What? My administrator, my members - what does that mean?
Simon you are presumptuous to suppose I don’t want your feedback. On the contrary it is very helpful in understanding how you interpret your role as patron, as other members may find too. As a club member you will, I hope, acknowledge my right to respond to it?
You might perhaps find it within you to acknowledge that I wrote in good faith and said from the outset I wanted to support the appeal for donations, but I am beginning to see that you want to fight and belittle me over this matter, and are determined to win.
So I am giving up my membership forthwith. Simon the victory is yours. Enjoy!
Peter - you’ve simply made a mistake. I am but a mere ‘free’ member just like you and I have no idea what you mean by my role as patron! I have given a small donation to SF because I want to support them - not a crime 
I can confirm that James costs me a fortune in coffee!! 
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It looks like James will provide more information but SF does not have to be a business to incur costs.
If nothing else, web hosting generally isn’t free.
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there are lots of overheads, software, hardware, domains, hosting (which isnt cheep for a decent server to handle mass users on one website. I am not saying it costs a fortune to run but still it isnt free. Happy to be a monthly patron.
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there is no role, just a badge that says you donated some money. It gives no special privileges apart from a feel good factor to yourself for helping support this great community.
Even a small donation helps keep the site free for everyone.
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I changed mine back to ‘Regular’ Harry - didn’t realise it would be so ‘provocative’
Thanks Paul. Simon stated that it was “a business not a charity” and it was my impression that he had the authority or knowledge to make the statement.
I was trustee of a Buddhist hospice charity for twenty five years and chairman for ten. It ran wholly on donations and all its workers were volunteers. I have some first-hand knowledge of website costs and all the rest that goes with providing a hands on service at no cost to its users. I am in full sympathy with a call for donations, and wish the financial position of SF and the request for donations had been set out when I subscribed.
I’m grateful for your support. I will respond to messages on this miserable matter until they cease, but my decision to leave is otherwise irrevocable. My good wishes to all for kindnesses received.
I am involved with a forum which is funded by members’ donations. It publishes a statement every month showing the income and expenditure for the previous month. I think it helps with getting the contributions when everyone is aware of the costs. It’s basic running costs are about €300 a year which covers hosting, maintenance and problem solving. It was pointed out that the costs could be pared down if skilled individuals took responsibility for technical problems but the membership agreed that as it was not a business the costs were acceptable.
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its just a label and a badge. wear it with pride. Maybe we should get @james to make you a special badge “The Agent Provocateur” or “The Rebel”
I would not worry about it. James will answer or not, I look to facts and I see a great place and community and a bit of financial support is good for everyone in the group.
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Thank you David. I also appreciate a bit of clarity which you often supply. I wondered what had happened to Simon’s patron label which suddenly disappeared. There are a number of ways that the word patron can be understood, but all them seem to imply custody of the organisation’s values and integrity, and I am sorry to be thus disabused by Simon’s assault on me i.e calling me unreasonable and over-intrusive etc. His efforts at a cover-up did him no favours either. I suggest you pick up the badge from where you so hastily dropped it, Simon, dust it off and wear it with as much pride as you think you deserve. You set a fine example of patronage, after all.
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Done !
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Perhaps an apology to Peter might not go amiss. He has always been a perfect gentleman and his question for James, not you, did not merit your caustic response.
I for one do not want to see him go but do admire his sense of honour in standing his ground.
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Simon, taking a long look at the pic of you with your nice dog opened a small chink in my armour-plating, which has turned into a ray of warm sunshine towards you. If you dog loves you there is obviously a kind disposition there in you that can be accessed. And my own disposition is generally towards peace and reconciliation. So, patron d’honneur, let 's do the decent thing and be friends again, and if we do spar again, keep our épées buttoned.
I have no wish to leave SNF and all the evidence that I need that the site is even-handedl’y and conscientiously administered has been promptly offered. So I send my good wishes to you and your dog of course, give him a tickle from me, and one for yourself. 
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Peter I’m going to get back to you later if that’s ok via pm - apologies but I’ve got some ‘stuff’ going on this morning!
Dog tickling?
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But will you own up the pain chocolate? 
My last post was a very corny joke about the peace and reconciliation process between me and Simon, but my thanks to you Dan were utterly sincere! 
On a side note, watch from a French Tax Declaration perspective how you manage your Paypal activities. I assume that you know you must declare all overseas bank accounts on your annual income tax return here in France, and Paypal of course is Luxembourg based, not French based. You are only allowed NOT to declare the account IF it is linked to a French bank account… There are horrendous fines for not declaring overseas bank accounts, so make sure that while you are trying to remain secure online that you are not creating other problems along the way!