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mo84
last online: 08/10, 11:40
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Is this site still owned by CBS?

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Since writing this post mo84 may have helped people, but has not within the last four (4) days.
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site, owned, cbs
Replies (15)
Roccoflip
Rockster160
last online: <time class="timeago" datetime="1730969927" title="Nov 7, 2024 8:58">Nov 7, 2024 8:58</time>
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(22 minutes after post)
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Nope. It's currently owned and operated by me- an individual with no relation to any company in regards of the site.

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mo84
last online: 08/10, 11:40
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(34 minutes after post)
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Rockster160 wrote:
Nope. It's currently owned and operated by me- an individual with no relation to any company in regards of the site.

Oh okay. I guess you bought it from CBS then if you don't mind me asking?

Roccoflip
Rockster160
last online: <time class="timeago" datetime="1730969927" title="Nov 7, 2024 8:58">Nov 7, 2024 8:58</time>
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(37 minutes after post)
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Nope. When they shut down- they offered the original source code and data to anybody willing to take on the project.

Unfortunately, nobody grabbed the source code, but luckily the data was picked up and imported into a different style forum. Fast forward a few years and they let use pick up the old data as well as the new data collected by their forum and import it into our archives here.

But otherwise, CBS essentially dropped the project and said anybody could pick it up if they wanted to, so here we are. 😄

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mo84
last online: 08/10, 11:40
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(39 minutes after post)
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Rockster160 wrote:
Nope. When they shut down- they offered the original source code and data to anybody willing to take on the project.

Unfortunately, nobody grabbed the source code, but luckily the data was picked up and imported into a different style forum. Fast forward a few years and they let use pick up the old data as well as the new data collected by their forum and import it into our archives here.

But otherwise, CBS essentially dropped the project and said anybody could pick it up if they wanted to, so here we are. 😄

Oh okay I dont know why they dropped it maybe ppl were fighting too much but glad the site is back... it does help.

Roccoflip
Rockster160
last online: <time class="timeago" datetime="1730969927" title="Nov 7, 2024 8:58">Nov 7, 2024 8:58</time>
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(43 minutes after post)
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I believe it was because it was essentially a money-sink. The domain was wildly valuable, and the site brought in a very negligible amount of money. Overall it probably cost them every month, and it was difficult for them to keep paying for something that they could just sell for a large sum of money.

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mo84
last online: 08/10, 11:40
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(1 hour after post)
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Oh okay.

Roccoflip
Rockster160
last online: <time class="timeago" datetime="1730969927" title="Nov 7, 2024 8:58">Nov 7, 2024 8:58</time>
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(1 hour after post)
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👍Happy to answer any more questions you have, and you can shout me any time. 😃

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mo84
last online: 08/10, 11:40
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(1 hour after post)
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Rockster160 wrote:
👍Happy to answer any more questions you have, and you can shout me any time. 😃

Thx

1581744157174 1581744149313 miss bot
soco
last online: 03/19, 3:49
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(4 hours after post)
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A bit more history.
C|Net is who owned the original domain name Help dot com. It was run entirely by volunteers and was free to use. It was entirely ad free as well. As the site grew so did the size of data that was taking up space on a server. Fast forward several years and CBS Interactive comes along and wishes to buy CNET. Their largest domain names at the time were GameSpot, TechRepublic, and ZDNet. Some of those domains continued to grow including us. Some of the other domains were already running ads while we remained ad free.
When the ads did get introduced it was done by CBS Interactive. Several of us old geezers hated it. The more the ads bothered the regulars, the more of us left. The ads also brought with it more posts from bots and it was getting harder and harder to get them under control by the moderators (still being volunteers). As the numbers dwindled CBS-I did less and less for us and the site nearly died.
The 3 guys that purchased the domain Help dot com wanted it just for the domain name. The content that came with it was rebranded as Helptogo dot com. They tried to bring it back to its old glory but it couldn't work. I can't speak for them how hard they tried but truth was no new members were coming in from searches for "Help".
Working from old archival screenshots, Rockster160 resurrected the old site to what you see here today. We can't heap enough praise for his patience, willpower, tenacity, wisdom, dedication, and just pure hutzpa on him for what he alone has done.
To help keep THIS site free, he has also opened an account linked to a page that accepts donations. We still are free for newbies to use which is why you will not find a link to the donation page on the Home page. (It's on the F.A.Q. page, btw)
Welcome back by the way. How did you happen to find us?

Help me with:

We have another hurricane coming this way.

M
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mo84
last online: 08/10, 11:40
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(1 day after post)
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Thanks. I used to be on the CBS version of it years ago and I got an email recently that the site was back and I happened to actually see that email because I get a lot of emails.

Yorick
Yorick
last online: 02/28, 23:53
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(1 day after post)
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yea help.com used to be a major site.. thats how i found it.. when i was in dire need for helpful information

1581744157174 1581744149313 miss bot
soco
last online: 03/19, 3:49
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(1 day after post)
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mo84 wrote:
Thanks. I used to be on the CBS version of it years ago and I got an email recently that the site was back and I happened to actually see that email because I get a lot of emails.

We could use a few more people here. So if you know of anybody that would benefit from us, send out some emails of your own. The more use it gets the higher up the Google search pole we go.

Help me with:

We have another hurricane coming this way.

Dr. ralph club zps9ornptsl
DocteurRalph
last online: 10/23, 23:49
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(2 days after post)
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Help.com was a very valuable domain name and they weren't making any money off of it so they sold the name and gave away the goodies. Now we just need to help more people find it.

Help me with:

I need help.

Sherlock by olga tereshenko d9qdidc
Sherlock
last online: 07/08, 10:43
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(2 days after post)
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The ads introduced by CBS-I were very intrusive. They'd slide across the screen and block whatever you were reading! And they were always advertising some kind of crap that nobody wanted!

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mo84
last online: 08/10, 11:40
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(6 days after post)
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Sherlock wrote:
The ads introduced by CBS-I were very intrusive. They'd slide across the screen and block whatever you were reading! And they were always advertising some kind of crap that nobody wanted!

I remember those lol

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