This site looks like it is beginning to become commercialized and run for profit. This seems to be contrary to how it was initially set up, as a free and open site. The day your Emporium takes effect will be the last day that I will be using this website to help others.

Question

the_mobster · Answer

I agree

kidrah69 · Answer

No that is not true you will get free help :) nothing is gonna change dont worry :) and the emporium is optional no one is forcing you to buy anything!

thesmartone · Answer

OpenStudy needs money to help run the site. Every free website needs to make money in order to run. There will always be help for free. You only have to buy owlbucks and other stuff if you want to, it is not mandatory. You only need to pay and get owlbucks to ask for qualified help, if you want help from a Qualified Helper. OpenStudy was barely making any money from the three ad spaces they have dedicated. So would you want OpenStudy to give away more space to ads? And start having pop up ads so that every time you have to physically x out the ad?

Another question:
Do you stop using Wikipedia whenever they put up one of their Donate some money to us ads?

anonymous · Answer

they could just run adds its not that hard

anonymous · Answer

there are two fairly large sections on the left and right of the screen to run at least to more ads

thesmartone · Answer

Ads do not generate a lot of money.

eclipsedstar · Answer

^ That's true, and os is currently running mainly because of grants, not ads. Sooner or later, those companies that support os will leave, and os needs to be financially able to hold off on its own.

e.mccormick · Answer

1) More ads drive people away.

2) Internet ads recently took some big hits when the turnover results showed they are getting less and less effective.

3) The site has always been commercial, from day 1.  It has never been non-profit.

4) The grant money ran out long ago from what I understand.

5) Hosting is not free and when you have large databases it costs more than people would think.

All of these things add up to them needing more revenue streams.  That means taking what little excess they do have and putting it into changes and improvements that they feel will result in more money.  At the same time, as others have noted, they are keeping the basic site free.