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Understanding costs of a Media Server please

Discussion in 'Databases' started by EllaBirch, Jun 27, 2007.

  1. #1
    Hello everyone

    I am new here, i have been lurking for a few weeks now, thought it was about time i signed up.

    For a few weeks now i have had my eye on a website, where the guy that runs it offers free sites for all users, but 2 months ago he said he had to close, so the members of this website, being mourners, started sending this chap money, to keep this site going.

    Well this site he has said is costing him just under £30,000 a year to keep running. Now i have 2 small time websites, and they hardly cost anything to run.

    So this is last years rundown on his costs...

    From April 06

    Purchase of a media server £10,000 + VAT

    Annual charge for use of bandwidth £6650

    Staff costs for adminstering the site ( Technical + Telephone staff) £12,092

    Printing, Stationary, Postage etc.. £485

    Total £29,227

    These costs do not include the fees charged for the

    design and creation of the site or the ongoing

    technical developement of the site.

    Is this actually possible, this guy also runs about 12 other websites, all from the same man.

    I have offered my help in design etc, but now i have since been thinking this man is telling lies and making alot of profit, why would he pay out over £30 grand, if he was not in it for profit.

    What do you think?

    This site is also called if your wondering gone to soon. For mourners of loss loved ones.

    Please advise, as i feel cheated, that this might just be a money making scheme using the feelings of people who are desperate.

    Thank you for your time in reading this post, please if you can would you offer your advice.

    Ella x

    Ps he also has a BT business line, where it costs £1 a minute to ring up this man about any problems on the memorial tributes.
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 27, 2007 IP
  2. cormac

    cormac Peon

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    #2
    10K a year for his servers would sound about right. Our higher end servers would cost approx 250 - 300 Euro a month and I would suspect he is using three servers. One as a web server, one as a database server and another as a image/video server.

    What stuck out for me was the fact his site is based around mourners, money is no question when it comes to remembering people's loved ones. I nice little niche he has there, that's for sure.

    Profit or charity? I'll go for 100% profit on this one, including the premium rate number. Thats just my opinion from reading your post and having a quick look at his site so I could be so wrong.
     
    cormac, Jun 27, 2007 IP
  3. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #3
    Cormac if he has other websites, can they also be used on the three servers, i am assuming them can, so in all retrospect the figure he is coming up with is for all websites held on the servers in question.

    I know one of my friends has send £100 to keep her son's memorial site alive/open whatever the right term is.

    I know how many people depend on that site, so i feel with the premium rate hes coining it in.

    It really does offend me, as i was offering to give to his pockets too.

    I don't think you are wrong.

    I do feel hes using the figures to continue to upset the mourners further.

    Thanks babes x
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  4. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #4
    Ps, if he had his own servers, would he have to pay for bandwidth?

    I have 2 websites, and i do not have my own servers, but i have unlimited bandwidth with them.
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  5. cormac

    cormac Peon

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    #5
    Yes they can and he can jam as many sites onto those servers for as long the hardware could withstand it. Hosting companies do this, they'll have anywhere between 300 - 1000 (or even more) websites on one server.

    Lets just say he had 300 memorial sites on that server and each person sent in 100 pound - that's big money right there and doesnt include the profit he could be making from other sites and the telephone service.

    Your friend probably isn't alone and when they heard their memorial site could be removed, due to lack of funds, they probably freaked. Its a typical sales move, find someone's pain and play on it so there is a better chance that the customer will pay up to stop the pain - if you know what I mean.

    Ella I totally understand how you feel offended by this and if I knew for a fact that he was in it for profit I would be totally disgusted. There is nothing worse than someone exploiting people over their deceased and there is plenty of these sharks online.

    As for the bandwidth question. If his servers are very busy and he is getting lots of visitors then at some point he will have to pay for his bandwidth. Unfortunately there is no such thing as unlimited bandwidth, its a marketing ploy and in fact a lie by whoever sells hosting with unlimited bandwidth. Anyone who hosts their own servers will tell you this, bandwidth is expensive and someone has to pay it.
     
    cormac, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  6. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #6
    Cormac

    I have just started a war on that site, and they want to string me up to die/dry!

    But it hurt to know this man played a cruel trick to get more money out of them.

    He added a google advert to each webpage, and for the cot deaths it said, abortion centres, for the chap that died from a motorbike accident, it said motorbike insurance, death insurance advertisments, he knew that google pick up words from the page, how sick eh!

    A ploy to get more money out of the people grieving.

    I really appreciate your input, i hope to stick around here, i to do design work and media, and its nice to find a place that feels like home!

    Ella x
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  7. cormac

    cormac Peon

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    #7
    What's interesting is that its supposed to be run by a high profile business man terrygeorge.co.uk

    The adsense ads showing would be very disturbing on such a site and it would be very bad taste on his part to keep them up.
     
    cormac, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  8. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #8
    OMG Cormac, where did you find that!

    It gets worse doesn't it?

    Hes on holiday at the moment hence why my posts have not been deleted yet! LOL!
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  9. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #9
    Can i snag that little bit of info?
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  10. cormac

    cormac Peon

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    #10
    The link to the site is under the about page. You'll find even more interesting stuff on his site, including a number of different sites that he has. ;)
     
    cormac, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  11. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #11
    Cormac will you marry me! LOL

    Interesting read, shall be back later xx
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  12. cormac

    cormac Peon

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    #12
    Haha you know that photo isn't really me. :eek:

    Oh I forgot to warn you. It would be in your best interest not to get involved in any mischief on his site. You could end up facing legal trouble and something tells me he wouldn't be the type to sit back and take things gently.

    Play it safe. ;)
     
    cormac, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  13. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #13
    Yes i have asked Andy to delete my messages!

    But i got them all aware now...

    I took on Lush website too once, i hate injustice!

    Aww i was just thinking you had such a cute nose too!
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  14. cormac

    cormac Peon

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    #14
    You can trust me on this, my real nose is just like that. :D

    I'm another one that hates injustice....
     
    cormac, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  15. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #15
    So Cormac are you going to be my first friend on here?
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP
    cormac likes this.
  16. cormac

    cormac Peon

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    Is that a proposal? Haha of course I'll be your first buddy on here. ;)
     
    cormac, Jun 28, 2007 IP
  17. EllaBirch

    EllaBirch Guest

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    #17
    Blush!

    Thank You...x

    Ps...

    Have you seen the ad up there to add a memorial site....x
     
    EllaBirch, Jun 28, 2007 IP