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[jonmorris]

If you're using Vista, you MUST upgrade to Windows 7! Vista promised so much and I remember upgrading with real excitement - but what a disappointment it turned out to be in the end. Even a powerful machine was never as quick as the same spec processor running any other OS (XP, Linux or even Mac OS).

Honestly, it is so much faster and has many new features. In addition, it hogs much less memory and will therefore run without using the hard drive for virtual memory all the time (unless you've got 3 or 4GB or RAM on your current machine).

Then install Firefox, Opera or Chrome. Opera would be my personal choice, but there are plenty of browsers out there and they're all free. I actually have four browsers installed on my PC and can pick and choose as I like.

[Anne]

If you're using Vista, you MUST upgrade to Windows 7! ..... Then install Firefox, Opera or Chrome.

jon... I'm sure you're right! I'm just too scared.

Vista has been, and still is, a nightmare... Now, if I load their SP2, I have been told that my printer will no longer use its black ink cartridge, and therefore printed items won't be as clear... so I have to select upgrading manually to avoid SP2... how dangerous is that!

I'll feel more confident after Windows 7 has been around a bit longer... in the mean time, and to return to the topic,  , I'll put up with it and adverts too!

Ooooh... I think the adverts have stopped again... or it it my PC?

[jonmorris]

Windows 7 shouldn't affect any drivers if something worked on Vista, as you can install drivers and pretend (for that driver) that is either Vista (and choose the service pack) or even XP.

As a result, you have more control and it should solve the printer problem. However, depending on the printer, surely there's a set of drivers for Windows 7 now?

[BenedictMcAleenan]

I haven't read the whole thread so excuse me if I'm repeating a point already made, but...

The forum doesn't fund itself. There are a few running costs and the google ads help to meet them. The proceeds don't go towards the Conservative Party, they go towards the forum.

[markwoods39]

Hi BenedictMcAleenan

I agree with you, but what will happen if these adverts pays for the running of this forum say within 6 months ? would the rest of the profit go to charity or a good cause within Welwyn & Hatfield ? and let the people on this forum decide which charity or good cause gets the money ?

I don't know if you pay the mods to monitor this site,and don't want to know either, but I know it don't cost that much to run a forum this size.

As you know I have my own site and I pay out of my own pocket as this is what I want to do for the people in Hertfordshire.If and when someone wants to sponsor my site I will still pay the running cost and give the sponsor money to Charity or a good cause and let the people decide which charity or good cause gets the money.

I hope this site is the same

[BenedictMcAleenan]

Hi Mark,

First off, I should say that the moderators aren't paid a penny. However, that's not including people like me, who get paid a salary as part of the 'Shapps machine' and are asked to do our bit in running the forum too. But for the most part, moderators are volunteers giving their time for free. No cash from the ads goes to my salary or anyone else's.

The hosting of the forum comes under Grant's main website (www.shapps.com), which is funded by Grant. The ads go a little way to paying that, but don't come close to covering it.


Hope that makes it clearer,

Benedict.

[markwoods39]

Thank you BenedictMcAleenan for your reply.It is very clear now. Thank you to all the mods who are doing a good job for free.

[Anne]

I feel really awful now as I started the ball rolling! How can posters accuse me of being a Conservative?       

I'll surrender to the likes of this: http://www.express.co.uk/home and whatever you like at the bottom of the page!

[jonmorris]

You can run a website, blog or forum for very little - but if the site has quite a heavily load traffic wise, you must pay for that bandwidth.

Hosting companies always claim to offer huge levels of bandwidth for peanuts, but they never do. They'll gradually slow your site down to a crawl, and while this forum isn't the fastest in the world - I've never been kicked off with an error that there are too many users.

So, I'd say the forum must cost a fair bit to run. Given that forums usually have the same people visiting over and over, banners don't generate many clicks as you tend to see the same ads over and over (hence why Google is changing the way some ads are delivered so they're more relevant to you, not the site). I am fairly certain Grant isn't making enough to cover the cost, so I doubt there's any money to go to charity just yet.

I've run small forums on free hosting sites, and believe me, I'd never do that again. If you ever start to gain a decent following, your visitors help kill the site - and then you suddenly have to start finding a way to raise money. Of course, all the people who have been visiting now get annoyed and moan. You have to bear this in mind, as you want a forum to grow - but when it does, all the costs go up quite quickly.

[Anne]

And with photos and videos now included, we will use up even more bandwidth...