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1. You dont need to turn off your anti-virus. However some antivirus providers have ad block module built in. For example Malwarebytes has something called Browser Guard and kaspersky has a module called internet security. Those modules blocks ads and needs to be either turned off or whitelist TTC. My privilege inside your browser is very limited. I can't even reliably tell which browser you are using so let alone checking what you have installed on your PC. All I am able to check is whether ads are being loaded or not. 2. I failed to see why Patreon would work when Paypal donation button failed miserably hard. If we are being realistic here we can look at how many sites in the history have managed to survive purely on donations. Only one website comes in mind: Wikipedia. And it is in fact one and the only one that ever came close. Even for a site as famous as Wikipedia this is what they wrote on their donation page "We're a non-profit that depends on donations to stay online and thriving, but 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way. If everyone who reads Wikipedia gave just a little, we could keep Wikipedia thriving for years to come. The price of a cup of coffee is all we ask." Public donation was actually not the only source of income for Wikipedia. Company sponsorship, federal funds, and services are playing big parts. So back to the question: was there any website that survived solely on donations? Sadly none. 3. So what are the options for publishers nowadays with the rise of ad blockers? Well not many. a) bite the bullet and hope the revenue can sustain b) requires paid membership c) other revenue stream like selling data d) put on banners to request users to remove ad blocker and support the site e) ask for donations f) anti-adblock Based on the growth rate of ad block uses we already know a) is not an option. No explanation needed but we know b) is not going to work Just like you I dont like c) either d) and e) have already been tried for 7 years and failed This is not a TTC specific problem but the internet as a whole. More and more sites are choosing f) with no better choice. So if you have a better idea please do not just limit it to TTC. Share it with the whole internet and you can potentially have your name written in the history book as the savior of all publishers. |
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Web interface is like the least resource consuming part of the whole project. I haven't calculate the rate in quite a while. Last time I checked it was like 150-200 queries/second. I have optimized TTC numerus times. All sql queries are written using raw sql and have optimized the query plan for maximum performance. All the sql dead lock errors have been fixed. Indexes are regularly being monitored and any under used indexes are either merged or dropped. I analyzed every single query to make sure the query plan is efficient. You can look up how much the DB part alone will cost given the I/O rate requirement. I am pretty confident that the VPS i am using is the minimum spec with all the super deep level optimization I have made in the past few years. |
Can you reduce DB load with a Redis layer or are you strictly reliant on the DB for getting and storing up-to-date information?
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I don't mean to discourage you, but 150-200 queries per second is next to nothing for a database server. Of course it highly depends on your actual queries, database scheme etc, but usually SQL servers should be able to handle 10k+ queries per second even on small virtual servers that go for like 5$ per month.
As for running a patreon, you can't really compare that to a PayPal donate button. Patreon is different in that you build a community around whatever you are doing and offer rewards to increase willingness of people to donate to your cause. Take esologs.com for example. I'd say it's rather similar to TTC in a sense and they run a pretty successful patreon: https://www.patreon.com/warcraftlogs |
I honestly think if you had just tried the Patreon route first, you would of got supporters and this would of went completely differently.
I'm not sure if you still have the community goodwill to go that route, but I'd really like to try one last time to persuade you. There are better options than forcing ads and selling data. It couldn't hurt to try it, ya know? Like what do ya have to lose? Some time setting up an account and putting a banner in your addon page? |
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Its around 250 insert/s and 18342 index search/s, 38561 page lookups/s + 54.14 GB disk space used with large amount of pages unable to fit in memory. |
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But the big thing is that one problem/theme with what you currently have is people thinking 'pfft this guy can't be losing money TTC is so big' Well, Patreon can help there as well. Make a goal 'server costs are paid for, I can turn off ads' at x amount of money and suddenly, people can't as easily dismiss the claim of you losing money. You could also do another tier 'partjal server costs are paid for, anti Adblock is off'. Seeing the actual dollar amount it costs you may also prompt more people to donate. If no one joins the Patreon? You still come out ahead, because now it's much harder for people to say you're losing money. You don't need to change anything, and if somehow it *does* pay for partial costs or full costs, well, then they win as well. So even if it gets you $0 you still shut down quite a bit of the criticism, and gain in that sense. (I think you'll probably get some, but nowhere near enough for the entire costs. But some is better than none) |
Patreon will work, it does so for many many modders as well. But if you scoff and hem and haw and don't try it, it won't.
Just don't get greedy with initial support amounts like some people do and you might be surprised. There's been a few times where I've supported a modder and simply forgot to unsub from their patreon long after I stopped playing the game (ff14 being one)... so there's also the ADHD aspect of it lol. Edit: I just looked at your site again, and the ads aren't *that* bad... the worst one was the popup wanting me to watch something. I find those more intrustive and annoying that the side banner and that big one at the top. My concern is sometimes ads can be hijacked and your site just turns into a host for malware and viruses - NOT saying you would do this willingly. Also I have issues with flickering/strobbing ads, I don't get seizures but they do give me migraines sometimes... if ads were just static pictures I wouldn't have problems with them at all. |
So heres what I am thinking. I can potentially get some first party affiliate style ads where the only components are one static image + a referral link. No 3rd party cookie or connection (unless you click on it ofc).
Those type of ads are cookie free tracker free beacon free. They will work even with your adblocker on and without changing any of your security settings. Does that sound like a good enough solution to everyone? |
Sure, but why not try patreon too? See which one is better. At least with patreon you don't have to deal with some potentially shady ad partner or offensive ad.
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First party ad experiment is ready. No tracker no privacy invasion no security adjustment required. |
sounds good 👍
If patreon is completely optional im not sure why anyone would flame you for using it? |
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One of the first messages I sent to my guild's discord today was: "Big news with TTC! No more forced ads!" and the reception was pretty positive and that sentiment has stuck all day. Everyone's happy to see the change. People are still a bit put off by how poorly the first attempt was done, but that's not a big deal if you don't do something like forced ads, etc again. Try a Patreon. It can't hurt, and you have multiple people in this thread telling you they'd support the idea, and possibly you through Patreon. I probably would. I can't imagine how many people would be willing to give to help if you put a big banner on your addon page saying "hey I need help keeping our beloved addon alive, please support me on Patreon so I can continue working, etc etc". I think part of the reason nobody knows you need help, is you're not saying it. There's no indication on your addon page, from what I just re-read, that you're having any kind of financial struggle maintaining the project. I understand it's on your main site, but most people are gonna see the addon page first. That's your best shot at reaching people. I really think it could work if ya just give it a chance. Nobody is going to flame you for doing something we've been suggesting from the start. EDIT: Even shut off my adblocker to show support. Now that I'm not worried about some crappy ad being a malware or something stealing my information, I'm gonna support the site. That's all it takes dude. |
Another way to get help would be adding info to the client e.g. Just a text line with the patreon link.
Or add the link to LibAddonMenu settings of TTC as a new submenu "Support TTC server". As it is closed Noone would be disturbed. And if you open it let it show a description control and a button that opens the website of patreon, or your website where one is able to see the info and patreon link. I bet this would reach a lot supporters, just don't make it a disturbing pop-up or anything like this. |
Please add the Steadfast Society motifs database.
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Patreon should work with all these tips. It worth the try. You might be surprised. :) Also maybe find a cheaper provider for your vps? i don't know. You probably already did that. |
The fact is, there's people who can and will happily donate, and there's people who can't or simply won't.
The question is--how much money is needed? Well, who knows, as it's all obscured for anyone but the author to see. I would suggest they set up a monthly goal to cover expenses, then prominently display that figure on the TTP website. For every dollar that is donated, a dollar gets subtracted from that amount, and the displayed figure updated in [near] real-time. If the monthly goal is met, then the service remains online, and any additional funds goes towards the following month(s). However, if the goal isn't met, then the service goes offline until the appropriate funds are raised. This would seem to be fair to both the author and the users, would it not? Actions in the dark can appear to be sinister in nature. This can be rectified by putting everything out in the open so people can see what is needed, when it's needed, and how their donations are actually helping the site. |
Hi! Since Spanish has been included as an official language, are there plans to update TTC for Spanish? Thank you very much for your work!
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I wouldn't mind the ads (not like I have a choice the way the website is coded now - pretty clever programming btw, not loading if adblocker is active, however that might work) if they weren't so damn obtrusive.
A banner covering like a fifth of a screen on top of the results? Ad popups that require me to click on buttons in order to display the actual website behind? Seriously, is THIS necessary? You need to pay for servers and there are no other means of income for it, by all means, use ads, but not this. |
The adds that do not popup and just stay where they are are quite big, yes, but they do not disturb me that much.
But I agree with that popup adds, they really annoy and suck! Like I press on the main website icon and a popup opens which blocks all website interaction, and only provides a very small X button, about the same color like the background? This really sucks. Make the adds show as fixed images, remove those popups please or at least let the close button at the popups show bigger and better (who ever designed that). At least they do not show that often within the same website search and navigation... |
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