I have gotta say, I did NOT expect to see THAT question posed today when I got out of bed this morning.
It turns out it results from a rumor in which some people were kludging together two VERY disparate bits of information. One of those bits of information was my posted topic today related to Alternate RW Forums. Rather than take me at face value and the reasons I posted, it seems some would prefer to find OTHER motivations that I did NOT state . . . such as ...
Yesterday I responded to a PM in which I was asked about the value and income of RWD. In that same PM exchange it was mentioned that the Gringos.com site (counterpart to the Latin Forums on our Planet-Love.com site) was recently sold. The asking price for Gringos.com was $23,000 - and I do not know what the negotiated selling price was.
Gringos, like Planet-Love (and GoodWife) has been online since 1997 and they are among the very oldest of sites that serve this particular niche of the internet. Unlike PL, Gringos has never had a fraction of the traffic levels enjoyed by PL - though it is, IMO, the most attractive forum site on the 'net. They've done a great job with graphics - and the new owner plans to change it. See how little I know about this stuff
So in this same PM exchange, I explained that I would not divulge the revenue or profit $$ from RWD to anyone, unless and until they send me an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) in combination with their LOI (Letter of Interest/Intent).
Apparently that was enough, taken in combination with my other topic about Alternate RW Forums, that some people decided RWD must be for sale - and that was the question I received a short time ago.
So.... to put that rumor to bed, I will respond the same as in PM - and that is:
RWD, as part of the broader network of sites inclusive of Planet-Love, GoodWife, and CMA, has always been for sale to the extent I have always encouraged anyone who is serious to send me a serious offer. Most people are not serious.
I have received some (more than a few) inquiries over the years, and not one has been anything close to 'serious.'
I know the fact I did not issue a definitive 'NO!' to the question will leave some people continuing to pursue their need for vicarious drama. Oh well.
- Dan