PanoTools mailing list archive

Mailinglist:PanoTools
Sender:Roger Howard
Date/Time:2006-May-24 19:18:47
Subject:Re: Re: PanoTools Funding Options

Thread:


PanoTools: Re: Re: PanoTools Funding Options Roger Howard 2006-May-24 19:18:47
On May 24, 2006, at 8:45 AM, Sacha Griffin wrote:
> Panotools.info and this list is John's asset, if he wants to use it  
> that’s
> his business. If you don’t like it, you have the above options.

That's absurd; the content is community-driven, he's asking for  
funding donations, and this is exactly the attitude I know I'm afraid  
of - the list and the wiki are *not* John's asset. I've made it  
clear, through donations and my comments that I appreciate what John  
has done; I have also made it clear that I believe we all deserve to  
know where the money goes, and that if we think the budget needs are  
too high I don't see why there is this huge defensiveness about  
reducing the costs to ensure that this resource remains. John makes  
appeals for funding, and often notes that if he doesn't get the  
funding he needs that the resources are at risk; so why not take the  
responsible approach and look at both securing funding and reducing  
the budget? Seems perfectly normal and reasonable for an operation  
like this. He has been offered free hosting, and there are several  
experienced folks here who seem to agree that $1800/yr for hosting is  
unreasonably high - so why wouldn't he want us to help reduce those  
costs, either through outright donation of the service, or through  
helping to identify more cost-effective hosting?

No one here (I certainly don't) wants to fork the community, and I'd  
like to think that there is a position somewhere between the  
extremes. I have no problem with John remaining at the helm, so to  
speak, I for one am just trying to help.

If I were in a position of fiscal responsibility for this community I  
would look hard at:

- Reducing operating costs - there seem to be a lot of room for this,  
without compromising on the scalability that John seeks;
- Offsetting costs through AdSense or other ad programs - I see  
*nothing* wrong with this;
- Seeking out partnerships and sponsorships with groups like IVRPA -  
something John seems against even exploring - and with businesses.  
There are a number of software developers, hardware makers and other  
businesses involved in this community, and I'd have to think this is  
a viable possibility, even ignoring IVRPA.

All of this, from my perspective, would seem to be in *John's*  
interest as well as the communities, and it continues to be almost  
surreal why these suggestions are met with such hostility.

-R


------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
Get to your groups with one click. Know instantly when new email arrives
http://us.click.yahoo.com/.7bhrC/MGxNAA/yQLSAA/.Cr1lB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

<*> PanoTools.Info (wiki, news and more...)
    http://www.panotools.info

<*> PanoTools List Reader @ GMane:
    http://news.gmane.org/gmane.comp.graphics.panotools
 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PanoTools/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    #removed#

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 





Next thread:

Previous thread:

back to search page