Long story: I started really small. I paid around $20/month for a shared hosting when the site is really small (separate app server and db server) and not a lot of contents. my amazon S3 bill is even smaller. Later on when the site outgrows the shared hosting, I used EC2 to get two small isntances (for both app and DB server). Bottom line is the $$ i get from banner is able to pay for the bandwith and hosting. The only extra I pay for is $150 a month for google adwords to drive traffic ($5 a day budget).
Short version: Adwords for $150 a month (I've been paying for this for a year)
I hate the new feature to the core. I don't really care if someone down in new mexico likes what I'm currently reading. Plus, why do they feel like promoting the new feature straight in your face (it's just downright annoying). and to add salt to the wound, i've actually spent a few minutes googling how to disable it (apparently there's no way you can disable it, easily, yet). so I'm actually glad people seem to hate it.
Chrome has become my default browser, second place is Firefox. and i've seen increase in chrome share in my site, up from 3% to 7% for the past 6 months.
Against all odds, Chrome is my primary browser also (Windows for both work and home). I'm addicted to the speed and stable memory footprint and I only use FF for Firebug. I tend to leave my systems up for days at a time and I would always end up having to close Firefox daily to gain back the memory it had swallowed.
I use it just for short bursts of web 2.0 and javascript intensive browsing. It slows down my computer a lot, GoogleUpdate all the time touching some files, chrome itself maintaining its database. I don't like my harddisk led to be blinking constantly.
There are a lot of boot-strapped web start ups these days, I would suggest go to their "about us" section or blog if they have one and get to know the developers. Also, $300 - 600K is a big range. I would definitely think any YC funded sites should be interested in getting cold hard cash from angel investors
Wow. congrats. unfortunately I'm one of the hundreds that were rejected :)
But the best part for me is I get to meet Adeo in person, and I know I shouldn't be judgemental but he's impressed me as a darn good person that is passionate about helping out start ups as well.
I hope everything goes well with your venture, and please do share your experience with us
Adeo is a genuinely great guy. I don't care if it sounds like sucking up. I met him at an event in Boston that he got me a free ticket to, and I was flat out broke after getting there on a shoestring and he bought me a beer and introduced me around. I think he knows how tough it can be trying to get something started, and he really believes in what he says.
Thanks, and sorry about that Darwin. Ping me offline if I can help in any way. Just give me until after the first session to get some more time on my hands... ;-)
