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I'd have to agree with cwk9 on a few points. I'm sure that if alot of members combined their money, they could buy it. However, it is a good point to mention that if multiple members run the site, they will run it into the ground with the lack of organizational skills this site has. I think the way JP is doing it is fine, although I definitely hope an AO member get's to own AO. Just my $0.02
I agree with cwk9 and spyder32, unless there are a few people selected to run the site it will disintegrate rapidly. One potential way this could work is if all those who want to buy AO donate their funds, and a board of directors (for lack of a better term) is chosen who run the site, these people who need to be able to devote considerable time to AO and would therefore need to be paid. Those who invested would have the benefit of AO being maintained, and also potentially if AO was the increase its revenue and become a profitable entity they would in effect be shareholders.
However, how this would be arranged is difficult, who would be selected to run AO? on what grounds? considerable legal paperwork would be required, etc...
A more realistic option is that (and probably the best that can be hoped for unless the members can work out a way to buy it) would be that someone picks up the site and maintains it, I would hate to see it picked up by a security or software company as I fear this would introduce an element of bias into the discussions (i.e if MS were to buy it then there would be no more anti windows sentiment expressed).
If members are going to buy it then something needs to be sorted out soon
Sigh...
What is REALLY for sale here is the domain name...software, hardware, etc, etc can easily be duplicated and/or purchased. Although the talk of members buying AO is inspiring, it just doesn't seem feasible, since the domain is what is really for sale, not the members, messages, quotes, chats, discussions, etc. Cripes, I've seen antionline.com mentioned in not a few books, mag articles, essays, etc...so the sale value of such a popular site is pretty high.
My prediction is that either a) AO will dissolve, b) AO will be sold to someone like symantec, slashdot (or whoever owns them next week), or other such security-minded organizations; or c) AO will be passed on to the next generation by way of a cheap sale of the domain and the gifting of all software and hardware associated with it. (doubtful, but the most appealing solution).
But hey, if I had put as much effort and energy into AO as JP has, I would be asking a pretty penny in recompense.
Either way, AO will survive, in one fashion or another...we just have to wait and see what happens.
Ouroboros
You have to understand that the main headquarters of AO is still in PA. So if we [users] do end up buying it, somebody (JP?) will have to be upgrading the hardware, adding more HD's, etc. The second thing is, with all this maintaning just to run the website and current hardware, how the hell are we going to afford buying MORE hardware to suit the needs of AO? Unless somebody periodicly sifts through and deletes old, unneeded, unrelated, not-worthy threads in AO. Maybe take a few forums away completely to save space (such as Roll Call or Tech Humor, or even parts of AO which few know about: The Public News Groups).
Maybe we could buy all the hardware used for those forums and sell them off for more money to run the site? ...Not sure. Probably not.
I agree that we probably need to put in more ads for money. Don't put it in the top corner like that, we're it's ugly, make a side-panel for it or something. Obviously with all the info we already have, the ads will, unfortunately, have to be pushed towards the bottom of the page. Or for profit/funds to maintain the site, we could make it so each new user would have to pay a [small] fee (probably just one or two US dollars, nothing too outrageous, or not something they'd have to pay over and over again). Maybe we could make regular users renew they're user-ship, or pay extra to become a "special member"? *snickers_evilishly*...
But also, we'd have to give out 'roles' for each "owner-member" of this site. Who'll do what, and when and why. Unless we tell a single member to do that. But having different "owener-members" do "jobs" would probably be easiest. For instance a certain user, once a month, must do so and so, and another user, once a week maybe, must do so and so.
Hrm... all we really need are some deathly dedicated members of AntiOnline who happen to be filthy rich and are willing to dish out some heavy cash.
If some users do infact buy AntiOnline (and I'd probably be willing to help with this), I just hope they think of AntiOnline as a country, and don't ruin everything by just mucking around. But all AntiOnline really is, is a board - a board with some madd features and ideas that shouldn't really be ignored.
But unless people are honest, trusting, faithfull, frugal at times, but strong, and not to mention smart, this won't go anywhere, and some company will end up buying us.
Yeah,...buying us. We've become sheep, being hearded by people with cash. Impressive, isn't it.
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I'll write more later. It's 3:30am, I can't really think of a solution to all of this at the moment...
/me yawns
i mean come on, think logically, each person would have to put up a *substantial* amount of money. AO users would end up disagreeing on what to do with the site, and get pissed because they paid equal money or whatever. itd be a HUGE Mess, i say we just take our chances with the company in which Jp chooses to sell to. Like i said b4, i just hope he doesnt sell it to dumbass's just for the money since i know he has enough of that already, just for a fair price with someone he knows will take care of us.Quote:
Originally posted here by VictorKaum
hmm we are talking about a lot of money, JP asked not to place figures on the site, so I respect that. It's up to a team to come with a decent price that can be of any concurence against other serious candidates mailing to JP.
OK, several points to make; 1. Who is going to come up with the business plan and legal paperwork required? 2. How are we going to organize the capital into one fund? 3.How do we know [if we do get the capital organized] that somebody won't just take it and run? After all, I'm sure it will be no small amount. 4. Who has the facilities to host all the equipment etc? 5. We need to know how much is possible in profit with the growing number of visitors so that we know how much we could pay any full time 'employees'. 6. How are we going to organize a board of directors? 7. Would we incorporate and have stock; making the largest investors the principal share holders? 8. Would we be able to keep everything that has so far been developed by JP so far [i.e. the boards, the files for the site etc.]? 9. How many people are willing to invest 10$, 100$, 1000$, MORE??? 10. Before we do anything in the way of capital, we need to know who is going to gather it all into one account and if they are a responsible person or not.
Now that I've typed more than I planned too, lets have the replys...
Well to answer R0n1n and mrcoffee12 on this page, I suggested answers for most of those questions you two had on page 3 :P
I think that the fourd option is a good chose.
4) Some members buy it (it can have a structure like what's called a vzw in Belgium, that means a consortium without profit) and have a board that decides.
You suggested answers for some but not all, my questions that still remain are,
#5 was partially answered, about the profit...we need somebody to be the official representative *if* we are going to do this thing so we can find out the details.Quote:
1. Who is going to come up with the business plan and legal paperwork required?
2. How are we going to organize the capital into one fund?
3.How do we know [if we do get the capital organized] that somebody won't just take it and run? After all, I'm sure it will be no small amount.
4. Who has the facilities to host all the equipment etc?
#6 was also partially answered, how to organize...would it be by Seniority on AO, AP's(although since those aren't that great an idea I wouldn't vote for that one), time available to spend, capital invested etc.
#9 I guess the investments will come if we decide to do this, and it is quite serious, so we need people that aren't going to back out on us at the last minute.Quote:
7. Would we incorporate and have stock; making the largest investors the principal share holders?
8. Would we be able to keep everything that has so far been developed by JP so far [i.e. the boards, the files for the site etc.]?
#10 A treasurer I guess was already suggested, so that was a dumb question :)
i got tired of reading messages, and the conclusion is, that if we dont know da amount, it's really difficult to have a starting point.