Gavin after me: > > I will see your $37 and raise you $63 for starters; i.e: Go for > > the round number: $100... > 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.... > 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..... ;-) > 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.... :-) LATE NEWS FLASH: Mark Klein joins the millennium club: > Speaking for myself here, I'd match Gavin's offer. 2 down, > 152 to go. :-) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (borrowing next month's quota). ... but hey: note that is $2,137.... ;-) If this snowball keeps rolling, somebody will have to tell Carly to start working on a response to questions from INFOWORLD & etc..... Ken Sletten