Working group for ATS purchase offer ...UPDATE --nonprofit specialist needed

FCD took the initiative to start a discord and some members have come together. We still want more. Things were a bit confusing, but it's coming together rapidly and things will start moving forward fast.

We are now on a forum atsworkinggroup.boards.net... specifically for the purpose of planning an offer. Please join this forum ASAP if you wish to be part of this group. The conversation will be heavily moderated/structured and only open to members.

The forum is not designed to be the next ATS, but is to facilitate planning for an offer. This is for people willing to pitch in. We need immediate contributions and contributions through to operation and maintenance.

If you offered or intended to be involved with a significant financial portion please become involved NOW. There is no financial commitment immediately, but we need you as part of due diligence on planning.



UPDATE, please read:
We could currently use a person with nonprofit experience.

It sounds like the price of the site is not not going to be that high, it is the price of maintaining the site that is what is of a concern. Skeptic seems to want it to continue and not get sidetracked into something he would not be proud of once owning. It will need experienced people to help with it to keep the cost of operations down to reasonable costs, I think that the owners are just tired of all the work keeping up and want to just find new people to run it. Right now with low advertising income, it probably really dropped down in value a lot and is probably now taking away from any profit they made. It sounds like they would rather let it close than to suck out money from their pockets.

I am just guessing, but I am sure if someone gave them money they would not turn it down. It might help with what they have been losing lately it sounds like.

Funny how things change, seven years ago the site was probably worth a lot, now, they are having a hard time selling it.

a reply to: rickymouse

This is a plan for all of that. From offer to migration and onward to maintenance. We need a total package that meets the standards of current ownership. It's not a small undertaking that's why we want people now and people ready to work. There will be no coasting.

a reply to: Ksihkehe

Might help if you can define a "significant" contribution. just so a bunch of us don't join and waste your time.

I went to take a look, but I'm a little concerned that I have to provide my email in order to see what's up. Anonymity has been of concern to me on ATS from Day 1.

originally posted by: FauxMulder
a reply to: Ksihkehe

Might help if you can define a "significant" contribution. just so a bunch of us don't join and waste your time.

You know the saying "if you have to ask, you can't afford it"?

Yeah, that's me.

originally posted by: FauxMulder
a reply to: Ksihkehe

Might help if you can define a "significant" contribution. just so a bunch of us don't join and waste your time.

If you're planning on participating in the financial portion for an initial offer I'd expect low 5 figures or higher, but I don't know. We're putting it together and also seeking additional funding. There's more to it than finances.

That doesn't mean others should not participate. The financials are just a part. There's still a need for pure manpower which will increase as we go. I'm not a large financial contributor, but I'm all in on putting in the time. Time is one thing we know is a factor for the current owners and time will be an ongoing O&M issue.

originally posted by: JohnnyCanuck
I went to take a look, but I'm a little concerned that I have to provide my email in order to see what's up. Anonymity has been of concern to me on ATS from Day 1.

If only there were a way to create free and anonymous emails.

Nobody is pulling teeth here and I'm sure you're fully aware of the dozens of free email providers.

You're more or less asking for a favour and being snippy with respondants.

Good luck to you.


a reply to: Ksihkehe

a reply to: hombero

It's a group effort. Pass or fail, it will be as a group.

Dont want to be a part of it, then dont sweat how it's done

I really love this site, but some of the stuff I would be afraid to associate with.
I don't have cash to offer, but am a decent coder maybe offer some time, if that could help out.

a reply to: Ksihkehe

I am Thinking the Best Person RIGHT NOW to Possibly Purchase ATS is This Man , or a Member of his Family .

So I've seen the expense side of $25k per month. Has the revenue side been disclosed? Regardless, I'm assuming a significant delta. If that's the case, what viable revenue model are you guys exploring that would make any 'significant' investment make sense?

Every time I try to register at proboards.com I receive:

Access denied

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks.

Ray ID: 5a81f9f78c79e764
Timestamp: 2020-06-23 23:26:52 UTC
Your IP address:
Requested URL: login.proboards.com/login/7154327/1
Error reference number: 1020
Server ID: FL_11F245
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:77.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/77.0

which means I guess that probards are restricting guests from using proxy services to interact with their forum.

Do you know if that is accurate?

Sorry, I don't do blind sign ups to unknowns.

Reading the threads and comments on your forum to understand what you are trying to achieve but not being able to post is one thing, but with the necessity to sign up to read anything, I don't feel you have enough transparency to achieve your goals by tapping into the greatest amount of resources possible.

You are "Too Top Secret" for this individual. lol.

I am not financially rich but my creative services may have come in handy for your endeavours, but I guess we'll never know.

What I will offer you though, is a whole wad of good luck and I'll keep an eye open until the lights go out.

cheers.

originally posted by: rickymouse
It sounds like the price of the site is not not going to be that high, it is the price of maintaining the site that is what is of a concern. Skeptic seems to want it to continue and not get sidetracked into something he would not be proud of once owning. It will need experienced people to help with it to keep the cost of operations down to reasonable costs, I think that the owners are just tired of all the work keeping up and want to just find new people to run it. Right now with low advertising income, it probably really dropped down in value a lot and is probably now taking away from any profit they made. It sounds like they would rather let it close than to suck out money from their pockets.

I am just guessing, but I am sure if someone gave them money they would not turn it down. It might help with what they have been losing lately it sounds like.

Funny how things change, seven years ago the site was probably worth a lot, now, they are having a hard time selling

it.

Funny thread i got u in search almost prophetic www.abovetopsecret.com...

originally posted by: SleeperHasAwakened
Every time I try to register at proboards.com I receive:

Access denied

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks.

Ray ID: 5a81f9f78c79e764
Timestamp: 2020-06-23 23:26:52 UTC
Your IP address:
Requested URL: login.proboards.com/login/7154327/1
Error reference number: 1020
Server ID: FL_11F245
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:77.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/77.0

which means I guess that probards are restricting guests from using proxy services to interact with their forum.

Do you know if that is accurate?

I'm sorry you had trouble. Your question would have to be directed to proboards though. To the best of my knowledge it's a niche free forum site where people organize model plane crap and knitting circles. I think the proxy restriction would be for protecting tiny sites from attacks.

So will this be considered $$$ invested, a grant in aid, a limited partnership, a donation, a love offering or something else we can expect a return on our investment. Or just be SOL in that regard.

What kind of contracts are we looking at here?
Can we speak to your attorney?

I need a little more information before I join even a "working group" for a new LLC or any type of financial dealings. I'm still waiting on my Nigerian money from the prince. Surely you can understand my caution.

originally posted by: olaru12
So will this be considered $$$ invested, a grant in aid, a limited partnership, a donation, a love offering or something else we can expect a return on our investment. Or just be SOL in that regard.

What kind of contracts are we looking at here?
Can we speak to your attorney?

I need a little more information before I join even a "working group" for a new LLC or any type of financial dealings. I'm still waiting on my Nigerian money from the prince. Surely you can understand my caution.

Unfortunately you would need to join. I believe that's an incredibly low threshhold for involvement. There is no money involved.

The whole point of the forum is to work out the answers to your questions.

This is purely about saving a site many of us love and I'm doing whatever I can to facilitate that.

a reply to: Ksihkehe
I know for now we need to focus on saving our ATS, will there be a plan on how to possibly improve the site in the future?