The sky is falling

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord
What Comes Next

Soon, we will make some type of "this website for sale" indication. From there, we'll see what interest we get. Please trust me in that we will have high standards for any new owner.

The website will continue to run. In the event we begin seriously fading away, there will be a fair warning.

With a heavy heart, thank you for your participation. It's my sincere hope that a new "torchbearer" will come forward, and you all will continue your efforts unabated.

I don't know about you but I take him at his word. He said the website will continue to run and if it begins to seriously fade away, there will be fair warning. If it were sold and bought, do you think the buyer would do away with the forum? Of course not, the forum is the website.

And yet, I see these threads about alternative boards and a subreddit as if you're going to wake up soon and see "this site can't be reached" or something similar. Might you be doom porning yourselves in a state of paranoia? He said it isn't going anywhere right now, and if it does, there will be fair warning. Fair warning to me sounds like a date would be given. With the current state of things, I wouldn't be surprised if some members are literally trying to throw money his way to keep it going for the short term, but let's not speculate or discuss other people's business. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but if everyone who said they'd pay $10 a month for a subscription even sent $5, I'd speculate that it'd add up. No one knows how much it costs to keep the server up versus how much is paid by the banners.

I'd like to think this isn't as imminent as some are acting like. It's annoying to see morale utterly broken at the first sign of danger with nothing substantial to even back it up. He didn't give the fair warning, there's no deadline in effect. The board isn't going to go subscription only as I see it but it isn't going to be offline either. If you get a fair warning, then panic.

I could be completely wrong and out of the loop and if so, so be it. I hope this was so uninformed that it was entertaining but those are my feels on the subject.

SO wrote this in the main thread, not sure if you've seen the post. If it's a re-run for you, my apologies.

When I originally posted this thread, my hope was 3-4 months of longevity. Given the sudden decline in traffic from the Google unlisting of more than 1 million of our pages, it might be sooner. I can't give an informed answer until I see the actual impact on revenue.

It's up in the air, as it were.

a reply to: FlyingSquirrel

a reply to: FlyingSquirrel

Hmm, I will remain positive in regards to a sale. Just like a new boss. Always despised them at first but we got along.

Just a matter of adjustment.

My thoughts,

Kind regards,

Bally

a reply to: FlyingSquirrel

That is your opinion, however takeing zero precautions and just sitting there waiting for it to happen and then scramble is not wise either.

So what is wrong if places like the subreddit are named as a backup? I will stay here until the very end but we got to make precautions. That you condemn this as panic and us morally broken is kind of annoying.

If you see a storm approaching, you prepare yourself too, right? Or do you keep standing there until it rains and then scramble to make the house storm proof?

originally posted by: ThatDamnDuckAgain
a reply to: FlyingSquirrel

That you condemn this as panic and us morally broken is kind of annoying.

I completely get what the OP is saying, many threads are being made based on the assumption ATS is already finished and that's also kind of annoying since that was never said. Yes it doesn't look good and precautions should be taken but lets have some hope. Based on that quote from DictionaryOfExcuses it looks like Google is largely to blame, really sucks how they can demonetize anyone they want. I remember the good old days when ATS would show near the top of the first page of Google... now you'd probably be lucky to see any ATS links on Google.

Thanks for the Heads-Up, it will quell a lot of Angst were feeling here on ABOVE TOP SECRET

a reply to: ChaoticOrder

Yeah I get it too but .. what I said.

A sign of the times..
I want to offer assistance, but all I have to offer is sympathy.
I fear this is how many bastions of free speech are going to fall.

I'm not much of a coder, I could probably host a server and get things up and running, but I fear this is way beyond that.
ATS must be difficult to maintain...

I can offer my support skills to a torchbearer, but torchbearer I am not.

edit: I didn't realise it till after posting, but I typed the above with a lump in my throat.