On 24/10/05, Dori slowpoke@gmail.com wrote:
On 10/24/05, Dan Grey dangrey@gmail.com wrote:
Surely there's only a handful of logical conclusions here:
- We stay with just donations (small private and few large coporate
ones) and the site slowly bogs down as traffic demand outstrips server supply 2. We try more small stuff like the Amazon and the forthcoming 1-Click experiments, but let's be honest unless WP is plastered in them they'll never make much of a difference 3. We eventually accept a small amount of Adsense (or Adsense-syle) advertising on the site, which will most likely pay for what we need.
Obviously you're highlighting 3 there, and the obvious corollary to all three is that a bunch of editors and readers will pack their bags and leave. If the stacks of money is better than editors and readers, then the foundations should go for it. And don't for a second think that it will be one or two, many people are opposed to this, and a tidy sum have already left just because of the *possibility*.
There are hundreds - probably thousands - of editors active every day. If a few choose to flounce off - as is so fashionable on WP - then sod them! Most of them will slowly crawl back anyway.
If the choice is between a site with (Adsense) adverts, and no site at all (which is the choice it *WILL* come down to), then I'd rather have a site!
Plus with a few mill coming in a year, we'd actually be able to get a lot closer to the goal of distributing knowledge to everyone, not least as Wikimedia would be able to afford to PAY people to make these dreams happen .
Dan