Some of you have been noticing that the server is getting overloaded a lot more frequently in recent weeks. This is in part due to the growth of the forums we've had this year, and the larger amount of requests it has to handle as a result. We bought this dedicated server almost two years ago, and at the time it handled our needs perfectly well.
However, this is clearly not the case anymore. Our current server has a single-core 2.66 GHz processor, with 2GB of RAM. It costs us roughly $600 a year to lease. Any upgrade from this is going to be more expensive, for obvious reasons, and with all the hassle involved with moving to a new server (as those who experienced the "crash of 2011" will know), we need to think long-term. It's very possible that in the next year or two, the site could double or triple in size, especially with all the things we have planned for the community.
So, we're going to be proactive. We have until 1st April (when our lease runs out) to get a new server, which is just over 3 months to raise the funds. How much? Well, if we're going to be realistic, we're probably looking at double what we pay now for a server that we can use for at least the next few years. That being said, it's really a matter of the more you donate, the more options we have.
To that end, this year we're starting our "Donation Drive" early. It'll officially launch on 1st January, but if you have some money now (or get some over Christmas), the donation link is always the same: http://atheistforums.org/donate.php
As always, if you donate any amount and can prove it (usually by sending me a PM that includes the email address and amount of donation), you'll get to have a lovely green username, and be forever a member of the "Donators" group.
Finally, if you have any ideas in regard to making more money, or rewarding those who donate, please share them with us!
With that said, I hope you all (atheist and theist alike) have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
-Atheist Forums Staff
However, this is clearly not the case anymore. Our current server has a single-core 2.66 GHz processor, with 2GB of RAM. It costs us roughly $600 a year to lease. Any upgrade from this is going to be more expensive, for obvious reasons, and with all the hassle involved with moving to a new server (as those who experienced the "crash of 2011" will know), we need to think long-term. It's very possible that in the next year or two, the site could double or triple in size, especially with all the things we have planned for the community.
So, we're going to be proactive. We have until 1st April (when our lease runs out) to get a new server, which is just over 3 months to raise the funds. How much? Well, if we're going to be realistic, we're probably looking at double what we pay now for a server that we can use for at least the next few years. That being said, it's really a matter of the more you donate, the more options we have.
To that end, this year we're starting our "Donation Drive" early. It'll officially launch on 1st January, but if you have some money now (or get some over Christmas), the donation link is always the same: http://atheistforums.org/donate.php
As always, if you donate any amount and can prove it (usually by sending me a PM that includes the email address and amount of donation), you'll get to have a lovely green username, and be forever a member of the "Donators" group.
Finally, if you have any ideas in regard to making more money, or rewarding those who donate, please share them with us!
With that said, I hope you all (atheist and theist alike) have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
-Atheist Forums Staff
