Instead of talking about it all day, we're doing something to raise money. We are trying to set up a prize tournament to raise money for BK. The tournament will be backgammon with an entrance fee of $5 with all proceeds going to BK. The prize will be $50 to the winner. Get a chance at $50 and help BK all in one. You will be asked to pay the fee of $5 once we know we have enough interested players. All entrance fees will have to be collected before the tournament can begin.
In order for this to work well we are hoping for at least 100 entrants which would be $500
$450 would go to BK and $50 to the winner. Please only serious entrees please. If you sign up for this tournament we will take it that you will be willing to pay the fee.

You can sign up for this tournament
Here

If you do not play backgammon and would like to donate please send me a pm. Thanks :•)

Same here, Crissie and Steve. Just keep hitting refresh and cross your fingers! :o)

Thats a great post, Brian1971. LindaJ also runs a fellowship that can help out pawns who can't afford memberships, but would like one. Look her up for details!

I have been getting error stuff for the last couple of days now. Sometimes I try to gain access by typing new.brainking.com into my browser or try getting in through brainking.info. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt.

I too have been getting this error message, "http 500 internal server error", since last night?? This is the first I've been able to get on at all. Anybody else???

I wasnt sure because there was always plenty of players online when I get back LOL

Yeah steve, me too, for a few days now. Mine says either the server is too busy to use or hat the site ran into a technical problem, or sometimes even that that item cannot be used. Its been frustrating to say the least. I'm sure it has been so slow around here because others are having similar problems. I bet it is taken care of soon, as always.

Good luck Fencer et al.!!!!

I do enjoy playing on this site and having a brain knight membership is a luxury item for me as I make only about 10,000 USD right now and have a basic monthly budget of 700 a month. I do not have extras such as cable or satelitte TV or even a car. I get around with help from those who are willing to help me in bad weather. Otherwise I hike to work, grocery store, laundry, etc. I cant afford to pay more. However the members unless they want to should have to pay more. We are already supporting the site. Giving extra perks for donating money is a good idea but it makes those who cant feel inadequate. Sending private donations is ok if you want to. However lets try encouraging pawns to join brainking as at least 6 month pawns for a trial. They can see what membership advantages there are and if they are like me they would never go back to a pawn. Heck 10 USD right now or 10 EUR as of March 1 is a bargain. Be polite and reasonable and not pressure them, but in conversation see what they feel about being a member when you outline the advantages you enjoy. Assist them to the right customer support people for any questions they have about payment too. If just 400 pawns would buy into a brain knight membership for a year there would be enough then to pay for the server and have some left over for saving for future upgrades to the site and BrainKing2. Also I am sure Fencer would hate to do this but maybe for a short while get a sponsor or two for the site. After about 3 or 4 months maybe this would help too. Think about it 400 pawn memberships converted into brain knights is not much at all. That means if each of us can convert one the money would be there. I havent converted any, but I have had a few who said they would when they had the money to do so because they think this is a great site.

I am frequently getting "http 500 internal server error" page, I guess I am not alone?

But if anyone other than Aussies saw XXXX they would run to a site serving decent lagers LOL

$4K for a new server? That doesn't sound so bad to me. Especially for a site with 9K members 1K or so who are paying. A new car costs 20K or more. 4K sounds pretty cheap, especially if it makes the site run so much smoother, I think you could recoup that cost with new paying members in no time.

As far as members wanting to pay for it, well that is all good, if they want to, but as pointed out before, most businesses invest their own money to get things started and then recoup that investement through people buying or using theit product. Unless they raise capitol from the public, in which case it shoul'd be those investors who reap any future profits.

IMO, if this new server is so vital to the future of this site, then it should be worth the invesment, even if it means going into debt temporarily, by the owners of he site.

I'm willing to bet they could get more people to donate money to the cause after the fact, when they can see what their money is going for, and see what a smooth running site this is. Instead of dragging it out over the next months or years, or getting people to commit through advance memberships, which will only catch up with you in the long run.

I say take out a loan for the 4K and get it over with, and get this site where it should be, the best game site on the web. Your rewards will be ten fold, minimum!!!!

And maybe Fencer could get some sponsership on the side of the can from one of the big beer companies, with the slogan;
"Brain Rooks don't give a XXXX for anything except playing hard"

Hum... an animated rook holding a beer can - and taking a drink from it..... that's an idea! :-)

lol@BIG BAD WOLF
For $100, i'd want my rook animated and to fetch the odd beer while i'm playing ;)

I am wondering why nobody has the idea to let pay the 8000 pawns. They all play for free permanently.Let them play for free during a half year and then every pawn,who wants play rated games has to pay 6 € for the year and this is not much money.After it these pawns,who don`t pay can play only unrated games.

OH, and for $100 - you can have a multi-color cool looking tie-dye type of rook!

I like that idea. i'd be up for a "red rook", poss even a "silver rook" (finances allowing).

Well an idea that I like (even though I don't think with my money situation I would do it right now) - but for the user who do give lets say $10 more then their membership gets a "Blue Rook" instead of the normal "white rook". And then maybe make $25 extra a "Red rook".... $40 a "silver rook", and then $75 a "gold rook"

They would have no more privledge then a normal rook, but it will give a user something extra - a status symbol - to show that they have invested to help this site grow.

(note: The $$ amounts and colors would need to be fine tuned, but that is the general idea)

Sorry, maybe i should read the boards more often, then i'd know what's going on ;)

RAHVIN, that was brought up a long time ago. At the time Fencer was against it, although maybe now he may have another think about it.

I would be happy to give an extra $20 to this site towards a new server, but i do have another idea. What about creating another membership level, slightly higher than Rook for those who can afford that bit extra. I know i could find better thing to spend my money on than $1000 for Brain Maharajah, but i wouldn't mind paying possibly $50 or $60 a year to help support the site.

LOL@LJ

OK Thanks :o)

Just reread your message sorry.. I originally wrote yes we were.. I should have said we were given 3

Can anyone tell me whether after the crash if we were given 2 or 3 months extra membership?

This is primarily a game site, its what we are here for.
When I buy something like a radio control car, I am happy. But if I want it to go better, I then pay for upgrades, i dont go back to Tamiya and complain that it should have had high ratios whenit was standard or should have had tyres for dirt and tarmac. Or when the battery gets old, I pay for a new one, (this is due to wear and tear) Do you see my point?

whats the point in creating another fellowship for donations ? there is allready a donations page on this site ... also anyone who didnt join would feel left out

Pioneer54:
"Ordinarily, in business practice, it is customary for a salable product to be developed before ANY revenue is incurred.".... And yet, look at MicroSoft, and I'll bet you purchase products from them.. and they have -yet- to develop a 'problem-free' product.

maybe a fellowship or something could be set up where those that were willing to donate money could post on there what they would donate etc. no discussion just posting what you would donate...this could be Moderated by Fencer, or someone nominated by Fencer.
All donations from $1.00 to ?????whatever would be accepted, and there would NOT be any need for anyone to feel embarrassed because they could only donate a dollar:) That way we could see how many are genuine etcetc, and then maybe in about a month or so....all pledges could be called in.
What is the general opinion on this please?


***edit***

Maybe could be called "Pledges to BK Fellowship"
these would be virtually binding, altho we all know that cant be done, but it would be a case of Honour:) and maybe Fencer could put a star next to people who donate...or some sort of "symbol" to show others that they are REAL supporters of BK :)

I'm sure when Sam Walton opened his doors for the 1st time in the small town of Bentonville Arkansas...he had no idea it would turn into a multi-billion dollar corperation.
The fact that you can walk into a Walmart is because of a small,mom and pop company..that struggled to make it happen.

Yes Steve, I reckon you may have a valid point in saying that many small problems are sprouting from the main obstacle, which seems to be the installation of a better server. However, this looks like a vicious cycle that was the same topic of talk late in 2003. And, things have gotten better since then, although there is still much room for improvement.

There have been a lot of suggestions posted here about ways to raise capital, some interesting, others ridiculous, or made merely to lighten up the banter! For me, it isn't a matter of dollars per se as value derived. Ordinarily, in business practice, it is customary for a salable product to be developed before ANY revenue is incurred. Who among us would walk into Wal-Mart and buy a defective toy in the hopes that one day it might just work properly? Or go to a grocery store and give five bucks to them for a shipment of bananas that wasn't due to arrive until the following week? Now, we're dealing with an uncommon item here in that BK is a very special site, and things like this don't happen often, but I sense that all too many members here are too eager to put the cart before the horse. The devotion and willingness to offer assistance is laudable, but I have a tough time accepting the subjectivity.

Maybe things will in fact only improve if some cash is generated; if that is the case, then it needs to be definitively stated by the management, and some bold steps taken to get results. So far, only a figure has been tossed out with an implicit opening to discuss it, which isn't exactly the "captain of industry" approach.

As things stand currently, I'm content to lay back and see what happens, and if at some point I become confident that the site will run flawlessly, then I'll renew at whatever the going rate is, and be glad to pay!

what about selling stock in BK

I will happily put at least $20, possibly a little more, towards a new server... without affecting my membership.. I'm about to renew in the next week anyways, too..

I've already paid for another year and mines not up until april :). How about he just all get together and rob a bank. If 9000 people walk in, they'll give up the money and the cops can't catch us all lol

Those little problems are being caused by the current problem Pioneer I think

Didn't we just go through this (discussion of getting a server upgrade) a few months ago? .... Just wondering!!?

However, the idea of a short-term infusion of cash via membership extensions at slightly reduced rates is a good one, because it will both retain members by their commitals and make it possible for new paying members to join at future dates, neither of which will be possible without continual sound operation of the site. A mere observation, though having said it, I myself am apprehensive about many things here, and I cannot even say if I'd be willing to plunk down $20 for an additional year, if offered. For example, I am having some trouble with some games: when I click on a game that is in my 'pink' to-move section, it goes back to the position after my last move!!? I'm sure this will get ironed out in time, but little annoying glitches like this one seem to keep popping up.

Money for membership extention.

What needs done now is a new server. Without a new server, the quality of this site suffers which then turn into less new users comming to this site, and more long-term users leaving.

But once a new server is in place, that would hopefully turn into a more reliable site, which would turn into more time into improvements & game development, which will turn into more users using the site and hopefully buying new memberships. Yea, the $$ might be a little lower next year because of users who have already paid for their extention - but think of it this way. It's the same money for the extention now or later. Now (with a small discount), the money can be used for a new server. Then, well the quality of the site might still be down and the user who was going to extend might just go elsewhere.

yes that is true, but maybe by then things would be running spiffy, and not as much revenue would be needed for the up-keep.
I feel that all donations as such should be made on a personal basis to Fencer...somebody giving $50 could make somebody giving $5 feel a bit inadequate. We went over this before if you remember.

But if we all paid a year in advance, next year when the memberships would be due, Fencer would have no income.

Bwild, shameful plug for your fellowship! ;o)

And don't forget to send me your questions for zetes' interview!

that is a good idea....if we all paid our money now to Fencer, then when it came time to renew our membership, maybe it could be utilized then.
Im already paid in advance and have been for over a month, but i would consider paying again, if it could be used for membership next september when it is due again ;)

for sure LOL

ooops:)

Since Fencer is buying all the drinks at the Ironhorse Saloon,you could pay for yours,Steve,and he'd have the money in a week! LOL:)