SRGC FORUM AND WEB SITE REPORT

[Ian Y]

Dear Friends

I am delighted to announce that we have just had to upgrade our account with our internet server as our usage increases beyond our wildest dreams. Our monthly band width has exceeded 97GB and our subscription only covered up to 80GB.

What does this mean?
Well, it will cost us more as we now have to pay for the 100-200GB band width ; that is the cost of our own success.

It is your success, everyone who contributes to the site; the Forum Members, the Forum posters, the lurkers, you all play your part. Some do more than others and we are all very grateful for the time you take in posting such beautiful pictures and information covering a wide range of subjects - without your posts there would be nothing.

The pictures from the wild, the travelogues, Show Reports, garden views, plant identifications, plant problems, fauna, etc make this one of the most comprehensive plant forums I know of.
Even the chat that I know annoys a few people is to me an essential part of our success and I cannot tell you how often loud laughter bursts out when Maggi and I are reading the posts. As well as skilled plantspeople we have some very sharp and witty contributors.

I also like the way the new comers are quickly welcomed in to the group so if you are a lurker why not take that step and join our online community. Yes I think that the Forumists are like another SRGC Group but instead of meeting in a hall we meet up online - and we do it every hour of every day.

The other parts of the site are also hugely successful and I thank all who contribute to the monthly features and Show reports. Paul Cumbleton's Wisley Log is a very welcome recent addition and is building up an excellent reputation and a  large readership - I would welcome more input like this from any other Garden around the world that would like to contribute a similar log.

The site is visited by over 30,000 unique hosts every month and it is growing - it does not seem that long since we last upgraded our band width and we thought then that 80GB was more than we would ever need.
That extra cost is in my mind well worth it as the very reason that the SRGC exists is to spread the word and encourage an interest in 'rock garden plants' - and everything associated with them. It is the Web Team's strong belief that the free access for all to the SRGC Website is a vital facet of that SRGC remit, enabling constant world wide interaction.

If you value the SRGC website and Forum but are not yet an SRGC Member then I would strongly encourage you to join the Club to support the work of the SRGC in bringing this resource to the Web.  SRGC Membership brings many other benefits, too, of course, including the highly regarded twice-yearly Journals and access to the Seed Exchange.

 http://www.srgc.org.uk/member/member.html

Fred, Maggi and I are proud to be associated with your success; lets keep it going as we share and spread our interest in the plants we all love.

Best wishes
Ian Young
SRGC Web Team.

[mark smyth]

Excellent news and I'm happy to be part of it

[Paul T]

Wooo Hoo!!  Excellent news (well not the more costs bit, but the more users bit!  )

Yeah!!!!! 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

A b s o l u t e l y   F a b u l o u s   

and equally glad to be part of it ! 

[gote]

I can only say that I agree. This is the best
Ian, re bandwidth.
I recall my first PC. It had a facility for using a tape recorder as storage medium. It had 64k memory, No hard disk and clock frequency 4.77 MHz.
The OP-systen at the time was DOS 2.1 and that could only address 64K memory area since that was considered vastly beyond what anyone could ever require.
In a few years you will wonder how you could ever think 200G was enough.
At least if the Forum remains so friendly, informative and helpful as it is today.
Göte

[Carlo]

Congratulations and best wishes for continued success in and out of the garden to all!

[alpines]

From one web host to another........you are doing the best job. I just wish I had more time to make contributions but posting or lurking, all you guys are loved and respected for your tenacity and hard work. It's always a pleasure to pick up where I left off.....and it's as though I've never been away.
Long may your bandwidth increase.
Alan

[ranunculus]

YOU ARE SIMPLY THE BEST.... HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS....LONG MAY THIS EXPANSION CONTINUE!

THANKS TO THE ADMINISTRATORS AND WORKHORSES FOR ALL THEIR EFFORTS ON OUR BEHALVES.

[ashley]

Strongly seconded. 

Well done Maggi & Ian (and those behind the scenes), and many thanks not only for a superb bulblog and forum but your incredible stamina over the days, weeks and years     

[Lvandelft]

I can only repeat all the words used above.
My "Vocabulario" doesn't contain other words.

THANK YOU ALL!   

[David Nicholson]

Thanks Maggi, Ian and Fred for all your hard work, I'm proud of being part of it and extremely pleased to be able to have access to the skill and experience of so many people all over the world.

[Susan]

Well done and thank you all very much.  It is so good to be able to see things from all around the world. that otherwise we would not be able to enjoy.  Long may the Forum continue.


Susan

[annew]

Grand job everyone - Administrators and posters alike!

[hadacekf]

Thank you all very much!

[Iturraran]

I'm just a newcomer to the forum (not to the society), and all what I can say is CONGRATULATIONS for a job well done!