Purch Acquires AnandTech, Dominates Tech Expert and Enthusiast Market

[Jaskalas]

Acquiring ownership of something means a great deal. The forums are essentially the wild west in some spots... ripe for potential damages / lawsuits.

While it may not be insisted up front, there should come a day when risk management sits you down and tells you about this outstanding liability. After that happens, it would be silly for you not to move on the forums and exert some measure of control. Especially on the wilder social forums.

I view the hands off approach with a healthy degree of long term skepticism.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Give us a minute or two? You might like us.

I like you already; you're much more personable than other brand ambassadors I've seen in the past. You shouldn't take everything you read here at face value; we're quite a sarcastic bunch. Which is not to say that I was being sarcastic when I said I liked you... Dammit, sarcasm is tricky on the internet. Can we get a sarcasm font?

 

[HN]

i'm just ribbing. AT was refuge after AGN3D and don't really see any other place to go (sure as hell not gonna attempt reddit D: )

But if the flood ever comes...

 

[rudeguy]

I like you already; you're much more personable than other brand ambassadors I've seen in the past. You shouldn't take everything you read here at face value; we're quite a sarcastic bunch. Which is not to say that I was being sarcastic when I said I liked you... Dammit, sarcasm is tricky on the internet. Can we get a sarcasm font?

Yea...most of us are either grumpy old men or idiot noobs. I wouldn't pay much attention to anything.

Except for the not banning me thing.

 

[Sonikku]

What a deal. Purch has paid a good sized sum to acquire anandtech. But they're doing it solely to invest greater resources into it and to ensure I'm informed with the latest in award winning content that includes, but is not limited to, simplified consumer reviews and ads that better tailor themselves to my needs for the sake of better enriching my fast paced technology lifestyle. Thank you Purch!! 🙂

 

[highland145]

this?

I was thinking this one.

But that one might be fitting too. We'll see.

 

[Jaskalas]

But if the flood ever comes...

:awe: That's amazing.

 

[ViviTheMage]

This is weird, so does purch just buy large forums and then sell advertising spaceon them basically?

This seems random, why was there no frontpage post, or welcome party, it seems like a takeover.

Sooo, anyone wanna start a new forum? It will only have one category, off topic. I'll do it for free, but you guys have to moderate it, I can't keep up.

 

[Fritzo]

What happens if they decide to stop the Hume thread? The depository of all knowledge would be lost! I would be like burning the Libraries of Alexandria!

 

[Jaskalas]

Sooo, anyone wanna start a new forum?

We have no cause for that.

 

[WelshBloke]

Yea...most of us are either grumpy old men or idiot noobs.

Speak for yourself!

Some of us are grumpy old idiots.

 

[jpishgar]

is overlooking the fact that the war is over, we lost (pc's)

I play PC games exclusively. I helm a gargantuan community of 2 million users now that are insanely into PCs, builds, components. Everyone I know with a mobile device sits down to do serious work at a PC. I think a lot is made about mobility or consoles conquering the PC market, but I really don't think that's the case. In the past few years, both Anandtech and Tom's Hardware grew by staggering amounts, both communities expanding rather than contracting. Hell, we're talking around +70-80% per year, every year, almost. PC Master Race on Reddit is closer to the truth (discounting GabeN worship) than the PC is Dead crowd, I'd say.

Welcome, jpishgar.

Thanks!

The forums are essentially the wild west in some spots... ripe for potential damages / lawsuits.

I like to hear from people who know where the bodies are buried and the landmines are strewn. Could you PM me with some examples and areas of concern?

you're much more personable than other brand ambassadors I've seen in the past.

Thanks! Though brand ambassador, urg. That term makes me think of the Mayor from Halloween Town from the Nightmare Before Christmas. Brand Ambassadors are usually soulless shills that speak in corporate buzztongue, whereas your Community Manager types are more like combination doting nanny/lightning rod. Something like Dumbledore and Frank Underwood had a baby and set it up with advanced user permissions on a forum.

Can we get a sarcasm font?

I've always been a fan of the Sarcmark. Gonna give this a big we'll see though. 😉

 

[HN]

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

 

[gorcorps]

This is weird, so does purch just buy large forums and then sell advertising spaceon them basically?

This seems random, why was there no frontpage post, or welcome party, it seems like a takeover.

Sooo, anyone wanna start a new forum? It will only have one category, off topic. I'll do it for free, but you guys have to moderate it, I can't keep up.

Segments of this community have tried to start forums so many times, but they end up just generating even more drama than is found here... I'd be down for another go though, let's have some fun :thumbsup:

 

[NFS4]

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

So those are the words to that damn song!

 

[ViviTheMage]

Segments of this community have tried to start forums so many times, but they end up just generating even more drama than is found here... I'd be down for another go though, let's have some fun :thumbsup:

yeah, whatever happened to that one, it was pretty big, isn't it still around? It had some like aqua/turquoise theme going on. I have a name picked out, twopumpchumps.com, I already have a logo and everything.

ohhh, I wonder if we can do AT LOTTO again? I think we'd be up to #5!

 

[jpishgar]

simplified consumer reviews and ads that better tailor themselves to my needs for the sake of better enriching my fast paced technology lifestyle.

Have you considered a career as a Brand Ambassador?

This is weird, so does purch just buy large forums and then sell advertising spaceon them basically?

Nope. But Purch owns a few forums and is partners with others. Purch makes its money by selling ad space on tech news sites, which is how Anandtech has made money and kept the lights on. The funds earned go to pay reporters, editors, and the occasional community goober like myself as well as bandwidth, development, maintenance and all that. This is pretty much the model for new media, and works out better than the subscription stuff. (I've spoken to some print reporters recently - it's not going well for them right now.)

Big question is do you even lift bro?

Coffee. Though if I did, bruh, I would miss leg day less than you do, brah.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Has subscription based sites actually taken off? I know a few very large, for-help-business type sites do it.

I also understand the need for advertising to pay staff/hosting, but this acquisition comes an odd time, Anand leaving, few weeks later boom buyout without any warning/welcoming.

 

[JEDI]

There goes the neighborhood.... criiiiiiiiiiipes
15+ years down the shitter.

yeah.. now I need to find a new home 🙁

been a blast while it lasted.

hm..maybe i'll check out what's behind this door.
hey look, the sky! and it's blue like they've shown on TV.


btw- how much did Anand sell his soul for?

 

[jlee]

Has subscription based sites actually taken off? I know a few very large, for-help-business type sites do it.

I also understand the need for advertising to pay staff/hosting, but this acquisition comes an odd time, Anand leaving, few weeks later boom buyout without any warning/welcoming.

MR2OC recently got bought out and promptly went downhill. I hope that's not the case here, but I'm not optimistic.

 

[rudeguy]

yeah.. now I need to find a new home 🙁

been a blast while it lasted.

hm..maybe i'll check out what's behind this door.
hey look, the sky! and it's blue like they've shown on TV.


btw- how much did Anand sell his soul for?

lots of secrecy. No word on even what his job is at Apple, let alone how much he makes. No word on how much he sold AT for either.

I think its more that he sold us than his soul.

 

[dmcowen674]

There are plenty of us who have been around long enough to know that ATOT is ATOT. Put whoever in charge you like, ban all the good members you like, but ATOT will still be ATOT.

If the new guy really wants to make this place better, he can unban all the people who were banned simply for offending the overlord's massive ego. There is a handy dandy list in my sig for reference.

HappyPuppy, FFMCobalt, PliableMoose, Dividedbyzero, Kirby, Nick1985, MotF Bane, Whoozyerdaddy, Bamacre, Red Dawn, ShinerBurke, Wanescotting, Loke

Wow, I thought some like Red left on their own. Did not know they got booted.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Will there still be a hotties thread in L&R?

 

[HTFOff]

Has subscription based sites actually taken off? I know a few very large, for-help-business type sites do it.

I also understand the need for advertising to pay staff/hosting, but this acquisition comes an odd time, Anand leaving, few weeks later boom buyout without any warning/welcoming.

This couldn't come at a more opportune time. The owner cashed in. Some schlub made an investment. It's really that simple.

This place feels dirty now. It's stained. Oh well, life goes on.

 

[ViviTheMage]

MR2OC recently got bought out and promptly went downhill. I hope that's not the case here, but I'm not optimistic.

Yeah, i've seen this with car enthusiast sites, makes me sad 🙁

This couldn't come at a more opportune time. The owner cashed in. Some schlub made an investment. It's really that simple.

This place feels dirty now. It's stained. Oh well, life goes on.

Yeah, I know, but this place always felt like a bro's house. Other forums came/went, but there was always AT. I almost always got great advice for questions, tech or life related. I have always thought I gave good advice too. This place always felt like I needed to act like a better person then the rest of the other dark, dirty forums out there. Shit, when I joined I was in middle school!