UKDFD Implosion

UK Metal detectorists are surprised to find that the pirate private recording facility UK detector Finds database has undergone some changes in the past few weeks. You now have to register to search or use it.  There is some kind of a new layout which replaced the elegantly laid out page of the original with what one member called a "right royal mucking fuddle" ("I hope they don't try to install a "Thanks" system...."). As Allectus (Sun May 11, 2014 8:04 p) notes:

What a complete and utter mess they've made of that site! I've registered and the search facility still doesn't work properly...hit the back button and nothing occurs, it just freezes. The whole site and categories are just a muddled mess!

The UKDFD website explains everything, apparently after being inactive for a while, Restricted recording now enabled:

In anticipation of an initial high level of activity, recording will initially be restricted to benefactors*, who may upload up to three records per day (i.e. per 24 hour period). In due course, when the activity level stabilises, recording (with a lower upload limit) will be extended to non-benefactors.

It's now a pay-to-record facility ("Recorders may become benefactors by donating £15 annually"). The results are predictable, member The Ferret (Fri May 23, 2014 9:22 pm) is disgusted:

Oh dear, Don't like the changes of the site so I'm not going to bother now [...].

sinclairuser is also not impressed (Wed May 28, 2014 2:27 am):

this UKDFD website stinks of "no one can be arsed to run it properly-itis", lots of sites have caught this over the years, it never ends well, asking for donations is usually a conceited stealthy way to keep numbers low, so they dont have to run proper servers.