On this page, I'd like to answer some questions you might have about donations to the website: why I accept them and what they're used for.
When I first started this project, which is about preserving and continuing Joe's work, asking for donations wasn't something I planned. I even turned down a couple of early offers. The site was co-hosted on an existing platform, running from my own domain and home servers, using my regular internet service. Everything was already paid for, so there were no extra costs.
What changed ?
First of all, and I can't say this clearly or often enough: I have absolutely no intention of making money from this website. I do this because I'm a numbers geek and genuinely enjoy the work, even though it takes far more time and effort than I originally expected.
Profiting from Joe's work would feel wrong. More importantly, it would break a promise I made to Joe's former contributors, many of whom continue to support the site with new data, and especially to Joe's wife, Judith.
However, I now see some potential costs coming up. They're not large, but I think it's better to be prepared than to run into financial trouble later. All of these expenses would be directly related to maintaining and improving the website.
What will my donation be used for ?
Here are a few short- and long-term things I'm looking at:
- Hosting upgrades: At the moment, my home internet and server setup can handle the site's traffic. But if the number of visitors and the volume of data transferred increase significantly, I'll need to move the website to a professional hosting service, which costs more.
- Domain name: There has been some discussion about acquiring Joe's original domain name (joebaugher.com) when it expires in 2026. If that's not possible, I may register a similar one. Hosting more than one domain is not an issue, but registering domain names isn't free, although it's not very expensive either.
- Search engine: I underestimated how important a good search engine would be. Joe's original website had one, but I never used it much myself. Now I realize that a reliable search feature is essential. Free, ad-free options haven't performed well. For example, if I search for "F8U-1", I want to see every mention of that Crusader variant, not just one or two. Since the site content is plain text and not stored in a searchable database, results are inconsistent. One commercial option looks promising. It will take time to set up and comes with a one-time cost of over $200.
- Collaborative editing: In the future, I hope maintaining this website won't remain a one-person job. I'm incredibly grateful to the many loyal contributors who help improve the content, but I'm also thinking about setting up a collaborative platform where editors can help keep the site up to date. This might require professional software.
- Or just buy me a beer: If you simply want to say thanks, a small donation to buy me a beer is always welcome. Not coffee. I prefer beer.
How can I donate ?
Just click one of the yellow donation buttons you'll find at the bottom of (almost) every page. You'll be taken to a PayPal page where you can choose the amount you'd like to donate. That's all there is to it.
Is it safe ?
Yes. PayPal handles the donation transactions, and I believe it's very safe. It was also easy to set up. Unfortunately, they do take a small percentage as a fee, but that's unavoidable.
If you don't feel comfortable donating online, that's fine. If we ever meet in person, you can always buy me a beer. You never know.
Will you be giving refunds ?
Ehmmm... no 😀
Will the website ever require payment to access ?
No! The website will always be free to access. It's entirely your choice whether to donate. I appreciate donations, but I'm just as happy to receive a simple "thank you" email.
Final thought
I hope this page has helped clarify my intentions. If you think I've missed a question, feel free to let me know.