AN is like a country wide mine exploration club / society – the normal physical models have a subscription element to them, with thousands of users on AN in an ideal world this could bring in a fair amount of funds for the running and to cover the rewrite.

However, I am wondering how many of the 1000’s of users would dip into their pockets to pay for being part of this site - I am sure the usual contributors, photo uploaders, calendar buyers etc.. would, but would that be enough to help?

Just for arguments sake, what if 250 users were happy to spend £20/year for access to the resource – that’s £5k – is that enough or too little? Could the core users all manage to bung in £100 to help, I would and probably more if others did. Could NAMHO or BCA help with funds?

Just thinking out loud, not saying anything that I have said is remotely a solution. Also aware that if Simon just simply does not have the time to do this for what ever reasons then bunging money at it does not matter.

Just a big shame this has happened.

Roy - are you going to pull a rabbit out of your helmet?

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The thanks to Simon go without saying.

CATMHS run their website for less than £100 per year. OK, it is not trafficked anything like as much as AN, but I don't think hosting is a problem.

The issue is the AN features over and above a normal forum, like the database of photos, maps, PDFs, the mine locations, the searchable list of mines, etc. etc. I have never seen anything else like it, so it would take a significant investment of somebodies time to recreate it on an up to date platform.

I can't help but think these resources might be well served by being taken under NAMHO's wing.

Chris.

Does anyone know the ‘switch off’ date yet?
This would give us a timeframe in which to come up with a possible solution. I’d be willing to throw some cash into the hat to extend the life of the site if only for an extra month if it helped.
Casting aside any sentiment, AN is an important database and certainly on a par with record offices.
The difference being that information posted here is current and not subject to speculation by incomplete or non existent plans and records.
This alone should make the AN’s data nationally important, and the site worthy of being saved/rescued.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can help in any way.
:flowers:

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Simon, could you give us some sort of timeline re. closure? I believe that some people here would like to get their thinking caps on.

My wife suggested national lottery funding, pretty sure Peter Jackson has experience with applying via that avenue. Could potentially pay someones salary to do the change over. But might be pie in the sky and too long a process.

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Strangely, my wife suggested the same thing

Dear Mr Gates / Musk / Bezos ............

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Can I start by saying thank you all for your incredibly kind words. I thought I could deal with most things but dealing with people being nice is not something I'm good at.

As I said in the original post:

My plan is to slowly rewrite the site, introducing features as they are re-built. All time permitting.

But for the moment it is going to have to take a breather.

The database and photo archive are quite safe.

I'd like a couple of weeks peace, then start on the rebuild. Currently investigating forum packages that could alleviate a large part of the task.

I've given it my all for 16 years. I'm trying to reduce my stress at work and downsize to a new hosting setup, and that's where the problem with ancient code (and need for half a terrabyte of space) comes in. Hence I need a bit of breathing space and to modernise it in order to get it to a form where it is portable should it ever need to me. Roy's got some ideas about companies or trusts to take it on should anything ever happen to me.

We've actually already tried forming a charitable trust, and applying for LHF, but got a flat refusal from both. But with a few more experienced people on board that might be more successful.

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Thank you so much Simon for my favourite, most valued and most visited website, a treasure trove of information and a great way to liaise with the so many of you who have helped me with trips and plans. Thanks also to those (lots) who have passed on information, suggestions, surveys etc. I'll miss it all terribly.
As many have said, if there is a way to contribute financially or in any other way I'd give a lot to help.
Thank you again
Pete.

Best plan then is to give Simon a bit of time and space.

I would just like to add my thanks to Simon for his hard work over many years on our behalf. In reality I guess for Simon AN is like the day job only that he doesn't get paid for it. How many of us would have a hobby that is like our main employment. Yes I know I am one but I have a job which is like my hobby - a very important distinction.

I am sure AN could continue if the users paid the real costs which none of us have in the past. I am guessing that it is about £10 a year per user - I may be wrong. The trouble is that it now needs a lot of work so in reality it is 15 years at £10 i.e. £150 now plus £10 going forward. Who is up for this? Personally I would but I suspect I am in a small minority so it looks like FB here we come.

Jon

I've just come up to speed on the news. Very sad and I do feel for Simon. Lets hope once some space has been given, things look up. Although not as active these days AN is still special to me.
Should you need help in anyway Simon regarding key bashing please let me know, I'm semi retired now. You will no doubt be aware the OS are restructering their OpenSpace product. I've already migrated. I'm sure Leaflet will be a better bet than Google Maps and in case you were not aware leaflet and Bing satellite sit alongside each other as layers on the same map OK, which means a free mapping resource. Apple have released their MapKit.js about 18 months ago but still needs a Developers Account to process and display but their satellite mapping is one of the better offering.

Here's hoping you can restructure.

There's a Bing OS maps plugin for Leaflet that'll let you do 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 OS full screen.

Thank you for a brilliant site Simon, Vanoord and everybody else.

Have a good bit of thinking time for you and your family and if a simpler process becomes apparent that will be great. As others have said if that requires some financial help and support I'm also more than happy to contribute with a one-off chunk and/or a regular payment.

Best regards for the future and should AditNow version 'X' be possible that would be fine, I'm quite confident that my Dad would be more than happy his photo hoard ended up with a good home rather than festering in a box in an attic.

Jim

Let us all hope that this is indeed a "Tarah for now" " See you back soon" event, though I for one would not imagine the task of re-coding would be anything but long and complex. AN has been a great resource, a great home to come to and browse around and exhange ideas - i Know its all been said already, but Simon has done a heroic job on it, aided and abetted by the admins, it has changed so much in an extremely positive way since I first came across it, and there's not many things you can say that about these days! It will be sorely missed.

Good luck Simon - and do have a good and well deserved rest before you even think of diving back in.

Grahami

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Hi,

Just wanted to add my thanks to Simon and the other individuals responsible for keeping AN going for so long, I haven’t really been an active poster on the forums apart from a few posts and a database entry from many years back, but I’ve kept very keenly up to date with the site since I started going underground in around 2010 and would earnestly suggest that Aditnow is the most extensive and significant mining history and exploration resource that I have ever known of, there’s no way I would have found, explored and appreciated half of the places that I have without it, nor remained safe and (mostly!) uninjured whilst doing so, for this I am very grateful.

Without wishing to add to any sense of pressure, I would add that, should we be lucky enough to have the chance in future, I would also be willing to pay my way, be it in the effort to create a new site or to subscribe to such a creation, and I know from speaking to my primary exploration buddy, that goes for him too.

All the best and thanks again.

Simon,

I really wanted to say thank you , I'm sure having my advert on the AN front page has promoted my website. It means the more obscure I have been able to promote and move on .

I don't know about others this site is a lifeline that's helped me through difficult times. Its been light relief during the tedium of the last years lockdowns, seeing, reading and sharing information . Its also been a way of keeping touch with old friends and acquaintances in a safe way. The timing is maybe unfortunate as it will leave a hole in my daily routine.

AN will be missed in many ways , lets hope its only for a temporary period. I would also say if we need to subscribe to help with the cost of running this, I for one would have no problem with that. I would also pay for the advertising

Mike

There are places I remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain 

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That's all, folks. 

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