Dear PTO Members,

This is something that I prefer not to do but I have gotten a little over my head trying to bring PTO v2 online and need your assistance.

To be up front and frank with everyone, all the “software” (scripts) licensing, design and other fees are costing upwards of $2,000.00. (Details available for anyone who is curious) I thought I could swing most all of this on my own in a timely manner but I have really hyper-extended myself financially and the outlook for getting it all completed soon doesn’t look too good at the moment. Thus, I have decided to ask for donations from our membership – ONLY those who are willing and financially able! PTO is a free community and there is NO obligation in this.

All donations received will go towards the completion of PTO v2. If there is anything left over when the new design is completed, it will be put towards the monthly hosting expenses for PTO.

For anyone who does not know, PTO v2 (Version 2) is the upcoming newly designed version of Prison Talk Online that will feature a tremendous amount of new features and modifications to what already exists at PTO.

For full details, discussion and design graphics on the PTO v2 Project, please click on this link:
http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24510

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Listed below are a number of these new features:

-New Main "Portal" style page that lists Custom News Stories from PTO, User Statistics, Full Site Navigation/Menus, Popular threads and forums, and much more. May have a Flash/Shockwave Intro Page as well.

-Help Desk - where members can submit problems and receive assistance and answers by moderators, super moderators and administrators. Will likely have a chat interface to talk live when someone is available. All PTO staff will be able to log into this program and select tickets to answer. Different types of requests will be routed to the right staff group.

-PTO Mail - Automated personal web mail similar to hotmail but with even more features, space and without the SPAM & Ads!! Everyone will be able to have yourname@prisontalk.com and possibly other site addresses and be able to access all these email features through your PTO account. You won't have to log into anything else.

-Web Hosting! - Free automated web hosting for members! This is similar to geocities and other free hosting sites, but without all the pop-up banners and limited space & site lagging. Includes the ability to actually host your own www.YourName.com domain & FTP uploads and even statistics.
Sites hosted by PTO will benefit by PTO's indexing into the search engines. These sites will make it into the search engines VERY quickly and will also be lightning fast because they are located on our server. *Sites will only be for Prison/er Related topics*

-Rec Room! Full complement of online games, entertainment & other things to do when you want to take a break and have some fun. Members should be able to play other members live, or by themselves. These games will include chess, pac-man and all the old favorites, along with newer stuff, etc.

-Inmate Classifieds – Automated Pen Pal section for inmates looking for friends, assistance or just to tell their story. Members can submit their loved one along with a picture in a database here on PTO that can be viewed by everyone.

-PTO Book Store – Online bookstore featuring Prison Related Books and information. Powered by Amazon & other companies to provide the best selection anywhere.

-PTO Store – PTO Logo / Designed Shirts, Caps, Coffee mugs and MANY other items featuring both PTO & Member designed logos!

-Prison Profiles – Detailed profiles of U.S. and foreign prisons. Comprehensive Database where members can submit detailed ‘real world’ information, not just statistical prison system manufactured data.

-Live Chat – New Integrated Live Chat system where all you need do is click on chat. Members will retain their username and no need to register any place else! Click-N-Go design!!
Will fall completely under PTO policies. Moderators on PTO will be moderator / chanOps in the live chat.

-“Awards” section for members who go out of their way to help other members & staff, etc! Many different “Awards” We will probably look into prizes for Members of the Month and other things! Donating members will have a featured section & certificates of appreciation.

-Members Mini-Forums (private & public) – The ability for active or sponsor members to actually open their own private rooms and allow their friends to come in and chat. Rooms can be public or private, requiring a password.


Again, these are some of the more noticeable additions to what we currently have, but there are many more subtle and user-friendly modifications to the forums and other areas of the site that will make everyone’s experience on PTO many times better than it already is.

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For those of you who are in the position (financially) and are interested in contributing to Prison Talk’s v2 project, we have previously worked out a number of donating member benefit package that I will include here. Please keep in mind ANY amount is welcome! It does not have to be a fixed rate. We appreciate any assistance.

All donating PTO members will have a “$” icon next to their name (appears in all posts you have and will make across the entire site) in one of the following colors: Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.


Donate 1 – Bronze Contributor $0.01 - $30.00
• Hivemail – 20 MB’s of attachment space
• Photo Gallery – 20 MB’s of upload Space
• Game Room – Full access to the arcade


Donate 2 – Silver Contributor $30.00 - $49.99
• Hivemail – 30 MB’s of attachment space
• Photo Gallery – 40 MB’s of upload space
• Game Room – Full access to the arcade
• Web Hosting – 100 MB Personal Web hosting



Donate 3 – Gold Contributor $50.00 - $99.99
• Hivemail – 40 MB’s of attachment space
• Photo Gallery – 100 MB’s of upload space
• Game Room – Full Access to the arcade
• Web Hosting – 200 MB Personal Web Hosting
• Password protected private forums – start your own forum!


Donate 4 – Platinum Contributor $100.00 +/yr
• Hivemail – 100 MB’s of attachment space
• Photo Gallery – Unlimited Upload Space
• Game Room – Full access to the arcade
• Web Hosting – 500 MB Personal or Commercial Web Hosting
• Password protected personal forums – Start your own forum
• Private Platinum Club Room –



*Please NOTE: Previously Donating Members*
Anyone who has previously donated to PTO will automatically be placed in one of the categories listed below! You will NOT need to donate again to automatically be listed as a Donating Member.

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I apologize that this has been a bit long winded, and the donation process and rewards will be spelled out very clearly on the new PTO v2 site, but I thought it should be mentioned here since the other is still unavailable.

If you are in the position to donate, there is a number of ways to do so.

PAYPAL - The preferred and easiest method would be to use www.PayPal.com . PayPal will allow you to transfer funds into an account from many different sources – credit card, bank accounts, etc. Our PayPal email account is donations@prisontalk.com or you can simply click on the “PayPal” Icon that is located near the bottom of every page on PTO. PLEASE be sure to include your USERNAME in the notes section when making a donation so we can track who is making the donation! :)

CHECK / MONEY ORDER / CASHIER’S CHECKS Etc.
We accept Checks, Money Orders, Cashier’s Checks and other forms of payment. Whatever is most convenient and available to everyone is fine with us.

CASH
If you wish to send cash, please do so carefully. In the past I have had quite a few people send cash in the mail but it isn’t always the best idea. If this is your preferred method of sending in a donation, please wrap it completely so nobody can see the currency inside.

To mail any type of donation to us, please send an email to donations@prisontalk.com and I will send you full details.

Will this be a one-time donation or a monthly pledged amount? I'm not clear on that. It sounds great! I'm willing to help but I don't want to over-extend if it's an every-month thing. And would a person be able to donate next month if it's a one time thing rather than this month?

It is a one time donation for all but the the Platinum.
The reason being for the Platinum membership is because of the business web hosting option.

So we get all that for donating $100 a year?

Where would we send a check or money order to?

I get paid next week - my $ will be on it's way then!
:D

Give us an address - we will do what we can. Thanks.

Prison Talk Online
1004 Ashburn Ave.
College Station, Texas 77840

Are checks made payable to PTO? I like having the dollar sign by the name. I can be like Leona Helmsley. Send in a big-a$$ donation and then act like like a total beeyotch!!

GO MARLINS!!

You can make the checks payable to Prison Talk Online.

Here is tentatively what the normal Registered members features will be:

PTO Registered Member

• Hivemail – 5 MB’s of attachment space
• Photo Gallery – 10 MB’s of upload Space
• Game Room – Either partial or first 1 month access to the game room. (To be decided)

I am a little confused, Fedx are the forums that are already here at pto, are they going to be part of the other new version?

The forums that you see now.. All the Threads, Posts and attachements will all be a part of the new design. The only thing that will change is the graphical look and feel on PTO v2. Since most everything you see on PTO is database driven, it is fairly easy to server up the same information into different styles.
So, you will have the one you see now, the new PTO v2, and a PTO Lite version for maximum speed.. All running at the same time. :) Each member will choose which one he/she wants to use.. And can switch between them with ease.

Fed-X

Oh, sounds cool. I am kind of parial to this one. :) took me forever to learn how to use it lol

I will definitly do what I can!

Great David, it's about time you let us give you some help. We are not just a bunch of pretty faces you know. :) Love Barb

Can't spare much...but definitely want to help David...this site has been so much help for me...thanks!!!

lol Barb, you go get him :)

Oh, ya'll are a bunch of pretty faces, but that is besides the point.
Thanks to everyone who is donating and helping in this fund raiser.. It is taking a real burden off my back.. I was starting to sweat getting this accomplished..

David

We will be here for you David just like you are here for us. Did you see the challenge in the California Forum from B-Ray? I love a Challenge and we in California are up for it :) Love Barb

The Europe forum is on the move too !!! :D

Phil :p

Ooopppssss !!! After checking up the currently active users panel, I'm the only one on the move, the others are sleeping !!! :D It's 03:04 am here !! Anyway, the Europe forum will be on the move in a few hours !! :)

GO EUROPE !!! :)

Phil

Phil!! Stop moving and go to bed! :D

Go to bed go to bed !!! I'm at work sweety, and even though I'm in a hotel, I'm not supposed to go to bed !!!

Phil :p

not mentioning that he been sick, sheesh, nothing stops this guy :)

David

Can I send a cheque over from my English bank or would it have to be drawn from an American account?

Anne

where do i send the money???

Prison Talk Online
1004 Ashburn Ave.
College Station, Texas 77840

Or just hit PayPal at the bottom of the screen. Barb

Originally posted by lulu
not mentioning that he been sick, sheesh, nothing stops this guy :)

When I die, I will stop.. ;) But of course, I will hand PTO over to someone else.. I did actually add something related to this in my "living will" - just in case. Hopefully nobody will come knock me off in hopes.. that.. they get to take over this child! :) hahah right!

Originally posted by sunrise
David

Can I send a cheque over from my English bank or would it have to be drawn from an American account?

Anne

Now that is actually a good question! I will try and find out tomorrow.

A big thanks to everyone that has already donated, those who are planning to as soon as they can afford it, and of course the people helping with this fund drive.. We're moving closer and closer to making not only PTO v2 a reality, but going 501(c)(3) also.. :)

Thanks!
David

Originally posted by Fed-X
, but going 501(c)(3) also.. :)

What does that mean ???????

Phil :confused:

Mailed out today, will there be a sticky showing where you are at with the donations, like before? It helps to motivate seeing how we're doing.

Phil, the mediation center I worked for was a 501(c)(3) and it makes you a not-for-profit entity and eligible to apply for grants and stuff, that's all I know- I'm sre somebody knows more-
I wish I had $$ to send! will try to find some

Thanks haswtch, it helps a lot, now I know what it is !! I thought he was speaking of a new pair of Levis !! :D

Thanks again :)
Phil

Okay, it's not much, but it's something... just sent you $ via PayPal

If I suddenly hit the lottery I'll send more! :)

Goodmorning David, how are we doing is there an update? How much more do we need? Love Barb

First, a HUGE thanks to everyone who has donated!

I will talley everything up tonight on what has been received so far through PayPal and the mail, but a rought estimate is a little over $800.00 so far!!!

I can't express to all of you how much the assistance means.. I was sweatting pretty hard there for a bit but I am very confident that we will have enough to make it all happen..

I've also been studying up on taking PTO Non-Profit and will be in contact with many of you that have experience in this to make sure I am going in the right direction.

Thank you all!
David (Fed-X)

I, too, was finally able to send in a donation. I'm fairly new here, but find the information very helpful and comforting. Thank you for all you do!!!!!

We are now right at $1,000.00 Dollars!!

I cannot express my appreciation and thanks to all who are donating!

I am traveling to Houston this weekend to work on turning PTO into a Non-Profit Organization..

You all are so wonderful.. I can't tell you how much you have helped in making this happen.

Thank you all,
David (Fed-X)

Will now, if my JR High Math is correct, that should put California at the TOP of the list of States.

But that might be temperary, since we are only HALF WAY there!

Wouldn't it be COOL if we could get the other HALF before 12-02-03, PTO's 1st post Birthday?

it would be cool, yes. Bray, I don't get it. why would CA be at the top of the states? He didn't break it down by states?

Hope you got the money I sent from Illinois when I was visiting Tony, I'm never quite sure how to fill out the money orders, they're all so different.

Heres hoping you get the full anount you need soon.


Rose

CET, we in California KNOW of $650.00 that was already sent in. That leaves #350.00 from elsewhere. That's where my Jr High Math came in. :D

Hopefully, some "other" state(s) will take the CHALLENGE and topple us off the hill. It wouldn't hurt our feeling to see that happen! But we are a determine bunch!!!!!!!!!!! :dance: :D :D

I think the spirit of co-operation is absolutely wonderful within PTO. I know all that money will buy a lot too. ($2000 for a portal is peanuts compared to what some places charge, though with donated services open source is used on other sites to make it happen free.) For sure working with the right contacts will create a spendidly huge asset base. (Of course all the premiums for cash donation are nice too.) There are even those PTO can reach out and co-operate with who provide services for free, just as PTOers themselves donate. PTO has a bright future, and an even brighter one as it also functions as an open service-oriented community and not merely based on funds.

David how are we doing? Can I come in off the corner yet, I am getting to old for this kind of work :) well not to old really :) Love Barb