Offtopic split about transparency

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I was really conflicted about responding to this post. Originally, I decided to let it pass. Unfortunately, some times my mind drags me along anyway. Part of the motivation is selfish. Since I started visiting this site a bit over a month ago, the time it has taken to load the site, click a topic, and post a reply has really bogged down. Every move I make a whole new set of ads has to load. Maybe the lag isn't noticeable to broadbanders, but there are still a few of us internet 3rd worlders out here with dial up modems. Little differences get leveraged out. Or maybe it is traffic - maybe the more traffic there is the more the server slows down. I don't really know. I do know it is slower, and the only site I visit that has the problem so I tentatively am ruling out that my PC has a problem.

What is the motivation to drive more traffic to this site? To help Aspies? To generate ad revenues? Am I providing content pro bono to a for profit site driven by ad revenues? Or is this set up as a nonprofit? How much revenue is currently being generated and what is the cost of maintaining the site? Is it inappropriate for me to even ask?

Truthfully, the hyped subject line for the post, with its come hither phrasing was a little off putting so maybe I am over reacting.

Here is an interesting link:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.0 ... topic_set=

I don't know why you posted a link to an article about "click fraud" when it has nothing to do with this topic. Click fraud is specifically defined as click on one's own ads, or employing people to click on one's own ads, merely to increase revenue.

Anyway, the banner ads you see are CPM (impression) based which means that the site gets revenue even when the ads don't get clicked.

I posted the article to show that ads on websites generate revenues for the host site. The less important thing is what click fraud is defined as, tho if you were to read the article linked to, you would see that is not what they are primarily talking about, or at most only a part of the problem.



Which would be the motivation to drive traffic to a site.

I take it you are not going to directly reply to my direct questions about nonprofit/for profit status and financial disclosure. From which I infer you feel it is none of my business. That's cool. Sorry I brought it up.

Site is a lot slower tho, IMHO. Will volunteers setting pointers to the site all over help speed it up?

I haven't, and won't until there is transparency. Does this mean I will be punished?

What are you talking about? Transparency???

A profit and loss statement. A list of how much you took in in ad money and how much you spent on the site.


I don't have a problem with someone asking for money when a site is at break even or less. And I don't mind someone making money off a site because it does take time.

The issue becomes muddied when the site is making money AND people are asked to contribute. If I know all the facts, I might contribute. If I don't, how do I know I'm not making a contribution to someone who makes twice as much as I do?

Transparency...letting everyone see how the money/decisions flow in and out.

In the past, it was William Freund. Now, I'm not sure what it is.