I almost hate myself for asking this, since it's a horrible kludge, but would it be possible to swap database accounts, i.e. load all our live tables into the test account and make it the live one?

I really did try my utmost to make this current situation work and I do feel very badly that it didn't. I'm sorry that everyone has to have this conversation again. I'm sorry that ita will, once again, have to deal with relocating the site. If I'd known it was going to turn out this way, I wouldn't have set us on this path. But, unfortunately, we were working blind six months ago and had to guess at what the issues might be.

Kristen, you did more than many people would have done, and I greatly appreciate what you did to help us find a home when we needed one. I know I would be having trouble not taking things personally if I were in your position. 'Tis a hard thing, mixing business and friendship.

And the hosting has been everything we could have asked, up to this point, when we've evidently hit an unsolvable problem with this setup.

(After an hour or so of board-reading without a single error, suddenly I just hit five in a row. I guess I was alone on it for a while?)

I'm tired and feeling kind of beat up here.

Kristen, based on your explanation, I see where you're coming from. But I want to apologize if I've said anything out of line. FG in general, and you in particular, have been very helpful and patient in dealing with us and our situation. I'm sure I'm not the only one who appreciates all you've done (even if I haven't been too vocal about it).

Kristen, the fact that we're having a conversation raises you head and shoulders over most hosting solutions available. We just have to work out quickly if we can afford the ability to have these, or perhaps even if paying money to help you go slowly insane is a good idea.

Which reminds me -- did you say you'd refund us all the money? Because we should pay for the months we were with you, I think.

Kristen, I know I was one of the ones who was concerned about both costs and deadlines, but I hope that nothing I said came off as a criticism of you or FG -- you've gone way above and beyond, and done so with a kind of grace you don't generally see in the hosting biz.

you've gone way above and beyond, and done so with a kind of grace you don't generally see in the hosting biz.

Yes, this.

that whole no opinion thing? I take it back. I have an opinion.

Since the people who keep the accounts and asked for funds last time think that we can raise the money needed for a year with little problem, I'm not worried about money.

Also, as a shopper, I tend to know exactly what I want and I have no issue going in and buying it without shopping around. In this conversation, I sense we are more concerned wtih paying more for some stuff (like storage and bandwidth) we don't need to get the mysql connections and control of the server we need. I think that I'm okay with having more than what we need to get what we do need.

I'm also a firm believer in repeat business, or going with the merchant we do know over the one we don't. While the $200 month buys us a lot of space, it also ensures that we stick with a provider who has demonstrated a willingness to work with us as opposed to pulling the plug. To me, that is worth a lot.

So, I'm advocating that if Kristen hasn't taken the offer off the table that we go with it.

I agree with Kat -- we *know* that Kristen/FanGeek is willing to work with us, rather than pull a HostageRocket. And that is significant to me. We really don't know how other providers would deal with us, *despite* what their service plans say. Because HostageRocket sounded good before we went there, IIRC.

However, I'm still willing to leave the evaluation of needs/demands and the subsequent decision up to the Geekies.

I'd like to ditto what Cindy said here: Cindy "Buffistas Building a Better Board" Oct 24, 2003 4:38:49 am PDT.

And also say that I can see it being worthwhile for us to stay with FG for this next year, and in the meantime continue to do research on what we really need, and where we can best get it from. I can't imagine a better working relationship than the one we currently have, so I can see it making sense to continue it, even at a financial premium. Because I DEFINITELY see that what we need is worth more than $20/month. I mean, that just seems ridiculously cheap for the resources we use.

(Note that my awkward phrasing is meant to represent the fact that I'm not actually trying to pitch one side or the other, just that it seems to make sense.)