Sorcha does have a valid point. Some organizations do have an open accounting system, and it works for them and does lend them a certain credibility. I just can't do it. If I accepted a fee for membership, you bet your bottom I'd share my expenses with you. But this site is free, you don't have to contribute anything, nobody does. Just like I don't have to keep publishing it. I can turn it off and delete all the files and all the threads any time I want. But I don't. And maybe I don't because I know people care about it, and care about me.

In 1995 when I started mudcat, I wasn't keeping track of the money or time I was spending. It ran for over a year with no digitrad, then another year with no forum. We didn't have much of a membership for another year and two after that.

I never asked for or got contributions and we had no products to sell. I ran a server, paid for bandwidth, paid for software and spent more time on it that many people ever spend on a single project in their entire lives. This is a span of years with nothing. I didn't do it for money, so I kept no records. I just thought it was awesome that some guy in Germany was accessing files on my computer because he likes Leadbelly too.

So, I am sorry Sorch, I cannot report anything for at least 4 years. Though last and this year so far the money has gone to bandwidth, electricity, software, hardware, a solid gold toilet and just a little bit of crack cocaine. This picture is where the mudcat lived for almost exactly 5 years all the way up until the middle of last year. You can tell that I was spending all the money on lavish decorating, furniture and other fine things. This is were I would sit for hours to swap out a hard drive on a crashed server at 3am, add a new feature such as mudchat or settle a dispute between 2 mudcatters that couldn't get along in my forum. A luxurious lifestyle, I know.

Sorcha, I've always liked you, so I'll reword my initial thread for you:

Hi all. A solid 89 hours of uptime. Looks like something went right. Also, I think the supersearch is working and is no longer missing certain periods of time (though I'm not positive about that).

So, down to business. I'm broke, please send money, size 4 diapers, puppy food, canned goods and guitar strings.

Thank you,

Max


PS. I love you all and thanks for the help. For those of you who can't contribute or will not because of the lack of public accounting, I understand 100%. If you doubt me in any way, don't give it a second thought. I still love you, value your opinion and am glad that you are a part of this community. That's another thing that is free on this site... speech.