{"id":10686,"date":"2016-02-10T12:38:10","date_gmt":"2016-02-10T17:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/?p=10686"},"modified":"2016-02-11T08:14:03","modified_gmt":"2016-02-11T13:14:03","slug":"the-golden-age-of-cloudeight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/the-golden-age-of-cloudeight\/","title":{"rendered":"The Golden Age of Cloudeight"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Golden Age of Cloudeight<\/h1>\n

I was just thinking this morning – we, Cloudeight, have been around for almost two decades. I guess I never thought about the number of years that have past since we started Cloudeight.<\/p>\n

Back in the days of our beginning, the “Web” \/ “Internet” was a curiosity and Darcy and I were like two kids in a candy store. In those days so much of the Internet was free. You could download freeware and never have to worry about malware or PUPs. Sure, those were the days of the viruses and Trojans. Antivirus programs were not very good back then, so you did have to be a little careful. For the most part, however, the Web was new frontier, and Darcy and I were cowgirls and cowboys riding off to the next town. Every day was a day of discovery and learning.<\/p>\n

I can remember we both used to like a site called Dave Central – it was a freeware site. Every morning Dave would have a dozen or so new freeware programs. We liked his site so much, it soon became the home page for both of us. I used to download and install so much freeware that I soon filled up my hard drive. Believe it or not, there was a day when a 2 GB hard drive was huge. I can remember when Darcy and I bought our first computers with 2 GB of hard drives – we thought we’d never run out of space again. I can even remember the brand name of the computers: Pionex. I don’t think they’re even in business anymore.<\/p>\n

It was on those Pionex computers with 512KB of RAM, two 256KB RAM chips, that we created our first Web site which quickly grew into Cloudeight Stationery. We soon became the largest free email stationery site on the Web – and at one time our mail list had a quarter-million subscribers. We used to work from 4 or 5 A.M. until midnight (when we could – we both had other jobs.) We didn’t make a penny then; it truly was a labor of love.<\/p>\n

The Web grew up and so did we. We started InfoAve newsletters almost 15 years ago. Between the stationery site and InfoAve, we were getting 3 million unique visitors to our Web sites each month. The income from the advertisements on our pages (mostly Google ads) paid the expenses and there was enough money left over that we considered making Cloudeight a full-time endeavor.<\/p>\n

That was the golden age of Cloudeight. Millions of visitors each month, 250,000 subscribers to our mail lists, the most popular free email stationery site on the Web, we were learning and our business was growing.<\/p>\n

We made a commitment then, that we would make every effort to answer every email we received – a policy we have followed to this day. People write to us with computer problems or to ask question and 99.9% of them get an answer. We have helped tens of thousands of people over the years without asking for a fee or expecting any payment. The knowledge that we have helped a countless number of people over the years remains one of our greatest accomplishments.<\/p>\n

Our stationery site continued to grow until 2007 when it reached its peak and we remained very successful until Microsoft introduced Windows 7 in 2009. Without a viable email program, we could see that the decline of our stationery site was inevitable. We made a few hundred stationery designs for Windows Live Mail but it wasn’t like the stationery we made for Windows Mail and Outlook Express. Windows Live Mail limited what we could do with stationery. We saw the handwriting on the wall and realized we’d have to change directions or let our business die and close up shop.<\/p>\n

We had been helping people for a long time. We hoped that we could grow the InfoAve newsletters (InfoAve Free and InfoAve Premium) and cut back on our expenses and take less money for ourselves. We struggled to make ends meet, but we were able to keep our business alive. Recently we made Cloudeight InfoAve Premium free for everyone – and we’ve combined our free and Premium newsletters.<\/p>\n

Now as we both grow older we find that many of our subscribers and customers are seniors who have been too often forgotten in this age where the focus is on youth and technology tries to leave us all behind. We’re proud to be one of the few companies to offer senior citizens – golden agers – answers to computer questions and reasonably priced-computer repair options. In this age where seniors are often targets for scammers, we consistently publish information to help seniors from being victims. We offer very affordable computer repair services to senior citizens; they can count on being treated well and receiving the best computer care & repair services at prices they can afford.<\/p>\n

Besides he products we endorse and recommend, and the computer services we provide, another important thing that keeps our business alive – and still keeps us alive – is the generosity of some of our friends and subscribers. Sure, we did and still sell products we believe in and we refused and continue to refuse to sell anything we would not use ourselves (and in doing so we have turned down a tens of thousands of dollars). Between the generosity of a small group of subscribers and the quality products we sell, we have been able to keep our small business alive.<\/p>\n

It seems like every year becomes a bigger struggle. We keep going and keep struggling and we will never give up. No matter how hard it gets, no matter how big the mountains are that we have to climb, we will keep going. We have cut our salaries in half, and we have cut our expenses by two-thirds – a we keeping going. And we still make an effort to answer 100% of the email we received. We try hard to make sure that everyone who asks a question gets an answer.<\/p>\n

We have reduced the price we charge for computer repair to about one-half of what other people charge. And I’ll tell you this, we give every one of our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care customers much more than they pay for. We don’t turn on a timer and cut people off when the repair session takes hours. We give our customers whatever is required to fix their computers. And we’re proud of that. Unlike other computer repair services who charge twice as much and whose repair services usually take 45 minutes because ultimately they resort to the easiest fix for them – but not the best fix for their customers. Companies like Best Buy consider re-installing or re-setting Windows as the first option, instead of the last option. Companies like Best Buy are big billion-dollar companies – who didn’t get to be billion-dollar companies by treating every person as a friend. Reinstalling Windows takes 45 minutes and fixes almost any problem – but it should always be one of the last choices, not the first. It inconveniences the customer who will have to reinstall all his\/her programs, and if they do have any viable backups will lose all their photos, documents, music and other personal files.<\/p>\n

We’re having a Valentine’s Day special – you can get two computer repair keys for $65. That’s only $32.50 per repair. The keys never expire – they are good until you use them. At at time when local computer repair companies charge $75 just to LOOK at your computer, and companies like Best Buy charge $199 or more for computer repair, our offer of two computer repair keys for $65 is quite a bargain.<\/p>\n

Sadly, in this world where money rules, most of us “common” people don’t matter. We don’t matter to the government, we don’t matter to the big corporations, we don’t matter much to anyone at all – except each other.<\/p>\n

And while we have to make money to keep our business going, money has never been the reason we do what we do. We know we are never going to get rich doing what we do. But like it was in the beginning when we put in twelve to fourteen hours a day, it is a labor of love. We do care about every one of you. Every one of our customers gets the best we have to give, every single day. Are we perfect? No we are not, but we try to be.<\/p>\n

So here we are in February 2016, nineteen years after we first connected to the Internet. As usually happens in February, we are struggling with our finances. And as usual, the same small group of people have helped us (again and again) with their donations, and we can’t thank them enough. Without their generosity – we would not be here.<\/p>\n

If every subscriber donated $5, we would have enough to keep going for a year. A small donation helps<\/a>.<\/span> We’re at the time of year when we really need your help – and we are asking for your help to keep us going – to get us over this rough spot. If you can afford a few dollars, please consider helping us right now.<\/p>\n

If you can’t afford a few dollars, we understand. You can help us in other ways. You can use our start page<\/span><\/a> as your browser’s start page. You can tell your friends about us and recommend our newsletters to them<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

We consider all of you our friends, not just subscribers. If you can donate a few dollars right now<\/a><\/span> to help us get through this winter, we could really appreciate it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We thank all of you for your continued support. We promise you, we will always try to give you our very best.<\/p>\n

—-<\/p>\n

Sharing with you all a Comment from John in Oz<\/h1>\n

We received many nice comments on this essay, and many donations too. We want to to share with you a comment made by John in Oz that we found particularly touching.<\/p>\n

Hi TC & EB,<\/p>\n

I still have the vision in my mind nearly 20 years ago when I first\u00a0 visited Cloudcight, Acpressions, the wonderful Stationary and the tips and tricks.<\/p>\n

My computer was a year and a half old, I was learning how to use it every evening after dinner, no time during the day with a full-time job.\u00a0 I ‘fell into holes’, wriggled out somehow, taught myself how to connect to a server with a dial-up connection. read PC magazines from front to back,\u00a0 back to front, took a plunge one day and formatted the hard drive of
\nWindows 98 SE, made a mess, re-read, oh, necessary to move a drive letter, back in ‘business’.<\/p>\n

Yahoo was a server, not food, OK the connector of Internet.<\/p>\n

InfoAve began, tips and tricks and niceties every Saturday morning, then the prizes for the competitions, I won a lifetime free copy of InfoAve Premium, (but donated when possible to TC and EB) because I found that the guidance, the assistance , the knowledge of problems which they solved without recompense was to be admired, but more than admiration for TC & EB\u00a0 is the dedication, day after day with the tips, tricks, advice, articles affecting life, and then the demise of Cloudeight Stationary, a severe blow to all members just because Windows 7 with the removal of Outlook
\nExpress put and end to the wonderful stationary.<\/p>\n

I hated that decision, I thought that Outlook would support the Cloudeight fantastic range of wonderful stationary, give a lift to peoples’ email. A great idea arose, Computer Assistance, a brilliant idea, albeit there was a program available to perform assistance, but TC & EB grabbed the\u00a0 ‘bull by the horns’ and most decidedly did a much better job…..and\u00a0 easily affordable.<\/p>\n

TC & EB did not give up, or give in, the appreciation by members on a weekly basis gives testimony to ThunderCloud and EightBall, and for me who studied computer software, assisted by TC & EB gave me the knowledge and ability to help senior citizens understand and ‘conquer’ their computers. This I did, and continue to do so without cost or charge, to simply pass on the advice and assistance in the footsteps of TC & EB and impressing upon those who I served would log in and connect to Cloudeight.<\/p>\n

Nearly twenty years I have been a member of Cloudeight, I have a supreme admiration for TC & Darcy, when all else failed, they continue to succeed.\u00a0 Half a world apart in Australia, the the most honest, trustworthy individuals for whom I have the greatest respect, and never met, my helpful friends, TC & EB.<\/p>\n

(John in Oz)<\/p>\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The Golden Age of Cloudeight I was just thinking this morning – we, Cloudeight, have been around for almost two decades. I guess I never thought about the number of years that have past since we started Cloudeight. Back in the days of our beginning, the “Web” \/ “Internet” was a curiosity and Darcy and I were like\u2026 Read More »<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[228],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10686"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10686"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10691,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10686\/revisions\/10691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}