[bayindirh]

> The right question is "how much total value do all of the links provide", not "what percent are used".

Yes, but it doesn't bring in the sweet promotion home, unfortunately. Ironically, if 99% of them doesn't see any traffic, you can scale back the infra, run it in 2 VMs, and make sure a single person can keep it up as a side quest, just for fun (but, of course, pay them for their work).

This beancounting really makes me sad.

[quesera]

Configuring a static set of redirects would take a couple hours to set up, and literally zero maintenance forever.

Amazon should volunteer a free-tier EC2 instance to help Google in their time of economic struggles.

[bayindirh]

This is what I mean, actually.

If they’re so inclined, Oracle has an always free tier with ample resources. They can use that one, too.

[socalgal2]

If they wanted the sweat promotion they could add an interstitial. Yes, people would complain, but at least the old links would not stop working.

[ahstilde]

> just for fun (but, of course, pay them for their work).

Doing things for fun isn't in Google's remit

[morkalork]

Then they shouldn't have offered it as a free service in the first place. It's like that discussion about how Google in all its 2-ton ADHD gorilla glory will enter an industry, offer a (near) free service or product, decimate all competition, then decide its not worth it and shutdown. Leaving a desolate crater behind of ruined businesses, angry and abandoned users.

[jsperson]

I’m still sore about reader. Gap has never been filled for me.

[kevindamm]

Alas, it was, once upon a time.

[ceejayoz]

It used to be. AdSense came from 20% time!