It is with great excitement we announce yet another feature for Freezenet. We have launched out official Patreon page so you can support us directly!
We’re sounding like a broken record now, but Freezenet is once again expanding… again. This time, we have officially launched our brand new Patreon page. This development represents the final infrastructure piece of the Freezenet puzzle. It represents the last part of my long term initial plan for the site which stretched into nearly 6 years of development now.
So, launching this is much much more than just filling out a couple of fields and creating a few custom pictures, it was about successfully following through on the single most ridiculously complex projects I’ve ever devised. While I have had to put up with a multitude of setbacks along the way, in the end, with pure guts and determination, the project as devised from the beginning has delivered!
So, why the Patreon page? Well, the problem it’s supposed to resolve is simple. Until today, the only way for you, the user, to support the site is through viewing and/or clicking on ads. For some people, the idea of being part of the Google system isn’t the greatest thing in the world. Understandably, some people choose to block the Adsense ads and the Analytics tracker that is a part of the site. The only problem is that I can’t get anything out of this. Still, I respect your decision which is why I have never implemented any anti-ad blocking or anti-tracking blocking technology on the site.
Still, I can respect that some of you out there will be saying, “Drew, I like you. I want to support you, but I want nothing to do with the ads and tracking.” With Patreon, you don’t have to. You can choose to support the site for as much or as little as you like without having to allow any tracking technology to monitor your movements on the open web.
So, the next question is, will I remove the ads should this initiative prove successful? I honestly don’t know. For the most part, I’m inclined to leave the ads for the time being simply because there is going to be people out there that say, “Drew, I like you, but I’m broke and can’t afford anything.” So, for you, I will leave viewing the ads an option because you don’t have to pay me directly anything. The bottom line is this: I want you, the user, to have a choice on how you want to support me if you choose to do so.
Another question is this: will content now start being paywalled? The answer is no. The benefits for Patron’s revolve largely around early access, but for the average user who just browses the site passively, the content is ultimately free. Again, this is about giving choice to you, the user.
If you choose to support Freezenet, thank you so much. It means the world to me. If you choose not to support me, I can honestly say that I respect your decision. All I can do is work hard for as many days as possible to improve Freezenet from here on out.
For those of you who are asking, this does not mean the end of the projects to improve Freezenet. It just means that, for now, the basic infrastructure is set. After this, I’ll be working hard to improve existing features on the site. As of now, I have a few projects coming down the pipe for the new year to improve existing features. I can honestly say that I am excited to see how they play out and can’t wait to show those features off.
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Google+.
