Abandonia Teams Up With Studentis Group!

[Kosta]

Hi!

As you all know, I started Abandonia as a hobby project, something that I developed and maintained in my free time. Over the years the site has grown exponentially and has reached a point when I started struggling coming up with and developng new features, concepts and server platforms, especially parallel to the university work.

You've probably noticed that during the few years behind us, design and features have really remained pretty much the same. I've also tried to do some work on improving the hosting but that ended up with questionable results as you might have noticed during the past weeks. All my efforts in developing an improved feature set and layout failed because maintaining the content and site proved to be too demanding by itself. I felt that this wasn't fair towards the site and the people in the community and that it deserves more.

This is where Studentis group comes into picture. They deal with big community sites, concentrating on student portals. I got in touch with them and they felt that Abandonia, together with its community, is very strong and would be worth investing time and effort into in order to improve and bring it to the much needed next level. That is how the partnership was formed. They have agreed to offer an advanced hosting platform consisting of 5 load balanced servers as well as technical support and programming help from 4 professionals that work for one of the leading brittish IT consulting firm, in exchange for marketing rights and ad inventory. Don't worry, there will be no popups ;)

I have been attending some meetings and we have lots of interesting and exciting things planned for Abandonia in the upcoming months. The feature list is long, but some of the main ones are an improved layout, recoding the scripts to a professional CMS platform, company profiles, advanced search engine, "my profile", better integration of forums into the site, easier content submission, game browser etc. I will keep you informed of the features as they will be in production, and I hope the response to these changes will be positive. Once the initial feature set is developed and implemented, I will be asking for your ideas as the new framework will be completely modular and easy to update.

I know that most of the people got used to the system that has been working well for the past few years, but if we want Abandonia to keep the status of the coolest and most dynamic site on the abandonware scene, we need to make this big step. Overall, I felt that this was the right thing to do in order to also ensure the future stability and growth of the site, as well as to provide the community members a nicer place to spend the time in :)

If you have any feedback or questions, feel free to ask and I would also like to hear any feedback regarding this!

[Blood-Pigggy]

Sounds great. Especially easier content submission.

[Puffin]

Way cool

[Eagle of Fire]

This sounds really great and all... But I am quite sceptical. What is Studentis and, more importantly and more to the point, what would they gain by helping a site dedicated to Abandonware like this one?

Don't get me wrong, this would be great... But I just can't understand why a company would help a site which stand on the gray side of the law without getting something back in return. When it comes to companies, I never trust their goodwill attitude...

[Dino]

All these things sound really great from AB user perspective and I think you made a good step in bringing Abandonia to a higher level.

I take it for granted that you have a good insight in Studentis' plans, attending those meeting and negotiating with them, and if there was something fishy about this cooperation you would probably notice it.

So, thumbs up. :ok: Always strive for perfection, eh? ;)

[gregor]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Blood-Pigggy @ Sep 17 2006, 11:36 PM) 255685</div>
Sounds great. Especially easier content submission.
[/b]

meh... classic gaming archive did it - severs was flooded very fast by enthusiasts... :D it took them a few months to clear the mess.

One thing i would propose in the layout - the screenshots. In my opinion Abandonia has them done good, while reloaded... well not so good. Takes too long to get to them, plus it's better if they are next to the text. just like in a magazine or newspaper. They complete the text that way instead of being standalone.

Is Studentis really a company ?! or a student organisation? if it is organisation then the benefit could be mutual... still there is that grey area of law the EoF mentioned.

EDIT: is it this one? : http://www.studentis.com/

[Grinder]

Sounds good. I keep picturing the new Abandonia in about 5 years and being able to say "Yeah, I'm from the old generation" :max:

[taikara]

This is definitely cool, but I'm curious what the catch is. They're a marketing group, and as well-intended as they may be, they must be getting something out of it.

[Hamster of Doom]

Of course it´s nice to see that Abandonia is improving. But when I read the text, I´m not really sure, what to think of this...

I mean, as some others said before, it´s a company and I´m sure, they want something in return for their help. Maybe I´ve just met the wrong companies until now, but I don´t know a company, that would give away so much help basically for free. Not to mention the fact, that Abandonia is dedicated to abandonware. Even if this site is in contact with with ESA and doesn´t host warez, it still can not be called officially legal, or can it? Neither do I want to sound too pessimistic nor do I want to paint everything in black, but I just can´t help myself; I am really curious why a company takes the risk to make contract / offer a partnership with a site that is far in the grey area. There must be something, that makes it worth it. And that worries me... :unsure:


And as we are allowed, to ask questions, i´ll ask a question. :w00t:

They have agreed to offer [...] in exchange for marketing rights and ad inventory.[/b]
Could you explain this a bit, please?
"Ad inventory" seems clear; they decide which ads appear on this site. But what does "marketing rights" exactly mean? In my ears that term sounds like it´s more than just the right to choose which ads do appear. Can you please tell us, what this "Studentis Group" is allowed to do, when they become the owners of the marketing rights of abandonia?

[Braindead]

I can't say whether I'm positive or negative about this, I don't know whether this is a good move, can we see example of their work?

[Tulac]

I'm guessing it'll be some sort of social engineering project with targeted ads that would look like this: "if you like this game you might want to buy this game." "

[Braindead]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tulac @ Sep 19 2006, 07:37 AM) 255986</div>
I'm guessing it'll be some sort of social engineering project with targeted ads that would look like this: "if you like this game you might want to buy this game." "
[/b]
bah ads... bless adblock. :kosta:

[chainsoar]

You're going to improve Abandonia? Sir, if it is possible to achieve such a feat, I salute you. Great stuff.

[crossover]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kosta @ Sep 17 2006, 11:30 PM) 255684</div>recoding the scripts to a professional CMS platform[/b]

Wise choice, if you ask me. I had some experience with Joomla earlier and I can say it's extremely functional and low-maintenance, hope you go with that.

[thebes]

I suppose if it would help decrease your workload. But really as for me Abandonia already looks great and is easy to use. I'm not really sure in what dept. you could do better. I hate sites that look like Mags. This place is far more userfriendly than even HOTU and others I have seen. The layout is great too. I would not change any of the looks of the place. Remember history, "beware Greeks baring gifts!" (No offince to Greeks as I love Greece!) :smurf:

[guesst]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(taikara @ Sep 18 2006, 09:08 PM) 255922</div>
This is definitely cool, but I'm curious what the catch is. They're a marketing group, and as well-intended as they may be, they must be getting something out of it.
[/b]
I've wondered for a while why Kosta isn't getting MORE from this site, monitarily. Maybe it's the capatilist American dog in me, but I don't see why a site like this couldn't draw a reasonable revenue. So if someone else is getting something out of it, I can't argue with it. Kosta's got to get at least a little kick back from it too.

[The Fifth Horseman]

It sounds quite good, but I can't shake the feeling there must be some kind of catch in this deal.
As they say "the devil is always in small print".

Also, I think we could all benefit from a detailed explanation what the Studentis' posession of marketing rights for Abandonia mean.

[Romano]

There is about a week that Kosta anounced the changes and challenges that wait ahead!
Nothing visible. The site is the same :max:
If it will be one acquisitive company it sholud be visible by now :whistling:
As far as I can understood those changes there will be no changes except in advertisnig boxes :max:
For the changes in invisible part of Abandonia, you should ask Kosta :)

[Titan]

After speaking to Kosta about this, i must say i'm all for the deal as it looks now.
AND we'll get a new redesing of the main site shortly also :ok:

[HappyGamer]

I hope this does not mean this site will go the way of Home of the underdogs and starting giving you like a ton of pop-up ads or installing pesky spyware into your system. At least that was thought as read the posts here. I mean anything too good sometimes is.

[Maikel]

There are many, far more subtle, ways of generating revenue then HOTU is doing. We could sell your personal info to marketing agencies for instance. Gives us heaps of money, and you won't have lousy pop-ups!

:devil:

[Braindead]

heh Maikel you edited your post to a nicer version, I kinda agreed with you though...

[Abi79]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Maikel @ Sep 30 2006, 03:33 PM) 258352</div> There are many, far more subtle, ways of generating revenue then HOTU is doing. We could sell your personal info to marketing agencies for instance. Gives us heaps of money, and you won't have lousy pop-ups!

:devil: [/b]What personal info? Age, location and nickname? :P

[Hamster of Doom]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Abi79 @ Sep 30 2006, 07:58 PM) 258420</div>What personal info? Age, location and nickname? :P
[/b]
The nickname is unimportant, but there´s enough personal info stored at this place, that´s really interesting for companies. First of all the email-adresses, that are stored here; most likely these are existing adresses, that are still in use. So the companies would know where to send their spam. As you mentioned, many users give away their location and their age. That makes it easier to predict, if the ad would go to potential customers or not. (It´s useless to send ads about a game for small children to people that are about 15 - 18 years old.) And most importantly the companies wouldn´t have to do much research, what the users of this forum are interested in. Most likely all users are interested in pc-games (maybe consoles, too), computers, and various electronic devices (mobile phones, PDAs and so on).

I would say, that´s enough information to make companies pay for it.

[Titan]

Well, if my inbox is getting filled with spam all of a sudden, the C.E.O. of the studentis groupe lives some 80 km from me........ so that won't happen anytime soon.

Got some more info about this from Kosta today, and as faar as i can see, the only change we'll experience is the main-site that will be redesigned... and it will be redesigned by Kosta since the company sponcors with server applications.

Look, you guys should know by now; conspiracies doesn't work with Abandonia.
We don't hide anything, We don't cheat, We don't try to harm anyone.
This is a legit good deal that we will benifit from with zero to none drawbacks.

The ONLY drawback if you can call it so, is the ads will change into theire, and you won't see ads for online-games anymore.

[Maikel]

Yes things are hidden here. As far as I know I redesign the site and not Kosta. Conspiracies! Aside from that, there is no hidden agenda :D

[Luchsen]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Maikel @ Oct 2 2006, 08:32 PM) 258940</div>
Aside from that, there is no hidden agenda :D
[/b]

What's with this (http://www.abandonia.com/game.php?ID=138)?

[ReamusLQ]

...ok I admit; I am totally lost...what about that link?

[Tom Henrik]

@ ReamusLQ

It's proof that there is a Hidden Agenda on the site ;)

[Titan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Luchsen @ Oct 2 2006, 09:02 PM) 258943</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Maikel @ Oct 2 2006, 08:32 PM) 258940
Aside from that, there is no hidden agenda :D
[/b]

What's with this (http://www.abandonia.com/game.php?ID=138)?
[/b][/quote]

*gears up and locating Luchsen to silence "the deep throat" before he digs up more about the hiden agenda*

[ReamusLQ]

Ooo! See, NOW it makes sense. It didn't link to that game before. I guess he fixed it, cuz last time it linked to some Pinball game.

[Luchsen]

I had trouble with posting - there was no forwarding. But another link because of stuck transmission?

[win98]

Thats great I can't wait for lke in a couple of years since abandonia will be great.