Do You Want To Be An ATS Owner?

a reply to: IAMTAT

ATS is the ONLY social media I have. 
I have no interest in anything else. 

Oh so that's a different IAMTAT that joined rouge nation 3 recently then....

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: IAMTAT

ATS is the ONLY social media I have. 
I have no interest in anything else. 

Oh so that's a different IAMTAT that joined rouge nation 3 recently then....

Didn't even know about that site at the time I wrote it.
Was told about it this evening.

Nice try.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Fair enough I didn't check timelines.

originally posted by: MonkeyFishFrog
I've done the calculations on a few of the pledge threads as well as the actual traffic numbers for the site and it would cost around $200 a month per subscription in order to keep ATS afloat

I'd like to see your calculation/logic as that sounds like rubbish to me. What is the monthly/ongoing cost you're going by? Because it certainly wouldn't be anywhere near the 25k/month I've seen thrown around. There might be a largish initial outlay to get the site's framework re-structured and code up to scratch -- but from the pledges I've seen on multiple threads, there would be more than enough interest to keep this site going on some kind of subscription-based plan.

Not saying you're one of them -- but we all need to be weary of those who actually wish to see this site's demise, who are trying to paint the prospects of it's survival as hopeless -- probably because they see it as some kind of vindication for all the differing opinions that many of us have in regards to the current "hot topics".

a reply to: IAMTAT

Yes = $2,000.00-5,000.00
Second Line.
S&F

Yes - $100 - $500 level for now. a reply to: IAMTAT

I’m not trying to go off topic here, but who would run day to day operations?
I’m guessing you/ we don’t know the answer.
I’m not trying to be snarky, I love this site.

Current mods kept, we still need some people to do day to day, and that is a huge time investment.

Anyway, I’ve got cash, time is a different animal.

a reply to: IAMTAT
I'd rather donate periodically, after reading the quarterly ATS financial report.

depends on what I get for my money and what direction the site would take under new management.

e.g no SSL still would mean a big nope from me, along with performance killing poorly optimized ads etc. Same for the front page of a 'conspiracy' site being mostly MSM U.S Politics crap you can get on 99% of other websites.

I'd invest.... well donate.... (I don't need to be an owner/partner but I like to support that which I use) if I knew things weren't going to stay the same as they currently are, because insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

No good paying to repair a sinking ship if the holes aren't going to be plugged.

Under the right conditions I'd be willing to drop $100-$500aud.

a reply to: IAMTAT

It would cost me £123.49 at the current exchange rate, it would be a struggle but I'd scrape it together. Yes.

Yes, 500

a reply to: UpIsNowDown
Merch is a brilliant idea, I would buy an ATS T-shirt every summer. We need deny ignorance boxer shorts too!

A couple of things:

1) The day is coming where content on a site is liable - and I am not talking about Section 230. Political correctness will drive regulation to ensure certain type of speech or opinions are censored or fines will be levied on sites. At the moment the bias is based on site ownership leanings, this won't be the case for long. It will be mandated shortly after the Democrats take power. They already had plans to go after dissenting opinions in 2016. As an owner / part-owner, one would have to be very careful about exposure to risk.

2) Investment needs a business plan. What is the plan? If 100 people coughed up $1,000, what will be the $100k be used for? We don't know anything about the model. What are the infrastructure costs? Are mods paid? What admin expenses are there? Legal, accounting etc...

Plus:

If the proposition is 'we need money or the site closes' then fine, but what happens when the new injection of cash runs out? How much time are we buying?

a reply to: IAMTAT
$100-$1000

Somewhere in there is a number I can do, I'd do more if I wasn't a poor f*#@.

I really think a survey based monetisation might work better for here, every 20 30 mins you have to answer a survey question before you can post or move forums.

It's an active advertisement that has more meaning in my opinion and without having random AdSense bulls/!+ popping up and showing you # you've already bought or can't afford right now just TAUNTING you.

There's my ¢2 I'll scrounge up more for this community any day

I've got money in on ATS already. what's a bit more?

originally posted by: Bluntone22

originally posted by: Sookiechacha
a reply to: IAMTAT

Each share should have a vote. 100 shares, equals 100 votes. I wouldn't invest without having a voice. And, yeah, dump the Mud Pit.

The mud pit is the most popular forum unfortunately.

Maybe have an option setting to not have it seen.

Remove the star and flag options from it to drive it off the home and top topics pages, making the site more attractive to advertisers while maintaining a forum for less moderated speech.

Unfortunately, as I posted in the "Transparency..." thread, there really is only one solution, and these community suggestions are somewhat moot.

What is needed is either a benefactor or a very wealthy person to buy the site outright (I guess a real membership offer will be considered as seriously as possible), right now. Someone who has the appetite, clout and protections to fight an information war with most of the world.

I'm not even sure that anyone that has the type of influence and finances (and free time) to keep ATS running in it's original form, would even be "allowed" to, due to restrictions and policies being enacted across the world. The infrastructure seems like the simple part... the quagmire of differing rules and policies related to information and discussion, around the world, becomes the real administrative nightmare.

Further, I suspect there is something frighteningly "legal" that will be discovered once NDA's' are signed, that will negate many of our suggestions. There are secret things, that require an NDA, which will highlight "... the realities of the situation... ", as has been stated by SO.

What's more, the Owners would have to feel comfortable with "who" they are selling to, and developing trust takes time, time that likely isn't there. I can only imagine how difficult this decision is... or conversely, how the best solution (... maybe the path with NO resistance, or possibly even safest) is to just let it fade away.

While I like the sentiment of all of the ideas and suggestions (and I fear for a world that can't support the existence of ATS), anything other than an immediate buyout will not work.

For a real "transfer" to happen to either members, or a non-profit, or any other idea, or just community hosted as Open Data, we are essentially discussing the topic of Succession.

Developing and implementing a Succession Plan takes years, and requires the active involvement of future retirees, otherwise handover is effectively doomed to failure.

The Owners have indicated strongly that the time and appetite don't exist for years of succession, for many reasons, some that we may not be allowed to know.

Pray for a Champion, with boundless cash and influence, to present to the Owners!

I'll enjoy my last days among you all, regardless of what happens!

Yes, ATS is running sceard.
BLM is the nail in the coffin.
ATS need to start againe in A Free country.
as usa is no longer free.

and every one needs to use VPN to stay safe.
you can get free VPN. and block other stuff.

originally posted by: buddha
Yes, ATS is running sceard.
BLM is the nail in the coffin.
ATS need to start againe in A Free country.
as usa is no longer free.

and every one needs to use VPN to stay safe.
you can get free VPN. and block other stuff.

Tor is safer, but still not totally safe.
You are correct, though, the site will soon be forced to enact censorship against anyone who speaks out against the incoming Democrat Govt - Presidency, House and Senate.
It's better to host outside of the 5 I's country's and users should probably be using TOR and even then limit what they post.

a reply to: buddha
I suspect that it's even more fundamental than that. I don't think there is a "free" country anymore.

I also don't think it's right to say ATS is running scared... rather what ATS represents is being actively hunted down by a foe with staggering resources... censorship.

I'm sure if the Owners were 20 years younger, they would continue to bear the flame of open discourse, but in this age and climate, fighting censorship is a truly mountainous task. Possibly impossible... and exhausting.

Great Applause for their 23 years of efforts to date! They have earned a reprise, and the respect of great minds, many times over. I wish them the best in all their future endeavors!

I recently looked into starting a media company myself; Let's just say, by the time you even get it established, you have already compromised free speech... and the restrictions, requirements, and cash involved makes it out of reach of anyone that already doesn't have large finances that don't already limit their freedom.

Money is the largest slave driver of them all.