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daecrist
Member
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 12:42
Reply
The Outpost is currently in a bit of a tight spot financially. We haven't reached the crisis point just yet, but the days of the Outpost living off of Web Accounts and Andrew's generosity alone have passed.
With that in mind, we will be trying new advertisements at various places on the site in the next week, and a Paypal donation button will also be making an appearance. These are on a trial basis to see what sort of revenue can be generated, and may stay or go depending on how well they do.
The current hosting package for the Outpost runs until the end of February, and Andrew has generously guaranteed to maintain the site on the old server until that time. At that point we're on our own, however, and need to have a new place for the Outpost to go.
Iain has looked at various hosting packages and we have settled on a bundle that costs ~$50 per month. So we need to raise at least $50.00 per month minimum to keep the Outpost running. This should be more than possible. Previously it cost ~$200.00 per month to pay for hosting. There is a cheaper annual rate if we can raise enough money, but for the moment I'm more concerned with a month to month deal.
Any money donated above and beyond our annual goal for hosting will be added to the OTF Warchest to be reinvested into the site as needed. No one on the EC or in command will profit from money donated to the Outpost.
The web accounts will be added into the donation scheme, but we haven't had time to look at the specifics of web accounts at the moment. I haven't forgotten about them, however, they're just on the backburner while we work out the advertising and donation schemes.
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lzrman
Member
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 17:13
Reply
What kinds of advertising did you guys have in mind?
Have you taken a look into the <a href=https://www.google.com/adsense/www/en_US/adse nse_video.html target="_blank">Google Adsense</a> and what it pays per impression or per page view? Might be a effective and simple way to generate revenue.
We may also generate more revenue in some type of Link Exchange program, if you want more details, give me a shout we have a project that has been on the back burner for a while that would be able to bring us page views which in turn = some revenue to keep the site alive.
In regards to the donate button, I think that would be a good place to start, and maybe have some type of goal to raise money for?
Lzrman
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daecrist
Member
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# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 23:11
Reply
We're not going with Adsense because you have to generate a lot of traffic that clicks in order to get any cash. I don't doubt the Outpost could do that, but auction based advertising is really better for our situation.
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fat_man
Member
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# Posted: 5 Jan 2008 01:30 · Edited by: fat_man
Reply
If you need auction based advertising etc, you could used what i used for one of the sites that I own.
I'll pass along the details via E-mail.
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maxwell
Member
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# Posted: 6 Jan 2008 18:50
Reply
I tried using AdSense a few years ago at OTF to earn some extra cash. It did result in several hundred dollars over the course of a year or so. Unfortunately someone spammed AdSense via OTF and as a result Google banned not only my account but me personally as well. Despite pleas from me that I had nothing to do with the spamming, they refused to reactive my account.
As a result I cannot use AdSense for any other web project which has been a hit for me personally. I'd recommend not using AdSense because I'm certain this will happen again and whoever has their name on the account will suffer a similar fate.
Andrew
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lzrman
Member
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# Posted: 6 Jan 2008 19:18
Reply
If you havn't already noticed there is now a big Donate Button on the Homeapge.
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david1
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 02:58
Reply
Question:..
Im upgrading my web hosting to server very soon, and i wouldnt see a problem with you plonking OTF on it lol
Or would moving the server to the UK be a problem? hehe
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kitty_gg
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 05:17
Reply
How about doing something like cafe press? Sell T-Shirts and so on, that may bring in some sort of revenue. Their are many members i'm sure that would like them.
Just an idea.
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skevington
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 05:28
Reply
The Cafe Press thing has been tried before. I believe there were concerns over the quality of the product as well as a few other issues which resulted from the use of Cafe Press,
Dmitri
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ice
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 05:31
Reply
Well apart from what's been said above, short thought.
Some new projects for generating revenue, BNT was a big hit for a short while, why not do a few systems like that with like a $5 sign-up for it, granted less people may play but the revenue would be a boost. Just 20members is $100 towards server costs. Then its also less likely the players will mess about so those paying are paying for a good game.
It may seem like its excluding those that cant play but it could be opened to them & just give additional items to those who do, see planetarion for an example. They make thousands earn round. No reason OTF couldn't capitalize on something like that.
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david1
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 06:04 · Edited by: david1
Reply
to ice's remark, wouldnt that turn bnt into a buisness then? and thus be subject to buisness taxes?
though i might add, bring back bnt haha
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ice
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 06:27
Reply
Nope, its not a business unless its turning a profit, it would just turn in server costs & maintenance 
Im not referring to returning BNT at a cost, im on about a custom built OTF one, dont want the bnt team coming at us for charging to use their system.
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skevington
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 07:04 · Edited by: skevington
Reply
As far as i am aware, the BNT code is open source? It wouldn't be appropriate to make money from the work of other individuals. I am sure there would be some legal issues to consider here. And even if you're not using their actual code, you are using their concept.
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kayana
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 07:06
Reply
In sum: shoot all the lawyers
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fat_man
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 07:43
Reply
What do you get when you give a lawyer Viagra?
i shall answer in non OTF related forums
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david1
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 07:48
Reply
there are some servers which make people pay for playing on bnt games, all they needed to get was a written agreement saying they where allowed to do so, and thats all otf would have to do.
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ice
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 08:04
Reply
FM, he gets taller? (willie nelson - dukes of hazzard movie  )
Kayana, lead the way & give me a gun
Lee, turn-based games etc are a style of their own, although BNT is open source the OTF game (if it goes ahead) wouldn't be based on it, it would just be otf's own sci-fi based turn-based game. No legal issues etc, in fact if you get technical, most internet turn-based games are ripped ideas from old old consoles games But yeah theirs no legal issue on charging payment etc provided its built in-house.
David, true, but why offer payment for something other servers have? a custom game would give something new for people to use.
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dpo
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 08:09
Reply
BNT has alot of issues that is why it was closed, people complained alot and BNT ran its course, what Ice is suggesting is a Brand new from the Drawing board Web based game that is built for OTF and all ownerships to the code and all that would be under the people that programmed it...and since the programmers are doing it for OTF it would thus be OTF's ownership, but that is on a future project idea, it is just a suggestion of what could be done. it dosnt mean it is done
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tiamai
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 09:08
Reply
I will pay to use my own avatar. Does that help? 
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david1
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 09:09
Reply
 really...
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tiamai
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 09:34
Reply
david1
yup.
I haven't bought a user account as it holds no appeal for me. I have no need of an email address, or web space or a blog, but I would use a personal Avatar, approved by whoever first, of course.
Oh and a custom rank too....
Maybe a yearly charge? But I would have to be able to change it every now and again.
Would it be that hard when most of the higher ranks can do it? And it may catch on. especially for those of us who enjoy the chat rooms, but don't have time or enthusiasm to join a department and hope to be promoted.
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ice
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 14:19
Reply
I think paying for access thats normally earnt in the chat would be a little unfair on others.
But i have no use for an otf email, I have unlimited mail accounts on around 30domains i could use, I have unlmited webspace to use at my disposal & can code my own blog (or just install one) but I spent $80 on webspace a while back. I have since seen whats happening with it because it'd be nice to know its their & i dislike page cannot be found (when i click the hut next to my posts) but in its entirety i didn't purchase it cos it was cheap etc I got it to support the site.
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tiamai
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2008 15:26
Reply
You can only earn it if you contribute in departments and do eventually get promoted above CL4. You can't earn it simply by using the chat rooms.
And why would it not be supporting the site?
You would be paying for a service, same as paying for extra user pic's on livejournal.
Maybe one of the reasons it is so quiet and we can't keep new members is that all the 'fun' stuff is for seniors only. Like your own avatar and custom rank.
However, that is a whole other area, and what I am talking about is a way to gain extra revenue.
Advertising. Have you thought about using the media? it's free!
Right now there is a lot going on about 'being safe online'. From ID fraud to being safe online. What OTF has to offer as a chat room is that extra bit of security. Spycam, PD's, and there is people ensuring that patrons are kept 'safe' when using the chat rooms. You could work that angle. the online chat room that will protect your kids/teenagers/middle aged mother/granny as best as they can. A person saying 'I'm so and so and I help run outpost10f.com, a sci-fi community. For years we have offered our patrons/community members a friendly place to chat without the worry that they will be verbally attacked or threatened in any way as we have means of dealing with this, and we do deal with it. Our chat rooms are monitored, not only by our security devision, but by every other member of the community. here are a few simple steps to take when choosing an online community to be a part of' *mention all the things OTF has to offer*
Sure it takes a bit of work, you have to spend time on it and someone has to be a 'voice', but if you do it well, the media will use it to fill space alongside another story. And people will check it out.
Sorry, everything else I can think of is more fund raising related. But the media works if you can use the right angle. There are also a lot of information websites you can use. Again, you have to find the right way to approach them.
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