How do they do it?

Ed Kolis · #1 July 31st, 2002, 01:27 AM

What I want to know is, how do the good folks at PBW keep PBW running as a free service WITHOUT A SINGLE AD?!? Are there really that many loyal SE4 fans who donate regularly???

Growltigga · #2 July 31st, 2002, 05:43 PM

enough to cover the monthly expenses of the PBW yacht, the PBW villa in Lima OH, the PBW racing stable and Geo's collection of fast Italian sportsters

Jmenschenfresser · #3 July 31st, 2002, 05:55 PM

And the Harem...don't forget that. Or had they not told you.

geoschmo · #4 July 31st, 2002, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Growltigga:
enough to cover the monthly expenses of the PBW yacht, the PBW villa in Lima OH, the PBW racing stable and Geo's collection of fast Italian sportsters

I only wish...

Growltigga · #5 July 31st, 2002, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jmenschenfresser:
And the Harem...don't forget that. Or had they not told you.

Of course I have not forgotten that, what do you think the reference to fast Italian sportsters was? who is talking about motor cars here?

geoschmo · #6 July 31st, 2002, 06:02 PM

In fact, if every website had people like The Admiral, Lazarus, Gimboid, Georgig, Capn, and everyone else that has helped over the months, from donating the hardware, to doing many hours of database programming and website programming for free, they could be free of ads and work off donations too.

If you count all that we could never hope to break even. But they have all generously given, so all we have to do is get enough donations to almost break even on the monthly expenses, which so far we have just about been able to do, and I can keep it running and free of annoying popup ads or subscription fees.

Geoschmo

Growltigga · #7 July 31st, 2002, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by geoschmo:

I only wish...[/QB][/quote]

hmmm.. following on from the Worldcom and Enron scandals, perhaps we should request that Geo 'Fat Cat' Schmo of PBW produces copy financial statements for audit and approval...

hmmm.. he has probably spent the cash on loose food and greasy women

Atrocities · #8 July 31st, 2002, 06:44 PM

I would like to say thank you for keeping the site going. I know that the donations help, and that is great.

Ed Kolis · #9 July 31st, 2002, 07:22 PM

Thanks guys!!!

(loose food and greasy women???

)

Baron Munchausen · #10 July 31st, 2002, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by geoschmo:
In fact, if every website had people like The Admiral, Lazarus, Gimboid, Georgig, Capn, and everyone else that has helped over the months, from donating the hardware, to doing many hours of database programming and website programming for free, they could be free of ads and work off donations too. If you count all that we could never hope to break even. But they have all generously given, so all we have to do is get enough donations to almost break even on the monthly expenses, which so far we have just about been able to do, and I can keep it running and free of annoying popup ads or subscription fees.

Geoschmo

This is the secret of the success of Linux, too.

If you had thousands of volunteer programmers willing to spend all their spare time and quite a bit of their work time on your project, you too could have a 'free' operating system with all the functionality of high-end Unix for workstations, and keep it up to date with bug fixes and security fixes faster than a Fortune 500 corporation can for it's own product.

There's something to be said for 'hobby' activities and 'love of the game' (or OS, for that matter) over mercenary (*cough* capitalist *cough*) interests. The profit motive is not the perfect way to motivate people to do everything after all.