[pianotech] real costs of running a listserv list

[Rob McCall]

Am I missing something?

The PTG wants to get rid of this list. They, like our very own government, don't really care what we want.  They have a big picture that will be "best" for us. And that's what they're going to implement. Of course, they decide this in a vacuum.

I for one, have paid enough to the PTG.  I'm not paying more money to belong or own this listserv, and I have a feeling that I'm not alone. If it's so cheap to operate, and that were the only criteria upon which keeping the listserv was judged, then they would keep it open.

They don't want to keep it open so that means there are other reasons.

The solution is simple.  Move over to the googlegroups for free.  It provides the same basic functionality (if not more), is quicker to my inbox, and is backed by a company that is not going away anytime soon.  Problem solved.  Political crap solved.

The only issue now is what do with the archives, or how to set them up.  Once that is resolved, I'm not looking back.

FWIW...


Regards,

Rob McCall

McCall Piano Service, LLC
www.mccallpiano.com
Murrieta, CA
951-698-1875

On Feb 27, 2013, at 07:14 , Paul McCloud <pmc033 at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Hi, Phil:
> Thanks for this information.  If the cost of the software is $850 a year, and there are, say, 100 core participants, then each of them will need to pay $8.50 a year.  I'm not sure if this is the actual cost, since we would need to inquire from Lars Nordstrom directly about our situation.  
> Whether the server is located at someone's residence, or whether it's a commercially maintained server is the next question. Reliability is key, in my opinion, so I'd vote a commercial server rather than someone's garage or bedroom, subject to power fluctuations, etc.  Add a yearly fee for that.  Setting it up, I think we can come up with someone, maybe Horace, or some young whippersnapper IT guy fresh out of school, a friend or ?  Doable.
> So, some costs are going to have to be borne by us in some amount to have our own list, separate from PTG.  We owe a lot to Andy Rudoff for bearing all the costs and effort involved with starting and maintaining the list for all those years.  Whether he had to pay $850 a year, well, we'd have to ask him about that.  At any rate, we will have to decide if we want to "own" the list, or just stay with Googlegroups.
> Paul McCLoud
> San Diego