A lot of us take what we have for granted. We often look at that lazyboy recliner or that big screen TV. We look at our 5 or 6 computer network and our PVR and just sigh, not ever thinking twice about those that aren’t able to have what we have. Most of you have probably heard this more than once from various charities and organizations around the world or in a city near you. Outside influences and rotten luck often cause people to lose their house, their land, their cars, and subsequently their livelihood. What happens if someoone is pinkslipped from their job and is in danger of losing their house? Most of the time, this would go unnoticed and people would kick back and switch channels on the Sony 47″. This time, it’s different.
A major Linux website webmaster is in trouble. They’re in danger of losing house, home, and practically anything that isn’t bolted down including their site which has been around for quite some time. To help this person, Lobby4Linux.com and “Yet Another Linux Blog” have teamed up to hold a Drawing for those who donate to help save this Linux site AND this webmaster from the dire straits (not the 80’s band either) and to help keep this website and this webmaster afloat until they’re back in the proverbial saddle again.
Therefore, if you donate to help this pillar of the Linux community, (using the Lobby4Linux paypal link and include your email and name) you will be added into the fray for a drawing where the winner will win a Linux compatible DVD Burner and five runners up will receive a licensed copy of Apgens MyBooks Pro.
As more incentive to donate, Yet Another Linux Blog is adding two older model laptops for a prize package…A Panasonic CF-75 Toughbook and an IBM 755c Thinkpad. Both have had hard drive upgrades (10GB in the Toughbook and I think 2GB in the Thinkpad) and both will work with Linux (Debian installed on both quite easily) and each comes with a nice carrying case/backpack. I’ll leave it up to Helios, webmaster and organizer of the donation drive at Lobby4Linux.com to decide which place in the drawing will receive the laptops since I feel they should be offered together.
Once again, you won’t be entered into the drawing unless you donate! Get over to Lobby4Linux.com now and donate to this good cause and enter yourself in the drawing to be held on 15 August 2005. Don’t forget to add your name and a valid email address so you can be contact if you win in the drawing.
Thanks for helping out and let’s hope that we can save this site from going under.
Edit: I’ve been asked not to reveal the identity of the person or site until after the 15 August deadline. I know it sucks quite a bit for those donating…but I respect this person’s wishes.
Think of it this way…if you donate to Lobby4Linux anyway, you’d be donating to open source since Ken doesn’t take any cash for himself (except to cover the cost of webhost) since he has his own business and does fine without income from a website. So if you donate, you have nothing to lose and some hardware/software to gain.
The cool part is that if you donate now, Lobby4Linux will give all donations to save a major Linux site. It’s a win win situation. Thanks again if you donate!
Ok, who is this person? I read all the links and have no clue who this all is in reference to.
It may help gather larger support if it were more well known who exactly this is in reference to?
I’ve been asked not to reveal the identity of the person or site until after the 15 August deadline. I know it sucks quite a bit.
Think of it this way…if you donate to Lobby4Linux anyway, you’d be donating to open source since Ken doesn’t take any cash for himself (except to cover the cost of webhost) since he has his own business and does fine without income from a website. So if you donate, you have nothing to lose and some hardware/software to gain.
The cool part is that if you donate now, Lobby4Linux will give all donations to save a major Linux site. It’s a win win situation.
Devnet
We are dealing with a proud yet frightened and confused person here. Josh, you know this person and I will leave it at that…maybe not personally but I KNOW for a fact that you have commented on this webpage on more than one occasion.
I have busted my ass to gain some measure of respect in the Linux Community, and while you have not, others have come right out and stated that this is a scam and that I am a fraud. I am way to angry to be hurt by this. Some freakin’ linux people think EVERYTHING should be free. Well, A certain person is about to be homeless and the Linux community is going to be without an important resource unless people get over their paranoia and start trusting a bit. I have already published my bio at Linuxtoday.com
If they think a person who is willing to relinquish this much information about himself simply in order to bilk the community out of a few bucks, then I hope their dog dies.
For all who care? the dollar amount of the prizes to be given away exceed the amount of donations we have received to date.
helios
“I have busted my ass to gain some measure of respect in the Linux Community, and while you have not, others have come right out and stated…”
Josh my friend, I can see where a misplaced comma might make you think I was saying you have not worked hard to earn respect in the community. Read that paragraph like you were reading music, breathing at the appropriate time and you will see what my true meaning is. Sorry if there were some momentary anger.
helios
helios,
No offense taken here. I read the postings on LinuxToday (a sorry excuse for a Linux site anyway IMHO) and can totally understand your frustration. And while I can totally understand why the identity of this person may be withheld, I was simply stating that revealing the identity may encourage others to help out. Similar donation calls in the past have had mixed results; I believe those that fared best have always been very upfront about who the recipient is.
As sad as it is, many people have been taught by experience, hearsay, or media reports to be very skeptical when dealing with their hard earned cash and the online world.
That all said, I think it is a noble effort you’re undertaking. If I weren’t facing possible tough times ahead myself, I’d gladly pitch in monetarily. If there is any other way in which I could help, I’d be more than happy to do so. You can contact my via my email address in this post if such help would be useful.
FWIW also, claiming that people aren’t donating because “some linux people think everything should be free” likely won’t help. This isn’t about linux, or how much software should cost. I know many of my fellow FOSS lovers (including yourself and Derrick) donate both monetarily and timewise to various causes. Those who are only here for the cost either don’t last long, or aren’t worth wasting breath on anyway.
Keep us posted, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help out.
Hey Josh,
thanks for the encouragement. If it were not for the total humiliation this person would feel by revealing their name, I would do it in a heart beat. If you see people on any posts even trying to say that this is a scam, I would appreciate it if you would straighten them out. I have spent my day putting out forest fires just like that. I may have made some unfortunate statements in my frustration and would edit them if I could…I hate being up against a time clock, but outside the actual dollar figures, some promising things are happening and I am encouraged.
thanx Dude
Ken
I do not have the money to donate myself. I’m broke. If I did, I would not. I think the risk is too high for me, that it could be a scam. If it isn’t a scam, it is only a matter at looking at the sources to have a good estimate of who it is. An intelligent person does not need a PI, unless the person is truely invisible, to see the traces left by people.
It’s no scam. If you’d feel better, email helios@lobby4linux.com and he will give you his name, his businesses name, the location of the business, and any other information you’d like to know to understand that this is no scam. Ken aka Helios is dead serious about helping out a member of the community without revealing their identity…since they are very visible…you can understand that they wouldn’t want to appear as a beggar or charity case and they’d never ask for help. Just give Helios an email and He’ll provide you with any information you need to feel comfortable with a donation.
FYI, if this were a hoax, why would I risk the reputation of YALB? I’ve been establishing a web presence since 2004 and have been involved with Linux since 1995…why would I risk losing all of this? I wouldn’t. Not unless I was 100% sure of the legitimacy.
To:#1.2 unknown on 2005-07-18 13:36
I am going to say something here that does not belong here and I will probably allianate my friends in doing so.
I own and operate a successful business and recent good fortune has led us to the signing of a 3.2 million dollar contract. Now these things take time and it will be late in the winter before we see any of that money. You may hesitate as much as you like, YOu may mistrust all you care to. But my life, my being has been devoted to aiding those who need it. To even partially allude to the fact that I am a fraud is enough to make me want to dismiss you out of hand. I do not want money from people who are going to stay awake nights worrying if they did the right thing or not.
Others will pick up your slack. Relax
helios
I’d gladly chip in right away (treat others like you’d like them to treat you etc …) if not my VISA card got de-magnetized the day before yesterday due to a little … Accident at my work (without getting long I work as a valuetransporter and we carry things with magnets around. Don’t ask. ;)). I’ll do it whenever my new card arrives and when I get around to. I’ve never donated anything to linux-related stuff (actually, I’ve barely donated anything to any cause .. I’m a horrible person) so I guess now is as good as ever to start. Just need that new card …
Also, my pockets are not filled with cash exactly, but enough to help some – I’m thinking of something in the 10 bucks-area. Is that welcome or will it just render Paypal 9.50 bucks richer after all the fees are taken?
Any amount is welcome. Even a dollar would be cool. We’re just trying to help out a friend in need. Thanks for helping out everyone!
I know this topic is pretty much a dying embetr but I want to take a minute and thank Devnet pubically for his web space, time and donation of 2 laptops for the first prize. That sure beats a dinky little dvd burner. Even if they are older, they have the potential to really help someone out and Devnet is to be applauded for his concern and generosity. On behalf of Lobby4Linux, Thanks Devnet for everything you have done. It has made a big difference.
helios
Previously, Yet Another Linux Blog posted an article about co-sponsoring a donation drive with Lobby4Linux.com. That drive is still up and running until 11:59 PM CST on 14 August 2005. If you donate through Lobby4Linux.com and remember to provide your