Aussie Lapidary Forum
Forum Admin, Rules & FAQ => Forum Announcements & Rules => Topic started by: Aussie Sapphire on February 28, 2021, 06:53:53 AM
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It is with great regret that we have to announce that we intend to close the Aussie Lapidary Forum.
Unfortunately, increased costs of hosting have forced this decision on us - last year's increase was significant but another very hefty increase again this year means it is just not economical for us to continue to offer this service.
We started the forum in November 2008 - it has been a great 12 years of discussion and fellowship. We have been happy to absorb all of the costs associated with the forum since its inception as part of giving back to the fossicking and lapidary community. Unfortunately, we now feel that a large part of the discussion that was happening on ALF has moved over to various Facebook Groups and the increased costs of running the forum are too high to continue to offer the service to a lower number of regular users.
We send our thanks to all of the forum members that have participated and contributed to ALF - particularly the moderators who have assisted us over the years. We really appreciate all of your input and I am sure that we will be seeing many of your familiar names at other groups somewhere out there on the web.
If you would like to save any of your photos or posts, now is the time. Our hosting runs out VERY soon and we will not be renewing so if there is anything you want to save, do it ASAP.
This announcement applies to the forum only - Aussie Sapphire is still going strong. Although we are struggling with supply of stock from overseas due to covid issues, we are working to overcome these issues and are busy as ever. We have just in the last 6 months brought in our youngest son Angus as an active member of the business and intend to stick around as a major supplier to the lapidary community for years to come. Our business facebook page is active and we participate in a number of relevant Facebook Groups where appropriate. So while we are sorry to see the end of this forum, we will see you round the traps.
Thank you and best wishes from Aussie Sapphire
(Andrew, Leah, Angus and the rest of the team)
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It would be sad to see it close. Would you consider handing over ownership to perhaps a group of users?
How large is the forum to host?CheersMB
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I would consider taking it on.
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Sorry to hear.
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I have learnt a lot on here. Will be very sorry to see it go.
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I will be very sorry to see it go to. Would it be considered as a club with an annual fee, I know that it must be time consuming to host.
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Very sad news. How can one retain the amazing resource of information which is contained within these pages.
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Hello all,
Anyone else interested in potentially helping with taking over running this site please contact me. I want to save ALF, but not sure if the costs both financially and time will be too much for just me. If a group of us could get together to share the load it would be great.
Leah can you send a bulk email to all members? Letting them know the site may close.
Cheers
MB
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Thank you Andrew, Leah, Angus and the rest of the team for the years spent providing this facility. It will leave a big gap for most of us who have been regular users.
Good luck with the lapidary business. Running any business in these times with all the problems thrown up by Covid and the downturn in consumer spending is not easy. Whatever, don't stress and enjoy what you have even if it is a bit less. Thank you, again.
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This will be sad to see ALF closing down. I've gotten to meet quite a few Alfers over the years (Alf trips to Powelltown), and would still like to catch up with a few more. Having the time to help take it over, with others, would prove a little difficult on my part.
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Sad to hear of the end of ALF. Andrew, Leah it has been a great time on site with all the fellow fossickers and thank you for providing it. beers Jerry
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I don't mind sharing some of the cost of running it, not sure on how I could contribute otherwise. But be more than happy to help.
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Currently talking to MakkyBrown on the possibility of transferring it to someone who can spend more time on the forum.
Please contact him if you can assist in any way (financially or with other assistance).
cheers
Leah
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Thank you Andrew and Leah for running ALF for so long. I have always appreciated what you do. I know my involvement has declined over the years in part because of the emphasis on Lapidary more than fossicking. My blogs and videos still get many views even though adding to them is difficult now. It's not easy to maintain a forum like ALF and you have done well.
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Thanks again from me for the forum to both of you. I have contacted Makky with an offer of what little I can help with and I would also be sorry to see it go. Good luck for the future to everyone on here.
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Hi, This has been a wonderful site that contains a lot of valuable/informative information - it would be an absolute travesty if access to this information is lost. Surely it is up to us members to assist financially by way of an annual fee to cover the fixed upfront costs of hosting the forum. Looking at the statistics of who is online there is always a large number of Guests and a total of 4487 members, Now all of those members are probably not active on the site - I read it every couple of days - I know I have not been openly active as many members are, but I do contact people directly when they have asked for help or advise by way of a PM but surely there are say 100 to 300 members who would be happy with an annual fee which would give them access to the history and gallery and restrict "Guests" to index and "recent activities" for example. Thank you Makky Brown for taking up the gauntlet of trying to keep this forum open. Maybe it is a possibility to explore charging suppliers other than Aussie Sapphire a small advertising fee particularly if we purchase from them some how thru the forum - that way they get feedback if it is worthwhile for them to advertise on the forum - just a thought.
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Hi pito,
Atm, if i was to take it on, $$ aren't my biggest concern as I'm happy to put profits from my faceting books sales into the site. Depending on hosting costs.
My biggest concern is time and not being able to keep an eye on it everyday to moderate content/approve new users/deal with any disputes(hopefully rarely). etc. I'd really like to try and keep the site free, and without significant advertising. Especially advertising in direct competition to AussieSapphire as they have developed and ran this site for over a decade.
CheersMB
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Hi I sent you an email of my time I could help with - I should have sent a PM sorry
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I sent Mackky a PM regarding my support for the forum. I noticed that pito suggested restricting activity to none members.
I was until a few months ago a member of a boating-fishing forum, I was an active member for about 10 years and put over 2,000 posts on it. The forum was an endless conveyor belt of new members mostly asking questions and a much slower belt of hardcore members. A new admin. late last year thought it was a good idea to shut the general public out. It killed it, the public couldn't see the goodies in the shop window and activity plummeted.
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Why wouldn't the running costs be a Tax Deduction ???? After all isn't it part of Australian Lapidary Supplies ?
Gemster....
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Why wouldn't the running costs be a Tax Deduction ???? After all isn't it part of Australian Lapidary Supplies ?
Gemster....
Yes it is a tax deduction but that does not mean zero cost. And we can no longer justify that cost.
Plus other considerations (eg. time, stress of keeping the forum running, etc) also cost.
But doing everything we can to help Makky take over if at all possible.
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Looked at the forum every morning since February 2009, 3 months after it was created. Sent 4 or 5 messages to the Moderator re suspect posts.
Willing to continue doing so as long as I can and also to pay an annual membership fee.
The closing of ALF would be like losing a much loved member of the family and be very sad indeed.
Many thanks to Aussie Sapphire for providing the forum. Many thanks to Makky for trying to keep it going.
Best of luck Makky.
Regards, Ghost.
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Hi,
Very say! I have also sent a message to Makky to get an idea of how I can help. I have no idea of the cost or effort involved.
Thanks so much for all your efforts Peter and Leah.
I think last year was quieter as a lot of people found it hard to get out. I did note that posting had dropped but didn't know that was because of something a newer moderator did!?
Let's try work something out!
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I think last year was quieter as a lot of people found it hard to get out. I did note that posting had dropped but didn't know that was because of something a newer moderator did!?
No change in moderation policy since the forum started. Perhaps you are right that where people are not getting out, there is less to talk about.
Cheers
Leah
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Thank you to everyone offering support, I haven't had time to reply to all messages. I am very optimistic the forum can be kept going. If it does go down for a short period of time in the coming week or so I will be doing all I can to bring it back, so please keep checking if it is working.
And a big note of thanks to Leah for helping with everything, appreciating your help as it is a big learn curve for me.
CheersMB
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Its the same right across all platforms concerning Fossicking Prospecting and Treasure hunting, Camping, Fishing ect....No ones been able to get out and do what they love for over 12mths... But things are slowly coming back... But some are still worried about getting trapped in another State at a moments notice... :-\
MB I sent you an Email... :)
Gemster...
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PM sent MB.... ;D
Gemster...
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Hi Makky and Leah,
I am looking down the barrel of full time retirement.
I am both a faccetter/ rock hound collector with an IT background.
I would be hsppy to have a look at moderating the forum to keep it up and give you guys a well deserved bteak from it.
Sorry I still have aneasthetic eyes. lol
Nutters
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Hello Nutters,
Thank you for the offer, I might take you up on it one day :) Atm, I think we should be ok. I have just add 5 new MODS and another Admin account for RoughCreations who also has an IT background, he has help me greatly transferring the site and getting on top of it all. I am actually looking forward to it now I am up to speed on the software.
CheersMB
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Thanks so much MB.
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Good to see you have the numbers of MODS.
Happy to help out.
BTW I attempted to update my forum profile, but it errored on the avatar with:
"An Error Has Occurred!
The attachments upload directory is not writable. Your attachment or avatar cannot be saved."
May just need r/w permissions?
Nutters
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Thanks for noticing the error, it will hopefully just be another path that needs updating. Thought I had them all :) I'll let you know if I fix it and get you to try again. If anyone else gets errors please let me know.
CheersMB
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Hi Nutters,
Could you test it again, I think I have fixed the error. It was another path needing to be updated.
Hopefully got them all now.
CheersMB