thegoodhubbie Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 This may seem like a silly question, and maybe it has been asked before, but I was just wondering... Who started LS and why. There are a LOT of people on here posting some extremely personal things and I was just wondering why would someone start up a site like this, especially if there is no money in it, or at least at first there was no money in it. I do know that you can become a supporting member and pay a fee for a better LS experience, but it didn't start out that way. Maybe it is just my natural paranoia coming through, but I was just curious. Link to post Share on other sites
Tony T Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 This forum started out as a VERY simple message board in an archaic format some eight years ago. It was started by Paul and others as a public service. It didn't cost much money to operate in the beginning days of the Internet and in the old format. The old format didn't have categories and the messages just went on and on and on until there were none...you just scrolled down and posted where you wished. As message boards became more sophisticated, he upgraded the site with better software and more features. He spent lots of time making the site better so people could receive much needed advice. Eventually, it got categories, etc. As more and more people have come to the site, it has gotten more time consuming to operate. Servers need to be upgraded at intervals to handle the traffic (the site used to go down frequently because of the load.) Data has to be backed up. Every message that has ever been put up on the site is in the data base. Monthly fees for servers are high. There are also accounting and legal fees. For many years Paul paid most of the operating expenses out of his own pocket. Today, advertising and memberships help the site break even. I don't think it's paranoid at all to wonder how this site got started. Like all enterprises that succeed, they start out from scratch as an idea and grow (or just shut down, as the case may be). LoveShack.org is now one of the premier romance and life advice sites on the Internet. If you'd like to write Paul to comment on your experience here, you can do so through the Contact Us link. Link to post Share on other sites
Lonestar Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Before it was a message board, it started off as an IRC channel (chatroom for those who have no clue what IRC is) Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 http://www.loveshack.org/forums/t6528/ Is a post from Paul in 1997. Link to post Share on other sites
loony Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 For many years Paul paid most of the operating expenses out of his own pocket. Wow, LS is really his baby. Cute. Link to post Share on other sites
933KJL Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 LOL Paul is the "LoveHost" is that sort of like the "LoveMaster" (said in his best Barry White voice) Link to post Share on other sites
alphamale Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 is Paul of LS really Paul Allen of Microsoft fame? Link to post Share on other sites
933KJL Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 is Paul of LS really Paul Allen of Microsoft fame? s***! Now we are all screwed. Not only do they own us with the EULAs they make us agree to, but now they know all our personal secrets! f***in' Microsoft! BTW, I think it is my turn to be Gates's cabana boy this fall.....you need to read what you agree to! Link to post Share on other sites
Author thegoodhubbie Posted June 22, 2006 Author Share Posted June 22, 2006 As more and more people have come to the site, it has gotten more time consuming to operate. Servers need to be upgraded at intervals to handle the traffic (the site used to go down frequently because of the load.) Data has to be backed up. Every message that has ever been put up on the site is in the data base. Monthly fees for servers are high. There are also accounting and legal fees. For many years Paul paid most of the operating expenses out of his own pocket. Today, advertising and memberships help the site break even. This is what I had been wondering about. I know just how time consuming and costly it can be to build/run/pay for a web site as I have been working on an e-commerce site, and I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to do it and not get paid! When you step back and objectively look at the layout and content of the site you realize just how much is here and how long it must have took to bring it all to this level. Props to Paul as this truly must be a labor of love. Very altruistic. Thanks for the link WWIU. After I posted my quiry I went and searched all of Paul's posts and I came across that one about IRC. Did a lot of chatting on those servers when I was just a wee lad. Link to post Share on other sites
Tony T Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Paul has put in thousands of hours and many of them sleepless ones to keep this site going. He certainly deserves a LOT of credit. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 If you build it, they will come........................lol! Link to post Share on other sites
alphamale Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Paul has put in thousands of hours and many of them sleepless ones to keep this site going. He certainly deserves a LOT of credit. He does! But what is his motivation? Why does he do it? What does HE get out of it? Link to post Share on other sites
Author thegoodhubbie Posted June 22, 2006 Author Share Posted June 22, 2006 He does! But what is his motivation? Why does he do it? What does HE get out of it? This was my next question EXACTLY! Don't know why I was hesitant to ask. What does he get out of it? Why spend all those sleepless nights and out of pocket expenses? I just don't get it. It is great and all but I don't get it! Link to post Share on other sites
loony Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 He does! But what is his motivation? Why does he do it? What does HE get out of it? Because he's a really nice guy unlike you. Link to post Share on other sites
Outcast Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 When I joined, the mods were mostly guys. I just figured they figured it was a good way to find women Link to post Share on other sites
Art_Critic Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Don't know why I was hesitant to ask. What does he get out of it? Why spend all those sleepless nights and out of pocket expenses? I just don't get it. It is great and all but I don't get it! Its a labor of love.. have you never had one ? A '34 3 window coupe that you spend 100k on and thousands of hours building it even though you can't drive it yet and it is worth only half what you put in it.. It may even take you 10 years to get it to apoint to make it driveable.. but every night you are out in the garage till 11 working on it.. tweeking it.. I have had many of those.. Link to post Share on other sites
933KJL Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 A '34 3 window coupe that you spend 100k on and thousands of hours building it even though you can't drive it yet and it is worth only half what you put in it.. It may even take you 10 years to get it to apoint to make it driveable.. but every night you are out in the garage till 11 working on it.. tweeking it.. AC that sounds suspiciously like a marraige Link to post Share on other sites
loony Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 When I joined, the mods were mostly guys. I just figured they figured it was a good way to find women Yeah, LS is good for picking up women! Never trust men. Link to post Share on other sites
Art_Critic Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 AC that sounds suspiciously like a marraige Well obviously you're married.. that is why you're out in the garage instead of inside Link to post Share on other sites
933KJL Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Yeah, LS is good for picking up women! Never trust men. ...and in July 2005, the screen names of members began to really define their characters! Link to post Share on other sites
a4a Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 LS was created by the enemies of the United Nations in hopes of ruining the economies of UN members countries by distracting the workers and destroying productivity in the work place. Link to post Share on other sites
Author thegoodhubbie Posted June 22, 2006 Author Share Posted June 22, 2006 Its a labor of love.. have you never had one ? A '34 3 window coupe that you spend 100k on and thousands of hours building it even though you can't drive it yet and it is worth only half what you put in it.. It may even take you 10 years to get it to apoint to make it driveable.. but every night you are out in the garage till 11 working on it.. tweeking it.. I have had many of those.. I have and do have a labor/s of love, and on that level I can understand it totally. I guess sometimes it's best to just accept a good thing rather than try to understand it. Just my silly tendency to over think things. That and my suspicous nature Link to post Share on other sites
loony Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 ...and in July 2005, the screen names of members began to really define their characters! Are you not one of the wannabe-Don-Juans in this place? Link to post Share on other sites
alphamale Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 Its a labor of love.. have you never had one ? yes A_c....i'm like this with my porn collection all the DVDs are alphebatized and in their original packages. every nite I dust and polish each disk make sure there is not one speck of dust or scratch. I have a special climate-controlled and locked cabinet I keep them in....blah blah Link to post Share on other sites
Art_Critic Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 yes A_c....i'm like this with my porn collection You forgot to mentioned backed up... all the computer porn has to be backed up once a week..Screw the work documents.. backup the porn Link to post Share on other sites
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