Official GIMPS 2019 fundraiser thread
 

GIMPS is a victim of its own success!! Due to the discovery of many more new Mersenne primes than expected GIMPS is in a bit of a cash crunch.

The GIMPS Board of Directors has decided to launch GIMPS' first concerted fundraising effort to raise $5000 this year to return us to a healthy cash balance. Your contributions will allow GIMPS to continue finding new record primes for years to come.

We need your help! Many thanks in advance for any donations you elect to contribute. For U.S. citizens, donations are tax deductible. Mersenne Research Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation.

There are multiple ways to donate:[LIST][*]You can write a check to Mersenne Research, Inc. and send it to:
Ernst Mayer
900 Reichert Ave, Unit 314
Novato, CA 94945-3282[*]You can use the Paypal "widget" at [url]https://mersenne.org/donate[/url][*]You can bypass Paypal fees using Paypal's "Send money to friends and family" to [email]primenet@mersenne.org[/email].[/LIST]
I'll post progress to this thread as well as the mersenne.org web site.

I'm going to repeat my offer on another thread. I've been quite successful in the past at fundraising professionally. I'm happy to offer my services to this cause if there's interest.

You guys are awesome!
 

We're off to a fantastic start! In less than 24 hours we've raised $2,872.85.

To those using the paypal widget, I've emailed a thank you.

For those that sent money directly, paypal does not include an email address with my notification. In lieu of an email, thank you Gordon and David!

To Luke, I appreciate the fundraising offer. I might take you up on that by PM at a later date.

Wow - that's a fast start out of the gate, thanks to those who donated! Unlike George I don't get e-mails re. Paypal donations, but will post thanks here to any folks who send their donations via checks to my address.

Day 2 total
 

More excellent progress: $3,164.89

Thanks again to all contributors.

[QUOTE=Prime95;516328]More excellent progress: $3,164.89

Thanks again to all contributors.[/QUOTE]

Is that the day total or the total received after two days?

We keep making progress
 

Total after 4 days: $3,355.96

Total after 6 days: $3,952.31 USD

[QUOTE=Prime95;516684]Total after 6 days: $3,952.31 USD[/QUOTE]

Nice- picking up speed again after that lull at around 3-days or so.

Getting closer
 

Total after 9 days: $4111.11

Hey, George, here's an idea -- offer an autographed copy of one of your prime discovery papers to $100 donors.

[QUOTE=ewmayer;516936]Hey, George, here's an idea -- offer an autographed copy of one of your prime discovery papers to $100 donors.[/QUOTE]

I think that donors would prefer a t-shirt or poster with one of the Mersenne Primes printed on it. That does give me an idea. Someone could design a GIMPS t-shirt. The cost per t-shirt would likely be less than $5 per t-shirt, but could be sold for $15. I think that would get you a lot of donors.

[QUOTE=rogue;516941]I think that donors would prefer a t-shirt or poster with one of the Mersenne Primes printed on it. That does give me an idea. Someone could design a GIMPS t-shirt. The cost per t-shirt would likely be less than $5 per t-shirt, but could be sold for $15. I think that would get you a lot of donors.[/QUOTE]

I'm more a fan of [url=https://www.mersenneforum.org/mayer/images/random/gimps_shirts.jpg]logo polos[/url] myself ... does that make me snooty?

[QUOTE=rogue;516941]I think that donors would prefer a t-shirt or poster with one of the Mersenne Primes printed on it. That does give me an idea. Someone could design a GIMPS t-shirt. The cost per t-shirt would likely be less than $5 per t-shirt, but could be sold for $15. I think that would get you a lot of donors.[/QUOTE]What about something like this on the back. Or with the word GIMPS on the breast pocket area and the rest on the back.

[QUOTE=Uncwilly;516946]What about something like this on the back. Or with the word GIMPS on the breast pocket area and the rest on the back.[/QUOTE]
Bring out the GIMPS, a simplistic brushstroke style drawing of two guys facing to camera tied up with ball gags while some kind of Lovecraftian Mersenne monstrosity is unfurling behind them. The ball gags are a splash of red on an otherwise monochromatic design.



[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8kPqAV_74M[/url]

[QUOTE=ewmayer;516943]I'm more a fan of [url=https://www.mersenneforum.org/mayer/images/random/gimps_shirts.jpg]logo polos[/url] myself ... does that make me snooty?[/QUOTE]

I actually like those. Not t-shirts, but something I could wear to work.

A t-shirt would be more casual and something to show off to people outside of work.

[QUOTE=rogue;516952]I actually like those. Not t-shirts, but something I could wear to work.[/QUOTE]

I agree. I still have mine and wear it often.

I would buy a polo or a t-shirt as well. Summer is approaching.

[QUOTE=ET_;516996]I would buy a polo or a t-shirt as well. Summer is approaching.[/QUOTE]

Still awaiting for it here....

[QUOTE=pinhodecarlos;517027]Still awaiting for it here....[/QUOTE]

Summer? That nice weekend in July.

[QUOTE=ET_;516996]I would buy a polo or a t-shirt as well. Summer is approaching.[/QUOTE]

I still have a small handful of that big batch of logo polos I had made up ~15 years ago - the precise color/size list is on the [url=http://www.mersenneforum.org/mayer/README.html]Mlucas README page[/url]. I've been using them as carrots for Mlucas-related moneyraising, but I'll offer them here, free shirt for a donation of $100 or more to GIMPS. Mostly smaller sizes left, but if you can't find one to fit you, consider gifting one to the wife. The only thing I need to think about is cost of postage - no big deal within US, but would cost ~$15 per shirt to ship internationally. I suppose $100 donors could reimburse postage via separate paypal to me, but nah - I'll cover the postage as my small contribution to this year's fundraiser.

Perhaps in advance of next year's beg-a-thon we could have one of those professional-swag sites (e.g. 4imprint.com) make up a batch of similar for us. We'd have to compare pricing to the "manual method" I used for the above - bought a bunch of polos for ~$10 each on eBay, took to a local custom-embroidery outfit. (The latter proved more of an adventure than it should've been - the shop owner mis-rendered the printed logo I gave him as "mersene.org", ended up having to re-do the entire batch of ~50 polos.)

[QUOTE=ewmayer;517035](The latter proved more of an adventure than it should've been - the shop owner mis-rendered the printed logo I gave him as "mersene.org", ended up having to re-do the entire batch of ~50 polos.)[/QUOTE]This is what a prototyping / proof run for customer approval is for; avoiding redo on ~49!

[QUOTE=ET_;516996]I would buy a polo or a t-shirt as well. Summer is approaching.[/QUOTE]

Add my name to the list; the polo shirt is properly understated and snooty. Looks great. And the t-shirts ideas are good.

[QUOTE=Spherical Cow;517043]Add my name to the list; the polo shirt is properly understated and snooty. Looks great. And the t-shirts ideas are good.[/QUOTE]

It's definitely better than having anything with "GIMPS" printed [B]anywhere[/B] on it.

Maybe we need to do a contest for renaming GIMPS to something less gimpy? :smile: Something we'd be proud to put on a t-shirt without answering a bunch of awkward questions?

[QUOTE=Madpoo;517084]It's definitely better than having anything with "GIMPS" printed [B]anywhere[/B] on it.

Maybe we need to do a contest for renaming GIMPS to something less gimpy? :smile: Something we'd be proud to put on a t-shirt without answering a bunch of awkward questions?[/QUOTE]

After 23 years and 17 primes it is a bit late to rename? At least 20 years too late?

[QUOTE=Madpoo;517084]Maybe we need to do a contest for renaming GIMPS to something less gimpy?[/QUOTE][url]https://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=23009[/url]

[QUOTE=Xyzzy;517136][url]https://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=23009[/url][/QUOTE]I moved all of the suggestions over to that thread. Mike beat me to posting the link.

[QUOTE=Uncwilly;517268]I moved all of the suggestions over to that thread. Mike beat me to posting the link.[/QUOTE]

You do have some good suggestions in there, Uncwilly.

I'd forgotten about that thread when it came up previously. :smile:

Total after two weeks: $4,234.41

We still have a quartet of snooty custom logo polos as pictured in post #13 looking for a good home:

M - black (lower right in pic), canary (upper left in pic)
L - pumpkin (upper right in pic), canary.

Sizing is generous - I'm 6'2" and a L fits me comfortably.

All it takes is a $100 donation to GIMPS! Just include the ship-to address for the shirt in the Paypal note field.

Success!
 

Day 17 total: $5,212.20

We have reached our goal :wacky::groupwave::wacky:

Thanks to all of our contributors. You are the best!!!

[QUOTE=Prime95;517696]Day 17 total: $5,212.20

We have reached our goal :wacky::groupwave::wacky:

Thanks to all of our contributors. You are the best!!![/QUOTE]

Very glad to hear! Woohoo! What a great bunch of GIMPS. :smile:

[QUOTE=Prime95;517696]Day 17 total: $5,212.20

We have reached our goal :wacky::groupwave::wacky:

Thanks to all of our contributors. You are the best!!![/QUOTE]

Perhaps someone could chip in the extra $14.80, just to bring it up to a prime number. Unless US $5,212.20 is a prime number in some other currency.

[QUOTE=Prime95;517696]Day 17 total: $5,212.20

We have reached our goal :wacky::groupwave::wacky:

Thanks to all of our contributors. You are the best!!![/QUOTE]

LOL. This was supposed to be the goal for the entire year right? You seriously underestimated us :P

[QUOTE=pokemonlover123;518062]LOL. This was supposed to be the goal for the entire year right? You seriously underestimated us :P[/QUOTE]It's like the telethon on PBS. The sooner the goal is reached, the sooner the regular programming returns.

[QUOTE=pokemonlover123;518062]LOL. This was supposed to be the goal for the entire year right? You seriously underestimated us :P[/QUOTE]

You folks are indeed great!!

Latest total: $5,696.47

So the GIMPS Board of Directors beer money fund has been replenished? That is fabulous news!

Average donation? Standard deviation?
 

At some point, I fully expect to see statistics for the average donation, median, highest, lowest, and standard deviation.

[QUOTE=Xebecer;519765]At some point, I fully expect to see statistics for the average donation, median, highest, lowest, and standard deviation.[/QUOTE]

Why? Contributors donated whatever they felt comfortable with. Contributions both large and small were/are greatly appreciated.

[QUOTE=Prime95;519777]Why? Contributors donated whatever they felt comfortable with. Contributions both large and small were/are greatly appreciated.[/QUOTE]
Perhaps because it would be a mathy thing to do and this is a mathy group.
The last donation total posted missed by $0.12 being a prime number of cents.

Indeed. Simply a math geek thing.

[QUOTE=Xebecer;519818]Indeed. Simply a math geek thing.[/QUOTE]
Are you volunteering? (George could send the numerical data, sans identities. His time and rare talent is better spent on prime95 enhancements and maintenance than on statistics many of us could crank through. Max, min, median, mean, std dev, charts, all readily available to a decent spreadsheet jockey.)

It's been a while since the last update with several donations rolling in. As of July 14, the fundraiser total is $5,937.02

Thanks all!

I finally got off my arse and sent $50

[QUOTE=aurashift;521934]I finally got off my arse and sent $50[/QUOTE]

Many thanks!

With that our total as July 19th is $7,120.91

As of September 23, we've received $8,594.96 in donations!!

As of November 20, we have received $18449.10 in donations. This should leave us well placed to deal with most any eventuality!!

Thanks to all!