My Sites Are Like My Children

[Drastic]

I've built up a lot of sites over the years, and I just can't kill any of them. They feel like my kids to me, in a manly sort of way.

Some kids grow up to be excellent and productive members of society. No doubt we all adore these.

Some are just quiet and often ignored, but it seems they can end up with quality production that starts at nothing and crawls up over the years. If not, they can support their siblings from the background, while remaining a vital yet seemingly inconsequential pillar of the empire. (links)

Then the ones that get caught for something they obviously had no wrong in, and spend time in the county slammer to be released soon and put on watch. If properly guided, these also can eventually be productive members of Internet society.  (temp ban)

Finally the ones that bear the brunt of our experiments sometimes are sentenced to life in prison. (perma banned) I don't recall one ever being exactly guilty, but nonetheless, what to do? I've found the keen ones actually figure out a hustle while "inside" (MSN/Y) and send money back home anyway. Many of them get released after a few years, evidently for good behavior, and with their hustle knowledge it's game on.

As I look back, I don't think any of my nominal fees for domains and hosting to keep sites alive have ended up not being worth it. The end sum is definitely there, so if there is one or two who cares.

I see sites that are gone today, which I traded links with a couple/few years back. I'm sure there were good reasons to nuke them, but just left alone, those sites would be worth keeping around until today and onward. Maybe it's the digital packrat in me, but this made sense from the beginning.

[littleman]

If there is one regret I have over the last 15 years or so it is that I didn't build more of my own websites up.  I feel like a nanny, I raised other people's children, did much of the work, but in the end I am forgotten.  I'm working on my own kids now.

[Rumbas]

Good points Dras. I feel the same way.

We usually dont kill a site, but only reside to send them to a new school (redirect to another domain) and let them sit there sweating for a while. If they somehow behave or show they good kids, we might put them back in private school again and let have some education.

I can't help to feel sorry for the folks selling a site with proper content, links etc. for chump change. As you mentioned almost always will earn it's hosting and domain costs and can grow up to be a good sibling.

We're going for not a huge family but a whole tribe or actual nation maybe even the World some day.