Bluesky seems like it is running into the endless problem of people being wildly ignorant about internet hosting costs. Comes up a lot in streaming where people just kinda assume Youtube and Twitch are profitable when the reality is probably closer to "oh god please papa Google/Amazon give us money". That website has to be SO expensive and the combination of SO expensive and very little revenue is a great way to eventually need to sell to someone who is willing to either run it as a dumb vanity project, monetize it hyper-aggressively, or strip mine it.
“Bluesky seems like it is running into the endless problem of people being wildly ignorant about internet hosting costs.” Admittedly, me here. I suppose it’s just a calculus of growth at this point. They must become what Twitter was or fade into oblivion. I don’t like their odds.
I’m a finance lawyer with decades of experience with higher ed (and other non profit and gov) debt. Having worked on a near bankruptcy/workout for a failing small LA college and its subsequent merger into a larger university, I can confirm that the Age of Conquest is absolutely happening.
There are so many factors, as the Age of Conquest points out, but not many folks talk about debt. As a municipal bond lawyer, I could talk some ears off about it.
I really like the “age of conquest”framing. I have been making a similar observation, about how it seem like the most prestigious schools as well as the biggest state schools from the power-5 conferences might be thriving in the next couple decades while most others are in spirals with no clear exit (accepting more foreign students would be one solution for them but is politically fraught).
I’ve viewed it as a hollowing out of the middle though, because I think the next 50 years could also see a tremendous rise of community colleges.
I can see that. There is a wide gulf opening. With community colleges though, one issue is that they are also expanding their own offerings. So now a lot of them do high school enrollment and some are adding BAs. Likewise, 4-year college are also trying to eat into those CC students with some early acceptance and other programs. The battle for conquest continues….
Bluesky seems like it is running into the endless problem of people being wildly ignorant about internet hosting costs. Comes up a lot in streaming where people just kinda assume Youtube and Twitch are profitable when the reality is probably closer to "oh god please papa Google/Amazon give us money". That website has to be SO expensive and the combination of SO expensive and very little revenue is a great way to eventually need to sell to someone who is willing to either run it as a dumb vanity project, monetize it hyper-aggressively, or strip mine it.
“Bluesky seems like it is running into the endless problem of people being wildly ignorant about internet hosting costs.” Admittedly, me here. I suppose it’s just a calculus of growth at this point. They must become what Twitter was or fade into oblivion. I don’t like their odds.
Kudos on the success of the article!
I’m a finance lawyer with decades of experience with higher ed (and other non profit and gov) debt. Having worked on a near bankruptcy/workout for a failing small LA college and its subsequent merger into a larger university, I can confirm that the Age of Conquest is absolutely happening.
There are so many factors, as the Age of Conquest points out, but not many folks talk about debt. As a municipal bond lawyer, I could talk some ears off about it.
Hey thanks. Interesting, yes, I would be interested in hearing about that debt ha. Perhaps a future write-up I’ll reach out to see if we can chat.
Anytime.
I really like the “age of conquest”framing. I have been making a similar observation, about how it seem like the most prestigious schools as well as the biggest state schools from the power-5 conferences might be thriving in the next couple decades while most others are in spirals with no clear exit (accepting more foreign students would be one solution for them but is politically fraught).
I’ve viewed it as a hollowing out of the middle though, because I think the next 50 years could also see a tremendous rise of community colleges.
I can see that. There is a wide gulf opening. With community colleges though, one issue is that they are also expanding their own offerings. So now a lot of them do high school enrollment and some are adding BAs. Likewise, 4-year college are also trying to eat into those CC students with some early acceptance and other programs. The battle for conquest continues….
Here's another great (fantasy) academe RPG: https://potatocubed.itch.io/pigsmoke
Also this one: https://bullypulpitgames.com/products/roach
ah interesting! Perhaps I need to compile a bunch of these in one place. Thanks.