies, or the combined dc-* will mean anything at all?

Sorry but sadly software dev is not furthered by subscribing to ideology, following the tide here, being a pacifist, etc. You've got to tend to the developer's hierarchy of needs.

Think about it before deleting my post.

149

Circle Dock / Re: Goodbye all, I'm out of here effective immediately

« on: August 11, 2010, 03:31 PM »

Aight, on a positive note, Mark, think of popularity ensued by huge bandwidth usage as a BLESSING, think about it:

1. Even a powerful dedicate server with 3TB of traffic allowance costs less than $200/month these days, that requires less than one copy of CircleDock a day sold at $9.95. If you go for a VPS (which is less powerful but more than enough for CD site), you need to sell less than one copy in every four days at the above price.

2. Advertising is surely another way to go to make your time and effort worth the while. I've been wondering how hard have you been trying to not make dollars from your CD site with this kind of traffic stats? I know I have a site with less than one tenth of visitors in comparison and site pays for itself $20/day 7 days a week with me having to visit th url once a month to see if it's still up and running.

 

150

Circle Dock / Re: Goodbye all, I'm out of here effective immediately

« on: August 11, 2010, 02:24 PM »

LOL, this is seriously hilarious!

Mark may I say your stupidity and servility truly precedes you; I just gave up trying to understand why you are still getting bogged down with petty non-issues like these. Here's a guide for ya:

1. Get the f outta here and start somewhere else... commercially.
2. Start your own forum and support, unless you wanna be a disposable dog on a tether.
3. Do not associate your software, ever, with any kind of concept like "free" (as in freedom, beer or what not). Just f remove the GPL'd code and stop thinking about it, OK?