I don't know if anyone else has noticed (im sure some have) but Fencer has not been on here since yesterday lunchtime.
If he has not tried to do himself in over all this moaning, i for one think he deserves a break after 8 months of trying to keep this site running & being on here nearly all the time the last 2 weeks while Liquid has been on away.
I have just written to Liquid (through a 3rd party as he can not speak English) to see if he can answer any of the questions below.

Exactly what i said Harley..they have no news (answers) which must mean that they dont know if they need a new server (and money)..or what else the problem with this site is.
The site hasnt been better at all..not in PA anyway.

Took me about 1 minute to type this, im sure Fencer types as fast as i do :)

I don't believe it is ignorance. Fencer replies when he can, when he has some news.
I trust the site and the owners implicitly. They are working very hard to get the site stable (it is definitely better today than it has been the last few days) and they have to have a break, and also do their normal 'paid' work, not to mention sleep and spend time with their families. This is a new site, and is bound to have teething troubles.
As for ignorance, well, if Fencer or Liquid tried to reply to every message they would never be away from here, or able to spend time fixing the problems. Nobody is asking for blind faith, we have been informed they are working on the problem. Now it is just a matter of time.

Can only agree again Jason. Its very ignorant that none of the owners is answering, probably because they have no answers to give?..Regarding pay: Ive paid $28 in march and will pay O (Zero) more cents until i trust this site and their owners better.

Regarding hwat Jason has been saying-- I am not clear on ho exactly a new server will solve the problem.

gubbe , im stopping no one from paying more money , im just wanting to know if sending money will sort the problem ..... but no one is answering !!!!
i have already supported this site by buying two memberships for other people and will be buying two more for presents very shortly

If Fencer had time I think it would be very beneficial to let us know how much has been raised and how much is still needed. Hence the meaning of the word "drive" as in to keep raising the money needed.
I can only do as the rest of you and wait to hear on Fencer on this one....

Jason, i can see your point and to me too it seems that noone really knows why this site doesnt work...many suggestions have been said on these messageboards from more or less smart players..no names :).. But if some people feel/sleep better if they send money to Fencer why try to stop them?

This is from the info page.
18th July 2003
I apologize for the site bad activity. Our database server is awfully overloaded, we expect to have it fixed within a day or two. All timeouted games will be restored on players' demand, of course.

maybe rose can answer this , fencer hasnt answerd my last two mails on here .
will a new server sort this problems of access to the site ???
in my opinion it wont but im waiting for an expert to correct me
quate from fencer (Moreover, I cannot guarantee that after adding another machine BrainKing will never crash again. I really plan to buy a new server and I hope that it will solve problem - but I am not [and I cannot be] absolutely sure. I have to test it but I cannot ask other people to buy the hardware just for "testing". It would not be fair to them.)
so how come your asking people to part with money when no-one seems to know anything

I believe on the BrainKing info page. It says that the server will cost $10.000

A few weeks ago I did a suggestion and asked Fencer to give us any idea about the price of a new server. Never had any response from him, so will one ore two dollar per play help? No idea!

I agree, never said it had to be that way

Well one of the things I keep reading in Feature request board is people talking about how this site is a business - and I don't believe that this site is really a business..... just a hobby / side project that is ran by a couple of people who would like to possible have the site pay for itself. (or at least not pull too much money out of the pocket of the owners)

-- and I don't mean to talk for Fencer, so I may be wrong in my thinking --

im not trying to be so negative either , i just wanted a few words from fencer . this last week i have hardly been able to access the site (yes i know it s been on at times) but i must have been at work when this happend

LOL Oh well, some of us have more insight than others. You more than me :) I'm glad your prediction about the popularity came true, but sorry that it overloaded the server. But then all good things come to those who wait right? At least that's what I've been told...I'm still waiting LOL

MidnightMedic: Actually I knew that this site was going to grow to fast and overload the servers - and that is exactly what I said a few months ago when a couple of people were "spamming" the IYT message board about this site! No one believed me then, but it quickly came true! :-)

Not that I'm saying anything bad now - just thought I would let you know that somebody did actually know that this site would be this popular and grow too fast! :-)

BBW (BIG BAD WOLF)

Well, I've donated what I can in an attempt to help with the best game site I have found yet. Hope it helps Fencer :)

I'm just sorry that there are so many negative feelings about something that is totally out of your control. How could anyone know that the site would be this popular and grow so fast? Computers are great things, but they are unpredictable.

My wife is a paying member here, and I was planning on getting paid membership also, but with the performance of the site over the last few week, down almost half the time. I am having second thoughts. Sir Pussycat.

oh yeah us highend euro-teasers are weird - ho ho ... 0:) ... ~*~

...but he didnt say so much :)

<whut ?? Fencer posted and, I'm still alive ? >8)

Obviously I cAn rely on pan-european humour after all ... :D ...

a blessed sunday ! :) ~*~

I wondered how he could maintain this with the horrible bandwith that I heard was over there.

ARGH Dial up is better than nothing, but when you get spoiled to DSL, well you're spoiled LOL I've heard satellite is even faster. I for one do understand Fencer, hang in there :)

Bet we all understand! Take care and goodluck :-)

I apologize to everyone that I don't respond to your questions/notes. My ADSL provider is down since yesterday, so I'm temporarily connected via slow modem. I hope it will be better tomorrow.

thanks madmonkey

jason: After a chat with Fencer about the site(database) problem, the target that we would need to reach is roughly $10,000 to get the server that he is looking at for the site.

i would still like to hear a few words from fencer about this . also the idea about sponseing pawn upgrades i dont agree with that is maybe something for the future but that would defeat the object at the moment .as far as i know we have no target to reach ? .
so some clue to what we need would be helpfull

that's right, Bernice ... I just wanted to touch
that Filip prefers US-Dollars for letter-transfers.

in good old sovyet way ... *big americAn grin* ... ~*~

when you go to sign up for a donation you can choose your currency and it will tell you how much in your money it will cost....for example today $1US = $1.54 Australian...there is a conversion chart on Fencers "send money" page :)

i agree that if everyone gave a little it adds up, i feel i enjoy meeting people from all over the world and at the same time enjoy playing the games if i can win that is an added bonus. i have just donating to keep this going.

the prize tournament idea of macoan is great ...

I surely won't send just one dollar to keep
bank companies or overpriced letter-fees alive ...

apart of my opinion that the Czech Republic, soon to be a member
of the European Union anyway, slowly should get used to using the
€=Euro as basic currency for the biggest economy worldwide ... 8) ...

but I will prolongue my membership soon
with a few additional bucks as donation to the fund. ~*~

As an additional note to rooks who wants to donate money.

You could instead of just donated money, you could set up some prize tournaments. So for example if you were thinking about donating $20 - you could set up 2 "prize" tournaments - each with a six month Brain Knight membership.

WHICH in turn may get the winner of the tournament "hooked" on this game site and that person will renew and/or upgrade!

Just an additional idea of how to get more money into this site!

BBW (BIG BAD WOLF)

I see no reason why people who wants to feel helpful cant donate, im sure Fencer accepts every dollar.

what Jason said-- I agree with him. It sounds like the problem has to do with bandwith, I am not sure if a new server will be the panacea that it is being made out to be.

A more long range suggestion is that the donation money be used to sponser more pawn upgrades. When they join fellowships they may then choose to stay and to renew when their membership expires.

Jason:

You are correct. That is very reasonable. I'm sure Fencer will address this when he gets a chance.
Too late for me though! I already donated. :-D

a few weeks ago a conversation between me and fencer ...welll fencer said that he did not know if a new sever would sort the problems ... so before people get carried away lets hear something from fencer please , this was the sort of topic awhile ago and fencer didnt speak up but maybe he was busy (im only asking these questions because if we raise a target which i dont think we have been told yet , and the site doesnt improve then there could be alot of upset people)
please dont start shouting at me these are a few ponts that some of us would like cleard up .
i love this site as much as any of you and i too apreciate what fencer does for us THIS SITE HAS THE BEST FEATURES THAT ANY SITE HAS its like the best bits from lots of differnt sites also the people who play here are the best

Perhaps Fencer can create page with a graphic design: f.e. a big thermometer, which will get higher with every donation given and next to that a thermometer with the necessary ammount..

Make it visible to the users.. and like Rod said: when they see people ARE donating, they probably will give more, to reach the top.

that was just an instinct-driven eruption - like at members-only too ...
obsession is a tough fate, we should wish him help (and an own life)
thanks for all reflective input and good luck to those who care about BK ... ~*~

I don't think it's important to list how much an individual donates. It's more important that as many as possible donate SOMETHING. I only meant a page listing how much is needed, and how much has been collected.
If ALL of us who LOVE this site, band together to HELP Fencer make this site the way we all want it to be, we can certainly be successful. I'm making my donation today. :-) ... And perhaps if I see a page and see that lots of people are donating, I will donate more.

And a Euro is just about equal to $1.

Oh I don't know, Eriisa, if its listed in USA dollars the conversion should be quite easy. There are lots of sites that does conversion for you (XE.com is one). And even if it just gives us a vague idea, like "We currently have $500 raised, we need to reach $1000" (for example).. people who do not have dollars as their first currency can see roughly how much is needed.

One thing to keep in mind of the cash box idea, is that we are all from different countries with different currency. It might be a little confusing to list the amount raised unless he simple lists the percentage of total needed.

TTjazzberry, is your morning churckle from the poor server doing its best to keep running? Or are you laughing at people who care to help make this site better? I was just wondering.

Thanks for the morning chuckle, enjoy your games while I enjoy my life:)

Thanks Rose and yes, I support the idea of adding something to the names of the users who has donated; but without the ammount. I agree with Bernice. It should be enough, to know who donates :o) That IS a wonderful thing on its self, I think!

A link on the mainpage to the ammount of collected money would be neat! :o)

Its so good to see this site is alive and kicking!!!

GOOD JOB, FENCER

~*Happy Playing Weekend*~

I dont think the amount of money donated by any given person should be advertised...
reason :- those that gave little would be embarrassed or at the least feel mean...those that gave lots would lord it over the rest....it is human nature to do this.
Unless someone comes up with $100 or more all donations should be acknowledged by name but not by anount...
just my 2 cents worth...OOPS that isnt my donation LOLOLOL