PanoTools:
resource future - some support for John
brian_raines_md 2005-Mar-17 02:07:08
I'm a new list member, but a long-time QTVR producer. I joined the
PanoTools list when I saw it mentioned on the WWP list. I've been
watching the discussions regarding the future of this resource. I've
been in John's shoes (my personal experience is not with a mailing
list but with producing websites out of passion) and understand how
something can grow from a hobby to a burden in a relatively short
period of time. Once you have built it people expect it to be
there, and rightly so - but as consumers we have to realize that it
doesn't come without a cost. It's easy to think the Internet should
always equal "free-ride" because there is so much good information
at our fingertips and that is the true roots of the web. I'm a big
supporter of open-source, open-architecture and the tech community
banding together to help each other out -- but my version of helping
each other out also means we can make a living and support our
families.
I'm a firm believer that QTVR is on the fringe of becoming a
technology that can produce revenue -- I've already seen it in my
own business. Bandwidth is finally readily available to the masses
to support a medium that requires it -- and it also appears to be a
technology that reaches beyond the demographic boundaries of teens
and college students.
I PERSONALLY think John is on the right track to move the list away
from Yahoo and to a stand alone website -- look at the success of
sites like dpreview.com and sitepoint.com (granted - they do not
follow a wiki format). Both have a heavy forum user base and a
sense of community that also allows the site owners to realize a
profit based on advertising, sales and the business that comes their
way while at the same time allows users to benefit through the
sharing of ideas -- I know my photography is much better because of
dpreview.com and I KNOW my web business is much better off because
of sitepoint.com and phpbuilder.com. I have personally seen this
scenario succeed in my own business where a "sandbox/passion"
website has grown to incredible proportions and now is a self
sustaining enterprise through the revenue it generates and the
business it brings my way.
Bottom line -- I'll follow to a website if that's where John takes
it because I know for a resource to remain available those in the
hot seat have got to eventually figure out a business model that can
justify the effort. Offers of assistance are appreciated, but at
the end of the day if the resource is to be available the
responsibility rests on few shoulders. Best of luck!
Brian Raines
http://www.calvertdesigngroup.com/
PanoTools Wiki: http://wiki.panotools.org
PanoTools Extended Topic Forum: http://forum.panotools.info
PanoTools PayPal Donation Account: support_AT_panotools.info (_AT_ = @)
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