What would you pay per-month for an Ad-Free ATS?

originally posted by: theySeeme
I wouldn't pay anything, in my professional experience a website of this type does not cost much to host at all. 15-25$ a month on the low end, and perhaps 50 a month on the high end.

Professional experience? Seems like conjecture to me... Personally from my professional experience. I don't think you know WTF you're talking about. Find another bridge troll.

originally posted by: ragsntatters
a reply to: EvillerBob

He had a pretty good breakdown of how he got to that number. Either ATS is getting ripped off or they're telling stories and just want to move to a paid model and then perhaps plan an exit.

originally posted by: theySeeme


Sure, I know this website is not doing more than 40 million hits per day.

40 million hits per day on a website like this could be hosted on a $10 VPS (virtual private server) with like 1gb of RAM (if running on linux/centos, which this website already is), at minimum on what's known as a LAMP stack (combination of server software). When properly configured using a database cache, page cache, and tuning - along with php-fpm (which most already use), resource usage is extremely low.

Considering the amount of connection errors per page load (there are 5 seperate errors on this website), and poorly written code, as well as load time we can assume that this website is using quite a bit of resources, in which case a dedicated server could be looked at. 4 TB of storage space, unlimited bandwith, 700 Gbps of DDoS protection (no one else can beat that), 32gb of RAM + any OS can be had for just 45-75$ a month in multiple data centers around the world.

I'd like to mention that this server would be OVERKILL for this website - wouldn't require more than 8gb of ram (or perhaps 4gb on DDR4).

I'd also like to point out that this website doesn't even use an SSL certificate, so really - what expenses are costing the mods so much to keep this online? Let's be honest and transparent here.
I examine and build infrastructures far bigger than this on a monthly basis, trust me you can take my word for it.

EDIT: If Skeptic or some other site admin or moderator needs my assistance on running this entire website for under $20 a month guaranteed, I'll gladly sign a contract and help you guys get it set up and running, this way you can keep the site online for everyone.

It only seems like a good break down for someone who is not a techie... He just spewed a bunch of rubbish...

originally posted by: introvert

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
a reply to: introvert

As far as I know donations went towards better server usage.

And aside from the hiccup of the DDOS attack a couple of months ago the servers seem to be fairing well against attacks.

Fair enough.

That being the case, I'd still like to know more about how the money is being spent before I reach in to my own pockets.

Were the loans repaid?

Are people still donating?

Was/is there a surplus beyond the cost of the loan? If so, what is that being used for?

Will simply forcing people to disable ad-blockers to use the site organically increase ad revenue?

Many, many questions need addressed.

I agree, I know little except what I shared, I'd also like answers to your questions and a few others that have been asked.

Hopefully management get back to us.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan

Im sorry, i may have missed it....but can you quote what you are reading that has caused you to draw this conclusion? What I came away with after reading the OP was nothing even similar to "pay to post/read". Its "pay to have the ads disappear".

No worries mate, It was easy to miss... was a post or two below the OP.

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord
Also looking at a couple other subscriber perks. Like a dedicated forum just for subscribers.

So yeah... my point about "pay to post/read" was directed at this comment.
I mean will the non-paying members be able to read this "forum just for subscribers"... or post in it?
I'm guessing from SO's wording that the answer is no, so that is a two-tiered system and a "pay-to-post/read" model.

You're creating a division but if people want it and people want to pay for it... then whatever.

it costs like 300 tops a month to host this site. running ads is way more plenty to support it and who ever made the site.. the problem is they sold it to a media company and now they trying to cash in. ATS will be dead in a few months I'm guessing.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

Below is a survey asking for your price point tolerance for a monthly subscription model. Keep in mind that if we can get into the zone of $5/month, it may make it worthwhile.

Why didn't you come up with the amount of money it would cost you in lost revenue, if a member is not presented with ads, and ask if they are willing to pay that,instead of asking how much they would be willing to dish out?

Is that $5 you reckon on average per member?

And new content, new ideas, new speculation, and new theories are being generating at an astounding pace with 1,813 members creating 22,525 new posts during the past seven days. Also, in that same time span, we welcomed 208 new members and enjoyed visits from 4,716 registered members as well as 556,488 guests.

4,716 registered member visited ATS in one week. I suppose that in a month, the number is higher, but let's say 5,000 members visiting creating 5 dollar worth of ad revenue.

25,000 dollar a month.

Let's not forget the 550,000 guests a week. Probably more in a month. They probably don't all view as many pages as members, so let's be extremely conservative and say they each generate one tenth of the number of pageviews that individual members do.

That would still be 275,000 dollar a month. Now if they are all using adblock I can see the problem, and it is for the overwhelming part, not caused by registered members.


Off course, these amounts are not realistic, but, they are based on the $5 sweetspot that would make it worthwhile.

One of my forum hosting sites offers this solution:

Ad Removal Info
Minimum Purchase: $5
Current rate: $0.15 per 1,000 page views.
Expiration: Ad removal credits do not expire.

a reply to: reddragon2015

Do you have anything to back up ATS being sold to a media company?

originally posted by: karmicecstasy
a reply to: reddragon2015

Do you have anything to back up ATS being sold to a media company?

Of course he doesn't...

For 2007 ATS I would have happily paid $10 per month. For 2016 ATS...I don't know man. I don't think I can justify paying for a site that is so heavy on Donald Trump and hate and so low on aliens and conspiracies.

originally posted by: Malynn
For 2007 ATS I would have happily paid $10 per month. For 2016 ATS...I don't know man. I don't think I can justify paying for a site that is so heavy on Donald Trump and hate and so low on aliens and conspiracies.

Amen to that.

a reply to: blupblup

I see that is less of a velvet rope, and more of a place where ATS could have their for sale merchandise, like a movie they have licensed to air here. Or ATS magazine. Im just spit balling here....but I don't see how ATS creating some territory to sell its products is bad. Would it be better if it was branded under something other than ATS?

originally posted by: blupblup

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord
Also looking at a couple other subscriber perks. Like a dedicated forum just for subscribers.

So yeah... my point about "pay to post/read" was directed at this comment.
I mean will the non-paying members be able to read this "forum just for subscribers"... or post in it?
I'm guessing from SO's wording that the answer is no, so that is a two-tiered system and a "pay-to-post/read" model.

You're creating a division but if people want it and people want to pay for it... then whatever.

I wouldn't be interested in being a part of that...or of others treating me like a charity so that I could for that matter.

The adverts don't bother me, I know they're needed, if people want to pay to not see them, that is fair enough and wouldn't bother me either. A tiered system would make me question my membership permanently.

Perhaps charge for chat and BTS, paying for the more categorically entertainment/social/fluff content and thereby providing funds to keeping ATS on-topic open access, that would appear, to me, a more judicious solution.

Tbh I wasn't even aware that I had ad blocking set up on my laptop, it must've come with the original package. After seeing the message from SO I finally found the icon to turn it off for this site.

And then the ads came. Small unobtrusive ads, mostly directed at my shopping habits, didn't bother me a bit. Saks, Dillards, and then it let me know "Caberet" was coming to Austin, which I've never seen. If in the future the ads changed nature, then yes I would pay $5 or $10 dollars a month, right now I'm fine.

Note: I don't know why the ads bother y'all unless you are surfing on some wild sites, like sex shops, etc. I could so imagine the sales offerings from those places, hahahhhhaaaaa.

STM

I think a subscription would make me get more out of the site.

I reckon $5 is about right, as long as it doesnt go up to £10 like Spotify, which i will not pay for and will quite happily keep the ads.

Happy decision making.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: blupblup

I see that is less of a velvet rope, and more of a place where ATS could have their for sale merchandise, like a movie they have licensed to air here. Or ATS magazine. Im just spit balling here....but I don't see how ATS creating some territory to sell its products is bad. Would it be better if it was branded under something other than ATS?

I don't see any mention of merchandise, products or the like?
Did you see the part I quoted?

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord
Also looking at a couple other subscriber perks. Like a dedicated forum just for subscribers.

That just states that a forum for people who pay may be a perk. Obviously there's not a lot to go on but it kind of infers that as it is a forum for those who pay, those who do not pay will not be able to participate in said forum.

We need more info on this of course but that is without question, in principle, a very slippery slope.

originally posted by: seentoomuch
Note: I don't know why the ads bother y'all unless you are surfing on some wild sites, like sex shops, etc. I could so imagine the sales offerings from those places, hahahhhhaaaaa.

STM

I hadn't thought of it like that, not being much of a shopper, I find, as a default that I get mainly Ads for Asian or Muslim Brides if I haven't been on the net much. I find it funny, but some could find it offensive or embarassing, not just because of what they are surfing. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOrrrr...just thought perhaps, mail order brides is the default setting because a large proportion of the members do have that search history.



I'm enjoying this chain of thought, hehe.

a reply to: blupblup

While not offering any opinion of my own on the subject, I do have to ask... How would that prospect differ from the RATS forum that ATS used to have? With RATS it took a fair number of posts to gain entrance - this seems to me to be essentially the same concept, but with cash.

To my thinking, as a person who games, that approach is normal to me. Grinding vs paying for immediate access.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

nothing..because im very poor. and i dont have bank account or card or anything like that.

i prefer to contribute to the site to get my ads removed.

I would happily pay up to $0.00 a month to use ATS. If you can get people to donate/pay for your enterprise, then more power to you, just count me among the people that would have no interest in it. I'm not a heavy user, so I'm probably not your target demographic.

I did whitelist ATS on my adblocker. You're welcome.