Just reporting a couple of funnies I've observed with the radio stations. I'm definitely NOT asking for time to be spent on this, more just making a contribution of data. Since the switch over I don't have 'iheartradio' at all, when I'm pretty sure I had it before (didn't use it). Also, in the Sleep Sounds (which I do use), the 'Drone Zone' station has started working when it had been broken for years previously, but at the same time 'Sleepbot Environmental' has disappeared.

Thanks again for keeping my Chumby alive.

I just had a couple questions and I apologize in advance if they've ready been addressed elsewhere on the forums.

Do you still have a backup of the Chumby apps?

Will they be made available again once you are set up on a new server?

Are you still considering setting up a Kickstarter fund where we could help you get things back to where they were? I would think quite a few people would donate at least $10 to keep it running.

I do think the ST clock was a good choice for the default clock, but I thought the PONG clock had a lot of charm to it as well.

Thanks

Thanks,
I had figured all communication had moved here.

I hope you will consider Kickstarter crowd funding and maybe give away some Chumby perks for larger contributions.

I guess it all depends on the amount of stuff you have left.

Set your goal to what it would cost to continue service for at least a year and do something along the lines of this:

Pledge $10:
Help keep Chumby going for a full year

Pledge $20 and receive:
A full year of continued service
Plus a set of Chumby Charms and stickers

Pledge $25 and receive:
Everything in the above tiers
PLUS "a bunch" of Chumby stickers

Pledge $30 and receive:
Everything in the above tiers
Plus a large Chumby knit bag (or whatever they are officially called)

Save the Chumby's you have left for the higher donations.

Pledge $75 and receive:
Everything in the above tiers
As well as an original Chumby setup

Pledge $100 and receive:
Everything in the above tiers
As well as a Chumby One setup

I just think you'd get a lot more donations if you can reassure them that it will continue for at least a year.
And people like to get "free" stuff when donating.

I was thinking something along these lines (with each tier including the stuff from previous tiers)...

$1 - Credits on the Chumby site

$5 - A special title on the forum

$10 - Chumby sticker

$15 - Chumby charm

$20 - your choice of C8/I8 or C1/I3 power adapter (to adapt a standard 2.5mm x 5.5mm supply to the Chumby's plug)

$35 - A 5V/2.5A power supply with 2.5mm x 5.5mm connector to go with the adapter

$50 - An exclusive Chumby "it lives!" shirt

I'm not sure what to do above that, as Chumbies are not in production any more, and I don't know what inventory Duane might have left in that regard... but assuming there are any CCs, C1s, or C8s still available, they would probably have to be priced a little higher (remember, this is also trying to raise money to fund the servers, not just "buy a Chumby").

Pledges???? Free stuff? In my mind, we've been getting free stuff from Chumby for years, ie free content and free support. Now it's just time to finally chip in. Maybe offer something like custom-designed avatars that one of us could make, or something similar with no cost outlay. Listing contributors is a fine idea too, Doktor Jones. If you think you need something concrete, why not something just pure fun, like the old Woot "Bag o'crap" promotions? I think a lot of us users would be happy to contribute "prizes" like generic cell phone cases or whatever.

Honestly, I think the vast majority would see the continued life of our Chumbys enough of a "prize."

Sorry this comment has gotten so far off topic, but I know we still don't have a "donations" topic yet.

Not it's not a DNS problem - that bug is bubbling up quickly to the top of my list.  I had a very more timely issues, plus the ongoing work shutdown of the old chumby service before the end of the month.

What part do you find unrealistic?

The facts are that nothing generates donations like freebies.

That's pretty much the basis of Kickstarter. I donate to quite a few of them and it's not always for the freebies,
but you can see how people raise their funding from the basic level to a higher level for the free "whatever".

Anyway, it was my answer to him asking what perks I would suggest based on my limited knowledge of what Chumby
branded items he has in stock.

See my suggestion for perk levels -- they offer stuff that I'm fairly certain Duane has in adequate supply, or that can be produced on-demand with enough room for profit still.  I've discussed this with him in some detail, and when the time comes (assuming things go the way we hope/plan) there will be plenty of incentives for people to support a funding campaign

That said, there is no 100% guarantee that he will be running any such campaign yet, but at the least it hasn't been ruled out.

Well that's why I started it off with "I guess it all depends on the amount of stuff you have left."

Anyway, not to sound negative, but I wouldn't expect too many $75 and $100 donations on service for this.
Most people are more comfortable with $10-$25.

IMO you need a better perk for higher tiers.

I did not realize what was going on, but of course noticed the very nice clock.  For the present, I will be happy to use my Chumby as a clock.  I hope to be able to get FM Radio PBS in the future, since I can not get is on a radio here in the mountains of North Caarolina.