Update please. Wanna know if my bucks helped mean a better server or if it went into the (doggie) bag.

-- Carlos (riffraff1@cybertime.net), January 06, 2000

Answers

That started out as a reasonable question Carlos but turned mean pretty quick.

I wrote Phil and was critical of the timing of his action. He wrote me a very polite message back and explained why what went down did. Having run an online service and worked with an ISP for 2 years I understand the problems and resource issues he pointed out. I don't know if the total amount was raised but I'll be sending him some dollars soon (need to find an address though...Phil?)

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), January 07, 2000.

I believe Carlos was trying to be flippant here. The "doggie bag" reference alluded to the fact that Phil requested donations to a pet charity (as I recall)....Carlos was wondering if any of it went to the upgrade here. At least that is what I THINK Carlos meant.

-- Ynott (Ynott@incorruptible.com), January 07, 2000.

You got it ynot. With criticism flying everywhere I should have been more careful.

-- Carlos (riffraff1@cybertime.net), January 07, 2000.

The TBY2K Sysops & Moderators really appreciate the response people have had to donating to Philip Greenspuns charity, so he in turn will match us in funds, out of his own pocket, and get a new server for his MIT server farm.

(If we had donated directly to MIT, his server farm would never have been the ultimate recipient).

For those who missed it (and the forum), while the forum was inaccessible, due to robot/spider attacks, Philip left us several messages. One final one was...

If you want to see the forums back, prove it!

Surf over to https:// db.photo.net/shoppe/ (ignore the warning boxes about the MIT certificate authority not being recognized; your credit card is transmitted securely) and make a tax-deductible donation to SARA Sanctuary, a no-kill animal shelter. They will get 100% of your money. If the Y2K users collectively come through with at least $7,500 (so far we have about $1,500 committed), I'll pay for some new dual- Pentium Linux boxes out of my own pocket.

I dont know what the count and amount is at this timing, but it is over $5.000, I believe.

Will check with Philip this weekend. BTW... I already made my donation. I also know Ed Yourdon made a good sized one too.

For the credit/debit card challenged... donations can be mailed to SARA Sanctuary 1050 Rawhide Road Seguin, TX 78155. Put a note in to credit Philip Greenspun and ArsDigita for the donation.

It's our way of saying "THANK YOU PHILIP!" for two years of free forum service! We all observed it "really" motivated him to pull in help on a holiday week to get us up and running on back-up servers, until we can move to more permanent machines, that aren't on their last legs.

Thank you... to the Forum Posters... as well... for showing Philip we appreciate him and MIT!!!

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 07, 2000.