Dear Subscribers to The AFIB Report and Afibbers.org website/forum community,
I’ve decided to at least temporarily suspend the subscription requirement for access to The AFIB Report, including all past archived issues. Thus, making the newsletter a free resource for all afibbers allowing everyone to access all past and future issues … for the time being and perhaps indefinitely.
This is something I had originally planned to do once the website revamp was complete and a more robust design and SEO (search engine optimization) structure was in place that should significantly increase the traffic and numbers of afibbers from around the world who can find our resource. Once the new website is up and running the plan is to morph much of the AFIB Report content into an online newsletter/blog format with text and multimedia presentations that can be undated more regularly and with smaller bites at a time.
However, over the last two months, it has become increasingly obvious that with the many balls I am currently juggling as the one-man band in charge of each aspect of the website, forum and newsletter research, creation and publication, there is simple no way for me to both keep up with the current full size newsletter format and catch-up with past issues, while at the same time taking care of the most intensive phase of the website revamp effort which is now required of me.
It’s the classic catch-22. Not only does the revamp effort require my focused attention now, but the need to update older existing website content as well as create new content and begin our video catalog will make catching-up at the same time with full-sized past AFIB Report issues, an impossible task during this revamp process.
New Way to Access Current and Past issues of The AFIB Report
So from this point (and until further notice) everyone can freely access the current issue 141 and all 140 past issues of The AFIB Report by simply clicking on the ‘Current Issue’ link found in the blue rectangular box list along the left side of our homepage. All past issues can be found directly below the Current Issue link in the blue link box titled ‘Archives’. (note: there may be a 48hr delay in access via these blue links).
Another way to immediately access both current and past issues is by clicking in the red text link at the top center of our homepage titled:
Click Here for Free Issues to The AFIB Report
You can then click the red text:
‘Current Issue’ link at the top left of the dialog box on the new page that appears or click:
‘Archives’ link at the top right of the same dialog box to directly access all past issues, same as before with the original archive set up.
I will also attempt to continue releasing new issues of The AFIB Report during this period though they will be smaller at five pages or so length, yet only when time allows between major pushes to get the website redesign and forum platform migration accomplished as our first priority.
New website revenue model
Even though I now have editorial, managerial and ownership duties over the website, forum and newsletter, I’ve always considered this oasis of an AFIB online resource to be a community treasure that belongs to all of us afibbers who have found it so valuable. As such, I mainly view my role as it’s caretaker for the time being.
If all of us who value the site understand that this is ‘our’ collective resource and all those who can do so without any hardship can donate a modest amount annually. I recommend $30.00/year, as a benchmark, with those wishing to contribute more it is much appreciated, and those who can’t afford that much I’ll gratefully accept whatever amount is comfortable. Those facing financial hardship of any kind should not worry at all about donating and just enjoy the site and contribute by adding your share of insights and experiences to our great community spirit of friendship.
This coming next nine months to a year will be a trial period to see if we can raise enough consistent income via donations alone to continue on with making all of our resources freely available to all.
I’ve been impressed and very grateful for the many donations we have received so far toward the website revamp. If we can keep this up and include more of our reader’s making annual contributions, it is my hope that we won’t have to reinstate an advanced features subscription section, and I would also like to avoid having to solicit sponsorship contributions to keep the lights on. I certainly will avoid any sponsorships that might come with any editorial expectations or strings attached.
So let’s see how it goes over the next number of months of wrapping up the website, and for a period of time after that, to see if the donations are consistent enough to keep the ball rolling on its own.
Options for Recent New or Renewal Subscribers
If you have recently subscribed for the first time, or recently renewed an existing $29.00 annual subscription to the newsletter, I see two options to choose from. You can request by email to:
editor@afibbers.org a refund prorated based how many of the 6 annual issues you have received. (If you wish a refund please allow up to two weeks to process)
The second option is to simply consider your current subscription fee as your donation for this year toward helping with the revamp and keeping the website solvent. Keep in mind that I will make every effort to send out a shorter version of The AFIB Report when time allows during the remainder of the website redesign period.
However, I certainly do not want anyone to feel they are being coerced into a donation they did not intend, or would not gladly want to make, so if you would rather request a refund for any remaining prorated portion based on issues you have received to-date on your current active subscription, then just email me and I’ll gladly refund you via PayPal.
Many thanks for everyone’s understanding and help in our collective project here. I’m really looking forward to the big push now in realizing our new home!
Best wishes,
Shannon –
editor@afibbers.org