AO Consortium

[VictorKaum]

Is there a possibility that the people buy AO?
We are talking about a lot of money here, so it would be a new company run by AO members. The site has a stable return and therefor is a good investment. Profits from AO are gained by advertisements and potential Gold Dot site membership. Only who's going to put lot's of money in it?

There are several possibilities:

*option 1) is no longer an option. I add it only for people who did not know about this idea. But it's certainly a no no for JP.
1) JP owns it, we run it (proposed by Celfie) let the AO members run/control the site and JP still recieve the profits. contra: To much paperwork says JP

2) Some member team / individual buys it. Will cost a lot!

3) All members put some money in it like a cooperative or something similar.

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.

...


Any inputs on this topic?

[Ratman2]

While I can't contribute I do love the idea. I'd rather see AO in member's hands than have it get ruined by some big company.

Originally posted here by nabylbt
I'm not really sure that that many comps will be interrested, yet I wish that Microsoft doesn't become interrested because that would probably ruins the site.
As far as the firms being new that would be too preseomptuous depanding on the price ... it would more likely be some other well implanted security firm...
what do you think ?

What we're saying here is that a bunch of members of Ao get together and buy it

[r3b00+]

Yes, but the question is how much money are we talking?
I would be up for the idea of us members taking over AO and also think this would be a good investment but as you said VictorKaum, whos gonna put all the money up?!?

Nice idea

r3b00+

[R0n1n]

When you say it will cost a lot how much would you speculate? I like idea 4. If all members buy it then there is still going to need to be a group charged with running things otherwise nothing will ever get done.

[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.

[R0n1n]

ok, then what provides the stable return you mention?

[nabylbt]

Well my first post got taken out while VictorKaum edited the first post could there be a problem there ?

Anyways, getting AO members as a board of trustees to buy the AO sites would be good but then hard to manage. How much $$ are we talking about if it is public.
Aslo that would ensure continuity for the AO forums and not scare too many peops

[Ratman2]

Originally posted here by R0n1n
ok, then what provides the stable return you mention?

sales of AO merchandice

[VictorKaum]

profit: hmm advertising, sales, payed site members, ...
cost: software, hardware, connection

[cgkanchi]

I can't contribute much but yes, I'd love to see this happen. I'd like someone to PM/email me with what kind of figures JP is expecting cos that would really put things in perspective.
Cheers,
cgkanchi