Originally Posted by PersignupChuck

I think there can be "too much" free porn. But I don't think it's as dire as stated in the beginning of this post. I do also agree that there are more players in the game now, spreading out the profits more thinly...
Also, technology advances and so does the industry. The things that worked to make tons of profit in 1998 do not work anymore.

The music industry cried that downloadable music and file sharing would bankrupt them... people still buy CDs. It cost about 10 cents to make a Compact Disk and at one point it could cost you $20 to get a disk for 1 song. These sales stopped with music downloads - and prices ended up adjusted. (Notice they never complained about used CD sales?)

Broadband internet made it available to download movies and the movie industry got cried they were scared. Instead of what the movie industry did, it cost more to see a movie now then ever before and now people don't see movies as much as they used to do. I know, when I spent $10 to see Team America, I wanted to physically damage another human being.

The newspapers also bitch about the internet hurting their sales - so they do things like defraud customers into subscriptions. I got scammed into a newspaper subscription and I'm still not sure how - and the D.A. says he has real crimes to persecute so my $20 isn't a priority. My neighbors got the SF Chronicle daily and don't even speak or read English.

Free content of adult material is really the same. Many of the consequences can be the same too. It will definitely thin out the heard - as has been happening. It's no longer easy to get a cheap site, a template program and throw up a TGP and buy a new mercedes next week. Also, you have to have constant updates and reasonable prices. It's also spawned some of the most unique niche sites and niches themselves.

It is a difficult dillema: People don't even pay attention to that same set of content they've already seen 6 thousand times - but "why would someone buy the cow if they get the milk for free?"

My only real concern is the avenue the top tier business owners take to stay alive. If they raise prices and reduce payouts, it will likely harm the industry farther. If they lean more towards spam, slamming and unscruppulous tactics, it will just cause more regulations to harm all of us.

Personally, I think it's best to just stay the course... but also realize that, although they will be replaced, these people giving away a ton of shit won't be around forever.

If you have a good website, reliable traffic and good content/concepts - just don't let other people give your stuff away for free and you will likely survive.

If you want to be the next multi-billionare, take your profits and buy developing real estate or start up an outsourcing company in the filapines.