URGENT ATTENTION The Time is Now to Save ATS!

originally posted by: mamabeth
a reply to: TerryMcGuire

Our luck the new owners would be one of the alphabet
agencies,fox guarding the hens type scenario.

You've been here long enough to know that accusation has been leveled at the current ownership on numerous occasions , I guess this situation lays that conspiracy theory to rest.

Alphabet agencies get all our data anyway so they would have no need for a discussion forum.

a reply to: gortex

I appreciate the sentiments.

It’s crazy to see people posting away as if nothing is happening.

Energies and attention should be focused on preservation/ the future.

Or else one day we will all wake up — and have no free platform to do so.

From what I’ve gathered, this place IS sustainable, with some tweaks of coarse.

AGAIN repetition for emphasis:

Only PM if you have one or more skills:

1. Investing
2. Technical People
3. Software people

Please PM myself, Caterpillerage or FCD (he’s inundated).

Im sorry I don't think the old ATS can survive, infact alot of it has already died. Which is inevitable ofcourse, everything changes. And so did ATS. Doesnt have to be good or bad, it just is

Now I dont know what changes the site will undergo when it is sold. But I doubt they are very positive given this initiative. But I think that there is a danger in taking a passion and turning it into a business. Lots of roadkill down that path.
Besides the brand name ATS is only as interesting as the people who post there, no matter who owns the site.

a reply to: Jubei42

Yes, it takes vision and commitment.

Thankfully, we have many here with that.

I'm one of the people involved so far as well, I'm not expecting to make money off the site. As SO stated in his thread about the subject, that ship sailed with the changing times in online advertising.

I'd like to see the site continue in some form, maybe scaled down a bit?

It's in a discussion phase, it may not happen. The owners may want more that we can pony up, they may want more than it's worth.

Time will tell, whether its feasible or not. If it's not, we'll drop it. If it is, we'll give it a go.

a reply to: mamabeth

Our luck the new owners would be one of the alphabet
agencies,fox guarding the hens type scenario.

Or just the looniest of the bunch at ATS with expendable income ... equaling more and more disruptive and derailing posts from the popular and "fabled" members.

You guys really need to lay out a business plan for anyone looking to put money into this beyond a donation or a an eventual monthly subscription. Details are needed on how exactly you plan on running this place, how you plan on making it cost effective, how you plan on for sustaining it for at least three years and so forth.

You need to let potential owners know if they will be responsible for any reoccurring costs of operation and by what percentage. They may be willing to throw down $1000 a single time but an added monthly expense may not be in the budget. Since you are not aiming to make this site profitable you may fall well short of the maintenance costs which will need to come from the owners.

I understand the emotion here but we are talking money. If someone gives $500 that may be a lot to them and for the site to close in a couple of months after purchase because new ownership wasn't prepared for what they were getting into is unfair. They may do it because they love this place but should be able to do that without taking a blind leap of faith. Once they know what is going on and still want to take that risk that is their choice then. Best of luck!

a reply to: DetectiveT

An asking price has to be established first. We are in the phase of acquiring that. There are steps with an entity this large.

Once we have that, we will move forward with a business model.

originally posted by: DetectiveT
You guys really need to lay out a business plan for anyone looking to put money into this beyond a donation or a an eventual monthly subscription. Details are needed on how exactly you plan on running this place, how you plan on making it cost effective, how you plan on for sustaining it for at least three years and so forth.

You need to let potential owners know if they will be responsible for any reoccurring costs of operation and by what percentage. They may be willing to throw down $1000 a single time but an added monthly expense may not be in the budget. Since you are not aiming to make this site profitable you may fall well short of the maintenance costs which will need to come from the owners.

I understand the emotion here but we are talking money. If someone gives $500 that may be a lot to them and for the site to close in a couple of months after purchase because new ownership wasn't prepared for what they were getting into is unfair. They may do it because they love this place but should be able to do that without taking a blind leap of faith. Once they know what is going on and still want to take that risk that is their choice then. Best of luck!

Quoted because your absolutely correct.

originally posted by: Jubei42
Im sorry I don't think the old ATS can survive, infact alot of it has already died.

That depends on who's perspective you are looking from

Which is inevitable ofcourse, everything changes. And so did ATS. Doesnt have to be good or bad, it just is

It sure does ...... AND...... not always for the worse!!

I dont know what changes the site will undergo when it is sold. But I doubt they are very positive given this initiative.

Its just as well those interested don't have your negative attitude!

But I think that there is a danger in taking a passion and turning it into a business.

Really?.....

Richard Branson.....

Baroness Moon....

Levi Roots......

To mention but three.

Its passion and drive that people who get on have by the bucket full!!!!

Besides the brand name ATS is only as interesting as the people who post there, no matter who owns the site.

Quite :cheers I'm not intimidated

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

Some of us are willing to put cash forward to ensure this place stays open.
I honestly don't care about being recognized as part owner or not.
I don't even care about making money.

ATS is a vital resource on the internet.
It's a one of a kind treasure.
A second home for the majority of us.
And It needs to stay that way.

a reply to: KKLOCO
As much as I would love to contribute to this endeavor in more ways than one, my hands are tied at present. That's all I can say on that right now, but the reason I am even posting is to second something that has already been mentioned, and add to it.

Once the price and terms have been received, a solid business plan should be drafted by all who are contributing investors, whether silent or not. An attorney should be retained to make sure everyone contributing money knows what to expect afterward, and their place in the enterprise. You don't want any unexpected snags down the line to blow up in your face and sink the ship (ATS) causing hard feelings.

Also, this venture must make an income of some kind not only for operating expenses, but also for unexpected costs down the line. If you have no backup in the bank, you have no business. It's that simple.

FCD has a good head on his shoulders, and I expect he will already be aware of these things, but I'm just saying cross your T's and dot your i's from the beginning and do it right from the get go.

Best of luck!

originally posted by: KKLOCO
a reply to: mamabeth

We are trying to make the new owners be us members.

I've been involved in this scenario before. You'd better have a damned good contract drawn up and I mean air tight because if you don't someone is going to take it over and you won't like the results.

Time and again it's the same story. One guy wants it, works behind the scenes with some of the others and then you discover your moderation authority, membership and investment are gone and there's not a thing you can do about it without a valid and enforceable contract in place.

I'd be more than happy to be involved but I need to see a contract before anything happens because I am not going to go through it again.

PM me to discuss if I figure out how to find it.

The website can be started up fresh on the hive.blog blockchain using something called a Tribe. A Tribe runs on it's own url and can be configured to run communities so the site can have different sections so to speak.

hive.blog...

It won't be what we are used to. But at least we could keep going in the spirit of ATS.

You will have a rough road ahead trying to sustain this site without selling premium membership to those who have the cash.

a reply to: Macenroe82

I keep thinking there must be some way to have the site legally changed to 'Nonprofit' status -

- if it could be designated as a 'social service charity organization', then it wouldn't need to turn a profit, and all donations could be tax deductible..

a reply to: lostgirl

Well, the consensus is, that profit would likely be non existent, so we have that going for us! Which is nice

"Dammit man, I'm a constructive criticist, not a Doctor"

originally posted by: MarkOfTheV
a reply to: mamabeth

Our luck the new owners would be one of the alphabet
agencies,fox guarding the hens type scenario.

Or just the looniest of the bunch at ATS with expendable income ... equaling more and more disruptive and derailing posts from the popular and "fabled" members.

Dude I hardly ever post and never tried to derail a thread and I am willing to put up and try to make something happen. I can damn sure tell you I am not a three letter agency and want ko profit. I just want a place we can all meet and talk. Even though I dont talk much there are people I have on here that are like family in a way.

Better to try than try nothing at all.

Only PM if you have one or more skills:

1. Investing
2. Technical People
3. Software people

Please PM myself, Caterpillerage , KKLOCO or FCD (he’s inundated).