www.rafcommands.com For Sale

**Ross_McNeill** · 25th August 2013, 11:16

Due to personal circumstances I will shortly be no longer able or willing to support both the www.rafcommands.com domain or it's associated web site and forum.

In order to allow the last 15 years of web presence to continue I am looking at selling the domain, current web pages of www.rafcommands.com, current forum and archive storage as one package.

the new owners will be able to alter and run the site as they see fit.

Included in the price is the following IP hosting package:

Transfer of domain registration www.rafcommands.com, due for renewal on 2 May 2014
Yearly web hosting package from current IP, 15GB bandwidth, 3000MB storage, due for renewal 12 Nov 2013
SQL Database package from current IP, 1 database used out of 3, due for renewal 27 Nov 2013
CGI Bin package from current IP, renewal 21 June 2014

I'm looking for offers in the region of 4 times the annual hosting costs to cover previous development, goodwill and my agreement not to develop a competitor site in similar format.

If not sold and transferred by Nov it will be reduced to archive status.

Regards
Ross

**dennis_burke** · 25th August 2013, 13:44

Whats the ball park figure Ross?

Doubt anyone understands the costs and effort involved.

**Ross_McNeill** · 25th August 2013, 14:16

Hi,

Last year the annual hosting bill was £257

If the site was to be funded by advertising there are various estimates online of it's annual worth from $28K to $167 but the meridian is $3k to $4k.

I've set the price as a one off offer in the region of £1k and, for offers near asking price, would extend the renewal dates for everything to 2014 before sale.

Current IP hosting is Easyspace and they have the ability to host on behalf of any international owner.

Web content transfer is easy if it initially stays with the current IP. All I do is give the ftp details and current password for site content and the admin forum login. The new user changes the passwords to suit and deletes my forum registration. That way they have all the access to files and forum that I had and I have none.

If required they could then transfer the files and forum to a new IP and move the domain there and the internet address of www.rafcommands.com would be automatically linked to the new quad address.

Domain transfer would be subject to the normal rules and procedures but is fairly straight forward.

http://www.active-domain.com/domain-transfer/

All email rights to rafcommands are transferred with the domain.

Regards
Ross

**dennis_burke** · 25th August 2013, 21:40

Ill maintain my current investment in nappies and childcare I think.

Best of luck. Been nice chatting with everyone.

**alclark** · 25th August 2013, 23:27

And I thought Lycos were expensive for hosting, that was until they pulled out of hosting and I found much more realistic options.

**Lyffe** · 26th August 2013, 14:35

Ross,

I cannot adequately express my sorrow that you no longer feel able to support the www.rafcommands.com domain. I am a total dunce in these matters, but nonetheless appreciate the more than considerable time and expense that you have devoted to what is without doubt one of, if not the best military forums on the Internet. The advice and information freely given and shared by all contributors is without value. There is no question but that collectively we hold a unique archive of data that extends from WW1 to post-WW2 although, obviously, WW2 remains the core as you intended. An archive that without rafcommands we would be unable to access and benefit from.

For this reason I hope that someone feels able to continue what you started so many years ago. I have no skill whatsoever in this cypher world, but would be more than willing to offer my unconditional support to anyone prepared to continue your work.

In the mean-time "Thank you, Ross" seems a poor way of showing gratitude.

Brian

**CZ_RAF** · 26th August 2013, 20:48

I have discussed the matter with Ross off-board and after consideration I have to say also that it is out of my possibilities.

I also think it will be a big loss for our community which seems to me really different form other forums I am member of as on this forum thanks to Ross and other members I feel more "family relations".

I can offer my full support if anyone will take over

Pavel

**Jagan** · 27th August 2013, 02:54

I am seriously thinking of taking up Ross on his offer. Though I may not offer his asking price, I would make a reasonable and a serious offer that is within my means.

1. This site has been invaluable to me for my research over the years - and in my very first work about WW2 that is going to get published end of this year, i had prominently acknowledged the tremendous help I got out of this forum. So Personally I am indebted to this board.

2. Over the years I have seen the site grow and members like Henk etc contribute so much to this site. it would be a shame to see that go away.

3. Running a site requires persistence and technical knowhow. I have been managing my own sites for nearly 15 years now. and I intend to carry on till I kick the bucket (Which hopefully will alteast be 30-40 years away). I have access to webspace / webserver that literally costs me next to nothing to host an additional site .

4. But I do wonder if members will keep posting at the same pace should a change of ownership happen? it goes without saying that it is Ross's effort and vision that kept this site going and growing. I can replace the technical operations behind the site, but cannot replace the leadership , moderation and knowledge.

**dfuller52** · 27th August 2013, 03:59

It would be a shame for Ross to have to lower his price further. His investment in time and patience far outweighs the asking price, I think. Especially if the new owner(s) were to start adding Google ads to the site.

I too can offer assistance, as I do this kind of work for a living - more on the content side, although I have some technical skills - and manage several sites, both professionally and as a volunteer.

Perhaps a community foundation could be formed to put up an offer? It seems to be working for Hearts, and the Canadian Football League team in Saskatchewan is community-owned.