So, as a capper to an already awesome day, Jack asked me to step down as both admin and editor. This was probably a long time coming; I haven't been noding or editing like I used to.
Most of my inactivity is because I just haven't had time. But not all. Jack suggested I could stay on as a content editor if I wanted; I asked to remain a CE and gave him a harmless but ultimately selfish (and I knew it was selfish) reason for wanting to continue in that capacity. He said my reason wouldn't fly, was exactly the reason they wanted to trim the editorial ranks, and busted me back to plain ol' noder.
The whole thing felt weirdly like getting fired. I thought hard about why I didn't immediately have a good, non-selfish reason for wanting to remain on staff. For a while this place was what I looked forward to in the mornings, you know? It was my favorite thing ever.
I weathered the anonymous serial downvoters, and the vicious catbox fights, all that really didn't dull the lustre for me.
You know what finally did? The Google ads.
I understand that servers cost money, etc., and I'm all in favor of the site earning its own keep for Blockstackers.
So, at first I was enthusiastic about the ads. I mean, heck, I've got books, Sharq's got a book, Shaogo's got a restaurant, donfreenut and spiregrain have CDs -- a lot of noders have projects and such that they might want to advertise on E2, and E2 would get money in the process. A win-win situation, right?
So I paid my $5 cover charge and waded into the teeming shark tank that is the Google ad system -- and found that it was seemingly impossible to actually make a successful bid. So I asked nate what it would cost to take an ad out directly. He told me it would be $500 for 24 hours* across the entire site; apparently that's what the Google ads earn out each day, and anything less would clearly not be worth his (and Blockstackers) while. I suggested some alternate, indie-friendly ad systems to nate, but they were all deemed not worthwile because they wouldn't generate the same amount of cash.
So, we have a situation where the people who've spent years contributing hundreds of articles, people who have made the site what it's worth today, can't afford to advertise on the site ... but any rich con artist can.
And so instead of promos for Sharq's book, Shaogo's jazz club, Hatshepsut's bride site, or spiregrain's CD, we're treated to Viagra ads and an endless stream of vanity publishing scams.
Back in the day, a webzine that sold ads but didn't pay its contributors would absolutely be crucified. I know the times have a-changed, but I carry that outlook with me: it's not right to profit from a site (or even appear to be profiting) if you're relying on volunteer labor. Seeing the ads (especially the vanity publisher's ads across the top of my homenode) makes me feel like a chump for sweating to produce good writeups, and kills my desire to volunteer for any more heavy lifting.
This isn't a prelude to me flouncing outta here; there are people I care about here who've stuck around, and if they're here, I'll be here too, when time permits. This isn't me saying that E2 is doomed. This is just my two cents; the management can save it for a rainy day or toss it in the gutter as they choose.
clampe informs me that the figure quoted was $500, which he still rates as high. My error; I didn't have nate's email handy, and I had it in my head that it was $5,000, because at the time nate quoted it to me I thought "That's a novel advance!" and that's the part that stuck with me.