Klarinet Archive - Posting 000007.txt from 2006/02

From: "David Kumpf" <dkumpf@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] 92 donations to go
Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 10:28:15 -0500

Mark Charette wrote:
> It's 9:45 in the morning, and we're on the down slope for the=20
> Donation Drive this year. Just 92 donations to go and I can=20
> call it quits for another year!
>=20
> For many of you reading these mailing lists is a daily=20
> routine. Make it an annual routine to donate just a few=20
> dollars to keep the equipment & communications running.
>=20
>=20
> https://secure.donax-us.com/donations
>=20

As another list member recently wrote, the price Mark quoted for keeping
the systems running on an annual basis is quite reasonable, even low.

If you're not actively involved in trying to develop, maintain, and
support a site that has the capabilities and functionality of
woodwind.org, it's easy to be deluded by the prices that some commercial
hosting services charge. "Gee, it must be cheap, right?" Sure it is -
for what you really get. Those services rely on a number of assumptions,
only a few of which I will list here: a) you will only put up a few
pages and no large file content; b) you will have very little traffic;
c) you will not have any services running beyond simple HTML delivery
and a few mail addresses; d) the bandwidth and processor load
requirements will thus be very low; e) you will not call them asking how
to install a Real Helix server to host streaming audio or video; f) the
hosting service can therefore aggregate your web and email services on a
single server with 20, 40, or 100 other sites. Think economies of scale.

Once you introduce the level of functionality that Mark provides, it's a
whole new game. The bandwidth and functionality call for dedicated
servers (often multiples), dedicated high-speed connections, and a whole
raft of peripheral equipment. Then there are system redundancy
considerations: what if the primary datacomm line goes down? What if the
server power supply burns up? What if a disk crashes? What happens to
email when the primary email server is down?=20

And most of this equipment has to be replaced on a regular basis, too.
Some just wears out, some becomes obsolete.

Of course, this does not even account for Mark's time in developing or
maintaining the site.

In contrast, you have access to a vast reservoir of knowledge regarding
tone, technique, style, philosophy (much of it extending far beyond the
clarinet!), approach, history, and more. All of which can help enhance
your appreciation of the instrument. Remember, too, that it isn't *just*
the list, by any means. There are archives, articles, and more available
on woodwind.org allowing you to research a topic of interest at any
time.

A few bucks a year for the service is worth it.

And, by the way, I have no commercial or contractual interests in
woodwind.org. I just believe it's worth supporting.

Dave Kumpf
dkumpf@-----.com

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THE WOODWIND.ORG ANNUAL DONATION DRIVE IS GOING ON NOW! VISIT
https://secure.donax-us.com/donation TO FIND OUT ALL THE FACTS!
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