New LowEndBox kickstarter project.

[MannDude]

Seen this yet? http://www.lowendbox.com/blog/lowendbox-kickstarter-competition-2-1500-worth-of-prizes/

I like the idea, sure. But don't like how it'll be just another run-of-the-mill hosting operating. Same specs as a slew of other providers, same boring locations, and at the end of the day the only difference between what will come of this and available options already in the same location is how many containers is crammed on each node and how the company handles support.

I was thinking of organizing something similar to this, though with community donated products/services. On the fence now.

Discuss.

 

[MartinD]

Something elsewhere is required. Some proper rules and regulation, too. Oh, and non LEB, too.

 

[Jade]

Sounds like a great idea!

 

[SeriesN]

But summer is about to end

 

[jarland]

CC is just a few steps away from selling "vps company" as a product listed in WHMCS. Turnkey ready to go VPS company.

 

[Francisco]

CC is just a few steps away from selling "vps company" as a product listed in WHMCS. Turnkey ready to go VPS company.

HAH

I wonder if they stripped it from the guy that won the kickstarter?

Francisco

 

[notFound]

Closes on my b'day. Mmm.

I liked the original one a little more to be perfectly honest, I can't really see anyone deserving around that isn't already capable of starting their own company in the LEB/LET community, that is unless there's a lurker. It definately is a better 'prize' but there's also the problem of ubiquitously used locations so that can't be a USP and it will be hard to find a USP and to gain success in the market. Really needs someone special to win to make it worth while.

 

[wdq]

I find this bit of information appealing: "the winner will be picked by you the community"

Although I have to agree that if someone is looking to start a hosting company they really shouldn't need a kick start to get it going. They should have it already planned out, and they should already have the funding in place to get everything up and running for at least a year. 

 

[WebSearchingPro]

I agree that anyone who has a chance of "winning" this already has enough knowledge/experience to start their own company or had already been working for a current VPS host. 

However, there may be a few people with particular limitations, that could benefit greatly from this. Honestly anyone can go out and spend 200$/month starting from month one and have a company, IMO the real "gift" is the consultation and education from working with a provider as large as ColoCrossing (albeit one with a bad rep.).

I think the fact that it will be a community vote will cause some issues because most of the popular people in this community already have their hands in a company/project and will be unable to devote 100% time to this new opportunity. 

Itll be interesting to see the results, wonder if someone will be able to write up a successful business plan + compete with ~20 established hosts in CC. While turning profit at month 7.

 

[peterw]

Who want's to be the 100th host in Buffalo? Hopefully noone.

 

[Tux]

Who want's to be the 100th host in Buffalo? Hopefully noone.

More like 3.2 thousandth host.

I'm cringing.

 

[peterw]

I hate "new" offers. Most of the time I read the offer till I reach the location list (Los Angeles, Kansas, Buffalo) and cursing about another waste of time.

 

[mikho]

Although I have to agree that if someone is looking to start a hosting company they really shouldn't need a kick start to get it going. They should have it already planned out, and they should already have the funding in place to get everything up and running for at least a year. 

Hopefully the winner will be someone who has everything ready but only lacks the funding. That would be the ideal situation.

IMO the real "gift" is the consultation and education from working with a provider as large as ColoCrossing (albeit one with a bad rep.).

If the advice is good, that part is interesting. if the response time is slow and "bad" it will create even more chaos for a newbie.

HAH


I wonder if they stripped it from the guy that won the kickstarter?


Francisco

Since the price was never collected it wouldn't surprise me if this is the same server.

My "opinion" on this is like many already said, first and foremost the location. The new provider will need to do something so special to stand out of the crowd of all other providers already there.

There will be a "problem" when the winner is announced and the first offer is presented. The community of LE will ask WHY they should pay for a VPS on a server that the provider got for free. No matter what price it is on the product, it will be to high.

After reading comments about the latest kickstarter it wasa miles between the winner and the runner up. (?) I don't think the situation has changed much since then. There are a number of new members on the forum but a potential new provider? Maybe or maybe not.

I would have understood and loved the kickstarter competition if a part of the price was something in the line of getting first month alone in a new CC location or similar. Something making it unique.

 

[HostUS-Alexander]

Good luck to everyone that enters

 

[peterw]

first and foremost the location

They do have some locations that are interesting http://www.colocrossing.com/network

But they do always only offer the three dirty cheap.

 

[MannDude]

The community of LE will ask WHY they should pay for a VPS on a server that the provider got for free. No matter what price it is on the product, it will be to high.

They already ask this question to valid, solid and known hosting companies because the market is saturated with 'all for nothing' type of cookie-cutter hosts. A lot of customers expect RAM to cost about $3.50/mo per GB allocated to the customer.

I'd enter the contest, offer KVM VPSes and not try to appeal to the low-end market at all. Since I'd be charging practical prices that actual businesses would be willing to pay, once the free-term is up I could rent or collocate a server in a different DC, sell it as a 'network and infrastructure upgrade' to my small client-base, and go from there.

The real winner in this contest will be CC, who gets free promotion, gets to collect ideas, and earns another client.

 

[D. Strout]

I feel like I could meet all the requirements. I have a lot of experience with this stuff, and I know I could set up a good host. But I have not been active in the LET/B community since the hacks, I don't have enough time to do it right, I wouldn't be able to offer IPv6 because, you know, ColoCrossing, and I don't have a better answer than anyone else as to how to make this unique and worth people's while/money.

 

[kaniini]

I'd enter the contest, offer KVM VPSes and not try to appeal to the low-end market at all. Since I'd be charging practical prices that actual businesses would be willing to pay, once the free-term is up I could rent or collocate a server in a different DC, sell it as a 'network and infrastructure upgrade' to my small client-base, and go from there. The real winner in this contest will be CC, who gets free promotion, gets to collect ideas, and earns another client.

But that's the point.  They want another shell company they can assimilate in 6 months, they don't care about sustainability.

If they cared about sustainability, they wouldn't target lowendbox community for a "launch a VPS company" promo.

 

[Lee]

To be honest it's good to see, the first one was a disaster and the winner an idiot full of excuses.  Hopefully it will be better handled this time and go to someone with a good plan for development and a solid time frame worked out.

Yes it's CC, yes it's in the same locations as so many others however it's a worthy deal and a good package to allow someone to launch properly and not having to skimp on the important things.

Say what you like about CC on this one but they are putting something worthwhile out there, don't see anyone else making this kind of offer.  So whilst you may not like CC or LET anymore it's worth supporting for the sake of the right person getting a solid start.

 

[Ivan]

To be honest it's good to see, the first one was a disaster and the winner an idiot full of excuses.  Hopefully it will be better handled this time and go to someone with a good plan for development and a solid time frame worked out.

Yes it's CC, yes it's in the same locations as so many others however it's a worthy deal and a good package to allow someone to launch properly and not having to skimp on the important things.

Say what you like about CC on this one but they are putting something worthwhile out there, don't see anyone else making this kind of offer.  So whilst you may not like CC or LET anymore it's worth supporting for the sake of the right person getting a solid start.

I agree with you on this. You don't see any other big companies do this sorta thing, and I'll be pretty damn jealous towards whoever who wins it. Looking forward to see who will be getting their hands on all of those stuff, hopefully it'll be someone worthy and someone who will make use of all of those things to the utmost maximum in a time frame of 6 months.