* All the work I have done on the Internet is provided as free for all use. However, I do have to pay to maintain my websites. It's not expensive to do so and no real financial burden -- but if I end up paying to allow people to see my work, it's effectively like paying them to read, and if that's the case, I might as well just write for my own education and not take the effort to provide my writings to the public. Another way of putting this is that, instead of trying sell my work, I'm just giving it away, with readers able to assess its value and, if they are so inclined, pay what they are able and see as fair.
And so, I am politely asking, cap in hand, for assistance, finding that preferable in all regards to subjecting readers to obnoxious banner ads. Nobody should feel obligated to contribute -- if it's a hardship, if you simply don't want to, fine, I don't have the slightest problem with that, no apologies wanted or needed, please -- but if your financial comfort level permits it, any small generosity to this effort will be very much appreciated. If you'd like to make a donation, you can do so via credit card or PayPal:
Again, I'm not at all impoverished, and if your budget is chronically tight, I DON'T want your money -- in fact, I'm pleased to provide a free service for those who are trying to scrape by. However, many readers do have money to spare for entertainment and amusements.
It's hardly like I'm expecting to do much more than cover my expenses and make a little pocket money. Popular sci-fi writer Robert Heinlein once commented that he was after people's beer money, in effect saying he just wanted a cut of their entertainment budget. I certainly couldn't claim priority over beer -- but after buying beer, if there's some left over, you might consider what else might be done with it.
I have to emphasize, however, that anyone who has donated once should NOT feel any obligation to do it twice. Thanks to people who have decided to part with a little beer money, it's appreciated:
31 oct 24 Todd Fraser (AU) --------- 16 feb 24 Mihai Cosoveanu (RO) 02 feb 24 William Counselman --------- 07 jan 24 Dennis Cheetham 05 jan 24 David Sicko ========= 5 donors in 2023 10 donors in 2022 12 donors in 2021 13 donors in 2020 13 donors in 2019 3 donors in 2018 16 donors in 2017 25 donors in 2016 32 donors in 2015 22 donors in 2014 11 donors in 2013 5 donors in 2012
