For those of you who don't know me, I created this website almost 10 years ago (Nov 2008!) as a place for the TWO Romeo groups to gather and have a forum for conversation rather than just email blasts from the ride coordinators. Little did I know what it would grow into! It is quite satisfying to see all the pics of all the riders and their bikes each week!
Let me tell you what the costs are to keep it running each year.
- Hosting account ("Pro" service now) - $15/mo (180/yr)
Dedicated IP address - $4/mo (48/yr)
Backup service - I declined their service because I use a third party application from Europe
Backup Application - $70/yr
Domain names (x3) - $48/yr
Domain privacy service (x3) - $36/yr
WordPress Security Pro App - $100/yr (new)
That total is $482.
That amount has varied over the years. For the first 3 or 4 years I never collected anything because I wasn't sure where this thing was going. Then Roger Shores started collections for my basic costs. About 3 years ago the website size and traffic got so big I moved to a "Pro" account with our Internet service provider. That basically means a bigger server. Last year it wasn't quite as much, I think, because I forgot to include the annual domain names renewal. This year I added $100 for a "Pro" version of a security application after I got locked out dozens of times because the login username and password was being attacked so many times. All that adds up. I hope the costs stay stable now, I don't foresee any changes.
You might also want to know that besides the costs there is a lot of work that goes on every week. Password resets, backups, security checks, software updates, constant research into the latest threats and what to do to stay ahead of them, etc, etc. While it is not difficult there really a lot of specialized knowledge and lessons learned over the years.
But let me add one more thing. This Romeo website is a labor of love. It is an amazing thing to watch a handful of people pick a handful of restaurants for hundreds and hundreds of people to go to and have lunch with friends. The money is not the object. I would do this for nothing if I had to. If the annual collections were half it wouldn't matter to me. But many people have told me over the years how they appreciate this and wanted some way to contribute. So the ride coordinators have taken the lead and ask for small contributions so more people can feel like they are supporting the cause. And that is a great way to do it.
I appreciate the kind comments from many of you, it's nice to hear from people. If you ever have any questions or problems with the forums don't hesitate to email me directly. I love motorcycles, I love technology, and I love helping people.
Jerry Matson
Cypress (Houston), TX
jerrym100 at gmail dot com
(or click on my name to the right)
