What the "donors" are saying..., A continuing series.... Options

[the fieryangel]

The best comments off of the public donors list

Anonymous - The proof that people is better without been ruled

Anonymous- "Knowledge Brings Fear"

<===Excuse me? Am I missing something here?

Anonymous -The Standard repository for all knowledge. Screw Douglas Adams

Michael Purvis - Please stop deleting articles!

<===Why did you give them money then???

Anonymous- 2012 is coming; free the info! Tue, 10/23/2007 - 02:11 USD 100

<===When Apocalypse theories and Free source software meet....

Anonymous - Most people don't realise how entertaining Wikipedia is! Tue, 10/23/2007 - 00:12 AUD 20 17.

<==Entertaining???

Anonymous - JIMBO'S EYES ARE REALLY SCARY Mon, 10/22/2007 - 23:33 USD 10

Anonymous - Heh heh heh, "autofellatio" Tue, 10/23/2007 - 11:19 NZD 10 7.

This post has been edited by the fieryangel: Tue 23rd October 2007, 11:31am

[zscout370]

Keep in mind that, with this going on for about two months, tons of things can happen. I suspect that donations from my neck of the woods (it's on Brandt's site if you really wish find out), it is going to the fire relief effort. I am also seeing people in the US prepare for holiday shopping, so I don't huge donations to the extent of thousands. This is a constant problem I saw last year, not sure about 2005, since I did not pay attention to much of the Foundation matters then.

Anyways, the latest unofficial stats from the same IRC channel mentioned earlier:

Total donations: 6,379 (6.4%) -- Total USD: $166,247 -- Avg/person $26.06 -- Past 5 hours: $4,962 -- Total Anonymous: 3,959 ($103,268) -- Projected total: $2,606,000

[thekohser]

Keep in mind that, with this going on for about two months, tons of things can happen. I suspect that donations from my neck of the woods (it's on Brandt's site if you really wish find out), it is going to the fire relief effort. I am also seeing people in the US prepare for holiday shopping, so I don't huge donations to the extent of thousands. This is a constant problem I saw last year, not sure about 2005, since I did not pay attention to much of the Foundation matters then.

Anyways, the latest unofficial stats from the same IRC channel mentioned earlier:

Total donations: 6,379 (6.4%) -- Total USD: $166,247 -- Avg/person $26.06 -- Past 5 hours: $4,962 -- Total Anonymous: 3,959 ($103,268) -- Projected total: $2,606,000

I want to thank zscout370 for these invaluable updates on the Foundation's efforts to reach $4.6 million for 2008's budget. It isn't going to happen. Let's do the numbers...

They obtained 8,000 donors in the first week of a nine-week campaign. Average donation is $26. So, simply put, 8,000 donors x 9 weeks x $26 = $1.87 million. Nowhere near $4.6 million. It's even well short of the $2.6 million "projected" above. (Note, also, that the campaign has expressed that 100,000 donors is the goal, and the size of their "thermometer" matches that number. If we forecast the first-week tally through nine weeks, they're only going to hit 72,000 donors.)

Furthermore, I'd like to add in the concept of attrition. People tire of fundraising campaigns -- both longitudinally from year to year, and fatigue sets in within the campaign over each subsequent week. The "eager beavers" have already made their donations. This leaves behind the apathetic masses, bored of being asked to donate to something they regard as their "own" free creation. Let's imagine that over week-to-week, we'll see a conservative 5% attrition rate.

A 5% attrition rate will yield a grand total of $1.54 million.

A 10% attrition rate will yield a total of only $1.27 million.

How will the Foundation possibly make up the difference without completely slashing the budget?

Oh, here's the answer!

If I send you a huge donation, do I get anything special?
Yes. This year, people who donate between USD 10,000 and 24,999 will get a personal phone call from Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia. (You will need to include your phone number with your donation.) People who donate USD 25,000 or more will be treated to dinner with Jimmy.

Anyone want to venture a guess where that dinner might be held?

Another way you can get a personal phone call from Jimmy Wales is to set up a website similar to MyWikiBiz.com, and use the word "Wikipedia" in your sales pitch. That worked for me, anyway. I got a call real quickly.

Greg

This post has been edited by thekohser: Wed 31st October 2007, 1:52am

[thekohser]

They obtained 8,000 donors in the first week of a nine-week campaign. Average donation is $26. So, simply put, 8,000 donors x 9 weeks x $26 = $1.87 million. Nowhere near $4.6 million. It's even well short of the $2.6 million "projected" above. (Note, also, that the campaign has expressed that 100,000 donors is the goal, and the size of their "thermometer" matches that number. If we forecast the first-week tally through nine weeks, they're only going to hit 72,000 donors.)

Furthermore, I'd like to add in the concept of attrition. People tire of fundraising campaigns -- both longitudinally from year to year, and fatigue sets in within the campaign over each subsequent week. The "eager beavers" have already made their donations. This leaves behind the apathetic masses, bored of being asked to donate to something they regard as their "own" free creation. Let's imagine that over week-to-week, we'll see a conservative 5% attrition rate.

A 5% attrition rate will yield a grand total of $1.54 million.

A 10% attrition rate will yield a total of only $1.27 million.

It's Friday morning, which means we're half-way through Week 2 of the Jimbo Blinks, You Donate campaign. Remember that they hoodwinked 8,000 donors in Week 1? Remember that I suggested there would be attrition in subsequent weeks? We're half-way through Week 2, which would mean a steady donation flow should have added another 4,000 donors to the 8,000 from Week 1, or a current straight-line total of 12,000.

Instead, it looks like we haven't even hit 11,000 yet. Is there any possible way this campaign will be at 16,000 donors by Tuesday morning (the end of Week 2)? I'm saying "no way". Might even have to threaten to eat some liverwurst if they make it.

God, I'm lovin' Tuesdays now.

So, they're at about $275,000 currently. That's a far cry from $4.6 million. GOOD JOB, Wikipedia Review. I dare say that our efforts are actually having a real-world impact on the hearts and minds of people with "closed-source" wallets.

Greg