<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dee Licious @ Dec 30 2009, 10:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>I've got to agree with that reasoning.I heard that playing the minute fieryjade posted her first extortion for money post... for those who don't know too much about websites... had it been maintained properly ie money in take care of the baby and all will fall in place... well that didn't happen... and now they want us to swallow it never made money... not sure about anyone else but had I given 10 years of my life, saint good hearted whatever... it would have to the very least pay for itself... I think Madam took the biggest shit on her daughter and still wants to blame the "community" 'cest la vie...[/b]
I'm afraid the problems run much deeper than just that though.
One of the biggies being that ASPD's bank/Verotel accounts have been frozen due to the fact that a death certificate can not be produced.
Certainly, we're all saddened by Amber's passing but I suppose that it's just a bigger burden than the family is willing to bear. But please don't insult my intelligence and say that it''s "barely making ends meet".
If that's the case why even bother with a "mirror site"?
I simply find it hard to believe that the site was so poorly managed to justify FieryJade's non-money making claim.
Look at the numbers. (and I'm just roughing it here)
ASPD has been running on the same software for YEARS. A few server issues and bumps along the way --but for the most part, has been relatively maintenance-free --meaning minimal cash outlay.
That said, take a look at the banners at the top of the page.
I counted 19 non-aspd ads. Each of these ads costs the advertisers (going off of their published rates)
$70 wk/$900 qtr ($17,100 Mo)
I counted 30 Sponsor Providers @ $25 mo each ( $750 Mo)
The site has approx 158,000 members. Let's just say that a mere 2% of the membership is "Paid BCD" .
That's 3160 members paying $10 Mo ($3160 Mo...and that's just at 2%!)
That totals to $21,010 Mo ( $252,120 Yr)
How much does it cost to keep the place up-n-running??
Can't be too much... I mean it's been virtually running on auto-pilot for years...the promised upgrades never happened..the staff is volunteers/no salary.
But for argument sake, let's assume that after it's all said and done that it costs $2000/2500 or hell, even 3500 mo.
Take away expenses and folks that still leaves a pretty good chunk of change on the plate.
Now if a site's running those kind of numbers and can't make a go of it...?? I, for one, ain't buying that "it's not a money maker"
No, I'm afraid the problems run much, much deeper than one might tend to believe. Frozen assets. Transference of ownership? IRS issues?? LE scrutiny??? etc. etc. Who knows??
I've got to admit though, it's really sad seeing it go under because that site was the catalyst for many a' good friendships and many a' good times.
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