One more reason not to use WWF

In reply to whether Google know about the ads in my software, it was Google who actually phoned me and after a conversation with the Google sales guy he suggested it and setup my Google account for me.

As far as huwnet's comments go, it has been over 7 months since the Google Ads where first introduced at the end of last summer in version 7.95 and have been planned for a long time and have been covered in the license agreement for over two years now.

The reason for the ads is that writing the software, support, and running this site is now a full-time job which takes me around 60 to 80 hours a week and I have a family to support with a 6 year old child, so need to be paid for my time or shut the site and look for a full-time job.

I believe that Web Wiz Forums is one of the best ASP bulletin board systems there is and I spend nearly every night till 11pm working on new code to improve it after spending 8am till 7pm most days in the office anwsering emails, phones, forum posts, and doing general admin stuff. So for the price it is a bargain.

So the choice is simple, either I charge for all versions and have no free version or somehow make the free version pay for itself by having ads.

Many people did complain about the ads at first, but I think now most people have got use to them, and those that said people would stop using Web Wiz Forums because of the ads have been wrong as the number of users has actually risen since the introduction of the ad system.

As they say though, nothing is free, and at the end of the day the site has grown from a hobby to a business with all the costs and debts of a business which someone needs to pay for, including:

• The office
• My time (60+ hours a week)
• Admin work
• Software support,
• Software development
• Accountant
• Book keeper
• Solicitor/legal costs
• Loan Repayments
  
• Web Hosting
• Severs
• Workstations
• Software
• Books
  
• Internet Connection
• Phone lines
• Computer Equipment
• Office supplies
• Postage
  
• Storage costs
• Tax's
  
• And many more business costs

Before I even take a wage from the company all the running costs which are above £15,000 ($28,000) per year, need to be paid.

All this funding needs to come from somewhere if the business and software is to survive into the future.

Edited by -boRg- - 15 March 2006 at 2:26pm

Thanks Tegwin for the support.

I sometimes think it would be easier just to get a full-time job, then at least I would have a steady income, more free time, and more money.

Oh well, at least I have the advantage of deciding which day, once a month, I take off. If I'm lucky

-boRg- wrote: In reply to whether Google know about the ads in my software, it was Google who actually phoned me and after a conversation with the Google sales guy he suggested it and setup my Google account for me.

I've talked with a few people that deal with Google, and it seems like their TOS & licenses are very maleable once they start dealing with people they can trust.

e.g. One friend of mine does things that clearly were against the Google TOS a while ago. But he did that with Google's approval. Those 'violations' are now no longer 'violations' and anyone can do it.

Google is flexible and works with people.

-boRg- wrote: Thanks Tegwin for the support. I sometimes think it would be easier just to get a full-time job, then at least I would have a steady income, more free time, and more money. Oh well, at least I have the advantage of deciding which day, once a month, I take off. If I'm lucky

BORG!!!! DONT EVER GIVE UP MATE  WHAT EVER YOU DO.  

Sometimes I feel the same about running my business, but nothing beats the freedom you get from "being out on your own""