Simmers Paintshop closing

[Serval]

Unfortunately I am forced to close boch sites simmerspaintshop.com and nederlandseluchtvaart.nl (perhaps you know that one as well)

On both sites, sometimes material is published, which brings up the discussion about rights on that material. In the past we have removed such material as much as possible, warned and banned people for posting it. Still this hasn't been enough to take away discussions about the rights of some material.

Last month someone claimed at Google that a screenshot of Cliff of Dover was copyrighted. In such a case Google shuts down the ads, and it is up to the site owner to prove the claim to be wrong. In this case not difficult, since many of you know that Maddox games has allowed screenshots to be posted throughout the Internet, and a few of you know that I have done a few things for Maddox Games and so know the company well enough to sort out matters in an other way then shutting down Google ads. In the end the block was lifted, but it still did cost me almost a month without income from the ads.

Yesterday brough really bad news. On NLV a photo was posted which resulted in an expensive claim sent through me through a solictor, to be pay within a week.

Well, I think especially the old members can remember some crazy incidents (like over the G-1 image that is still about this site with permission of it's creator since day one, or the fate of Skinners Heaven) which absorb a lot of energy. But this time it has been taken to a level where maintaining a site like this one becomes to risky and expensive. This has made me decide to stop hosting both of the sites I have.

I like to thank you all for making SPS what it is. I hope to meet you somewhere else. I know that a lot also stay in touch trough Facebook.

I wish you all well!
Serval/Arjan

[Grafikco]

Bollocks, another chapter of bad news. I do feel for you Serval, wish I could help,Would a whip round do it ?. Can we have somewhere to collect each others emails etc. Posting mine here.


jason@grafikco.co.uk
Untitled Document (new site is up soon) Need someone to to bounce off, Blowhard Dave, GFR, JM Smith, etc etc etc, basically everyone.
If no one wants to stay connected, I will slip away quietly.

[Grafikco]

We need a new home anyone got any ideas?

[Grafikco]

Serval how about a small joining fee?

[Serval]

A joining fee would only be bad for the site. It is a small niche site with a pretty low number of visitors allready.
It lives because there is a small group of dedicated visitors.

A joining fee also doesn't help the situation. OK, it could help to save a little money for unexpected events like this, but it surely doesn't take away the risk of claims and buggering like some people discovered they can do through the Google ads income.

Making it a paid site would cause private income issues (taxes) especially when they are more then needed to cover the costs. It also will create a situation where people can make demands regarding performance, updates etc. And for sites I visited in the past, I know there are people who will.

I think there are nice alternatives. Maybe someone can name one or two.
The 2D corner of Military messhes is one:
2D Military Gallery - Military-Meshes.com

It's not the site that creates the community, but the community who creates the site. So, if you all join a site as a group, it will soon enough feel like home.

[GiantFlyingRobots]

Wow! This is incredibly bad news.

Hopefully this site can remain up for long enough for those of us interested in getting an alternative up. So much knowledge and work is about to disappear forever, its a shame, but the way of things on the net.

If making a financial contribution will help keep this site alive(even just the profiles section) in some form I'd be willing.

If anybody wishes to contact me, here's my contact.

cypher6668 AT gmail.com

Or Facebook Ruprect T Monkeyboy, which may or may not be my real name.

[Supah]

Anyone who feels like it can add me on facebook, just look for Lieuwe de Vries

[Serval]

I'll keep a backup of the site anyway. So, it will be possible to hand it over to someone who wants to continue it, or a part of it.

[gamary]

Oh noooo.

Is there any chance of maintaining SPS but as a private forum, accessible only to members? This should eliminate some of the problems, no? I'd be willing to pay a contribution as well, since we've all benefited from the site.

I just can't imagine what it would be like without SPS, and I'm afraid a "migration" would not really work (and may not be all that welcome if we all move to mil-mesh or another forum)...

[inkworm]