[DE] Software-Update-Strategie ./.
[FR] Stratégie de mise à jour du logiciel ./.

 Today we would like to present you a concept for the increasingly urgent upgrading of ipernity to the state of the art. This is combined with the long announced transition offer to free users. It is valid from today for three months, i.e. until 15 May 2019.


Dear members and friends of ipernity!
Over the past 12 months, our community has spent around 22,000 EUR on maintaining and updating our website. However, we are far from running a state-of-the-art website. The security requirements of modern browsers are not met. Mobile devices are poorly supported or not supported at all. Functionalities that are now normal elsewhere are not offered. In addition, at Amazon Web Service (AWS) we operate a completely oversized server farm which burns more than 20,000 EUR every year.

A move to cheaper servers is not possible. Too much is the ipernity program interwoven with AWS. Furthermore, the urgently needed modernization of the existing program would be many times more expensive than reprogramming - without ever being state of the art. Software also has a limited service life. The one from ipernity is more likely to come to the end. Technically, we probably can keep the website for another two or three years. After that, however, it becomes more and more likely that it will have to be shut down at some point for technical reasons. At the latest then a new software must be ready.

Estimates for reprogramming range from EUR 60,000 to EUR 100,000. If we wanted to save up this money, we would need 6 to 10 years, although the development of membership numbers is positive:


Even if we are extremely housekeepers and always have only the bare essentials repaired, annual reserves of 10,000 to 15,000 EUR are at best possible at this level. Quite apart from that, a long technical standstill would be very damaging to the attractiveness of the website. The accumulation method is therefore not very promising.
Alternatively, a reprogramming could already be initiated this year with a starting capital of approx. 40,000 EUR, if our financial situation would allow it. Another 25,000 EUR could be financed next year from normal membership fees, and the remaining 35,000 EUR after the launch of the "new ipernity" through savings in AWS server costs. A corresponding offer from our service provider is available. We still have EUR 10,000 in the IT budget for 2019. As a result, there is currently a shortfall of EUR 30,000 for such a project.

Because our community - as a simple association without any collateral - does not get any bank loans, the question arises how we can raise this sum on our own - and not only from the pool of 1,310 club members who make the operation of the website possible at all. Today, we are also addressing to those 11,000 registered users, who likewise use ipernity on a regular basis and apparently appreciate it very much. If each of you would raise a one-time fee of 10 EUR, we could start reprogramming tomorrow.

However, we are aware that not everyone will be prepared to do so. That's why we are making the following offer to all users of the ipernity web service today. At the same time, this is the already announced transition offer to the new subscription packages, which will apply from April 1, 2019:

► 5-year "Standard" membership at the price of 4 years

When subscribing 4 years, there will be one year added as a free bonus. (The value of the bonus is 43.90 EUR. It can be subscribed as a price-identical club membership by “free” users as well as club members.)

► 2-year "basic" membership at the price of 1 year
An offer that is aimed at those "free" users who regularly use ipernity but do not require the full range of services. For the time being you can subscribe via the 6-month club membership for 23.90 EUR. The additional 18 months will be added automatically. (The value of the bonus is 23.90 EUR. As soon as the new subscription model is programmed, these accounts will be converted into basic accounts with a term of 2 years from the date of booking. This offer only applies to accounts that were created before December 1, 2018 and are "free" accounts at the moment of this publication.)

► 2-years "free" for a one-time donation of 10 EUR

We ask the remaining free users to make a one-time donation of 10 EUR as a compensation for the previous delivery of our services, as well as a minimum fee for the further use of the “free” offer in the current scope of services for further 24 months.

Those free users who do not wish to accept this offer are kindly asked to understand that they will be transferred to guest status after another three-month time of grace in accordance with the new subscription packages www.ipernity.com/doc/team/47762888. As guests you are still welcome in our community of course. You can also view all of ipernity's public content, browse image galleries, comment on images, read comments and blogs, and download released content.

All three sub-offers will come into force today, February 14, 2019, and will be valid for three months, until May 15, 2019. After that, a three-month grace period begins. After August 15, 2019, the accounts of those "free" users who do not make use of the offer will be set to guest status.

As the ima team, we have done everything in our power to set the course for a good future for ipernity. The decision is now up to you.

Your ima team