show me the money

[Dan Simoes <dans@ans.net>]

I've gotten a couple of emails asking about the money
end of the list, and the upcoming changes/improvements.
Let me share part of a reply to one of those people,
and let me reassure you that I'm not out to get rich or
shaft anyone.  If I were, I would have done it a long
time ago.

> are you looking for partners/employees/volunteers?  I guess the
> need will grow once the site starts up.

Yes, most likely.  I'm trying to figure out the logistics without
this becoming a nightmare.  I've always felt that there is probably
some money to be made, but it won't be very much, certainly
not enough to cover the time spent.  I will keep you in mind though.

> I think people are going to want to know _your_ place with the list; is this a
> business, and if so, how much do you make (meaning salary, or just costs, or
> what?).

Fair question.  I don't know.  I want to maintain control over the
whole thing, at least for now.  I think the time I spend should
be compensated, but it also means that my time is just as valuable
as anyone else's, so I should pay those people too.  Start paying
everyone and now you have taxes involved, and no money to go
around.  Perhaps if I set it up as a non-profit, but I have
visions of lawyers and accountants and my wife glaring at me.

Right now I'm looking at an outlay of around $1500 for server,
drivers, software, hours and hours of time to setup, test
and transfer content, etc.  Then I will have colo charges of
at least $200/mo for the bandwidth the list will use.
I'm going to ignore things like a spare server, backups, and
so forth, at least for the immediate future.

I couldn't possibly collect enough money to pay for the time
I've spent on list-stuff (don't tell my wife...)

> Same for the tool rental bit, who would pay for the tools, again,
> from vender support dollars?

Yes.  Initially someone (probably me) would take a hit for the tools,
and the fund would go toward maintaining/adding/replacing
the tools, plus money to the administrator for the hassle.

> getting money from list
> members would be difficult

I don't think so, I've had lots of offers.  This is something that the 
$20/yr (or $30 or $50?) fee would help offset.
-- 
Dan Simoes                                dans@ans.net
Worldcom Advanced Networks 	http://coimbra.ans.net/dans.html
100 Manhattanville Road                 (914) 701-5378 (voice)
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