To the MacTalk community (and a couple of people I've BCC'ed); When I first started out with Macs somewhat over a year ago, the Low End Mac site (recommended by a friend) was my "mother's milk" in getting started. I still find it very helpful, depend on it myself and regularly refer people to it. If you're unfamiliar with it, I'd encourage you to go to the site and check it out. It has probably one of the (if not THE) most helpful collections of Macintosh information outside of the Apple site itself. Low End Mac sponsors mailing lists covering almost every aspect of Apple computing you can think of, including the list I'm subscribed to, Mac-N-DOS (the list for MUGWumps like me).
Low End Mac has been one of the sites hit hard by the dot-bomb which has actually been able to keep afloat, providing news, information and resources to the Mac community. However, Dan Knight (the publisher) has reached the end of his financial rope and is in desperate need. From my own experiences, I can relate very much to what he is going through. It takes a lot of desperation and swallowing of pride (esp. for a man) to send out what is essentially a "begging letter", which I just received via the Mac-N-DOS list and is appended below. If you have benefitted from Low End Mac, can empathize with him from your own struggles in life or have simply been blessed in life and have compassion for a man (and his family) in need, Dan Knight is a man who has given much to the Mac community, is worth standing behind and I would encourage you to do so. I've already emailed him and told him that when I figure out what I have left of my SSDI benefit this month, I intend to pitch in. I've written him, asking how he'd want a check made out should you wish to contribute in that way (that's how I plan to), and I will send a P.S. when I get that information. Please also note that he is attempting to sell some iMacs that he had bought used, and did not receive the restore CDs with them. He's attempting to find copies to supply should he find a buyer--if after reading the description you can help him even in that manner, I'm sure it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time and consideration, Mike Webb the MUGWump ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Subject: Low End Mac's Financial Crisis Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2003 09:38:43 -0400 From: Dan Knight <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To make a long story short, Low End Mac is about $6,000 in the hole due to the collapse of ad rates in early 2001. Although ad rates have recovered and we are pretty much breaking even today, we still have this huge deficit that needs to be eliminated. It wouldn't be urgent. I've been 3-4 months behind on payroll for a long time, I've taken a part-time job in a local camera store, and our family is just getting by from week to week. However, we've just entered crisis mode. We've lived in our house for 9 years. Over that time, both my wife and I have endured significant income reductions. Insurance and taxes have increased our house payments while our income has dropped, and we have not been able to keep up on a lot of small repairs. No big deal. None of them endanger anyone -- until now. The city has threatened to issue an arrest warrant and fine me because of some broken cement, a storm door with no screen (we never use that door, but it doesn't appear to matter), some branches touching the roof, and several other minor repair items that put us in violation the Housing Code. We just don't have the money. One of our sons had surgery, and our new insurance meant we had to pick up part of the tab. Then our water heater burst. Then the faucet on the kitchen sink broke and had to be replaced. Little things keep coming up, and we're barely treading water financially. I can't afford to go to jail, pay fines, or make these repairs. We are attempting to refinance our home from a 9.0% mortgage to 6.2%, and we're asking for some extra cash, but it won't be enough to cover the repairs the city wants, reshingling the roof (which is desperately needed), and taking care of some significant plumbing and electrical issues. We're asking the Low End Mac community to help out. For list members, signing up for a lemlists.com email address at $6/year helps us and provides you a very low cost email address. For a bit more, we also have lowendmac.net email addresses available, along with Web space and other services. I have decided to sell my 400 MHz PowerBook G4. It has 512 MB RAM and the original 10 GB hard drive and DVD-ROM drive. The lid and screen were just replaced under AppleCare, the keyboard was replaced some months ago, and AppleCare coverage continues through January 31, 2004. $1,200 plus shipping. I also have two 333 MHz iMacs for sale. One has 320 MB RAM and the original 6 GB hard drive. The other has 192 MB RAM (we tried more, but no luck) and a 20 GB 7200 rpm drive. These include the original iMac keyboard and round mouse. I'm trying to find copies of the original Rev. D software CDs -- these were obtained used and did not include them. I'm hoping to sell these for $400 each with local pickup. (I'd rather not pack and ship these heavy beasties.) We are also accepting donations via PayPal, the Amazon Honor System, Kagi, and e-gold. For more details about Low End Mac's financial situation and links for the above, go to <http://lowendmac.com/musings/03/0814.html> Thank you for your ongoing support of Low End Mac. -- Dan Knight, president, Cobweb Publishing, Inc. Life is too short to use anything but a Mac. -- Roger Ebert (Mac-N-DOS/Low End Mac extended sig snipped) =============================================================================== I'm a MUGWump: My "MUG" is on the Mac side of the fence (since mid-2002), and my "Wump" is on the PC side (since 1989). I've been on the trailing edge of computer technology since 1987 and love it! [P.S.] Due to limitations on this account, please send binaries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and a confirmation note here. -- Mac-N-DOS is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... / Buy books, CDs, videos, and more from Amazon.com \ / <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/lowendmac> \ Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Mac-N-DOS list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/mac-n-dos.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/mac-n-dos%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
