Your Mutiny needs you now!

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Dear Readers,

For those of us that started Sepia Mutiny it has always been a labor of love. As most of you probably know THIS is not what any of us do full-time (although it may often seem like it). I am writing my Ph.D. dissertation right now and only get about 6 hours of sleep a night, Anna has a new demanding job, Vinod is on almost constant travel, Sajit just got married, and Ennis, Amardeep, Sidd, and Fofatlal are very busy as well. With Manish moving on to pursue other endeavours we are asking readers for help in keeping Sepia Mutiny going. Manish was not only a prolific blogger but also the person behind the technology that created this website. We need help now that he is gone. We are reaching out to our readers to recruit a few of you to join us in our North Dakota Bunker. You don’t have to be a blogger to be a Mutineer. This is what we need ASAP:

  1. Somebody who is very skilled in Moveable Type and PHP. Manish was the best at this but if you think you are pretty competent then he will be able to go over our site’s infrastructure with you so that at least you can understand most of it and take over his duties of site administration. Ideally we would like not only someone who can understand most of the current code, but also someone with ideas of their own. This includes technical improvements (e.g. the latest web technology trends like Digg) that can be incorporated into this site. We are looking for someone who has good ideas and a vision for improving Sepia Mutiny. Ideally this person would be based in North America because it makes communication times easier (which is very important for this particular task).

  2. Our hosting costs are getting too expensive. Please remember that we don’t have any annoying ads with which to generate revenue. We pay for the site with reader donations, selling t-shirts, and Amazon affiliate fees (if you buy a book off of Amazon by following a link within a post we get a small commission). Every time you visit our site it costs money. For the techies: Right now we use ~202 GB bandwidth a month. We need to upgrade to about 400 GB a month but that would cost us ~$300 a month with our current service provider. We just can’t afford that. Is there anyone out there who is a fan/dedicated reader of SM who can host us for free or knows someone who can (a reputable and reliable provider of course)? Please contact us if you can help out. If we don’t find a solution then we will probably have to implement some sort of ads for revenue.

  3. It is time to upgrade our website’s design. We want a sleek, sexy, creative new look without sacrificing page load time. If you are talented web designer and would like to donate your time and skills to the Mutiny then we have a set of bunker keys for you. Email us a web portfolio.

For numbers one and three above you will be putting in a lot of time and effort for no pay. You will however be a part of something that you hopefully love. You will also be able to display your skills and put your face and business logo up on our site (in a manner similar to the RocketPost logo you see on the right-hand sidebar.)

Please use the “Contact us” link at the top of the right-hand column if you can help out with any of these three.

Lastly, please bear with us for the next month or two. We have a virtual “Sorry for the Inconvenience Caused by Renovations” sign up. Thanks again everyone for your support of SM.

49 thoughts on “Your Mutiny needs you now!”

  1. Abhi,

    I cannot help you technically, but can get you access to useful software. Please email me if interested (I can’t find your email on the site).

  2. My email address is themadblogger [at] gmail dot com.

    Thank some of you for responding so quickly. Especially in this case it is even the thought of you wanting to help that counts.

    We will look over every single email I get and I will contact you. I am going to be running them by Manish one at a time since I am illiterate at tech speak. 🙂

  3. You guys can put a “donate via paypal” button etc so that we too can pitch it and share the webhosting costs.

  4. Every time you visit our site it costs money.

    Aw shucks, now I’m gonna feel guilty whenever I hit ‘refresh’. But donate via paypal sounds good – I’d donate that way.

  5. Do a paypal drive. I’m sure that everyone will give a little to help the best website in the world stay free of distracting adverts.

  6. Last I heard DreamHost has some pretty decent rates for hosting. upwards of 1TB of traffic a month, 20GB+ of disk space and the other basic good stuff for about $10 a month. I also think they have a really impressive referal deal going (which I’m not using, just so folk know I’m not advertising or anything) which might help offset the costs of hosting overall. Dreamhost is a pretty reliable hosting company… and I’ve nothing but good things about them… perhaps you guys may want to check them out.

  7. Well you can’t unmarry Sajit, tell Anna and Vinod to quit their jobs, or drop your paper because I’m sure it took more geekiness than I can conceive of… but I see no reason why you can’t just kidnap Manish and keep him in the bunker in indentured servitude (a post a day and coding maintenance for his freedom in 10 years).

    And yeah, I think a donation option on the website would work well. I’d donate despite that I’m in school and I have no money. Anything for the diaspora 😉

  8. I was just going to mention Dreamhost.com too. You guys really should not be complaining about bandwidth costs when its so cheap these days.

    The design of the website is more interesting, and I await with interest. I would love to pitch in but am so bloody busy, and just having redesigned my blog, am bloody exhausted.

    But the design really depends on where you want to take the site. Whether it is two-columns, three, four or a fully featured site, it really depends on the vision. That is my 2 paisa.

  10. i think donate via paypal is a gud option . The users can donate if they want to . The combined effect of all users donating even small amount of money can help a lot . Another option is using goole adsense . this way if somebody is interested in follwing the topic being disscussed , he can click on relevant ads also . The SM will earn money this way .

  11. First Manish leaves, then you want to change the format of the website .. I can’t handle all the changes!!

  12. Awww, manish is leaving? Why? I’ve been out of the loop so can someone fill me in?

  13. Hey guys I am reading all your responses on email so don’t think I’m not hearing you. I will respond to every single person that emails me. Manish and I are 12.5 hours apart so it may take me up to a day to get back to you with an intelligent response.

    Also with regards to the Paypal we did raise $1000 last year in this way. We don’t want to ask for your money again before we explore other options such as Dreamhost which everyone is suggesting.

  15. yeh kya ho raha hai?? everything is changing. I guess change is for the good

    please put up a link so we can donate. this is my favorite site and I cant help in the technicalities (cuz i am a finance guy, not IT), but def i can donate. And i love your simple design so dont change that.

    One or two ads wont hurt either, plus with the hits you get everyday that can be a nice deal

  16. SMers, This is my ONE and ONLY source of desi community, and a favourite blog in general. I can’t help with the tech stuff being a humanities geek, but I would be happy to donate via paypal or other method. I think you should definitely raise money through readers if you need to. As someone said, even small amounts will go a long way.

  17. Ugh, I have always maintained that I wanted to work for a site which had NO ads. I hate ads. I’d actually pay for an upgraded version of Friendster if it meant no more flashing and crashing idiocy (No, sponsors of Friendster, I don’t want to refi and I will probably never buy a Dodge, either. Thanks).

    I can barely tolerate the fake ads on PBS, which are benign and chill compared to the garbage on regular TV. I like the paypal/fund drive option. If it’s okay for PBS + NPR, it’s good for the mutiny. SM: free (of ads) and independent (no pay for play) since 2004, bitches.

  18. Anna – If you don’t already, use Firefox as your browser and install the AdBlock and AdBlock Filterset Updater extensions. No more ads, they’re automatically removed from every page you visit. Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I noticed an ad while surfing the web.

  19. Since the costs seem more or less predictable and fixed, the once a year beg-a-thon is not so bad. Paypal sounds good to me. I’ll put in my 2 bits. Tweaking the site sounds good but no drastic changes s’il vous plait. Maybe some threading in the comments section to make arguements easier to follow (al la plastic.com). Jay V

  20. I like the paypal/fund drive option. If it’s okay for PBS + NPR, it’s good for the mutiny. SM: free (of ads) and independent (no pay for play) since 2004, bitches.

    That sounds like a good, dignified idea. But ads, if necessary, would be something most people I assume will deal with if it means keeping the Mutiny afloat!

  21. But ads, if necessary, would be something most people I assume will deal with

    Thank goodness we are protected from a tyranny of the majority. 😉

    Look, there are several things which make SM a very special place– the fact that we don’t require you to install extensions in possibly the best browser ever in order for bother-free viewing may just be one of my top three. I don’t like it when I go to a ball game and there are massive banners and logos on everything in sight, I don’t like that every movie is more about product placement than plot and I do NOT like my blogs to have ads. Don’t you want one space that is a refuge from consumer-baiting? I do.

    What do we do when we don’t like a DJ’s lunacy? We threaten to boycott the products which advertise on their stations. I don’t want to be tied to anyone’s strings, I’ll carefully try to steer clear of those things.

    I’m deadly serious. I would reconsider writing for this blog if we started running ads. I would much rather personally defray some hosting costs than take such a drastic step though, so no bakwas accusations that I’m holding you paypal hostage.

  22. Ugh, I have always maintained that I wanted to work for a site which had NO ads. I hate ads.

    Don’t think you can get rid of me that easily! I’m not going anywhere, biotches.

  23. It’s so funny that you commented, miss thang…I thought of you while I was slandering your namesake. 😉

  24. 6 and #8

    I dont think u know the technicalities of hosting websites.

    Dreamhost and a lot of others advertise these outrageuous claims. But they are all on a shared server.

    The fine print is that your site cannot exceed the resource usage on the server by more than 3% at any time.

    With the kind of hits that SM gets, they need and are on a dedicated server. Dedicated servers cost money. If you are comparing prices, you need to look for a dedicated server price, and not the shared server.

    I have been badly burnt very recently and learnt this the hard way.

  25. As someone with little technical knowledge and no access to server space I will Pay for Pals.

    Why you want to mess with ads? No ads! Is my funny coloured money not good enough? 🙂 Dayum, how often do blog readers beg for a donation drive? Our love and addiction knows no bounds! I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together, right? Goo goo g’joob, y’all.

    Abhi, if you are terribly against donations then might I suggest a Sepia Hunks calendar? You know those would sell like hot kaju katlis 😉

  26. Neha,

    if you are terribly against donations then might I suggest a Sepia Hunks calendar? You know those would sell like hot kaju katlis 😉

    Well if you’re going to play that card, bahenji, I’m afraid I’ll have to raise the stakes and mention the Sepia Mutiny Swimsuit Edition 2006 which a few of the guys here have previously demanded quietly suggested…..

  27. I like the paypal/fund drive option. If it’s okay for PBS + NPR, it’s good for the mutiny.

    Any cool “thank you” gifts? Perhaps a Sepia coffee mug? 😉

  29. I’m afraid I’ll have to raise the stakes and mention the Sepia Mutiny Swimsuit Edition 2006 which a few of the guys here have previously demanded quietly suggested…..

    Can’t blame them for wanting to catch a peek of Fofatlal in a speedo now can I?

  31. I like the paypal idea for the time being as well. I will pay to keep the boat afloat so that I can sustain sanity!!

  32. As appealing as seeing you “in chame-chame” must be, I’m relieved to report that your link is broken, Fofatty.

    And what’s with all this talk of changing the page design? I’ve been crying softly in a warm bath surrounded by the soft glow of cinnamon stress candles, curled tightly in the fetal position for the past few days, still trying to comprehend Manish’s departure; any further changes (ie: changing the site’s layout) would set me over the edge and qualify me to be the subject of an Aparna Sen biopic.

  33. I have no skills to offer but I (and probably most others) would be happy to contribute via Paypal 🙂 (I am also tempted to buy a hoodie!)

  34. Neha,

    Can’t blame them for wanting to catch a peek of Fofatlal in a speedo now can I?

    No no no no no ! The SM Swimsuit Edition is only to portray lovely ladies. You know — like those old Bounty & Diet Coke TV ads from the late 80s/early 90s, Baywatch, a certain notorious song by Sisqo, the dubious (and unsuitable for desi family viewing) music videos for the title tracks from Salaam Namaste and Garam Masala respectively, etc etc.

    I’ve noticed a distinct obsession for banana-hammocks speedos on the part of certain women here on SM recently…..

  36. Jai:

    I’ve noticed a distinct obsession for banana-hammocks speedos on the part of certain women here on SM recently…..

    No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. It’s not Speedos per se that make me lose my mind, render me speechless, and cause my heart to flutter.

    It’s skin tight briefs— which is different– in a specific print that is guaranteed to make me swoon.

  38. It’s skin tight briefs– which is different– in a specific print that is guaranteed to make me swoon.

    Are we talking leapord print here, CAD?

  40. i don’t have any tech skills at all…

    but would most def be willing to donate! would much rather pay a small fee and keep the site ad free and uncompromised (hello MIA with the Galang car ad)

    good luck with gettin everything sorted and thanks for putting up such an awesome blog! have only been reading for a few months but SM is one of a kind, and your readers are as devoted to you as the pav/o (?) is to the bhaji…

    big ups and support always!

  41. Folks, please don’t be fooled by Dreamhost-like offers of insane amounts of bandwidth at some silly price of $19 per month. If it’s too good to be true, it usually is. You’ll be put on a shared server, and if you exceed a certain CPU usage, you’ll be shut down.

    I know you’re popular, but 202 GB per month seems to be very high. Maybe you’re getting a lot of spambots visiting? Check your stats. The common ones can be easily blocked with some .htaccess manipulation. (I provided a bit of help last year to Manish in cutting bandwidth use down.)

    I think you need a very high-end hosting account, or probably a dedicated server.

    Lastly, despite your aversion to ads, I suggest you give Adsense a shot. To make it less intrusive, I have two ideas for you. You can use either, or both.

    1) Only have ads on individual entry pages, and only at the end of the post, before comments. This will allow people to read the post without encountering any ads within it. And… they will get a better click-through rate. It’s very easy to make ad colour schemes that will blend with the site and not hit you in the face.

    2) Have ads only in the RSS feeds of your site. Google has a beta version of Adsense for RSS. That way, people will not see ads on the main site.

    Just some ideas…

  42. CAD,

    I’m a nationalist.

    Do those speedos start playing the Indian national anthem when, er, the flag is raised ?

    Do you have to salute the flag(pole) ?

    What happens if it gets stuck at half-mast ?

    And so on and so forth…..I could carry on like this all day, depending on everyone’s tolerance for smutty jokes 😉

    (PS Re: the link you included — DesiDancer is already married).

  43. Jai:

    Do those speedos start playing the Indian national anthem when, er, the flag is raised ? Do you have to salute the flag(pole) ? What happens if it gets stuck at half-mast ?

    No comment.

  44. Amazing — I finally left the prolific, clusterbomb-all-SM-threads Cheap Ass Desi completely speechless !

    Round of applause

    Well, if I can achieve that, I can achieve anything. I’m now off to broker a peace-deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians, along with LeT and the Indian Border Security Force. Free speedos for everybody.

  46. Jai:

    Amazing — I finally left the prolific, clusterbomb-all-SM-threads Cheap Ass Desi completely speechless !

    It is not that you left me “speechless”; it is that I have chosen not to put words to the images that have been unraveling in my mind ever since I read your comment #42 😉

  47. The problem on shared hosts is typically not your usage of bandwidth but your usage of the CPU. If you configure your Moveable Type site to use static rather than dynamic pages for all but the most infrequently used parts of the site I don’t think you would be booted from a reputable sites for high usage within the advertised limit for your site. Check the web site reviews, for example http://www.servage.net seems to be well regarded and costs peanuts for the kind of data transfer you are talking about.

    I do agree that 202 GB sounds very high for your kind of site. Some analysis is needed into where the bulk of the traffic is going.

  48. Servage.net and dreamhost both seem like a good option for hosting. I have seen several high usuage sites hosted on both hosting companies.

    As far as design goes – why not have a design contest? we can choose 3 designs and rotate them on a monthly basis.

  49. I think the majority of the people who read this site don’t ever add comments. 202 gigs isn’t that unrealistic for a few million hits a month.