I December 2001, Classical Net passed a significant milestone: its 10
millionth visitor.  When I opened Classical Net for business in May of
1995, I never dreamed the site would become so popular.  By the end of
that first year, we were getting about 2,500 visitors a week.  That number
is over 75,000 a week now.  As the site has grown, I have attempted to
find minimal advertising support to defray the costs of the keeping the
site up with these traffic levels.  This was working until last year when
advertising dollars for many classical music businesses on the net went to
near zero.  Affiliate programs help, but are a low-level source of income
that only partially help defray the overall costs.

Classical Net now needs your help.  So far, the site has been run primarily
with person funds, but the growth in the site in making that increasingly
difficult.  They say there are only two viable methods to run a web site:
1) include all the advertising you can, including pop-ups for on-line
gambling and other such activities, or, 2) charge for access to the site
using monthly or yearly subscriptions.  I want to avoid either method at
all costs, and the only alternative I know is to find patronage within the
on-line classical music community.

This is where you can help.  If over the years you've used the features at
the site, have found them useful, and would like to see them continue to
expand and be available for everyone, then you can help ensure this will
happen by making a donation to the operation of the site.

Each page at Classical Net has a link to a donation page with simple
instructions for making an on-line donation to the site through either
PayPal (the largest on-line payment system), or Amazon (the largest on-line
store).  You can use your credit card securely and confidentially.  For
more information, visit:

    http://www.classical.net/donation

I've been asked many times over the years if people could donate to the
site.  Well, now is your chance to help keep us going.  Thanks for all
your support.  If you have any quesitons at all, don't hesitate to drop me a line.

Dave
[log in to unmask]
http://www.classical.net/