split from Alt.Binz PayPal donation link

[squidgy]

Oh thanks! Being new to the forums I didn't notice that.

[bigdaddy51200]

I have donated 2 times and it was refunded both times . Whats the deal with that ?? The first was 2 euro , second was 5 euro .
I didn't put my forum user name the first time but I did the second time .

Bigdaddy51200

[Rdl]

I have donated 2 times and it was refunded both times . Whats the deal with that ?? The first was 2 euro , second was 5 euro .
I didn't put my forum user name the first time but I did the second time .

Bigdaddy51200

You had your chance first time. Continue using 0.25.0 or find yourself another program.

[bigdaddy51200]

well looks to me if you are want a minimal donation then you specify what you want .
Hell I was just trying to help out a little since I liked the program . I would think you would welcome any donation.

If thats the way you want to be then I keep my money . 

[Hecks]

well looks to me if you are want a minimal donation then you specify what you want .
Hell I was just trying to help out a little since I liked the program . I would think you would welcome any donation.

If thats the way you want to be then I keep my money . 

And the lifetime free upgrades was just, what, a side-benefit of your altruistic gesture?  It's only those trying to donate 1 or 2 euro that just *don't get it*, and everyone in this community is better off without them, IMHO.

[kopasa]

Ok, I've used alt.binz now and then (I don't use usenet much) for a while. Today I thought about donating a small amount, like 2 euro. I had two motivations for that I guess. I wanted to testdrive some never version since 0.25 seems to have some (very small) issues. Like, when I click "download" to go to the download folder, altbinz opens an explorer window with the tree view visible to the left, which I'd prefer if it didn't. That kind of very small issues. The second motivation was that I like the app as far as it (and my use of it) goes, and 2 euro seemed like a relevant amount for showing some support.

But then I read the posts above, and that of course made me hesitant about the planned donation.  So please let me know what you'd consider to be a donation reasonable enough to be able to test some later build. Talk about a "life-time of updates" isn't very relevant for me since I doubt this program, or usenet even, will be around in 5-10 years time and, as I said, I don't use it much and so will not be a user hunting down nightly builds. But again, give some indication to what you consider sufficient and I'll make up my mind if that amount is reasonable for my level of usage.

[Hecks]

1) There is no 'test-drive' scheme for Alt.Binz - unless you count the free 0.25.0 version, that is.  Using that for a while should give you more than enough indication of how much Alt.Binz is worth to you.

2) Do you really need it explained that 2 euro is a completely pathetic amount?  Less than the price of a burger?  Consider how much that will actually be after Paypal fees are deducted.

3) Newsleecher is $30 per year.  Newsbin Pro is $35.  A single user license for WinRAR is 29.95 euro = $43 at current exchange rate.  Perhaps those put things into perspective a bit for you?

4) Tot up all of your recent downloads with Alt.Binz.  Now cost them all at retail prices.  Ponder the total amount.

Since it sounds like you don't really care about supporting the future development of the program, and don't have any major feature requests to make (which you'd be entitled to post if you donated), I suggest you stick with 0.25.0 and continue to enjoy all of Rdl's hard work for free.

[freeop]

I know there are a lot of posts on this subject and I do believe if everyone would read one of the first ones from RDL, you will see how much to donate. Basically he says to donate what the program, Alt.Binz, is WORTH to YOU. If you use that as a guide, I don't think you will have any problems donating.

Like Hecks mentioned, and I have used a lot of different Usenet Readers. My first one was Agent and I paid full price for that one. Then I found Newsbin Pro and paid full price for that one. Newsbin Pro was my main Usenet program for a long time. Got Grabit and Newsleecher, full price for those. But I kept coming back to Newsbin Pro as it was easy to use and did everything (I thought) I wanted it to.

About 6 months ago someone mentioned Alt.Binz on the NewzBin site and I did a Google for it. This was about the time that RDL posted his "The Future of Alt.Binz" message and I thought for sure that was the end of the best Usenet Program I had found. When RDL started the Donation for Alt.Binz, I was eager to donate at least what I had paid for all the others I had purchased, as it was WORTH it to ME.

And ever since then, Alt.Binz has done nothing but get better. I am not too savvy on a lot of the other things that people have requested, but it helps me in the long run by doing things I would have never thought of.

So, I guess all I am trying to say is What is Alt.Binz WORTH to you? If you say 1 to 2€, then you are doing nothing to RDL but slap him in the face. If you say 20 to 30€, then I would say that is a great start to keep the program and RDL AND the others that help out, into continuing to developing the program.

And speaking of Usenet, it was around many, many years before P2P, Torrents, and everything else that tries to share files. And with all the Usenet servers adding SSL to the servers, I really believe it will be around a lot longer than most people believe.

Just my 2€ 

[kopasa]

Hi Hecks and freeop, thanks for the feedback. I get the message though I disagree with some of it and some of the tone. Let me just emphasize that my software and newsreader needs are modest. The open source Pan is what I used previously and might go back to in the future. So that's the relevant frame of reference in my case rather than 30-40$ applications. I sometimes donate to developers, but very seldom more than a small amount but rather small amounts to different developers. I have about 15 other small applications installed right now that I use a lot more than alt.binz and have not yet donated to. So from that perspective $30 for alt.binz is not happening ATM, sorry. If such amounts are minimum then a fixed and clearly stated price on the startpage would be less confusing I think. So for the time being I'll gratefully stick to 0.25. But you never know, maybe my need for it grows in the future. In that case, I'll be back and pay some larger amount. Cheers.

[freeop]

Hi Hecks and freeop, thanks for the feedback. I get the message though I disagree with some of it and some of the tone. Let me just emphasize that my software and newsreader needs are modest. The open source Pan is what I used previously and might go back to in the future. So that's the relevant frame of reference in my case rather than 30-40$ applications. I sometimes donate to developers, but very seldom more than a small amount but rather small amounts to different developers. I have about 15 other small applications installed right now that I use a lot more than alt.binz and have not yet donated to. So from that perspective $30 for alt.binz is not happening ATM, sorry. If such amounts are minimum then a fixed and clearly stated price on the startpage would be less confusing I think. So for the time being I'll gratefully stick to 0.25. But you never know, maybe my need for it grows in the future. In that case, I'll be back and pay some larger amount. Cheers.

I completely understand what you are saying, kopasa. If you don't use it that much then there is no need to go any further than version 0.25, but I guess my point was that, me personally, I use alt.binz at least 90% of the time I am on the computer. So to me, it is worth the contribution I make.

Now RDL will say, at least I think he will say, that you only need to contribute what the program is worth to you. If you only use it a little, then a little contribution is fine. If you use it a lot, like me, a larger contribution is in order.

But as you have pointed out in your previous post, reading through the posts, 1 to 2 € would never be seen by RDL. It would be completely eaten up by the fees by PayPal.

I am not trying to put an amount to contribute for each other person. And I don't think RDL has any set amount to contribute. I am sure he just wants everyone to give what they would spend on a program that they would use more than just a few times a month.

I am going to shut up here. And I don't want to put words in other people's mouths. I just know for me, alt.binz is the only program I will use for Usenet, hands down.

I don't know anyone personally here, so I can't speak for anyone. Crud, I am in Texas and I believe most of the users are from Europe and the Netherlands. But I don't know that for sure. I just like the program and wished everyone would at least try it.

Good luck to you, kopasa...

[Hecks]

For the record: I never stated that $30 was the minimum.  For a start, there *isn't* a minimum, and we're not talking about the 'price' of a license here but donations to support the program.  If a minimum were specified for access to new versions, then that would become the de facto 'price', with all of the consequences that would follow from that.

It's the developer's (Rdl's) right not to accept donations if he wishes.  This is a developer-contributor relationship rather than a seller-buyer one, after all.  And as Rdl stated, it's only the 1% of donators who have problems with this, the other 99% understand the nature of the transaction clearly enough.

Really after reading many comments like these I've come to the conclusion that those trying to donate 1 or 2 euro (i.e. nothing) are just never going to understand, and there's just no point wasting any more time on them.  I'm past caring whether anyone's feelings are hurt by this.  And I'm just speaking here as an ordinary user like everyone else.

[Voodoo]

Greetings.

I donated what I could afford. (Damn South African Rand <-> Euro exchange rate is a b$%@*)  How will I know if my donation has been accepted or declined.

Rdl, irrespective of if my donation is accepted or declined; Thanks for all the hard work you put into this piece of software.

Cheerz
Voodoo 

[Mystic2010]

If it gets accepted, you'll be added to the contributors group, after which you'll automatically receive an email stating so. If it gets declined, you'll get the donation refunded through paypal

[Voodoo]

@Mystic2010 , thanks for the reply. 

I see I have now been added to the contributors group. Thanks for the quick update Rdl. Much appreciated.

Cheerz
Dave

[freeop]

@Mystic2010 , thanks for the reply. 

I see I have now been added to the contributors group. Thanks for the quick update Rdl. Much appreciated.

Cheerz
Dave

Best investment you will ever make 

Grats on the contribution and welcome to the best Usenet program on the net!!!