At 07:05 PM 8/14/00, Sletten Kenneth W KPWA wrote:
> > > I will see your $37 and raise you $63 for starters; i.e: Go for
> > > the round number: $100...
That looks like a practical target contribution for indivuals. It's in the
middle of range I was thinking when I said a few days ago I'd put my money
where my mouth is. On the other hand, I don't think folks who feel like
contributing more shouldn't or that those who want to help but can't swing
that amount should feel like a smaller amount won't help. But it takes a
lot more $10 contributions to make a big dent than a moderate number of $100
ones; and likewise $1000 at a whack adds up in a relative hurry.
> > I kind of like the idea that if we were to actually run such
> > an add that it would be supported by a lot of little contributions
> > rather than one or two large vendors.
>
>Oh; absolutely; I didn't mean that I wanted or expected a few
>vendors to kick in $5K or something like that; not at all....
>
> > I would suggest a contribution limit of $500-$1000 or so.
>
>That sounds about right to me.... and I agree the "ideal" funding
>model would be just what I threw out: 500 or more individuals /
>companies each contribute $100 to get to the $50K level.... but
>since getting 500 on short notice might be a stretch, that is why
>I threw out my "option" to allow (what I meant to be) "somewhat
>larger" increments....
Seems like corporate sponsors might be encouraged to consider something in
the $1000 range as a fair share, but again I think some would prefer less
and some more. I don't see that we should put a cap on any entity's
contribution other than to make it a clear minority in the total budget,
perhaps no more than 5% or 10% or 20% (or whatever makes sense) per company.
[Consider that 10% is $15,481.39 so perhaps a $10,000 limit or $5000 or
$2000 would be reasonable. Personally I think $10K cap looks OK. It should
prevent skeptics from claiming that this is marketing for one or two
companies.]
> > Ideally the "letter" would be signed by as many real end-user
> > customers as possible, though the legal ramifications of
> > putting your company's name on such a thing probably
> > preclude this.
>
>Don't even think about "company name" for me; it would require
>review by I don't know how many people; and the lawyers would
>have to bless it.... But my name ??.... yeah: That's still mine...
>And that is what is in the HP Support Contract database, so they
>can find me if they want to..... ;-)
It seems to me that putting the names of a 1000 people on a single page ad
might be difficult. Perhaps putting the name of the first 100 or 500 or
whatever is feasible and have a web site with the letter, a list of names of
people (and companies) who contributed and a place where other folks can add
their names to the "petition" online even after the ad is published.
Putting the URL in the ad would allow folks to see how widespread this issue
really is and allow folks who don't hear of it until they see the ad to
contribute their name to the group. (Hopefully I'm making sense. :)
Anyone have a web site that can handle an additional amount of traffic that
the ad might generate? I'm no expert on html, but I'd be willing to take a
shot a putting together the pages. However, I strongly suspect there are
lots of interested folks out there that could do better. (My personal web
page is almost embarrassingly terse. ;) The web page could also perhaps
function as a funds collection point. If nothing more it could provide
where to send the checks and a place where the count and total amount of
contributions is documented.
> > If we really want to do this, then I can pledge up to $1000
> > towards an ad to run in the national media (Infoworld doesn't
> > cut it).
>
>OUTSTANDING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (used a whole month's quota)
>
> > Wall Street Journal, National Edition, Full Page B/W:
> > $154,813.92
>
>oops.....
>
> > Hmmm, maybe we need to consider a higher contribution limit.
>
>hmmm..... well..... how about we stay with your $1000 max
>contrib for now, and see how it goes.... If it appears we have
>a snowball's chance of reaching the WSJ stratosphere, I might
>be able to squeeze out a little more (but don't count on my
>personal pocket being near as generous as Gavin's: I'm trying
>to build a house on the pay-cash-as-you-go basis.... :-) )....
>
>.... I'll admit there's no doubt doing the WSJ thing would be
>the ultimate "attention getter": Ad in INFOWORLD: Get the
>attention of some in the IT community. Ad in WSJ: Get the
>*world's* attention.. but if WSJ is not doable and INFOWORLD
>is, I would still go for INFOWORLD over nothing.... :-)
I agree, however, I'd *really* rather see it in WSJ than InfoWorld. It's
much closer to the hearts and pocketbooks, err... minds of the audience we
want to take note, both inside and outside HP.
>Mark Klein joins the millennium club:
> > Speaking for myself here, I'd match Gavin's offer. 2 down,
> > 152 to go. :-)
>
>... but hey: note that is $2,137.... ;-)
Put me down for $100 (at least). $1000 isn't feasible for me personally at
the moment, but I'm still considering how tight a squeeze numbers like $200
or $300 would put me in. And yes, that means if we're close and looking for
some folks to dig a little deeper, I expect to be asked to consider coughing
up some more. I'd hate to kick in $100 and then discover too late that if I
and a few other folks had stretched a little farther we'd have gotten there.
>If this snowball keeps rolling, somebody will have to tell Carly to
>start working on a response to questions from INFOWORLD &
>etc.....
What a shame that would be... correction, "will be." (Yes, sometimes the
optimism I used to have resurfaces from the cynical idealism with which life
has generally replaced it. :)
From the "Notebooks of Lazarus Long" by Robert Anson Heinlein:
"The greatest productive force is human selfishness."
"Money is truthful. If a man speaks of his honor, make him pay cash."
--
Jeff Woods
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