A last plea to save Pyro Universe

[comerjoshua]

Is there any other way to pay I have a paypal account with a dispute so I can't donate can any one help me out as with what to do

[seuss]

Is there any other way to pay I have a paypal account with a dispute so I can't donate can any one help me out as with what to do

^^^ http://www.pyrouniverse.com/forum/sh...ystem-overhaul

Specifically:

If you don't wish to use PayPal, you are welcome to send a check or money order by mail. Make sure it is made out to "Colin Bradley" and send it to:

[comerjoshua]

Specifically:

alright thanks

[HydroBoy]

Colin - Taking some of the money I made working on shows this 4th (something I was able to start doing because of Pyro U) and sending you a check for a three year membership. Anyone who isn't a supporting member you need to step up and help out Pyro U. I know I would still be in the stone ages of displays if it wasn't for the U. The group buys, the wealth of information, the freinds you will make for life, its well worth becoming a supporting member!!!!!!!
Not to mention if it wasn't for Pyro U what would I do every night - talk to my wife Please don't tell her I said that.....

[banger]

Colin......keep up the great work on this fantastic website......without PyroU where else would I go? I just renewed for another 3 years......isn't that the least any of us can do to preserve the U? Become a supporting member!

[Ian]

I will definitly reup my Supporting account once it runs out next month for sure, this site consumes multiple hours of my evenings lol.

[tatdaddy]

I will be donating ASAP I say there should be part of the forum blocked from non paying Members!

[Simnsez]

I know the money needs to come in before then. But how about starting for NYE group buys, nobodys gets in unless they are supporting member?

[WWhite]

I know the money needs to come in before then. But how about starting for NYE group buys, nobodys gets in unless they are supporting member?

This has been discussed before...but it's delicate b/c the importers (some anyways...and less and less as time goes by) may want the GBs open to all to sell more product than a select membership...which the above percentages would be FAR less than they currently see buying from them. So, from a simple business perspective, it wouldn't happen for many of the WSers on this board. It'd definitely be on a case-by-case basis.

[Simnsez]

This has been discussed before...but it's delicate b/c the importers (some anyways...and less and less as time goes by) may want the GBs open to all to sell more product than a select membership...which the above percentages would be FAR less than they currently see buying from them. So, from a simple business perspective, it wouldn't happen for many of the WSers on this board. It'd definitely be on a case-by-case basis.

Understand that. But I think that an agreement could be reached with WSers to charge a non-member fee, and just place that into an account for the website. Having people talk about product is very good advertisment for all involved. And I know WSers pay already, but this would not come from them. Just a thought, I think most people on the site will pay for a membership(I hope).

[missinglink]

Sorry Colin. I have been pretty distracted with personal issues lately. PyroU is like a family member to me. I would really hate to see you have to resort to option number one.

Count me in for two years. Paypal sent.

Thank you very much for many happy hours over many years spent on this site.

[peeplwtchr]

Colin-

I don't know what the percentage of people who participate in Group Buys and are not members is, but I think all that participate should have to be members. That is one of the biggest financial benefits of this site, all us buyers should give some back for the priveledge. That could possibly help keep the banner prices at current levels for the suppliers that cut us the breaks on the buys too? There's a win-win in there somewhere-food for thought.

[Pyro MD]

Colin

Thanks for everything you do. It has been overdue that I become a supporting member, but consider me one for a long time to come. Someone has to keep South Dakota represented! Hope to see some of you at Fargo, leaving tomorrow morning.

Keep up the hard work Colin, it is appreciated by all of us, unless you don't hear that often enough!

Pyro MD
aka Scott D

[Pyro MD]

Colin

I agree with the group buy comment that peeplwtchr brought up, worth the $, by a long shot! Just my 2 cents.

Pyro MD

[alpha1172]

Donated! great site!

[Apyrorush]

Donated,
A 1 years subscription is less than an average Z cake. Should be trivial to the majority of us.
Great work Colin.

[92hatchattack]

Colin,

For us poor people that are really strapped, can something be setup where every month the monthly subscription fee is autmoticly deducted from our account? This way we dont get lazy or just plum forget to keep up with it!

[fogle22]

I would love to have my membership fee taken out each month automatically. Unfortunately, if it's out of sight, it's out of mind.

Just sent my paypal for the year.

Thanks again Colin

[Guy Smiley]

If you use paypal, doesn't it automatically renew each month? That was my impression.

[tyler-durden]

The monthly subscription is only $2.50. Through paypal it will automatically take it out each month and PyroU sends out a reminder email a day or two before the monthly payment comes out as well. Its pretty simple actually. Just go here http://www.pyrouniverse.com/forum/payments.php and select the month of membership, which will take you over to paypal and when you confirm and send the first payment it sets up the monthly preapproved payments automatically and can be cancelled at any time.

[Pyro Nut]

Colin,
You, my friend, shouldn't have to apologize for asking for some extra funds. You put enough time and effort into this site to keep us happy, informed and meet many new and great people. I have found many new friends from this site alone it would be a damn shame if something where to happen to it!
As others have said, the amount of money they save on group buys should be enough for them to open up the wallets a little bit more.

My donation will be sent in the form of a check for two years since I'm having an issue with Paypal.

Fellas, here's a thought and I hope you all can agree with me on this. We all know this site is awesome and a lot of us would be devastated if we could no longer enjoy these priveledges so how about a fundraiser at our group shoots (ie, MAFF, GLASS, St. Louis, TOTP etc.)

I have noticed that there are well over a 100 pyros attending some of these shoots and we do what we do to make the crowds happy, by helping out, donating product or clean-up. There are always some type of fundraisers going on like a cake raffle, pyro software/hardware etc.
How about we do some type of 50/50?
These funds would go directly to the purpose of keeping PyroU free and fun. Look, we all spend a lot of extra cash at these shoots picking up cases of product so why not have a separate drawing just for this site?
A 5.00/$10.00 raffle will not hurt anyone's wallet especially with the amount of cash we send up at night anyways.
Two years ago, I won a 50/50 at MAFF and donated all my winnings back to the shoot, it wasn't much but that helped with the cost of the 1.4 show and the club. I'm not saying everyone has to it but if say even half of the people who show up do buy a chance or two, this would really help Colin out, IMO.
One person from each shoot would be delegated to organize this and make sure the funds are properly sent to Colin.
It would be my pleasure to represent the pyros from MAFF and run that raffle. These funds would help offset the lack of interest from many other non-supporting members.

This is just a thought and figured I throw it out there to see what you all think of it?

Come on guys, Colin's reaching out to us once again and I know many of you will do the right thing.

[Fasttrack]

Well ... I guess I will pony up. I'm new here and don't know any of you folks. I have no reason to doubt anyone's word, but is there any assurance that this money goes to supporting the forum and not into a pocket?

I really hate to say that and sound like a tight-fisted SOB, but understand my position: I'm a grad student and $2.50 is the cost of a lunch AND dinner. Yes ... my lunch and dinners are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and yes ... I know exactly how much it costs me to make me a sandwhich. Shoot, I even skimp on the jelly to save a few cents. I'll go ahead and make a donation for a month, but I don't know what next month will be like. I already spent a big chunk of change on fireworks (I probably should've used it on real food ... oh well).

Please don't be insulted by my question. I'm donating because I respect the folks on this site and I've no reason to doubt them, but my question still stands.

[Pyro Nut]

Well ... I guess I will pony up. I'm new here and don't know any of you folks. I have no reason to doubt anyone's word, but is there any assurance that this money goes to supporting the forum and not into a pocket?

I really hate to say that and sound like a tight-fisted SOB, but understand my position: I'm a grad student and $2.50 is the cost of a lunch AND dinner. Yes ... my lunch and dinners are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and yes ... I know exactly how much it costs me to make me a sandwhich. Shoot, I even skimp on the jelly to save a few cents. I'll go ahead and make a donation for a month, but I don't know what next month will be like. I already spent a big chunk of change on fireworks (I probably should've used it on real food ... oh well).

Please don't be insulted by my question. I'm donating because I respect the folks on this site and I've no reason to doubt them, but my question still stands.

Oh trust us, every penny Colin collects go directly back into this site, mostly for maintenance and upkeep of the site. It is not cheap to run a website like this.
Oh, BTW, Colin is a very recent college graduate so he understands peanut butter and jelly dinners!


Edit: didn't you just start a thread about purchasing fireworks and you are at 1000? Not busting your chops fasttrack, just saying.....LOL

[Mike B]

I don't get it. The solution is easy, just make it a pay site. You won't need a new server and you will get rid of all the leeches and teenie boppers.

[Pyro Nut]

I don't get it. The solution is easy, just make it a pay site. You won't need a new server and you will get rid of all the leeches and teenie boppers.

That won't happen. Colin wants this site to be a place for everyone to come and enjoy the benefits PyroU has to offer. No doubt, there will always be those who have no other vested interest in PyroU other than getting in on group buys for a cheap price. I think many of us can pick those folks out a mile away and just won't give up that information anymore!

[Mike B]

That won't happen. Colin wants this site to be a place for everyone to come and enjoy the benefits PyroU has to offer. No doubt, there will always be those who have no other vested interest in PyroU other than getting in on group buys for a cheap price. I think many of us can pick those folks out a mile away and just won't give up that information anymore!

Then he has to decide whether he is a philanthropist or a businessman.

[NormanNormal]

I don't get it. The solution is easy, just make it a pay site. You won't need a new server and you will get rid of all the leeches and teenie boppers.

Not a bad idea I would have no problem with this. However..

I know that Colin wants to keep this site free and open for everyone. Look at Pyro U's main "competitor" site which was recently opened. The guy that started it claimed he did it because pyro U had too many "rules" and did not like how everything was not open for discussion. Then he goes and locks down his site so hard you are banned for simply mentioning any product that is not a direct sponsor of his site, never mind if you try and voice an honest opinion about it you will be silenced forever.

The critical difference here is that Pyro U was and is intended to be a open and free for everyone in order share knowledge and discuss fireworks. Colin collects member fees and ads to keep that going. The "other guy" has his site and his sponsor solely for personal financial gain. When you donate money to Pyro U you giving money to someone who is trying to support the hobby not someone who is trying to line his pockets and quit his day job.

[QMAN]

Just an idea, but how about fund drive for the new server. If there isn't a tangible goal it seems like these things fizzle out after a few days or weeks. I don't know if you are willing to say how much the new server will be or not though. Lets say we knew the new server was going to cost you $4,000 you could post where we are at and how far we have to go. That might motivate some people to donate more. Or how about a raffle or auction like you guys have done in the past for many of the group shoots. Somebody donate something really cool and we can all fight over it bidding wise and the proceeds goto Pyro U. I know we can come up with some creative fund raisers and have some fun at the same time. And if there are any vendors out there what want to get in on the fun all the better.

[peeplwtchr]

Just an idea, but how about fund drive for the new server...... And if there are any vendors out there what want to get in on the fun all the better.

Fantastic angle on a fund drive, what about a raffle of donated, or "at cost" product, donated by the businesses that derive revenue from this site via group buys, fusing threads etc. ?

[odbo255]

Look at Pyro U's main "competitor" site

Pyro U has no competition. Passfire and Fireworksland are the only sites that are of similar quality and both are fundamentally different than Pyro U. It's interesting to note that they are mostly pay-access only.

I echo the sentiments of others, I think a partially closed Pyro U makes a LOT of sense, especially those areas related to group buys.

However if the group buy section remains open, it seem pretty trivial for the organizer of each buy to require a membership to participate. Enforcement then becomes on a buy by buy basis.

Something for all of the group buy organizers to consider.

Monies on their way to Pyro U to match my mouth.

My thanks to Pyro U, and Colin specifically in everything you've done to make this community possible.