What is Downsizer?

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What is Downsizer?
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Downsizer Forum Index -> Site guidelines, Announcements, Problems and Suggestions

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bagpuss

Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 10507
Location: cambridge

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:07 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

What Jema's trying to say is that unless we need the money there's no point accepting it. Be assured that if a time comes when we need you to dig in your pockets we'll let you know

which is fair enough

unfortunately the way I interpreted Jemas statement it sounded a little bit like hiding from difficult or contraversial decisions behind the sites ethics

As others have said being transparent and open about the accounts which you appear to trying to do means that the majority of people will be happy to offer assistance both in time and money. The advantage of setting up such a system before you need it is people can then start making donations as they feel they can rather than you asking for monetary help only when you need it and those people who can't contribute at that time for what ever reason then feel like they have let you down even if they really haven't

I would suggest a link on the main menu called something like donations which linked to a page along these lines

Donations

What downsizer as a site primarily wants is information and knowlege and you can donate this in many forms

1. post a new topic, make a post describing what you have done recently in terms of downsizing, gardening, cooking, hunting etc or simply ask a question. It is our forum posts where discussion happens and people find out possibly the most useful information

2. contribute an article. Our articles covers many topics ranging from
wild food foraging to keeping your house fresh and fragrant or jointing a rabbit. If you know a lot about a particular topic, have some useful recipes to contribute etc doing this in the form or an article would be very useful. Instructions on how to submit articles can be found here

Then if you wanted to add a bit about monetary donations it could go like this

You can also help with the upkeep of the site by making monetary donations. Any money donated would be used primary for the upkeep of the site. We display our accounts [a href='example link to account']here[/a]. Any extra money is donated to these charities (list of links to charities you feel appropriate)

then a link to paypal or what ever form you wanted to make your donation in

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:11 pm Post subject:
sounds very reasonable and ethical to me. If public opinion gets behing this then the mods etc. would probably have to listen and possibly act ???

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:12 pm Post subject:
Very good idea Bagpuss, I'd still be uncomfortable with monetary donations unless we've got a specific need. We may soon have a project that involves a large outlay, I think it'd be much better if we had issue related "appeals"

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:22 pm Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

sounds very reasonable and ethical to me. If public opinion gets behing this then the mods etc. would probably have to listen and possibly act ???

That's the downsizer ethic.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:49 pm Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

sounds very reasonable and ethical to me. If public opinion gets behing this then the mods etc. would probably have to listen and possibly act ???

You never know your luck!

I'm with the issue/project based appeals though. I wouldn't want to have people's money sitting around being thought of what to do, when I'm sure everyone here is using their income for "good" stuff anyway. But if it comes to a time when we can join together to do something that could be a good choice.

I really like Bagpuss's summing up - may we use that Bagpuss? Say on the FAQs to start with, then on a better "About this site" section, along with the statement at the top of this post, and some ways for people to get in touch with the staff, or post concerns/questions in public, as they prefer?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28118
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:53 pm Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

sounds very reasonable and ethical to me. If public opinion gets behing this then the mods etc. would probably have to listen and possibly act ???

I'm with Tahir and Bugs on this one. But you can always stick up a poll

bagpuss

Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 10507
Location: cambridge

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:56 pm Post subject:

Bugs wrote:

I really like Bagpuss's summing up - may we use that Bagpuss? Say on the FAQs to start with, then on a better "About this site" section, along with the statement at the top of this post, and some ways for people to get in touch with the staff, or post concerns/questions in public, as they prefer?

Certainly, it may need a bit of tidying up,my written english and spelling isn't cracking but I think its a good way to encourage people to submit information

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:57 pm Post subject:

jema wrote:

I'm with Tahir and Bugs on this one. But you can always stick up a poll

Yeh, look what happened to the last person you said that to...we're stuck with those stunted bonsai tree icons

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:59 pm Post subject:

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 05 2:59 pm Post subject:
I am not capable of sticking up a poll~ it takes me all my time to pm and post replies-if somebody else out there has got a clue how to do it then lets be having one, or a seperate topic to canvass opinions properly. Not everyone might jump onto this thread. calling all computer competant downsizers-you know who you are!!

Daydreaming

Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 291

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 05 9:43 am Post subject:
I am very new to this site, but I have been already drawn in completely by the firndly members and the beautiful colourful site. I am a member of a couple of forums and this is by far the prettiest. Could I set one up for my students? Can I ask what software you have used?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28118
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 05 10:28 am Post subject:

Daydreaming wrote:

I am very new to this site, but I have been already drawn in completely by the firndly members and the beautiful colourful site. I am a member of a couple of forums and this is by far the prettiest.
Could I set one up for my students? Can I ask what software you have used?

So you like out "stunted bonsai icons"

We use phpbb for the forum and mambo content management for the main site.

We created templates in both that make them look fairly seamless for two unrelated bits of sofware, the idea being that when you are on the forum you shuld never forget that the main site is there.

All the detail of the design has been thourougly constructively(ish) critisised by the members at every stage. Just look at:

https://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?p=44896#44896

for the latest round of member feedback. I think this combination of hardwork by Tahir and myself, and NeilK on the original look, and now with others working on design as well does give us a lovely look as a site.

Daydreaming

Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 291

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 05 10:43 am Post subject:
Thanks jema. The site does look great, it is so inspiring - a credit to you!

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28118
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 05 10:46 am Post subject:

Daydreaming wrote:

Thanks jema. The site does look great, it is so inspiring - a credit to you!

It really is not just me. My colour sense is not good, and we have come along way from my orginal logo:

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Apr 13, 05 11:54 am Post subject:

Daydreaming wrote:

Could I set one up for my students? Can I ask what software you have used?

Of course. Do you want to start a topic in IT Matters?

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