Response to the Future of NikonGear.net/.com/.org

[KarlMera]

Photographers must be prepared if they want to win the race

Which race do you mean? Do you see an effect on getting supporters?

[ARTUROARTISTA]

Which race do you mean? Do you see an effect on getting supporters?

I think to get followers you have to be agile, not annoying.

[Michael Erlewine]

I think to get followers you have to be agile, not annoying.

The idea that we have to be ‘agile’ I don’t understand, but whatever. What is needed, IMO, is kindness and a sense of welcoming new members to a group of us that have been here for many years. What we need is not only new members, but the experience of sharing what we have, especially if we don’t seem to be learning much new ourselves. Sharing with others is always satisfying and we have a LOT to share,  given the right intention on our part. My two cents.

[ColinM]

I'm looking into the subscription system and the list of supporters right now. Apparently many of the former supporters are no longer active.

There is an option for sending reminder e-mails for subscribers when their subscription is about to elapse, however it is not activated. I'm investigating how to reactivate the setting.

Thank you Birna - much appreciated
Small steps, can't do any harm

[KarlMera]

What we need is not only new members,

Yes, the theme in this discussion is: where are the additional supporters and how can we convince them to pay 20€

[Birna Rørslett]

We have a fair number of quite regular contributors who are not supporters.

I have set a flag to make *new* subscribers be notified when their subscriptions run out. Now, a tedious and manual  DB update to the active subscribers is required. I probably will take NG offline later today or tomorrow for this purpose.

According to the hosting company records,  NG hosting plans need to be repaid in 550 days. I have to double check this, though. In the mean time there are running costs to cover domain registrations, security certificates, and so on.

[Birna Rørslett]

If my tinkering with the innards of the NG database was successful, existing supporters should get a notification some days before the end of the subscription period. Or at least, that was my aim when rummaging and updating the MySQL tables! -time will show if this works.

If a supporter gets notification to renew, please report it here or send me a PM. I had to reset all potential notifications whether they related to inactive or active members first, before I could change the subscription parameters themselves. The DB scheme for subcriptions now should trigger a notification e-mail when 7 days remain of the paid period. However that procedure obviously will fail if you have a new e-mail address and forgot to update your profile, or your mailserver host blocks e-mails from NG. The latter has happened more than once, unfortunately. The former can happen to any human

[Bruno Schroder]

… What we need is not only new members, but the experience of sharing what we have, especially if we don’t seem to be learning much new ourselves.

Exactly that.
I had several issues that I couldn't solve and that were solved by the people here. I also often see photos here, I don't understand how they were made, a treat for me.

[Hugh_3170]

+1

Thank you Birna - much appreciated
Small steps, can't do any harm

[Frank Fremerey]

I mean 'old-timers' failing to welcome new members and help them to become old-timers too.

I suggested a "welcome thread" which was established and which is still used by new folks

[Frank Fremerey]

AI is basically a political globalist agenda, digital enslavement about to become the new world order.
The art aspect of this technique is a side-effect or a convenient distraction!

I do not think the aliens will take over. more probable people choose comfort instead of freedom.


A real photos with D500 & 300PF plus Pixel 9 Pro taken today on a all rain walk

[Michael Erlewine]

I suggested a "welcome thread" which was established and which is still used by new folks

That is helpful. However, IMO, there is no substitute for actually working with the newbees and let them share with those of us who have been here for years.

I have run forums for Compuserve (music and film) and over 110 separate  forums for Microsoft, so I do have experience in this. Yes, welcome them, yet beyond that it "..takes a villiage" as they say. We all talk with one another and have. Me not so much. Just fold in the new folks to our groups.  I get asked about focus-stacking and some other things; I always respond. That kind of thing.

[KarlMera]

I suggested a "welcome thread" which was established and which is still used by new folks

The"introduce" thread?

[MILLIREHM]

Good news, there are eighty-eight supporters now, so  two more supporters than a few days ago :-)
BTW I am a supporter and I have my Paypal do it automatized, lost the overview but after looking up it will renew on the 28th of April and will hopefully work as it has done the last years.
Should it be required I would also pay an increased contribution, and remaining deltas should not be Paid by Birna alone.
Furthermore I'd like to address that the existence of Nikongear is somewhat  important tom me no matter whether I find time to be active or am struggling with my other obligations in a way that keeps me off for a longer period of time. And I dont feel any force to this in an economical cost/benefit view, in the way of do I get enough for the money

[Birna Rørslett]

Do report if you get a notification before your current subscription ends, please. (I sincerely hope my meddling with the DB settings activated the correct trigger