Ad-blockers, subscriptions and money? ATS is worth $2 million and makes $466,920 a year

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
No worries, SO was not going to share with you peasants anyway.

It's a zero-sum proposition.

With the kind of false assumptions in the opening post of this thread, our actuals would not be believed anyway... leading to more drama and the gnashing of teeth.

It's not my intention to lead some sort of witch-hunt against you or the site, as some have implied. I apologise if what i have said has led towards such a path.

Despite any inaccuracies from 'Worth of Web', i think it wouldn't hurt to make a thread detailing relevant information surrounding the situations ATS is facing and addressing concerns from members willing to pay in support of the site. You have provided elaborations in some posts, but making it into one thread would greatly aid in getting your messages across.

In the end, i don't expect any actions from you or your staff. Many places would have made changes without addressing the members, so at least there is a level or transparency here. It would just be a bit better if there was clearer information regarding this whole thing. That's mostly what i'm saying.

a reply to: daaskapital

I haven't looked in years but you can find some detailed business information on the section of the site if you wish to purchase advertising. I'm on mobile these days so I'm not linking as much or writing huge dissertations.

Well whatever.... pay or don't pay, it's up to each member.
As long as there is no true separation of the site or fractions don't appear then that's cool.
As long as those who don't pay aren't made to feel any less and those who do pay don't swan around and lord it over others or get the "perks" that have been mentioned. If you're paying to remove ads... then that is all that should happen and that you should be entitled to.


We'll see I suppose in the future.

originally posted by: blupblup
As long as those who don't pay aren't made to feel any less and those who do pay don't swan around and lord it over others or get the "perks" that have been mentioned.

Those that pay will each get a handmade custom AboveTopSecret merkin. The more you pay the more elaborate it will be.

a reply to: Jason88

A "this day in ATS history" sort of forum might be pretty cool. I'm sure many of us have missed some really nice threads over time and I constantly find myself exploring some that I didn't even know about. There is truly a TON of information just hanging out in the dark on this site. More than can ever be digested, really.

I'm liking it.
Maybe you should start a thread on this idea and see if you can bring it to the attention of and get some responses from the ownership. I think a lot of others might like this idea as well.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: blupblup
As long as those who don't pay aren't made to feel any less and those who do pay don't swan around and lord it over others or get the "perks" that have been mentioned.

Those that pay will each get a handmade custom AboveTopSecret merkin. The more you pay the more elaborate it will be.

Really?? FFS... I bought one of those from the old ATS store years back, that's $25 I'll never get back.
Ahhh... but we've had some good times together.

Did you ever get the ATS vibrating....oh... never mind.

a reply to: blupblup

Up for some caviar?

a reply to: blupblup

I said I would pay, but only if no one besides myself knows.
I do like the idea of bringing chat back, and that could be the "perk". Others outside of the chat rooms wouldn't even know they existed and it's not like it's a forum where the subscribed members would be posting all their threads, leaving out those who don't pay....so, I think that could work.

But, if they are going to parade us around after we pay, like we are "above" others or anything similar (even some little crappy symbol or something on my avatar) then I'm not going to subscribe and will stick with seeing ads (that I don't even see now..lol)

I can see it quite easily becoming a two tiered system that way, and I think everything possible should be done to ensure that does not happen. It might very well anyways...but perks beyond a chat room or something are not something I want.

I like the "level playing field" here....hope it stays this way.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: blupblup

Up for some caviar?

Is that a euphemism?

a reply to: blupblup

Maaaaaaaaybe.

Well if ATS ever goes subscription only i cannot access it,in my country one can only do PayPal via credit card and we dont have one.So i hope it does'nt come to that.If it does,oh well,i guess one can start one's own site on one of those freeforums?I don't have the time or the know-how but i'm sure there's many here who do.

I have a talent for spending other people's money, to a fault. But rather than a badge or fancy moniker that show a two tiered system, how about paying members over $25 US a year become lightweight stakeholders where they must gift powers/recognition to quality non-payment members to incentivize quality content and enhance community. Basically you pay, lose ads, become a sponsor to the free people - like right now Nito in the UFO threads, he's awesome and original - I don't know what the perks are, but something about paying members lifting up free awesome members.

(And paying folks can be anonymous or have their name used as a sponsor to others, sure it can be gamed by say supporters of president candidate Gary Johnson but maybe limits in place where topic specific posters can only be sponsored 5 times a month).

As for posting the thread on exposing the library better, we do have ownership in this thread so it's seen... but maybe I'll break out my laptop later and put together something comprehensive. Thanks for the idea, Jakal.

a reply to: Jakal26


Sadly ATS have always been fixated on perks and rewards from different colour borders to including things like "gold contributor" in people's profiles and all sorts of other stuff.
I'm pretty sure most people are just happy to post here and enjoy sharing info and discussing topics and don't need much of a carrot to do so.

There was once a big issue over the ATS top 10 posters and some pretty petty, bitchy stuff and some people were banned.

There are attention seekers and flag and star whores on here... and they make up about 1% of the site and then there are the rest of us who just enjoy the community and camaraderie and don't need anything else.
I wish that was the focus here, and that was all that mattered.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: blupblup

Maaaaaaaaybe.

In that case sure... make mine a large one

a reply to: stargatetravels

So what was the target, was it met?
Was all the equipment bought and was there any money left over?

From what I've read, yes. Mission accomplished for what they were trying to get accomplished at that point in time. The target was what i described in my previous post, best I can remember.

Except we've heard about 'special' forums for paid members. So it will divide the site and create a class system.
If you honestly don't see any issues with these proposals or what has been happening then good for you I guess, ignorance is bliss.

A lot of sites offer perks for subscribed members, including perks that non-paid members don't get. It's standard, there's nothing nefarious there. I realize this is a conspiracy site, and I'm as cynical as they come, but sheesh. No, I don't see any major issues with what SO is proposing. It sounds like a good business move, and offers advantages in the long run to paid and non-paid members alike, as well as keeping the bills paid, and food on the table of the owners. BTW, did you read Reldra's post earlier in the thread? You might want to.

The only ignorance I'm seeing is from those who refuse to understand that this is an entrepreneurial venture, and not one of philanthrophy. This site either has to expand and grow, to keep up with the times, or it will die. In all honesty, SO and Springer are better men than I. I would have thrown my hands in the air, and said F it, after this last thread he posted.

I am literally laughing out loud. I find it absolutely ridiculous that this is even being discussed. A part of me has to think this is all at the fault of the millennials (i know it's not but it has that feel) who want everything free. Go Bernie (# that #).

Of course I love ATS and it's free service that it has provided to me for the past years but who am I to complain that they want to charge a subscription or put ADS on to make more money. Hell I probably would have done this years ago. It probably would be a good thing anyways to weed out the crap and bring ATS back to where it used to be.

a reply to: Jason88

Yeah, hopefully they saw it. Idk, sometimes they get busy and glaze over some of it.

Maybe if a thread was put together, others could come along and contribute some expanded ideals about such a thing and we could all tweak it and whatnot..

If you don't start a thread about it, maybe sometime this evening or tomorrow I will. Credit to you, of course.

It really would be nice to highlight some of the better threads that have been here over the years, and the discussions that came along with them. Those discussions were what drew me here many moons before this current profile, and the gems posted here at times are the reason I stay, sifting through ever muddier waters, but that is where one finds the good stuff.

a reply to: blupblup

I agree.
Generally, I just ignore the "stars/flags" thing. I could care less. I'm here digging for actual content, it's not a popularity contest in my eyes and in the eyes of many here (even though, yes, there are "star whores" among us...such is life)....

There was once a big issue over the ATS top 10 posters and some pretty petty, bitchy stuff and some people were banned.

Yeap, I remember that well. What a shame.

I wish that was the focus here, and that was all that mattered.

It might not be the focus of the site itself, but for some of us (you seem to be included in this) it's about what you stated above, not flags and stars and whatnot.

A lot of times if I'm trying to read something completely objectively, I just zoom in so far that I can no longer see names and avatars. That way I don't know who posted it and am simply reading the content of their post. If I find a really good post and/or contribution to a thread, I will often zoom out to find out who posted it and make a mental note of that person. Beyond that, I couldn't care less about getting stars/gold things/blah blah blah...

a reply to: Jakal26

If you want to run with posting the library thread by all means please do so... I likely won't get to it soon. But like you, I found my footing and expanded my mind by what's in that library, it's a Huge assest to ATS and the entire Internet. From the aviation forums, to JFK, UFO case Files and first person accounts, daily conspiracies that became more true, the Sandy Hook thread with minute by minute break down of events as they were reported (a no-no topic, but my thread before the # hit the fan around here).... there's just so much value that Google and SEO terms aren't returning for Internet researchers that ATS should be proactive and display the crown jewels... with the option to bring those threads back to life. Please go for it.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

I do not get all the 'hubbub'; why doesn't ATS do what every other company seems to be doing when it wants to raise capital? Make a

Deny Ignorance

gofundme or other crowd funding account and wait for the 'lemmings', erm, 'people' to throw they money at the Above Network.

If there is a paid system and a free system, the headaches that I foresee are mind-boggling; from the I paid and can't log in complaints to the I'm paying to post my opinion and the 'free' (as a second class citizen) account holder is being rude to me....

I would see if the Above Network, LLC could file for 501( c )(3) status or be bought by a 501( c )(3) company and save on tax revenue as a solution; after all maximizing profits (salaries in the above not for profit situation) and minimizing expenses for the shareholder(s) of a company is the objective.