Hey,

I've recently decided to host a popular website for free. I'm just wondering about your opinions on this.

The site is getting more and more popular, with flash content actually made by the site owner.
It's been a main feature on a site which has been mentioned on the UK's most popular radion station (Radio 1). The site is also getting media attention.

It's recieves at the moment a minimum of 1,000,000 hits a month, and has recieved over 30,000 hits from sites such as Flashplayer.com.
The site is VERY UK orientated which would obviously not benifit me aiming at the USA market, but this isnt a problem for now.
For me doing this the site owner has said he will mention me at every available opportunity, including in the newsletter(Goes out to a random number of people, in excess of 500) on the site next to the flash animations, although I have asked not to be mentioned so much as to appear like an advert..... if you get me.
Worthwhile doing? Should I ask to have a google ad placed on his site instead of my banners/link etc?

Regards

That would depend on the conditions you imposed when you decided to host this site for free. If he/she has no problem with it, and you didn't have a prior agreement, then give it a try.

If the site is so popular why don't they use the power of advertising to buy there own dedicated server? Let along get the hostage for free?

The owner of a site has never owned a site before, he simply made flash cartoons for fun, he never expected the site to get as big as it has. His knowledge of the internet isnt great, at the moment he has no adverts etc on the site, i've told him some sites he should look into about how he can make money from the site, its only fair he gets what he can.

yeah, I see.... If you want to get him off your back and be a mate, give him some help... Get some adsense on there.. then fix him up with some hostage :)

would you be kind enough to show us the url, kind of curious now :)