There is a way to save LWN -- let's find it! [LWN.net]

There is a way to save LWN -- let's find it!

Posted Jul 26, 2002 0:01 UTC (Fri) by jre (guest, #2807)
Parent article: The end of the road

Like everyone else, I am shocked and saddened by the prospect of LWN's going away. This site has always stood out in the crowded field of Linux journalism. LWN is distinguished not only by its technical expertise (available elsewhere), but by a clean, professional style informed by the wit and insight of its editors (unmatched anywhere).
The Web will be a poorer place if LWN departs. I would like to see it not depart. Please add my voice to those advocating the following:

* Do a pledge drive. A standing request for donations is ignored. A focused, sustained effort to get the message out achieves results. It works for KGNU; it can work for LWN.

* Post a "Doomsday Clock" showing how close LWN is to extinction. You can move the hands earlier or later, just like the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists used to do, as the money situation changes. Like many others, I made a donation -- but I needed to be scared before I acted.

* Get some serious corporate sponsorship. Even if LWN was a wholly-owned subsidiary of IBM or Red Hat, I would still have confidence in your editorial independence, and I'd feel a lot better about your future. And it need not be as extreme as that. Maybe each of a handful of companies can offer matching grants to go with the pledge drive.

* Plan some sustaining events. Maybe a number of LUGs could do coordinated benefit installfests, charging a modest amount per head. Or a guru pool could be assembled to donate support time to contributors. If even the hundred or so people who have already posted coalesced around one or two good ideas, you would have the seeds of success.

How much money have you raised from the response to this article? Will it keep you going another week? If you got a matching grant, could you go yet another week? Would it give you enough time to plan a sustaining event? If we can buy enough time, we can find a way to keep LWN going. Please let us know how you want to proceed, and which way to push.

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