Thanks for this info' Lynn

Mark's legacy is what most concerned posters are trying to keep alive.

As Yokine mentioned, it's the involvement of the people who make this Forum - not only the ones managing it - which make this Forum what it is and who - sooner or later - would like to know the status.

Nobody's owed anything from contributing or being a member; we come here freely and agree to the conditions. Communication with the life-blood of a Forum, however, shouldn't be drip-fed, especially as this Forum has such an active and dedicated membership.

Enough has been written and I'm sure all are doing their best front and back of house.

Cheers to all. Moderation is generally thankless

Sorry UM but the facts are all there... in my post and others its all available to all on the forum. I don't know what else you want at this stage. A guarantee that there will never be advertising? An account break down of how much hosting, backups etc are costing?

Dripfeeding??? What, there is nothing else to really tell you, there are a number of options being researched and explored but I cannot see why you or everyone needs to know about that? Is it relevant to the average user to know where the EF is being hosted? What kind of hostage package we use? OR how much it costs? or even the thoughts and considerations put in for long term funding strategies that avoid going commercial???

Come on, Uncle Max, even you know that this isn't the case. But I can see, that about every 3 months, we shall have to put up a thread in which I list the same facts over and over so, here goes again:

1. EF is non-commercial and we all are trying to keep it that way
2. Running a website incurrs costs these have been most generously covered by donations for the time being.
3. Clear ownership is STILL WITH THE FYVIE ESTATE
4. There are a team of mods and admins working on taking care of the forum
5. In Nov last year our three admins walked out
6. After the walk out there was a new team of mods put together
7. Forum went down for 1 week starting 27th of Jan
8. A series of **** ups meant it took longer than intitially thought
9. Forum is now back
10. Currently the green donations button is still not available as TRANSPARENCY AS TO WHO GETS THE MONEY AND WHO MANAGES IT NEEDS TO BE DEFINED FIRST.

and that final point is obviously the hard part... now, I, the mods, the admins and the relevant individual representing the fyvie family are trying to find a good long term solution that means that a death, illness or other unforeseen circumstance will not raise the same **** again. OK?

Lynn a post like this and the one from mjjnl on the last page have been all we have been looking for. I just want that a spade is called a spade. This information being released to us the users is not going to lead to the collapse of the EF, but may help people offer appropriate help if necessary. There are many members here who invest time and effort into the forum and if there was more openess like in your post and the one from mjjnl before the fact you may actually get offers of all sorts of usefull help.

I think we all have a common goal in seeing the forum survive, but the kind of talking around the facts posts that two moderators have made when questions have been asked does not inspire confidence.

The two straight up posts that you have made and the post from mjjnl are very much appreciated and I hope more indicitive of how the forum might be in future.

I think we realise that you don't have a crystal ball and can't say how things will be down the line, but there may be some very good ideas from the places you least expect them if the regular members actually had a sounding board and were kept a little bit in the know.

...and Point 11. Members of the Forum create the Forum's content, hence have a vested interest in the shape of the ship.

As mentioned way back, the who's and where's aren't of much interest, rather the why's and how's. It is of interest to us members why the Forum is down, what's happening to it and who's in charge. The lack of a clear communication in the past does lead to speculation. Of course, the Forum owes us nothing. Should people feel their efforts to contribute to the community are not appreciated, we'll end up with break-away groups of disgruntled punters. Oh...

Those who care are interested. And support the actions of the Staff / Slaves

Thanks for your reply, though

For those who know me off the forum, they know I hate dealings going on behind peoples backs, I despise dishonesty and they will also, as are most of you online who don't know me, well aware of the fact that keeping this forum up and running how Mark intitially envisaged is the last thing I can do for him. I owe this man a hell of a lot and all I can do as my last proof of love is to keep his legacy how he would have wanted, and the issues surrounding it managed in his style.

Those of you who knew Mark well enough will know he was a pedantic perfectionist who expected nothing less of those around him and had to have everything done perfectly. So, with that in mind, please put some faith in me that I will let hell freeze over before I let someone **** Marks hard work up a wall.

I appreciate the users are what make this forum. I know it, the mods, know it, we all know it. I simply ask for a little faith that like those of you posing, legitimate questions, we too are just trying to do whats right.

Dude, either I'm really thick or you are... the whys and hows and who is in charge and what is happening ARE ALL IN MY POST... so err... lay off the wacky backy

Or at least pass it 'round

Dudette, my post was emphasising the reasonable expectation of the members to have clear messages, in addition to your points. My post was also emphasising there's core support for those who are managing the Forum.

The Slaves, as you'd say, have our confidence.

What's wackily backily when it's at home?

erm UM passed out on the couch?

Thanks to EF team that brought back EF Online.

I missed the debates, dangit!!!
Glad you're back

Paul

Glad to see everything is under control!

Thanks!