attroll
03-02-2004, 02:28
WhiteBlaze News Letter
I would like to thank everyone that has sent money for donations to help with WhiteBlaze. Whether it was a little extra when you ordered a patch or just sending money. The responses have been unbelievable. WhiteBlaze is looking good right now. We have enough in donations to pay for our current server for one year. This of course will change if we need to upgrade again due to high traffic usage.
What is currently going on with WhiteBlaze
Now we are embarking on several ventures to help raise funds for the future. We are looking into purchasing green cotton T-shirts (town shirts) with the WhiteBlaze logo on the front left chest and a silk screen image on the back. You can view the shirt at the following link: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3944. We will need to order 140 of these shirts in order to get a good deal. So we would like to have between 40 and 50 shirts already committed buy users before we make this order. If you would like to commit to one of these shirts please go to the link mentioned above and respond letting us know.
Another project we are looking into is some breathable style hiking shirts like coolmax but this one is called dri-release. It feels like cotton, dries faster than CoolMax, costs about 35% less than CoolMax, doesn't pick up odors, and is much better suited to printing and retaining large screens without special setup. One of our users (Kerosene) is working with someone on this. We are getting a couple sample shirts to inspect and test (without the logo). We still have not received the shirts as of yet. I am told they will be here any day now. You can read up on this material at this link: http://www.fabriclink.com/pk/drirelease/home.html.
I only had a couple of WhiteBlaze patches left. So I ordered about 100 more. I had to raise the price of the patches. We were only braking even on them in the past and I also had to order a smaller quantity this time. So that means I had to pay more for the patches. The patches are currently $5 each and that includes shipping and handling. If you think this is too much for the patches then leave me some feedback on this an let me know in a private message or email.
We have added a sponsor block to the front page of WhiteBlaze. It was designed for WhiteBlaze users who wished to pay the server cost for the month to have there name put on the front page. We only are letting one person at a time in the sponsor block. The current price is set at $40. If you would like to be in the sponsor block and pay for the server for a month please leave me feedback. You can also send a donation for the sponsor block and remain anonymous as others have already done. That is your choice. We were going to let each months sponsor have a clickable link on the front page, but then and issue arose with a person that was selling wares. We discussed this and decided that we did not want the site to get to commercial and we do not want big companies or businesses trying to get in on this spot. This spot is only for WhiteBlaze users. We are a non-profit site and we don’t want to jump too far ahead of ourselves.
Just recently we allowed users to attach images to their posts. This is currently on a trial basis. The intention was for user’s to use this function for attaching images in forums like the “Homemade Gear Forum” and things of that sort. This way users can create a step by step set of instructions with pictures. Like I said it is on a trial basis. If it gets abused or becomes a problem then it will be removed. If you wish to post photos then they can be posted in the gallery area. That is what that area is there for. No in the forums.
Currently as I type this letter we have 2,678 users registered on WhiteBlaze. Not all these users are active users. Out of the 2,678 users on WhiteBlaze only 362 of them have not logged on within a year. That leaves us with 2,316 users that stay in contact with the Appalachian Trail community buy logging into WhiteBlaze from time to time. That should speak for its self. I don’t know how may others site can say that.
WhiteBlaze is not like some sites that require you to register on the site in order to read the forums. The way we look at it we are here to provide a free sharing environment to share, help and serve others that are interested in the Appalachian Trail and its communities. Whether it be for a thru-hike or what ever reason. You should not have to be forced to register to read public forums. If you have to register to read forums then it is not a public service. On WhiteBlaze you can read all forums without registering. We only require you to register in order to post in the forums. This is for obvious reasons. We are not in this to see which site can get the most registered users. If we have helped one user then we have done what we have set out to do. The content of the post on WhiteBlaze speak for them selves.
On another note, WhiteBlaze will be doing another upgrade to the software in the future. It looks like it may be about a month away. We have been running on a Beta version of the software we are currently using. The expected final release is due out in about a month. You will not see any changes on your end except maybe in a couple of graphics/icons. The major fix in this update is the ability for Mozilla users to function properly with this software.
Ideas
We looked at putting online journals on WhiteBlaze. But at this time we have decided against due to several concerns at this time. These are some of the reasons. The price it would cost for developing, our bandwidth usage, disk space, and our database size. TrailJournals.com is an awesome place to go for online journals. We do not want to try and compete with them. They are the best journal site on the web in my opinion. So why mess with a good thing right now. This is not to say we will not look into doing it again later in the future.
Future Goals
Our future goals for WhiteBlaze are still pretty much the same as they have been. That is to provide a free forum for Appalachian Trail enthusiasts to communicate with other Appalachian Trail enthusiasts and to help others who are planning a thru-hike or sections hikes on the Appalachian Trail and to hopefully make this the best Appalachian Trail site on the web.
One other goal that I have mentioned in the forums that I would like to see in the future us bumper stickers. I have looked into these and have found a good price on them. But we can not get to many things going at once due to money restraints. We don’t have any overhead. We are working with money I put in and from profits from patches and donation money. So we are on a very limited budget. I already have two types of shirts in the works and had to reorder more patches. Bumper stickers are something that will have to come later.
Another goal I would like to see is a WhiteBlaze get together or gathering. I think that would be really great. Maybe a weekend hike or a week long get together would be too cool.
Closing statement
In closing this long winded letter. I would like to thank everyone on WhiteBlaze once again for making it what it is today. With out you WhiteBlaze would not exist. We have a good group/community here on WhiteBlaze.
We have some rebels on this site that try to stir the pot once and a while. But I think they mean good. If you have a user that bothers you, you need to keep two things in mind. 1.) Is this person just trying to be an ass or is he trying to be funny. 2.) If I reply to this person are they just going to keep coming back with wise ass remarks? If they do then the worst thing you can do is to keep responding to them. Because that just keeps them going and that is what they want.
Thank you all. You have become a second family to me and I am sure other users feel the same way.
Thank You
I would like to thank everyone that has sent money for donations to help with WhiteBlaze. Whether it was a little extra when you ordered a patch or just sending money. The responses have been unbelievable. WhiteBlaze is looking good right now. We have enough in donations to pay for our current server for one year. This of course will change if we need to upgrade again due to high traffic usage.
What is currently going on with WhiteBlaze
Now we are embarking on several ventures to help raise funds for the future. We are looking into purchasing green cotton T-shirts (town shirts) with the WhiteBlaze logo on the front left chest and a silk screen image on the back. You can view the shirt at the following link: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3944. We will need to order 140 of these shirts in order to get a good deal. So we would like to have between 40 and 50 shirts already committed buy users before we make this order. If you would like to commit to one of these shirts please go to the link mentioned above and respond letting us know.
Another project we are looking into is some breathable style hiking shirts like coolmax but this one is called dri-release. It feels like cotton, dries faster than CoolMax, costs about 35% less than CoolMax, doesn't pick up odors, and is much better suited to printing and retaining large screens without special setup. One of our users (Kerosene) is working with someone on this. We are getting a couple sample shirts to inspect and test (without the logo). We still have not received the shirts as of yet. I am told they will be here any day now. You can read up on this material at this link: http://www.fabriclink.com/pk/drirelease/home.html.
I only had a couple of WhiteBlaze patches left. So I ordered about 100 more. I had to raise the price of the patches. We were only braking even on them in the past and I also had to order a smaller quantity this time. So that means I had to pay more for the patches. The patches are currently $5 each and that includes shipping and handling. If you think this is too much for the patches then leave me some feedback on this an let me know in a private message or email.
We have added a sponsor block to the front page of WhiteBlaze. It was designed for WhiteBlaze users who wished to pay the server cost for the month to have there name put on the front page. We only are letting one person at a time in the sponsor block. The current price is set at $40. If you would like to be in the sponsor block and pay for the server for a month please leave me feedback. You can also send a donation for the sponsor block and remain anonymous as others have already done. That is your choice. We were going to let each months sponsor have a clickable link on the front page, but then and issue arose with a person that was selling wares. We discussed this and decided that we did not want the site to get to commercial and we do not want big companies or businesses trying to get in on this spot. This spot is only for WhiteBlaze users. We are a non-profit site and we don’t want to jump too far ahead of ourselves.
Just recently we allowed users to attach images to their posts. This is currently on a trial basis. The intention was for user’s to use this function for attaching images in forums like the “Homemade Gear Forum” and things of that sort. This way users can create a step by step set of instructions with pictures. Like I said it is on a trial basis. If it gets abused or becomes a problem then it will be removed. If you wish to post photos then they can be posted in the gallery area. That is what that area is there for. No in the forums.
Currently as I type this letter we have 2,678 users registered on WhiteBlaze. Not all these users are active users. Out of the 2,678 users on WhiteBlaze only 362 of them have not logged on within a year. That leaves us with 2,316 users that stay in contact with the Appalachian Trail community buy logging into WhiteBlaze from time to time. That should speak for its self. I don’t know how may others site can say that.
WhiteBlaze is not like some sites that require you to register on the site in order to read the forums. The way we look at it we are here to provide a free sharing environment to share, help and serve others that are interested in the Appalachian Trail and its communities. Whether it be for a thru-hike or what ever reason. You should not have to be forced to register to read public forums. If you have to register to read forums then it is not a public service. On WhiteBlaze you can read all forums without registering. We only require you to register in order to post in the forums. This is for obvious reasons. We are not in this to see which site can get the most registered users. If we have helped one user then we have done what we have set out to do. The content of the post on WhiteBlaze speak for them selves.
On another note, WhiteBlaze will be doing another upgrade to the software in the future. It looks like it may be about a month away. We have been running on a Beta version of the software we are currently using. The expected final release is due out in about a month. You will not see any changes on your end except maybe in a couple of graphics/icons. The major fix in this update is the ability for Mozilla users to function properly with this software.
Ideas
We looked at putting online journals on WhiteBlaze. But at this time we have decided against due to several concerns at this time. These are some of the reasons. The price it would cost for developing, our bandwidth usage, disk space, and our database size. TrailJournals.com is an awesome place to go for online journals. We do not want to try and compete with them. They are the best journal site on the web in my opinion. So why mess with a good thing right now. This is not to say we will not look into doing it again later in the future.
Future Goals
Our future goals for WhiteBlaze are still pretty much the same as they have been. That is to provide a free forum for Appalachian Trail enthusiasts to communicate with other Appalachian Trail enthusiasts and to help others who are planning a thru-hike or sections hikes on the Appalachian Trail and to hopefully make this the best Appalachian Trail site on the web.
One other goal that I have mentioned in the forums that I would like to see in the future us bumper stickers. I have looked into these and have found a good price on them. But we can not get to many things going at once due to money restraints. We don’t have any overhead. We are working with money I put in and from profits from patches and donation money. So we are on a very limited budget. I already have two types of shirts in the works and had to reorder more patches. Bumper stickers are something that will have to come later.
Another goal I would like to see is a WhiteBlaze get together or gathering. I think that would be really great. Maybe a weekend hike or a week long get together would be too cool.
Closing statement
In closing this long winded letter. I would like to thank everyone on WhiteBlaze once again for making it what it is today. With out you WhiteBlaze would not exist. We have a good group/community here on WhiteBlaze.
We have some rebels on this site that try to stir the pot once and a while. But I think they mean good. If you have a user that bothers you, you need to keep two things in mind. 1.) Is this person just trying to be an ass or is he trying to be funny. 2.) If I reply to this person are they just going to keep coming back with wise ass remarks? If they do then the worst thing you can do is to keep responding to them. Because that just keeps them going and that is what they want.
Thank you all. You have become a second family to me and I am sure other users feel the same way.
Thank You