Save the Clock Tower

[The Barrow-Wight]

There are about 100 or so regular visitors to the Downs, and for their sake and the sake of the long history of the forum, I just can't let the barrow slip away without a fight.

I am going to try to figure this issue out.

I will be purchasing and installing an upgrade to the forum software, which should solve the problems. We've upgraded before with success, so we should be able to do so again.

Here are the factors involved in the upgrade:

- It costs $209. I'm paying for it, but if anyone cares to chip in, please PM me and we'll figure something out. Donations will be greatly appreciated, but they are completely voluntary.
- I've got two other projects taking a lot of my time this weekend, so it may take me several days to actually get things working correctly again.
- My web maintenance skills have deteriorated so much, I may not be able to figure our how to install the upgrade (unlikely)
- The upgrade might not fix the problem, or might make it worse (very unlikely)

Please reply to let me know if it's worth the time, money, and effort.

It is to me. The Barrow-Downs has been around in one form or another since 1998, and I enjoy it every day, even if my participation nowadays is kicking a handful of spammer accounts a day.

Let me know what you think by replying here, and PM me if you are interested in helping financially.

Thanks!
BW

[Inziladun]

This place has really become so much a part of my daily routine, its absence would make me feel like Frodo after the Ring's destruction.

'It is gone forever,' he said, 'and now all is dark and empty.'

After all, where else can I bad-mouth Peter Jackson, harp on Túrin, and gleefully kill hapless villagers in the Night in wolf-form?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

After all, where else can I bad-mouth Peter Jackson, harp on Túrin, and gleefully kill hapless villagers in the Night in wolf-form?

Just so, just so And it already gave me so much, so there is no need to prove its worth to me.

[Bêthberry]

Great quote, Inzil!

The Downs has been too much a part of my life these last ten years for me to want to see it disappear this way. It has led me on to Oxonmoots, to the Tolkien Society and Return of the Ring, and perhaps more significantly to various moots with other Downers across three continents and several oceans. It has inspired one book--Music in Middle-earth--and there's quite possibly another forthcoming.

There's still enough wraiths floating around to make it habitable.

Count me in and see the PM.

[Kath]

I would be incredibly sad to see this site go. It has been and still is the source of a huge online group of friends and I don't think our connection would be the same without it.

[Morsul the Dark]

Hear Hear

We will not go quietly into the night!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gFN1t7Goyk

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

After all, where else can I bad-mouth Peter Jackson, harp on Túrin, and gleefully kill hapless villagers in the Night in wolf-form?

And where else could I disagree so enjoyably on the issues of COH? But, of course, the other two points are very applicable.

Off to send a PM.

[Rumil]

In a hole in t'internet there lived a Barrow-wight. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms, an oozy smell, flamers and trolls, nor yet a dry, bare sandy Leggie-fangurl-infested hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was the Barrow-Downs hole, and that means comfort.

[Aganzir]

The Downs is kind of a home to me. No matter where I've lived or stayed, and how cozy or unpleasant it's been, the Downs has been an extra room (or wing, actually) that I could enter.

[Mithalwen]

I love this place so much but I am totally broke at the moment until the house sells... but if it can weather this storm I will make sure I will have something put aside for the next one....

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

This place has really become so much a part of my daily routine, its absence would make me feel like Frodo after the Ring's destruction.

After all, where else can I bad-mouth Peter Jackson, harp on Túrin, and gleefully kill hapless villagers in the Night in wolf-form?

Well said, my furry friend!

Even for those of us who mainly hang out in Mirth, it would still be quite a blow to see our lovely site gone. This place has been so good to me, and I've "met" so many wonderful people through it, that I'd be a horrible person not to help in any way I can. A PM is headed your way, my dear sir.

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

The Barrow-Downs has been a safe and fun place for the past five years for me. I don't have a lot of money, but I will help out any way I can to save the Downs. I have met so many wonderful people here who are now my friends, indeed, some of them are very good friends. If the Downs were to be lost, part of me would also be lost. Off to PM.

[wilwarin538]

Even though this is my first post in a while, and I don't come on here very often anymore, knowing that it's here whenever I want to show up or to look back on old threads, is comforting to me. This site means a lot to me, and I definitely don't want it to go away! (also PMing right now)

[The Barrow-Wight]

We have had a great response to my please for assistance. Thank you, everyone.

Master Thenamir has a potential fix that will require him to go deep into the subcellar of the barrow to kick some pipes and bricks. If he finds what's loose and sets it right, we may be able to un-depracate ourselves. If not, I'll be contacting everyone who is PMing me and let you know how you can help.